Is there a God? There are lots of gods, but is there a God? I want to believe; I was brought up to believe; but it is hard when I look at what is happening in the world, or even in this country.
I was raised a Lutheran; I have been a member of the same church all my life; my church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Now it seems that my church is going to consider going against the ELCA because of its belief in the way gays are being treated. My church does not want to accept gays as clergy. The reasoning behind this is that the Bible says being gay is a sin, and the Bible is the direct word of God. The Bible, in Numbers, also says that anyone who works on the sabbath should be put to death. This must also be the direct word of God; yet we have grown beyond this.
The Bible was written hundreds, or even thousand, of years ago. It was written by humans, who lived in a time that was very different from today. I believe they interpreted God's teachings based on the world as they knew it. That world has changed immeasurably. Pork is no longer dangerous to eat. Some people need to work on the sabbath so that the world as we know it will keep running. Medical science has discovered that gays are born gay, that they have no choice in the matter. So how can I stay in a church that refuses to accept people as God has made them?
If there is a God. It is hard to believe when there are parents killing children, children and their families starving to death or dying of AIDs, when deserts are increasingly encroaching on more fertile land. But it is harder not to believe. If there is no God, why bother with developing new medicines, a better way to grow crops so we can feed more people. Why bother educating our children, trying to instill in them the sense of humanness we all need? Why go out of your way to help the homeless, the hungry, or even your neighbor. There must be a God. In spite of all the inequities and injustices in the world, we, as sons and daughters of a higher power, must keep striving to make this world a better place for all. There has to be a God. We do not strive in vain.
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Are you saying that the reason we should strive to help others is to please God? Is there not intrinsic value in altruistic action on behalf of the general welfare of other humans? Of the animals? Of the planet as a whole? I'm not clear about why the existence of God is necessary for these efforts to be worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteVBob
The bible was, indeed, written by man to meet the needs of his time. Some of those needs were political, some altruistic and some economic.
ReplyDeleteThe Jewish priest banned the eating of pork because they wee able to ascribe the large number of deaths that were taking lace to the eating of pork (congress could use them :)).
The Catholic church created the vow of chastity to placate the Nobles who were worried that their wives would be "used" as they told all in confession.
There are more examples.
I personally have a hard time trusting my faith to an organization or people who ascribe more importance to the bible than due.
Remember the bible was translated to English by Henry the VIII ...ya think he may have tweaked it a bit.
Christ teachings of Love and Forgiveness seem to clash with many of the contemporary interpretations of the bible.
Good article.