Whirled Peas

Forgiveness in the OT

This admittedly rambling post is inspired by a comment made by "Mark" to "Mwen Anvi Vonmi":

It's an oft-repeated interpretation that the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) do not describe a generous, forgiving God. This is not actually the case.

These Scriptures are full of the faithful people's hope, even bold expectation, that God will remain steadfast and "for" the people, and that God knows darn well the people don't always deserve it and yet will still love and forgive them.

"But he, being merciful, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: Yea, many a time turned he his anger away, And did not stir up all his wrath" (Psalm 78:38-39).

As Christians, we look to Jesus the Christ as the fulfillment of Scripture in that it is God's shining example of how much God loves the people and forgives them all of their sins. It's not like it just occurred to God to do so once Jesus hit the planet.

Jesus is radical in that there had not been much Jewish law or value in humans forgiving other humans. There was even a fair amount of permission for going after enemies and grinding them into the dust. Jesus not only changes the relationship we have to and with our enemies, he also acts as permanent atonement instead of yearly remembrance.

(I do not mean to discount Yom Kippur as unnecessary, not by any means. Christians have confession each time they worship, after all. Jesus is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. There is great need to have a confessional experience so that you can personally come to understand and believe God's forgiveness of you and how that frees you to live your life.)

But "Divine Pardon" is present in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly among the prophets and psalmists:

"Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back" (Isaiah 38:17); "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19); "I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more" (Jeremiah 31:34); "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions" (Isaiah 43:25); "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12).

These texts testify to the forgiving nature of God. Jesus embodies this nature, so of course the New Testament gospels, letters and other texts are highly focused through this lens.

As a caveat, there is a lot of OT description of God's wrath and vengeance. But it is difficult to take it out of the context of human beings who were being so defiant, so disobedience, so highly offensive not just to God but to the nature of God's intention for them as people, that God enacted severe redirection.

Modern interpretations of the flood point less to God being punishing of humanity and more to God being a creative God. God considered what he could do better, wiped the slate clean and started over. Like a first draft. The promise is that God will remain faithful to his creation and will stand by them no matter what, since God is so invested in making creation according to God's will and willing to go to such great lengths to make sure God's vision was happening in the world.

The other option would have been to look at the world and say, "What a mess. I think I had better just walk away from this group and leave them to their own devices."

Think of a parent disciplining a child. We all know bratty people who do not get this benefit. We don't practically wish that their parents wipe them off the face of the earth, but we desire that their maker do something hard enough to make an impression and to truly turn these kids around. We know the consequences when parents instead wash their hands of them but still leave them flittering around in the world as broken and damaged and disconnected from their maker.

Scripture continually shows us that this is not God's way.

Mwen Anvi Vonmi

"He needs to turn in his people card."

So said my pal Sheri, most appropriately, when I shared with her some of televangelist Pat Robertson's recent comments.

In case you hadn't heard, this religious marauder explained that Haitians suffered the recent devastating earthquake and its long-standing poverty because it had made a pact with the devil centuries ago.

No doubt many of his faithful flock bobbed their heads up and down in agreement so vigorously their hairpins sprung from their 'dos and their spectacles skittered down their noses.

No doubt some of them opened their pocketbooks and contributed to his mission fund, confident their money would be used to save souls. Because, you know, those other religious organizations are buying water. Pshaw. Let the thirsty fiends drink the blood of Christ or perish.

The rest of us -- let's say, the ones with compassionate hearts, critically discerning eyes or at least minimally functioning brains -- vomited.

Sheri most generously offered to hold Robertson's credentials to being a human being until he displayed a more proper understanding of what it means to act like one.

Robertson would have you believe that the earthquake happened in Haiti because God was displeased the people there were not Christian.

I will remind you that the earth is a molten moving thing that shakes every once in a while irrespective of religion or sin or any such stupid inference.

It's so asinine that I can barely write about it. But a few days have passed and I must make a record of it on this blog ostensibly about spirituality and advocacy.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on the matter. If you echo Robertson's sentiments, I will defend your rights to think and believe and say such things. I will, however, ask you to turn in your "people card," like a drunk who must turn in his car keys at a party. You could really, really hurt someone else.

