Sunday, October 26, 2008
Somebody tell me again how bombing foreign lands and demonizing fellow countrymen is the Christian thing to do ...
Leviticus 19: 18.
Deuteronomy 6: 5.
Matthew 22: 34-40.
I John 4: 20.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION today at church:
Lord of Life, we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. Sometimes we try to parse this wisdom by acting confused as to the identity of the neighbor. Sometimes we make exemptions for our enemies, foreign or domestic. Sometimes we assume that we can love others through violence. Help us, we pray, at this critical time, to take seriously the notion that love of God and neighbor is the totality of the law. Then help us -- we need it. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, our Teacher and Lord, we pray, Amen.
And, Amen.
--ER
Deuteronomy 6: 5.
Matthew 22: 34-40.
I John 4: 20.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION today at church:
Lord of Life, we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. Sometimes we try to parse this wisdom by acting confused as to the identity of the neighbor. Sometimes we make exemptions for our enemies, foreign or domestic. Sometimes we assume that we can love others through violence. Help us, we pray, at this critical time, to take seriously the notion that love of God and neighbor is the totality of the law. Then help us -- we need it. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, our Teacher and Lord, we pray, Amen.
And, Amen.
--ER
Comments:
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So, at first glance, it looks like I'm proof-texting here.
At second glance, it looks like Jesus his own self was proof-texting, just not citing the Jewish Scriptures out loud.
But then, you see that what Our Lord has done is recombobulated it all up into a wonderfully and very Jesusy, synergistic New Thing, this Love God with all heart and strength, and love neighbor as yer self.
Very Jesusy of Jesus to do that.
"You have heard it said," Our Lord would say, "but I say ..."
As for the writer of I John: He clearly was a raving liberal.
Like Our Lord His Self.
At second glance, it looks like Jesus his own self was proof-texting, just not citing the Jewish Scriptures out loud.
But then, you see that what Our Lord has done is recombobulated it all up into a wonderfully and very Jesusy, synergistic New Thing, this Love God with all heart and strength, and love neighbor as yer self.
Very Jesusy of Jesus to do that.
"You have heard it said," Our Lord would say, "but I say ..."
As for the writer of I John: He clearly was a raving liberal.
Like Our Lord His Self.
Love of God and love for the Other - the whole of the Law and Prophets. The whole of the Christian faith, as well.
When George W. Bush said Jesus was his favorite political philosopher, he might have meant Jesus Jones, the Euro-pop dance band. He didn't mean this Jesus.
When George W. Bush said Jesus was his favorite political philosopher, he might have meant Jesus Jones, the Euro-pop dance band. He didn't mean this Jesus.
Such insightful commentary, Anonymous. Or is that ER's old buddy Tugboatcap'n hangin' about to feel superior in defeat?
The question remains:
"Somebody tell me again how bombing foreign lands and demonizing fellow countrymen is the Christian thing to do."
I can think of a whole dang bunch of "but waits" and "yeah, buts" and "you don't understands," myself.
But the fact remains: There is nothing Christian about it at all.
Not that there should, or could, be a Christian approach to this country's foreign affairs -- or domestic, for that matter.
Which is why all the yappers yappin' about what a "Christian nation" this joint is, or used to be, or could be again, are a joke.
A bad one.
Yeah, I'm a jerkwad.
Jerkwads for Jesus. Sign me up.
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"Somebody tell me again how bombing foreign lands and demonizing fellow countrymen is the Christian thing to do."
I can think of a whole dang bunch of "but waits" and "yeah, buts" and "you don't understands," myself.
But the fact remains: There is nothing Christian about it at all.
Not that there should, or could, be a Christian approach to this country's foreign affairs -- or domestic, for that matter.
Which is why all the yappers yappin' about what a "Christian nation" this joint is, or used to be, or could be again, are a joke.
A bad one.
Yeah, I'm a jerkwad.
Jerkwads for Jesus. Sign me up.
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