Editor's Note: I wrote this a few days ago, but it's dealing with biblical/faith related issues which are still relevant to me today.
It bothers the living crap out of me that certain bible stories are slanted one way or another. I was raised believing the Bible to be take it to the bank facts. Adulthood has made me come to terms that the writers and editors have edited out important bits.
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The good news is we have a living God, and as new covenant creations we don't have to live by the book. Yet the book is the only verifiable evidence of how God has acted. To explain the importance imagine God was an amazing creature the world thinks is gone forever but is actually alive and well just not especially visible. Now imagine an explorer during the time of Columbus traveled to the native island where the creature used to have large populations and took documentation. Now to truly understand the Bible, understand that the explorer in question had his own agenda about documenting what he saw. He saw what he wanted to see, and interpreted it's meaning with his own spin. Then he printed it in an obscure forgotten language and we are today only dealing with translations.
Yet it still matters. The story of Joseph is the one that kills me, if there was ever an event that I doubt happened the way we're told it's that one. See, God creating the world in 7 days is chump change compared to the story of Joseph. The story of Joseph is beyond implausible, because every step of the way Joseph seems to know which way to step, where to go and what to say. Honestly all the pure good that came his way has got to be seriously reduced by how many generations of Christians and possibly Jews who point to the story while talking to God and say, "See? You did it that time."
I don't know whether to call it temptation or not. The fact is I doubt that I am personally that important to be Joseph. Joseph is second only to Christ in terms of a perfect track record with God. Every time Joseph needs something, there it is. This spoiled rich kid thinks he's going to run the world and THEN HE DOES. Joseph perfectly embodies what white rich kids in my generation think will happen to them. We're more prone to believe that no matter how screwed up things get somehow it's going to get better. I'm not saying it won't mind you. I'm saying I've been waiting a decade. I'm saying that I'm happy with whatever God sends my way, because I walk a thin line between hope and despair. God is the ONLY reason I haven't given up, and it's not because I think he's going to burst out and fix things. It's because he knows what he's doing and fuck if I do.
I walk into the lion's den not because I expect him to close their mouths. It's that I know he can, and even if he doesn't he'll give me peace while I die.
One of the best verses I have ever found is Daniel 3:16-18
"16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
See this is how faith is. We don't know what he's going to do. We do know that he's the one that can save us. He doesn't have to, and he doesn't always do it. That's not the peace, even though that would be nice. The peace is knowing that sooner or later while following him when things do go wrong you'll end up completely out of control. When that happens, it's his ball. I have no desire to try to control this, apart from the urgent desire for it to end. I still think one of my greatest hopes is that he allows me to perish. Sooner or later every man dies. I just wish it was now. If only if only....
Kurt Vonnegut put it so well:
"Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly;
Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?'
Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land;
Man got to tell himself he understand."
It bothers the living crap out of me that certain bible stories are slanted one way or another. I was raised believing the Bible to be take it to the bank facts. Adulthood has made me come to terms that the writers and editors have edited out important bits.
-
The good news is we have a living God, and as new covenant creations we don't have to live by the book. Yet the book is the only verifiable evidence of how God has acted. To explain the importance imagine God was an amazing creature the world thinks is gone forever but is actually alive and well just not especially visible. Now imagine an explorer during the time of Columbus traveled to the native island where the creature used to have large populations and took documentation. Now to truly understand the Bible, understand that the explorer in question had his own agenda about documenting what he saw. He saw what he wanted to see, and interpreted it's meaning with his own spin. Then he printed it in an obscure forgotten language and we are today only dealing with translations.
Yet it still matters. The story of Joseph is the one that kills me, if there was ever an event that I doubt happened the way we're told it's that one. See, God creating the world in 7 days is chump change compared to the story of Joseph. The story of Joseph is beyond implausible, because every step of the way Joseph seems to know which way to step, where to go and what to say. Honestly all the pure good that came his way has got to be seriously reduced by how many generations of Christians and possibly Jews who point to the story while talking to God and say, "See? You did it that time."
I don't know whether to call it temptation or not. The fact is I doubt that I am personally that important to be Joseph. Joseph is second only to Christ in terms of a perfect track record with God. Every time Joseph needs something, there it is. This spoiled rich kid thinks he's going to run the world and THEN HE DOES. Joseph perfectly embodies what white rich kids in my generation think will happen to them. We're more prone to believe that no matter how screwed up things get somehow it's going to get better. I'm not saying it won't mind you. I'm saying I've been waiting a decade. I'm saying that I'm happy with whatever God sends my way, because I walk a thin line between hope and despair. God is the ONLY reason I haven't given up, and it's not because I think he's going to burst out and fix things. It's because he knows what he's doing and fuck if I do.
I walk into the lion's den not because I expect him to close their mouths. It's that I know he can, and even if he doesn't he'll give me peace while I die.
One of the best verses I have ever found is Daniel 3:16-18
"16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
See this is how faith is. We don't know what he's going to do. We do know that he's the one that can save us. He doesn't have to, and he doesn't always do it. That's not the peace, even though that would be nice. The peace is knowing that sooner or later while following him when things do go wrong you'll end up completely out of control. When that happens, it's his ball. I have no desire to try to control this, apart from the urgent desire for it to end. I still think one of my greatest hopes is that he allows me to perish. Sooner or later every man dies. I just wish it was now. If only if only....
Kurt Vonnegut put it so well:
"Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly;
Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?'
Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land;
Man got to tell himself he understand."
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