05.24.07

Sermon on the Plain

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:01 pm by Administrator

I’ve attended a discussion group in recent months at the home of a co-worker that revolves around the Christian viewpoint and how truth is defined. The DVD series used as a basis for the discussion is produced by the conservative Focus on the Family organization. Much is made in the DVD series about the cosmic battle between truth and lies. The battleground is the culture war in the U.S., Most of the people in the group are Christian, professional, high-income (doctors, finance professions), and mostly conservative on the issues (evolution is a flawed theory not fact, gay rights, sex roles, etc.). There’s some disagreement, but everyone’s pretty much in the same ballpark. Nice people on a personal level, as I’ve found most conservatives to be.

Framing a dicussion of truth as a cosmic battle, I think is a distraction from what truly ails us (economic inequality and environmental degradation) and encourages some Christians of modest means to sit idle in self-delusion. (The book “What’s the Matter with Kansas, by Thomas Frank, examines why people vote in a way that goes against their economic self-interest).

Christianity like most young religions was revolutionary at its inception with Jesus leading the charge. The Gospels detail story after story of Jesus serving the poor, weak, sick and disenfranchised. But in today’s culture, as Time magazine wrote about a few months back, many Christians believe God wants them to be rich. Charity is something you do, once you’re a made-man, as a mafia-don might say, it seems, not as you go along.

This seems to counteract the message in Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Here’s the real revolutionary part of the message, the part that many of us give lip service to, but find harder to practice.

But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Doesn’t this open you up to exploitation, a critic might ask? This is crazy, even stupid. The last line people mention often. But in a competitive society such as ours that creates winners and losers, the merit lies in adherence to the previous lines.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Do not judge, and you will not be judged;; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

In light of the gay rights debate, I think most conservative Christians make a distinction between condemnation of gays and condemnation of gay behavior, although it took years for an anti-discrimination bill to pass in Washington state so maybe what people do in the polling booth is different than what they say. Most people don’t care what gays do as long as they don’t bother them. Gay marriage is a hot potato for even some liberals. Whatever the case the consequences of the closet are great.

Then it continues with a parable.
“Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.”

This implies you should take care of your own business first before giving advice or helping others. But sometimes the act of helping others infuses an individual with purpose in a teamwork situation. There’s a difference between saying “we ought to do this” and “you ought to do this.” We implies a shared responsibility while you is accusatory. Then again, we can also be disingenous if the person saying “we,” isn’t carrying their own weight.

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