In contemporary culture, we often use the term "myth" and "lie" as if they were interchangeable (especially in politics). But they are not, and we need to remember the difference when we look at the Bible.
When a story is presented as being composed of literal, actual facts, something which could have been recorded on video and which would have been exactly as the narrator describes it, but that information is not literally and factually true, that may be a lie, or at least an error. But a myth is larger than either a lie or a mistake. A myth is a story which has value AS a story, independent of its actual, literal truth. A myth tells a story to convey meaning. It is a symbol, an arrow pointing to something larger and deeper than its words.
If we have a God who teaches us in parables, that does not mean "God is a liar." There is truth in poetry. There is truth in metaphor. And yes, there is truth hidden in myth.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Justice?
Some say that true justice would require that every human being should burn eternally in Hell. The theory behind this position is that the weight of sin is measured not by the sin or by the sinner, but by the honor and glory of the God sinned against, and that because God's value is infinite, any sin against God is equally infinite and is deserving of infinite punishment.
The life and teachings of Jesus show us the opposite. If Jesus is truly "God with us," then the model of God that we see is not one with an infinite capacity to take offense, but one with an infinite capacity to forgive. It is not the weight of sin that is measured by the greatness of God, but the breadth and width and depth and height of God's love and forgiveness.
Human beings project their own ego needs upon God, but God doesn't need to be reassured. God is secure. God does not need to take infinite offense at things which - in the great cosmic scheme of things - are trivial, in order to protect and defend God's honor.
We know God's greatness and glory not by God's willingness to condemn us all, but by God's willingness to save us.
Our understanding of justice and fairness is shaped in its specific detail by the world and our experiences in it, but the basic concept that justice should exist, that fairness should exist, is God-given. God wants us to want justice. God wants us to want fairness, both for ourselves and for others (and to object to the idea that fairness to ourselves makes it impossible to be fair to others). That's how we were created, not as a trap to force us into Hell, but as an invitation to learn love.
The life and teachings of Jesus show us the opposite. If Jesus is truly "God with us," then the model of God that we see is not one with an infinite capacity to take offense, but one with an infinite capacity to forgive. It is not the weight of sin that is measured by the greatness of God, but the breadth and width and depth and height of God's love and forgiveness.
Human beings project their own ego needs upon God, but God doesn't need to be reassured. God is secure. God does not need to take infinite offense at things which - in the great cosmic scheme of things - are trivial, in order to protect and defend God's honor.
We know God's greatness and glory not by God's willingness to condemn us all, but by God's willingness to save us.
Our understanding of justice and fairness is shaped in its specific detail by the world and our experiences in it, but the basic concept that justice should exist, that fairness should exist, is God-given. God wants us to want justice. God wants us to want fairness, both for ourselves and for others (and to object to the idea that fairness to ourselves makes it impossible to be fair to others). That's how we were created, not as a trap to force us into Hell, but as an invitation to learn love.
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