I believe in the Bible but it is a belief that is centered not in words but in The Word and The Word is a word of life and love, forgiveness and joy. I do not accept that every comma and period was placed on paper by a divine finger. There are a multitude of passages that either never did or at least no longer apply to our own spiritual journeys. They are passages that speak to other times and cultures and they are of no assistance on my religious pilgrimage.I judge the Bible by Christ and not Christ by the Bible. Where there is life, love, hope, joy, forgiveness and grace there is The Word and it is holy. Where there is hatred, exclusion, conditional clauses and legalizing limits there are only words and there is nothing holy about them.

 

I often compare my understanding of the Bible to my appreciation of a fine work of art. Do I believe in the Bible? Yes, of course I do but it is in a sense not unlike my belief that Van Gogh’s “A Starry Night” is more than just a canvas with splashes of cobalt blue, magenta and yellow #7 paint.

 

To limit our understanding of the Holy Bible to a literal and blind acceptance of scribbles on a page is to fail to see the beauty, the majesty, the wonder, the life. It is to fail to see what really makes this book holy.

 

Throughout the Bible God draws people to Him by encouragement, love and positive affirmation. The punishments presented for disobedience are nothing but natural consequences of willfully violating God’s direction. It is sad when people use the Bible to beat others into submission, threaten them and exclude them based on their limited interpretation of what the Bible says. Interpretations based in violence, fear, hatred and self-righteousness.

 

How can these people honestly believe that anyone will want to follow a God who are presented to them through the “testimony” of hateful, judgmental, hateful and self-righteous people? Perhaps they don’t see their own hatred, fear and self-righteousness?

 

Perhaps we all need to start every day humbly asking God to soften our step and our voices, and help us honestly trying to emulate God?
H