I love the bible. But I wrote this poem in response to those who think 'the bible says' is the end of the argument. It seems to me that what the bible says invites us into an argument that the bible invites us to have... with the bible!
The bible says
The bible says
Slaves
Obey your masters
The bible says
Women must be seen and not heard
In church
The bible says
Go into the land and kill them all
Spare not the women and children
The bible says
Stone
The man who lies with a man
The bible says
Do not eat shellfish
On pain of death
This and many other things that are wrong
The bible says
The bible also tells a story
A story in which slaves are set free
By an almighty outstretched arm
A story in which Mary is not sent back into the kitchen
To be with the women
A story in which
Love
Fulfils the law
A story in which we cannot call unclean
That which God has made clean
On pain of death
The bible tells a story
That invites us to argue
To wrestle
To do battle
Even with what
The bible says
The bible tells
The story of a journey
In which love knows the way
9 comments:
There might be things that don't feel right or you disagree on in the bible but it is great to discuss them. Better that than believing everything in the bible as long as you can ignore bits :-)
This made me smile, not because what it says is easy but because there seems to be so much to think about, to live out, to wrestle with in life as a Christian. Trying to live for God (well something like that), trying to love people, trying to love myself, trying to love God. I think it is better to ask the questions than to accept easy answers.
I think i understand what you are trying to get across, but this is quite confussing when you look at it in the bigger picture of the bible story and Christianity as a whole.
i can only imagine that you have written this to try and get people thinking, because as a christian statement it is compleate drivel based compleatly on what i can only assume is a overly liberal, humanistic view point!
With the compleate lack of biblical understanding that prevails in the church as a whole these days i think time would be better spent writing blogs which will help and teach a starving following the basic truths of the bible and the christian faith.
No wonder the evangelical church has no impact on the world anymore!
It seems that churches and their leadership are more intreasted in this current generation, to bend the truths of christianity that have stood the test of time, to make them fit in and make them acceptable to a preverted and sick culture, in the hope that they are seen as cool and relevant.
The only way the church will grow is if the leadership stops allowing itself to be influenced by the world and starts to teach biblical truth once more!!
I'm always a bit doubtful about anonymous comments - I'd prefer people to come out of hiding and stand by their remarks. But I thought I'd let this one stand. This time anon wants me to teach biblical truths - which is, in fact, what I was trying to do. Sorry if anyone found it confussing.
It would seem that anonymous thinks that the church should be teaching that eating shellfish must be punished by death...
The old testament is about justice and judgement. In a world where Satan has dominion, God sets down a clear statement of those things which are subject to judgement and condemnation, the administration of this being put in the hands of man. Man failed, as he always has done, and always will do. So, into this morass of hopelessness and despair, God creates a way out, not only escaping the judgement, but providing the means to change inwardly and become a being of grace, demonstrating God's triumph over Satan. One key example of this is the woman taken in adultery. The Old Testament justice said she should have been stoned by man. Jesus forgave her and gave her the chance to start again with a clean slate. As fallible human beings, we cannot hope to live up to the standards dictated by Old Testament law. As born-again, spirit-filled, spirit-walking human beings, we are forgiven our past and are being transformed by God Himself into beings that, by our very nature, obey all the requirements of Old Testament law. And when we fail, God gives us another chance.
The more you read the bible the more you find you don't understand as much as you thought you did, but it grabs your heart more too.
I have to agree somewhat with anon that I'm not too sure exactly the point being made. Is it that the parts of the bible mentioned at the beginning of the poem are all wrong or that they are worth discussing and being brought up through the poem?
As Christians we believe that the Bible is the word of God. And if I choose to accept some parts of the bible as the word of God then I will accept it all. I don't believe that I, myself, as what I can only describe as an inferior being to God, can decide what to take as right or wrong.
I won't bend the word to what I think is right, but I aim to line up my thinking with the word.
And definitely there are parts that I struggle with but that means I must seek of God and read the word more to get revelation from Him on the true meaning.
And discuss with other Christians! God might have given some people revelation on parts that other struggle with.
I do however feel very uneasy with ever saying that parts of the bible are outright wrong. As I believe that is the same as saying that God is wrong.
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts!
necessary discussion but so depressing.i would elaborate but i feel too poorly and confussed today.
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