Wednesday, November 12, 2014
No Direct Answers
Chaplain Mike talks about depression - good points, but not really where I want to go with this post. Rather, consider this excerpt:
We worship God, not the bible. Even what the bible reveals to us about God is indirect. It's other people writing their experiences of God for us to learn from. It is important to remember that the bible reminds us of this. Moses was only allowed to look at God's back as he walked away. John reminds us that we see dimly, as in a mirror.
The bible is true, but it is not all of truth.
But it is concrete, easy to hold and read (not necessarily understand) it is something we can latch onto when all seems lost. But when we latch onto the bible, as opposed to God, we lack faith in that which we cannot see, touch and experience directly. We must find that faith and unlatch from the bible.
The bible points us to God, but it is not God.
Bible Faith God
Can we please discard this semi-gnostic notion that the Bible holds the secret keys to overcoming life’s mysterious and intractable problems?The Bible may contain the answers to eternity, but not the answers to "life, the universe and everything." What the bible does is make us better people who are therefore better capable to dealing with "life, the universe and everything." The bible does not change the world, but if enough of us follow it's advice to be better people, the world will become better.
We worship God, not the bible. Even what the bible reveals to us about God is indirect. It's other people writing their experiences of God for us to learn from. It is important to remember that the bible reminds us of this. Moses was only allowed to look at God's back as he walked away. John reminds us that we see dimly, as in a mirror.
The bible is true, but it is not all of truth.
But it is concrete, easy to hold and read (not necessarily understand) it is something we can latch onto when all seems lost. But when we latch onto the bible, as opposed to God, we lack faith in that which we cannot see, touch and experience directly. We must find that faith and unlatch from the bible.
The bible points us to God, but it is not God.
Bible Faith God
