Where to start? Cranial desk is covered in scattered reports documenting various astonishing developments, courtesy of heretical attempts at micromanaging the Holy Spirit—aka: Christo fascist dogmatic barking and biting. So, having selected one page out of this chaotic pile of the devastating, I shall do my best to proceed. To some, the following will land as validating. To others, it will be received like scooped contents smooshed into a paper sack, set on the front door of your consciousness, and lit on fire.
I’m going to pass on the most obvious manifestation—the utter misrepresentation of how followers of Christ are actually instructed to draw people to the love of their Creator; how it is by our love for one another—by the sharing of the liberating message of forgiveness and compassion, and actively living in response to that message in faith as key, rather than creating a theocrasy of one’s own design (as Christ most certainly did NOT design one!)—a theocrasy driven by a poisonous salad of marginalizing phobias, with foundational racism as its main course.
No. Today I am haunted by the image of the “woman caught in adultery” who was thrown at the feet of Jesus. Perplexing, isn’t it, how there is no mention of a man caught with her? Confounding how she apparently committed this offence on her own, don’t you agree? There was no shortage of men gathered around to accuse her, with sweaty hands at the ready to claw stones up out of the dirt, and hot heads building up self-righteous steam in order to effectively administer punishment, in hopes of being rewarded with the privileged experience of arcane, traditional dénouement, the catharsis of having purged a perceived evil from among their population. (“Ah! Having outnumbered and overpowered a female without anyone to defend her, we have righteously caused her violent death—we are society’s heroes!) Sure, the presumed man involved would live on to entertain his philandering compulsions on yet another day, but a woman would have been made to die for their weakness, so, yeah, whatevs, right? (Such was the prevailing apparent attitude.) But no, for in John 8 verse 7b, Jesus says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her,” as he is stooped down to draw on the ground. In this chapter, if we read on, we learn that these men—one by one, eventually dispersed, leaving no one left to condemn her.
If this story played out today though, in the United States—especially in Texas, Alabama, or Tennessee, the ending would be different, wouldn’t it? The gathered crowd would double down on their position—one by one—and a fury as contagious as a virus against which there is no vaccine for them to even decline, would infect the throng, and then spitting in the face of their professed Savior, they would hurl their stones at her. If their lust for her live body could not be satisfied, they would settle for satiation of their blood lust in the viciously murdering of her. (It does seem that some truly love to see women suffer, doesn’t it?) THEY would show this woman, and Jesus Christ, who’s boss…
….as if Galatians 6:7 isn’t to be taken seriously: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
…as if in Luke 19: 37b, upon the Pharisees’ demand that Christ rebuke his disciples, who, having been inspired by witness of many miracles at Jesus’ hands— loudly praised Jesus, Christ never replied, as he did--, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Even the stones can be made to know better than can those of pharisaic hardness of heart.
We can agree to disagree, however. Be encouraged by Psalm 118(I've not pasted it here--It can easily be looked up by the reader, I trust.). I’m just another human being. No one needs to be afraid of me. I would exhort no one to fear the author of these paragraphs. Neither would I validate the fearing people of a certain race, gender, orientation, or physical/intellectual ability or limitation. Also, I am most patriotic about our nation’s First Amendment rights, which provide us with the freedom to believe as we wish, without state/government interference. In addition, I value our God-given free will and seek to steward it well. Perhaps we can agree on these things? Or perhaps not. Either way, the Word of the Creator of the Universe will stand. Of this I am confident. In this I take comfort.
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