Wrath of God
The way some people describe God - vengeful, vindictive, spiteful, punitive - it makes God sound like Zeus with his lightning bolts or Poseidon with storms and floods smiting the people they disagreed with.
It seems that people who subscribe to this version of God could worship any entity. All the ancient gods punished those that did evil. It's also like God saying 'do what I say not what I do.' You humans are not allowed to kill, but I can and am more than willing to do so. You humans are supposed to forgive those who cross you, but I, God, will energetically destroy those who cross me.
To march into town and destroy every man, woman, child and animal seems to me more like Hebrews justifying their actions than a holy instruction.
What makes God worth worshipping is his willingness to forgive us, to not let the pettiness of our lives get in the way of our relationship.
I recently heard someone say that Christianity is slly because the victim has to forgive those that hurt them. This person's opinion was that righteous vindication was the proper response to being made a victim. He felt that forgiveness was like giving permission to the aggressor.
What they fail to realize is that forgiveness removes from us the mantle of victimhood. We are more empowered thru forgiveness than we ever will be through anger and retribution.
Revenge is a perpetuation of victimhood. We can never move on until the score is somehow settled. Forgiveness gives us power over victimhood.
Which is one of the reasons God forgives. It eliminates the need to put so much destructive energy into retribution and allows growth to occur. Christ himself described God as the party host. He invites all to come and celebrate. He mourns for those who do not come, but parties with those that do. Not being at the party is tragic enough. Nowhere in the story did the host ride through the streets of town killing those that didn't show up.
God's wrath? Seems to me we are projecting our wrath upon God.
It seems that people who subscribe to this version of God could worship any entity. All the ancient gods punished those that did evil. It's also like God saying 'do what I say not what I do.' You humans are not allowed to kill, but I can and am more than willing to do so. You humans are supposed to forgive those who cross you, but I, God, will energetically destroy those who cross me.
To march into town and destroy every man, woman, child and animal seems to me more like Hebrews justifying their actions than a holy instruction.
What makes God worth worshipping is his willingness to forgive us, to not let the pettiness of our lives get in the way of our relationship.
I recently heard someone say that Christianity is slly because the victim has to forgive those that hurt them. This person's opinion was that righteous vindication was the proper response to being made a victim. He felt that forgiveness was like giving permission to the aggressor.
What they fail to realize is that forgiveness removes from us the mantle of victimhood. We are more empowered thru forgiveness than we ever will be through anger and retribution.
Revenge is a perpetuation of victimhood. We can never move on until the score is somehow settled. Forgiveness gives us power over victimhood.
Which is one of the reasons God forgives. It eliminates the need to put so much destructive energy into retribution and allows growth to occur. Christ himself described God as the party host. He invites all to come and celebrate. He mourns for those who do not come, but parties with those that do. Not being at the party is tragic enough. Nowhere in the story did the host ride through the streets of town killing those that didn't show up.
God's wrath? Seems to me we are projecting our wrath upon God.
posted by Scott | 11:19 AM
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