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Book of Deuteronomy
I have been saddened by the destruction of ancient ruins in the ongoing and increasingly complex turmoil in the Middle East. We are certainly right to condemn present-day vandalism and violence by others, but we should also reject vandalism and violence found in our sacred texts.
People around the world are suffering more now than at any time in my lifetime, and probably much longer. But the peoples of the world, including we who live in and love the United States, have become increasingly permissive and secular.
The Bible often warns against trusting the wrong sources (e.g., false prophets). But in the story of Balaam, the Bible warns against placing too much trust in the right sources -- in this case Moses. The Bible's warning is particularly pertinent to us today, since we are particularly prone to the error of excessively trusting our sources.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Those who insist the Bible is "literally true" have all but destroyed the very Bible they want everyone to take seriously.
Contemporary folks take the Sabbath commandment to liberate us from the stresses and timetables of modern life so that we can seek inner peace, spirituality, harmony with nature, etc. But the Bible offers different rationales.
Waiting has been a powerful spiritual theme in my life, especially with regard to decades of delay in being able to live as a fully adult man, delayed for decades as a transgender person stalled by both doctors and religious mentors in a wilderness experience of confusion and falsehood.
Some people say that when you pay taxes -- income tax, sales tax, property tax, etc. -- you are giving your money to the government. Many resent this; some even consider it illegitimate. But this is a mistake.
It is wise to keep in mind when seeking justice what we ultimately want. If it is a peaceful heart and a world that is moving closer to fairness for all, we are on the road to fulfilling the biblical prophet Isaiah's vision of peace.
We need religion that encourages personal questioning and critical thinking. We need less doctrine and more humble acknowledgement of mystery. We need more of what the early Hasidic rabbis of Eastern Europe called mochin d'gadlut -- an open, expansive mind.
