I liked your article. Pretty dead on with the analysis about the Fundies. People come to an understanding of god (small g) through an understanding of themselves. (Mister Eckhart). And those who worship a punitive god become punishers themselves. This is the most loathed form of idolatry. It is particularly disgusting when these hell thumpers try to ram their sterile theology down other peoples throats. i.e. 'My god is bigger than your god, and I'm willing to kill you to prove it!' You can throw the political Zionist Israelis in with them as well, since they are actually murdering people to prove it.
Biblical inerrancy is obviously believable but never doable. Since no two people can witness the same event, such as reading the Biblical text, and walk away with the exact same interpretation, this makes the "one meaning" understanding of the fundamentalist extremist humanly impossible. When they try to impose this forcibly on others (thanks, Augustine!), it shifts their behavior beyond annoying to dangerous.
I cannot imagine Paul, or Jesus for that matter, ever thought that people would take their words and etch them in granite to be the final say for rest of time. For people to claim that one text can address each moral decision everywhere and always is utter nonsense. Those who hold such beliefs, not only have forfeited any legitimacy they may have held but, also have forfeited any ability to provide credible answers to some of the most difficult question we currently have set before us.
I liked your article. Pretty dead on with the analysis about the Fundies. People come to an understanding of god (small g) through an understanding of themselves. (Mister Eckhart). And those who worship a punitive god become punishers themselves. This is the most loathed form of idolatry. It is particularly disgusting when these hell thumpers try to ram their sterile theology down other peoples throats. i.e. 'My god is bigger than your god, and I'm willing to kill you to prove it!' You can throw the political Zionist Israelis in with them as well, since they are actually murdering people to prove it.
Biblical inerrancy is obviously believable but never doable. Since no two people can witness the same event, such as reading the Biblical text, and walk away with the exact same interpretation, this makes the "one meaning" understanding of the fundamentalist extremist humanly impossible. When they try to impose this forcibly on others (thanks, Augustine!), it shifts their behavior beyond annoying to dangerous.
I cannot imagine Paul, or Jesus for that matter, ever thought that people would take their words and etch them in granite to be the final say for rest of time. For people to claim that one text can address each moral decision everywhere and always is utter nonsense. Those who hold such beliefs, not only have forfeited any legitimacy they may have held but, also have forfeited any ability to provide credible answers to some of the most difficult question we currently have set before us.
And as for your concluding thoughts on nationalists not seeing other christians as legit...I have just written on this today, as well:
https://open.substack.com/pub/wheneftalks/p/when-christian-nationalists-attack?r=9i0xo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Glad to find you here...
Maaaaan.....
As I lifelong United Methodist...how did I miss THAT Wesley gem?!
It so tracks with so much more of his thought, for sure.
Thank you.
There is a subtle distinction that all must face
between the virtue of steadfastness
and the vice of attachment.
As the time horizon grows longer
the virtue of steadfastness diminishes
And the importance of detachment expands.