First Impressions

Before I begin this post, I feel I must reiterate my disclaimer that I have posted in some of the previous posts. I encourage others to provide their recommendations, thoughts and point of view regarding the topic of this post as long as it is constructive. I really enjoy intellectual debates and tips on additional resources I can tap into to learn more. If, however, a reader feels that they must provide comments that resort to name calling, attempt to demean, or deliver judgment, it will be soundly ignored. Whether I am right or wrong in my beliefs, only the Lord has the power to deliver judgment. With that being said, I will begin...


So, I have started to read the Bible now and I am a number of books into it, having just completed Samuel I. I figured that before I read any religion books that provide insight into Christianity, I should read the word straight from the horse's mouth first, so to speak.


So far, the Bible is not exactly what I expected and it is creating more questions than answers so far. Don't get me wrong, there are some great ideas in there. There are commandments and decrees peppered throughout the books that make complete sense to follow. Thou shall not murder, commit adultery, etc. I was surprised, and rather enlightened to find the foundations that I see in the modern legal system today as well as interesting tidbits like woman owning land, which I am sure was extremely controversial at the time. I understand why it is sometimes called the "Good Book" and is a recommended read even for non-Judeo Christians.

But there are also some rather unusual mandates and laws. Here are just a few:

• A rebellious son should be presented to the town elders and then stoned to death. (Deut 22:18)


• If there are 2 brothers and one brother dies, the other brother must marry his widow to carry on his family name.
  


• No interest should be charged if loans are made to fellow Israelites (Exo 22:25 Although, I am all for this one if I am a descendant of an Israelite)


• If a man beats his slave with a club and the slave dies, the man must be punished. However, if the slave recovers in a day or two, the man should not be punished since the slave is his property. (Exo. 21:20-21)


• The overall treatment of slaves (Exo. 21:1-11)


• After a woman has her menstrual period or has given birth, she is ceremonial unclean and cannot enter the sanctuary to worship (Lev. 12). In the event of a birth, the duration of "uncleanliness" differs if the offspring is a male versus female. The woman is required to give a burnt offering to be clean. Anyone who touches her before that will be unclean.
  


• Purification after a skin disease sin offering and guilt offering (Lev. 14)


• If a man has an emission of semen, bathe in water and unclean until evening (Lev. 15: 16)


• Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beard


• The sabbath should always be honored.
  

Now, I have not gotten to the new testament so there very well maybe some explanations why some of these decrees are no longer followed, but barring that, I find it very difficult to understand how some folks can point to certain passages in the bible as testament on how one should act and live ones life but completely ignore some of the other "unusual" decrees that we no longer follow. How was it determined which passages are still valid and which can be retired? I suppose this is the cause for the enumeration of denominations of Christianity, which leads me to wonder whether there really is a "correct" denomination? Is there a single truth, or is the truth a hodge podge of ideas across denominations (and perhaps across distinct religions)?

Now, the Bible I selected is a study Bible and also contains some archaeological and historical background (Good!) as well as biblical interpretation of the text. I must admit that I am even having a hard time with reading that as well because I find a number of the interpretations a bit of a stretch, inconsistently applied, and/or "complete head scratchers".

Again, I still have a lot more to read, but there are also some rules and decrees I expected to see in the Bible haven't come to fruition yet (not to say that they are socially acceptable, however):

• No drinking alcoholic beverages
• No premarital sex (although if you do, you have to marry her and pay her father)
• No dancing (in fact David danced in Samuel II and defended the practice to his first wife)
• No living with the opposite sex
  

I have a feeling that this Bible study is going to require a lot more time and a lot more material to review before I really get a clear picture.

More to follow in the coming weeks!

Humor in Religion

Ok, now we all know that God has a sense of humor. Just take one look at a platypus, armadillo, or Jim Carrey and they try to tell me with a straight face that he doesn't. Sometimes I wonder whether religion might be just another one of his private little jokes. I can almost envision him bouncing around the world, spinning up religions like Braum's and his 31 flaovors.