I wish I could say that there's a special place in hell for Pat Robertson. But I can't say such a thing because I profess a loving God who in Christ Jesus forgives our sins and redeems everything.

I also profess a generous God who has blessed you with bounty and has equipped and empowered you to respond to a disaster like the one in Haiti. Please consider making contributions to the agencies listed below. They will be there for the long haul.

Red Cross International Response
United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund
Catholic Relief Services
Lutheran Disaster Relief
Doctors Without Borders
World Vision
Yele Haiti Foundation (Wyclef Jean's appeal)

Please pray.

Loving God, in the communion of Christ, we are joined with the trials and sufferings of all.
Be with those who endure the effects of the earthquake in Haiti.
Protect those in the path of danger.
Open the pathway of evacuations.
Help loved ones find one another in the chaos.
Provide assistance to those who need help.
Ease the fears of all and make your presence known in the stillness of your peace. Amen.

And find some way to laugh your way through it, so that you do not fall into the trap of self-righteousness and so that you do not succumb to apathy and stop responding to those who will remain in need for generations to come after this devastation.

Below is an opinion piece that appeared in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune:

Dear Pat Robertson,

I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I’m all over that action. But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I’m no welcher.

The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished. Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth — glamor, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake.

Haven’t you seen "Crossroads"? Or "Damn Yankees"? If I had a thing going with Haiti, there’d be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox — that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it — I’m just saying: Not how I roll.

You’re doing great work, Pat, and I don’t want to clip your wings — just, come on, you’re making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That’s working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract.

Best,
Satan

*****

Editor's Note: "Mwen anvi vonmi" is Creole for "I feel nauseated." Apropos, non?

Vatican: 'Avatar' No Masterpiece

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The Vatican newspaper and radio station have called the film "Avatar" simplistic, and criticized it for flirting with modern doctrines that promote the worship of nature as a substitute for religion.

L'Osservatore Romano and Vatican Radio dedicated ample coverage to James Cameron's big-grossing, 3-D spectacle. But the reviews were lukewarm, calling the movie superficial in its eco-message, despite groundbreaking visual effects.

L'Osservatore said the film "gets bogged down by a spiritualism linked to the worship of nature." Similarly, Vatican Radio said it "cleverly winks at all those pseudo-doctrines that turn ecology into the religion of the millennium."

"Nature is no longer a creation to defend, but a divinity to worship," the radio said.

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said that while the movie reviews are just that - film criticism, with no theological weight - they do reflect Pope Benedict XVI's views on the dangers of turning nature into a "new divinity."

[READ MORE]

Theology on Tap

FOSTORIA -- Along with the drinks, discussions about religion and faith have been flowing at R Place in downtown Fostoria on the first Thursday of each month during Theology on Tap.

The program, sponsored by Fostoria St. Wendelin Parish and the Diocese of Toledo, is an opportunity to share community and learn more about the Catholic faith in a relaxed and comfortable setting.

"The main purpose, of course, is to reach out to young adults of the Catholic Church, and not even just Catholics, but young adults in general," said the Rev. Eric Schild, associate pastor at St. Wendelin.

"We as a Catholic Church ... are often criticized for not reaching out to young adults (ages 20-30)," he said. "So this is a way to reach out to them where they're at."

That's important, said Schild.

"Jesus went to people where they were at. He didn't say, 'You need to come where I am.' He went to ... have dinner with the sinners. He dined with the tax collectors. Again, you need to go out to where the people are," Schild said.

Started in Chicago 25 years ago, Theology on Tap brings together Catholic church leaders and young adults in an informal setting to discuss subjects that interest them. Since then, the program has spread across the nation.

Schild said he has been interested in starting the program in Fostoria for some time, but didn't have the time to devote to it. That changed when seminarian intern Phil Smith was assigned to the Fostoria parish earlier this year.

CLICK HEREto read more of Jeannie Wiley Wolf's story "Drinks and Discussion" (The Courier, 1/5/10).