The Old Testament tells of worshippers complaining to Yahweh, “You had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!” Yahweh retaliates against the disloyal worshippers, “the LORD drove in quail from the sea… for the people… but while the meat was still between their teeth… the LORD’s wrath flared … Continue reading “Retaliate or Nourish”
Tag: Yahweh
Sensible Gun Control
“In those days, the LORD said: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave,” I am set to “wipe out the place.” Abraham begs his Lord, “Will you spare the place for the sake of the innocent?… if there are fifty,” “forty,” “ten?” Unfortunately, Abraham learned the Lord will … Continue reading “Sensible Gun Control”
The Case For Reparations
In the Old Testament, Yahweh, “the Lord,” wears a MAGA hat: Make Atonement Great Again. Atonement makes a case for reparations – payments from the people to “the Lord.” It is an ancient yet still operative system. “The Lord” remains a projection of earthly ‘Lords’ who still exact reparations – payments from the people to … Continue reading “The Case For Reparations”
The Challenge To Change Our Values
Authors of the Old Testament portray Hebrews as the chosen people of their god, Yahweh. The people value Yahweh in the same way they value the War Lords who invented him – he is their savior, their protector – as long as they are obedient. War Lords are believed to have enabled a small but … Continue reading “The Challenge To Change Our Values”
The Challenge to Change Our Leaders
Scripture scholars treat Moses and his deity, Yahweh, as leaders. Moses is a military leader, a War Lord, as is the Yahweh deity he invented. They dominate, inflict suffering, and kill. Their military leadership is evident in Sunday’s first reading concerning the 10 Commandments. From Yahweh, “I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, … Continue reading “The Challenge to Change Our Leaders”
God as Father
Yahweh is a deity within the religion of Militarism. He is the fictional War Lord deity invented by Hebrew warmakers. Yahweh sanctifies Old Testament rulers who dominate over the people. Yahweh cannot be compared to the historical peacemaker Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospel. Attempts to connect the two, however, are sometimes made. One attempt … Continue reading “God as Father”
Have We Done What We Were Obliged To Do?
Faith is generally understood as believing in a Supreme Being, and, perhaps, believing that because of our faith, that Supreme Being will do something for us. The prophet Habakkuk, in this Sunday’s first reading, has such faith and believes his Lord will do something for him, “O Lord, … I cry out to you.” The … Continue reading “Have We Done What We Were Obliged To Do?”
What Militarism Whips Up
Jesus’ clearing of the Temple in this Sunday’s Gospel is grossly misinterpreted. Militarists misinterpret it as an act of violence. The misinterpretation allows their religion, Militarism, to maintain its oppressive rule over humanity, our hearts and minds. Militarism has no regard for the peacemaker Jesus of Nazareth. In this misinterpretation and others, they mis-characterize, disrespect, … Continue reading “What Militarism Whips Up”
Sacred and Profane
Jesus cleanses the Temple in today’s Gospel reading. The Temple represents a division instituted by religion, specifically the division between Divinity and the natural world. Gods were once believed synonymous with the forces of nature. Those forces could be deadly and were feared. So too the gods assigned to the forces were deadly and feared, … Continue reading “Sacred and Profane”
Play
Jesus is more playful than we might think. We see his playfulness in his many parables. He did not tell his parables to teach dogma. Dogma is not playful. Instead, he told his stories and used metaphors within them so that we might play with them. He offered characters and events to help us enjoy … Continue reading “Play”