It seems that he had fun with it as well, coming up with all kinds of ideas of what he should look like. He is a jolly fat man to the soon-to-be buddhists and had all kinds of fun with the polytheists. I am a wolf! I am a bird! I am a man with the head of an elephant! I am a chick with 6 arms! But, I think he ran out of ideas when he got to Judiasm.. I am a... uhh.. err.. actually, if you look at me, you'll die. Yeah, that's the ticket. And then a few 100o years later, it seems like he said to the soon-to-be-christians, "Ahh screw it.. here is Jesus. I know, I know, he looks just like you, but cut me a break, would ya. Just wait until you find out about dinosaurs!"



But, what I think would be the best part of this joke is that not only do we all have religion wrong.. we all have it a little bit right as well. That seems oddly comforting to me.

Ruth

I hadn't planned on this being my first post from my solo Bible study, but I was hit with a bit of a revelation today and I figured I needed to get this one written down. You see, I am knee deep in the old testament (about 400 pages in) and about 5am this morning I got to the Book of Ruth. This will probably sound odd, but I finally found God in the Bible. This book really hit home for two reasons.

First, the book describes a God that I grew up learning about. This wasn't the fire and brimstone God. This was not the God that seems to strike down followers for the slightest transgression. This wasn't the God dictating complex rituals and instituting multiple levels of religious dogma. This was the God the helps those who works hard. Those who are dedicated to doing good and appreciating life. This was a God that loves those who are devoted followers and those who live a godly life, not a God who casts those aside who stray from the path. This is the God I hear about in church. The God that motivates you to live a good life because you want to be close to him, not because you fear him.

Second, it is a story about a God we can experience in today's world. Now I believe I have strong faith in God (I am sure some would disagree), but I am equally cynical of man. When I read some of the outlandish tales in the Bible, I do so with a raised eyebrow. Miracles defying physics and logic around every turn.. ancestors living for 100's of years.. burning bushes and water from rock. But the Book of Ruth is different and it almost seems out of place when compared to the previous books.

I would contend that it is easy to be a believer after having witnessed bread come down from heaven or watching the Red Sea part before you eyes. It is easy to hear God when he yells, but it takes a true believer to hear him when he whispers. That is what the Book of Ruth is about. We don't have smoke over a Tabernacle that tells us which direction to travel. God does not speak to us on a mountain top and tells us what rules to live by in the modern world. We don't see God raining down fire and sulfur on the wicked, nor do we see the wicked get struck down when they do the unthinkable. Instead, in today's world, we need to watch and listen closely to experience God's work. There were no miracles in the book of Ruth. God didn't promise Ruth or Naomi generations of prosperity or grants of land. Ruth and Naomi lived a difficult life; first of losing their husbands, and then living a life of poverty and shame, forced to live off of the scraps of others. Ruth had a choice to leave Naomi and go back to her family but she refused. Together they struggled and persevered without losing faith in themselves, nor God. God blessed them in a tangible way by leading them to a kind, generous man who took care of them and lifted them out of their hardship and into a better life.

You see, I think the point here is that we don't need to win the lottery to see God's work. God's work is all around us doing "little miracles" everyday. I see God's work when I am on a mountain top looking over a pristine alpine lake. I see God's work when I hold my daughter in my arms. I see God's work when I wake up to a new day. I even see God's work when I watch my grass grow in my backyard, although, I wish God didn't work so hard on that one so I wouldn't have to mow so much.

(Btw, what makes this an even better story is that Ruth and Naomi were Moabs, a civilization that was an enemy to Israel and still God was on their side (completely inconsistent, in my opinion, to the book of Joshua). True to form in real life that regardless of your lineage, God accepts anyone who walks in his path. Perhaps another lesson here. )

Now, I have a lot more to blog about the Bible and religion in general (if I have the guts), but I'll leave that for another time.