Jonathan blogs about a disconnect in the Church; that somehow, something very obvious and ummistakably importanta nd central has been “overlooked” (my quotes). The disconnect that Jonathan speaks of points to this substitution of “other issues” for ones obviously much more central to the Biblical faith, and to the Biblical narative.
The Phaith of St.Phransus: THERE’S A DISCONNECT IN OUR CHURCH
it became very apparent to me just how disconnected our doctrine and theology is. We argue over the issue of homosexuality because we read that the Bible says that it is wrong. But for the 4-5 times that it condemns homosexuality, how many more times does it condemn the affluent and powerful overlooking the needs of the poor and helpless? THERE’S NO COMPARISON
Nashville’s Two Rivers Baptist Church (of which our next door neighbors who had the gigantic Bush Cheney sign last fall are members) just hosted “Justice Sunday II” , and it sounded the RR’s favorite talking points. Unfortunately, these are not the Bible’s “talking points”; not the center of the theme.
This Nashvile event put on display for the umpteenth time the Bibkcial cluelessness of the Nationalistic American Christian agenda. As I read on in Bonhoefer’s bio, I see so many behaviors and styles this holds in common with the “German Christians” who enthusiasticaly aligned themselves with the Nazi regime. It constitiuted the majority of the churchgoers in Germany in the 30’s. Again, this is not to equate America with Nazi Germany, but to point out how strong the urge for a previously marginalized people to be easily snared into an agenda that promises better days, and restoration of “strength and prosperity”. Their major strategy was in whippin gup the Bolsevik threat. When the International community protested against offensive advances by Hitler, the Nazi’s whipped up the progaganda against the international community (again, some similar tendencies), and tirelessly drove home the insitence that these “advances” were “pre-emption” against the inevitable invasion of their way of life (again, sounds familiar….seems somebody has said “They hate our way of life”)
Why can the “American Christians” (who also heretically mix nationalism and American “neocon dreams” as portents of a “coming of age of Pax Americana” as the Bush administration insiders envision) so easily and unquesitoningly twist their Bibles into line? I know that it’s an age-old problem, but as technological “prowess” rises, the capabilities for horrendous destruction also rise, especially in the hands of an American regime who exhibit no better morality; who extol a “morality” which considers only itself and their perceived mandate to “protect our way of life”. What they’ve eneded up doing is business “faster than usual” and talking their way through justifying to the American people why they are the best ones for the job of protecting us. They actually are rapidly accelerating the processes that have backed us into a cold war more menacing than the one with Russia and “communism”. Now it’s a “War on Terror” that is coming at us out of seething anger for a century of capitalistic and opportunitic plunder of Muslim sacred places and their “way of life” as it is invaded by our “way of life”. For as much as the Christian Right extols the “virtue of America” and our “Christian Nation” against a sea of Eastern terrorists, our living examples of occupation, oil deals, and military bases to protect those interests have reaped a spiraling resentment over generations. I don’t attempt to justify any reaction of violence; but Americans fail to see how the Muslim world has reasons to resent our infringment. Reasons are not justifications, anymore than 9/11 should lead to any “ease of retaliation” on our part. But it certainly did. And this is what Karl Rove actually called an “opportunity” to exert our power (iow, he implies that we have “ample justification to use our power to set things aright. That’s just plain scary. And demonic, by the way.)
None of this seems to be in the content of conversation in Christian churches whose Scriptures unmistakably (seemingly) emphasize that God’s people care about such things. That God’s people raise a bit of a stink about people who claim to be Christians unleashing such horror on places like Iraq. Instead, we find conversations about what vacations we’re taking or about to take (which are fine, if they are but one topic of “small talk” among much more weighty life considerations). I find myself aghast at how in social contexts filled with people who have been church people all their lives, that Biblical/theological issues are rare conversation themes. In fact, they are vastly outnumbered to the extent that they are rarities. And this includes Sunday mornings, when one steps outside the “curriculum” to what people immediately turn to after the “meeting” is over.
This is more of that “disconnect” that is puzzling to me as well, Jonathan. Thanks for posting on that.
