As a Christian, when I look in retrospect at the two-thousand-year history of Christianity, I cannot help but be appalled. From Constantine to the Crusades, from the Thirty Years War to the recent divisions in Ireland, Christians have not acted Christlike toward each other, or their "enemies." We Christians have done a horrible job of being Christlike by serving our enemies, and praying for those who persecute us. This is Christianity 101 and since our beginnings, we've brutally and embarrassingly made a mockery of this basic Christian teaching. In my internal dialogue this week, I have tried to find a sound and coherent reason for why Christians have looked far more like Western Imperialists, than "dying to self" Christ-mimickers. Here's the best I can do.
I submit to you that an uneducated Christian is bound for misinterpretation. Faith without education seems to be ridiculously destructive. Our faiths breed a zeal that can be beautifully constructive for the building of Christ's Kingdom, or they can be painstakingly destructive to the Kingdom. It seems to me that the worldview that is wrought with education usually makes for the more constructive faith (though not an absolute). I feel like I've seen many Christians who blindly follow a certain denomination, creed, or tradition, but never take the time to look at it critically. They follow as blind sheep! Without an element of critical examination of one's tradition, we are bound to confuse beliefs with our own criteria, ideas, and concerns. We see this, I would argue, in Just War Theory, nationalism in American Christianity, and remember Manifest Destiny?!?!?! It makes me nauseous just thinking about the ways Christians have perverted the gospel throughout history.
But I wonder if those "Destiny Manifesters" ever read the Sermon on the Mount? How would they respond to Jesus' pacifistic teachings in the gospels? How would Fred Phelps and his "God Hates Fags" cronies respond to Jesus' words, "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you..." or these simple words, "Do not resist an evil person." I wonder if they recall the beatitudes as they are protesting Gays' and Soldiers' funerals? "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Their lack of education leads to these atrocities. How did they get so misinformed? I don't know? But they did? I'm not suggesting that I or some have it all figured out, we don't, and have a long way to go at that. But I would assert that there are some basics and fundamentals of the gospel, that are simply not complicated like, humility, service, love, and self-sacrifice. But these essentials; these are even susceptible to becoming perverted by some who believe they bear the name of Christ. How could this be?!?!? It's outrageous! Where is the humility in Fred Phelps? What does God have to do with hate? Isn't Jesus the antidote to hate? Christians have been so easily duped into horrifyingly bad theology. We must make educated decisions with our faith. Its crucial for the well-being of all humanity.
So I can't help but argue that we Christians absolutely must educate ourselves along with our faith. Now you could argue that the Holy Spirit guides you, and education is some type of Western construct that is non-essential, but if we simply get pragmatic with it, where was the Spirit during the Thirty Years War? Where was the Spirit in the Crusades? Where was the Spirit during the Slave Trade? I would imagine that all these oppressors believed they had the Spirit. But did they? I don't know? What is true of all these situations, is that they all perverted Jesus' words. If they were educated in their faith, how could it have happened? If they truly set aside their own agendas and followed the gospel by the gospel's standards, could they oppress in this way? Is there a way to release oneself from one's context and think critically about what it is they are blindly following? God I hope so! What's so complicated about, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God"? Can we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us? I don't know? Christian history suggests otherwise. Perhaps if we educate ourselves in the gospel and look to the Spirit to guide us alongside our studies with humility, then maybe we gain some ground.
So what comes first, the chicken or the egg? Faith or education?
5 comments:
Do you really think it's simply a matter of reading or not reading particular passages of the Bible? I would guess that Fred Phelps has read every word of the Bible.
This certainly spirals off into a debate that we've had a few times before. I just think the idea that there is a "correct" way to interpret the Bible is a rather silly concept. Should education come before faith? Sure, but who is doing the educating? The intelligent Christians? The PhD Christians?
I think a lot of people see someone like you, Cassel, and think that you've been tainted by the secular world. They are holding the line, while you are far too accepting of un-Christian elements (ie: me). To a certain extent, they have a point.
Do you not also bypass certain elements of the Bible? Do you not also use the Bible to justify some beliefs you already held, even before you found the proper passage to explain why? I'm not calling you out. I am assuming, maybe wrongly so.
Obviously, the logic you and your collegues use is far more sound than the likes of Fred Phelps. But really, using better methods of reasoning only takes you so far in your quest for something that can't ultimately be known. Even if an absolute truth exists, apart from traveling back in time and speaking directly to Mark, Luke, Mathew and those crazy cats who wrote the Old Testement, you are left to an interpretation.
Fred Phelps isn't pretending. He's entirely confident that you're wrong and he's right. Everyone thinks they have the right answer. Is it any wonder that you do too? That sounds like a cheap shot, but really...if you are going to be the one educating the uneducated, are you really ready to claim that you have an interpretation of the Bible that's free from personal bias, one that isn't framed by your culture, your time period, and the American college system?
What happens when education turns out to be detrimental to faith? Faith and education may complement each other, but I have found they don't necessarily follow one another...probably a different discussion entirely.
I posted this link on Gruber's site too. However, I immediatley thought of you when I read this article.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25343812/
Zot- In my personal journey with education, I have found that education sheds my ignorance. The more educated I become, the less ignorant I get. The issue and problem here is that religion is usually wrought with immense amounts of ignorance. If we become more skeptical, I think our religious beliefs become refined and less folk-lore. If traditionalists that believe facets about our/one's religion ignorantly and want to give us shit about rejecting these silly tenets (or even critically questioning them), well that's there problem. Faith doesn't need to be silly and ignorant. If we need to take the label of "heathen" by some, so be it. We might just be getting closer to the Truth.
“Once the people begin to reason, all is lost” Voltaire
“The way to see by Faith is to shut the Eye of Reason.” Ben Franklin
..what good is blind faith? how is it Christians can condemn any one in any way. mos def when you have never met the person. If you chose to argue faith with fate itself u have thrown out all logic. and to mr antagonist- the Christians have been at the for front of this "secular world" they have created control systems, and ways to make the mass conform. and if you want to get into education, what is education? sci and knowledge changes every day, so we are all quick to use words we don’t truly understand. But a teacher is any one who gives us hope and belief in ourselves. And most importantly open our eyes to the worlds and views of others. and teacher does not need to have a PhD to tech, Gandhi doesn’t have a PhD. in history people who have thought they understood words like truth, justice are the ones to start wars and kill people. so the big diff of education and religion is education and Phil change, they encourage change, and are open to change to find the truth. a
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religion stands still in its so called truths that has brought a split for humans to humans, and a bigger split from humans and nature. at what cost will continue with our blind fate. we need to not be scared of the un known, but try to further our knowledge of this world. we need show what most Christians believe in, we need to show love and support and faith in all of human kind no matter color, race, or religion. And in the end, the only truth we know, is that truth is just a word. And more so it is only a perception, a perception based on where u live, who u are, and what day and age u live in. truth is for every changing, and the only truth we will ever know is there is no truth,, only many perceptions of a word that doesn’t exist.
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