What, again with the questions? Puzzling issues plague me this day, my last official work day of the school year.
- I know why some people are intentionally unkind (slamming others to make themselves feel superior, schadenfreude, trying to cover their own insecurities by pointing out those of others, etc.). What I don’t know is why the people around them — closest to them — allow it.
- Why do people selectively quote bible verses to support their agendas as to what is proper behavior or not, but ignore other passages that weaken them? I mean, couldn’t we go on and on about the oppression of women being acceptable in biblical times? Or slavery, or murder, or judgment being visited on the children for the father’s sins? What about the trustworthiness of the translators of the Hebrew/Greek texts into Latin, and then the Latin bible into English — medieval “scholars” with their own agendas? This all makes me sad. I’m aware of the pitfalls of two wrongs not making a right, and pointing fingers and saying, “Yeah, but look at THIS,” but can we not arrive at some consensus that not all things are hard and fast in the scriptures? Could some human, somewhere along the line, at some point, have dropped the translation ball?
- Why can’t people just defer sometimes? Is it that much of a deal breaker? Honestly. One of my secret desires (well, not secret anymore, right?) is to be less “teller” and more “asker” in my life. People are not dying to hear my opinion on every little thing (that’s why I have finkweb.org), and I don’t always have to be boss (unless I’m in rehearsal
). I can tell you the work is paying off. As I’ve said before, I have seen too many people get hurt — too many relationships damaged or killed — by one or both parties’ unrelenting need to be right.
Geez, why so serious this morning? It’s Contract Day! Yippy! I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend.
Now — answer me my questions three.
I plead the 5th. Any of those questions would open a HUGE can of worms. I commend your Finkness for having the chutzpah to ask them.
Enjoy your last day! Mine isn’t for about a month
PK
Haha — I understand, fiend. These are huge questions, and I shouldn’t have lumped them all in one post! I did enjoy my last day (as much as you can enjoy a day that has you passing a contract with a 2-year salary freeze, because, as you know, we all make too much money around here).
I’m now enjoying getting up late (I slept in until 6:15!!!), and I’m making the coffee and I even have chicken baking in the oven. Howzat for Becky Homecky?!?
I’m also having trouble deciding which PURSE I WANT
Garsh, so deep for the Last Official Day of school! You should be thinking about sun and shine and vacation and trips!
XOXO *smewch*
Hey doll! Like I told PK above, I shouldn’t have waxed so philosophic all on one morning. Too much brain barf yesterday for some reason, LOL
I am thinking indeed about vacation! I’m just bummed that we had to cut a week off of it because of the disasters with plumbing (twice), cars, vet bills, and other unexpected stuff. But hey, I’ll take an abbreviated vacation – I ain’t complainin’!
You back at woik yet?
Yes I’ve been back two weeks now.
An unabbreviated vacation will be fun, too! What’s the agenda?
Ew, 2 weeks already?? Didn’t you just get back from Denmark yesterday?
Tells you how completely out of it my brain has been for the last month. May was TERRIBLE
Let’s see here. Here’s the order:
1. Somewhere in Pennsylvania to stay the night
2. Connecticut (including Foxwoods!)
3. Two days in Massachusetts (Cape Cod, Salem, etc.)
4. Two days in Maine (Bangor, Bar Harbor)
5. New Hampshire (stoked for the Lafayette Dinner Train)
6. Free day exploring as we cut across Vermont
7. Stay at Vernon Downs in central NY
8. Come back home through Cleveland or up through Canada to Detroit
It’s still 9 or 10 days, so that’ll be fun!
You’ve posed some serious questions. I don’t mean to be flippant or evasive, but the first one I blame on human nature. As with you, throughout the years, I’ve asked the same question, and so far, that’s my simple answer. Your second question is being considered by several evangalical scholars who question seeing the Bible as ONLY a hand book or a rule book for life. It has a much higher, nobler purpose than that. One book that addresses this is THE BIBLE MADE IMPOSSIBLE by Christian Smith. I recently read a blog that addressed the same topic. Here’s the link: http://resurrectingraleigh.com/2012/05/17/credo-according-to-the-scriptures/ Regarding your third question, I agree completely with what you said. I’ve been asked to preach the last Sunday in June on Matthew 5:38-42–words of Jesus that if taken seriously would go a long way in correcting the unhealthy/destructive behaviors you mentioned. BTW last night I started watching the three day mini-series about the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys. It certainly portrays the depths of hatred passed on from generation to generation because no one will defer, or if they even hint at doing so, they’re bullied back into line. It’s on the History Channel, second episode at 9:00 tonight, and concludes at the same time tomorrow night. Kevin Costner plays the role of Cap Hatfield.
Well, now I’ll get busy planting the rest of my impatiens. Have a super duper summer!!
Heh heh…I was hoping that #2 would entice you to comment! (In case you’re wondering, kind reader, RD has studied the Bible for many decades — has the “Dr.” shingle to go along with it — and is my go-to guy for any and all scriptural questions.)
It really is human nature, I agree. But por qué? Pourquoi? What ratty choices we make sometimes. It’s sad.
And thanks for the blog link — coffee reading this morning! You always have great suggestions. That’s why I heart you.
And WHEN are you buying me a coffee, hmmmmmmmmmmmmm?
Oh, PS — we LOVED the first episode of Hatfields and McCoys!! We missed it last night because we were out of town, but I’m pretty sure we can grab it sometime today via on-demand through the cable company. At least I hope so — I want to watch the third episode tonight. It is tonight, right?
PPS – I just read some reviews on The Bible Made Impossible. I am buying this book! Check out what one reader wondered aloud (which made total sense to me):
“It is [Smith’s, the author’s] view that Evangelicals have to come to terms with the Biblicist model of the scriptures because that model can’t deliver what it is supposed to be able to deliver. However, the fact that it can’t deliver unity of understanding is not actually Smith’s primary objection. His real objection is to the tenets of Biblicism that suggest that the Bible is so plain, uncomplicated, cohesive, and internally consistent that it SHOULD produce a consensus of meaning. He presents the challenge in this way: ‘If the Bible is given by a truthful and omnipotent God as an internally consistent and perspicuous text precisely for the purpose of revealing to humans correct beliefs, practices, and morals, then why is it that the presumably sincere Christians to whom it has been given cannot read it and come to common agreement about what it teaches?’”
B00m
Then there’s this review.
This was long review. I’m sure I did not followed all of his arguments completely, so will need to read it again. I also read with interest the comments he received which contained some push back on what he wrote.We can continue this discussion over coffee and soon.