In part 1 of this article, I postulated some postulates (what else would a person postulate?) about the so-called "Modesty Debate." Summarily speaking, I tried to argue that the Biblical expectation for women/girls in their clothing choices deals primarily with their attitude and motive although I Timothy 2:9 does create a basic standard for the clothes themselves. The good ol' ESV renders this standard as "respectable clothing." At that point in the article, both my brain and my fingers were reaching the point of exhaustion so I stopped typing.
After a week, both my brain and my fingers feel sufficiently rested to continue. Actually, I am really excited about this part of the post because it will allow me to speak about an area in which I am a genuine, qualified, first-rate expert--my own opinion. I am also excited because submitting my own opinion prohibits anyone from disagreeing with me or trying to dissuade me because I can just say, "Well, you have your opinion and I have mine." (Note - Although the previous sentence was included primarily for humorous purposes, I do have a less lighthearted reason for including it. I think individuals engaged in the so-called "Modesty Debate" do need to realize that much of the conversation on both sides is opinion because the Bible does not give a great deal of specific prescription for New Testament believers in this area. At least, in my opinion, it does not.) So, with no further ado, I will now continue...(Wait, I just thought of one more piece of ado. I want to include a warning. Warning - I am planning on speaking fairly frankly (though not explicitly or inappropriately) about certain aspects of this issue in the paragraphs below. Please don't be mad at me when you get to those parts. I told you they were coming!) Okay, now there is no further ado...
Section Two - My Personal Opinions about Various Aspects of the So-Called "Modesty Debate"
For what it's worth, here's what I think about...
1. The definition of "respectable clothing" - As I said earlier, the only specific Biblical guideline I have thus far been able to identify for the actual clothes a New Testament era woman/girl wears is that they be "respectable." (By the way, I see no reason why this same word shouldn't apply to men's/boy's clothing as well.) This, of course, begs the question, "What makes for respectable clothing?" Ah! Therein (as they say) lies the rub! For being a specific guideline, this mandate isn't really all that specific. I find it noteworthy that God did not further define/explain what He meant by "respectable." He certainly could have done so, but...He didn't. I believe His reason for doing so is two-fold. First, God expects each Christian to think through, pray, and consider for themselves what "respectable clothing" looks like. Second, God knows that the specific look of "respectable clothing" will vary and change according to the culture. I know that this second idea will make some of my readers uncomfortable, but I just don't see how one can ignore the fact that clothing (like several areas of the Christian experience) is very much dependent on cultural contexts. The ambiguity of God's dress code is actually a testimony to the brilliance with which God designed Christianity because it makes it timeless and borderless. God giving very specific guidelines for clothing choices would be a lot like buying a new computer or cell phone--in a matter of time it will be outdated and obsolete. By limiting His expectation to our clothes being "respectable," God has allowed both 1st century believers and 21st century believers to adhere to the guideline despite the fact that clothing styles are vastly different between the two.
All of that leads me to to say this--we should choose clothing that is, within the larger scope of culture, generally considered to be "respectable." That is--will most people using common sense who see us consider our clothes to be appropriate and respectable? Undoubtedly, there are some styles that even the general culture understands to be provocative or inappropriate. Believers shouldn't wear these. Outside of those, however, I believe that the circle which includes "respectable clothing" is a pretty big circle encompassing a variety of different looks--including looks that might be considered more conservative or more liberal. To put it bluntly, I think that, as long as our private parts are covered, we have a great deal of freedom when it comes to how long, how high, how loose, and how whatever our clothes are. "Respectable" is a big concept, and anyone who tries to define it more narrowly than God is overstepping their bounds, in my opinion.
There is another idea that often creeps its way into the discussion, and so I would like to expend my last bit of mental dexterity for the day on that topic...
2. The responsibility of women/girls to protect men from lusting after their bodies - As the so-called "Modesty Debate" rages on, those who take the more conservative approach (Please note above where I said there is plenty of room in the "Respectable Circle" for those who want to dress more conservatively) often support their specific dress preferences and (sometimes) seek to force them upon others by appealing to a woman's responsibility to protect the men around her from lusting after her body. This, in their way of thinking, is accomplished by dressing conservatively. Although there is no verse that specifically states this responsibility, it is true that there is a fairly well-developed Biblical concept that believers should not create situations that they know will most-likely cause other believers to sin. I have no problem with the statement that women/girls should never dress in a way that they know will cause the males around them to lust and commit adultery in their hearts. My problem with this line of thinking centers around the assumptions that often accompany it. There is an assumption that all men are leering, lust-driven maniacs who cannot control their gaze or their thoughts. While it may be true in general that men are primarily stimulated by sight, this does not necessarily mean that every guy around is a slave to his lust. Many men have learned how to see a woman and appreciate the beauty of her respectfully-dressed body without lusting or committing heart-adultery. Some will say, "What about those who haven't learned to do this? What about the leering, lust-driven maniacs out there? Shouldn't we try to help them out?" This reasoning reveals another assumption, namely, that women have it in their power to prevent a man from lusting after their bodies by dressing more conservatively. This simply is not true. Writing transparently and seriously as a man for whom lust has been and is an ongoing battle, I have to speak frankly to the women who are reading this. It doesn't matter if you are covered from head to toe. If I am in the grip of lust at any given moment (please notice the if at the beginning of this sentence), I have the capability to inappropriately gaze at you and objectify parts of your body. Unless you are dressed in a rectangular cardboard box, I can look at your clothes (as long and loose as they might be) and focus lustfully on your chest, your legs, your backside, your lips, your hair, or any other part I want to. This is not your fault, it's mine. If I am in the grip of flesh rather than Spirit, my lust might have nothing to do with your clothes at all but rather the simple fact that God created a woman's body with the shape and look that He did. For me to expect you to stem the tide of my depravity by your clothing choices is an unrealistic expectation and a grievous burden to place on your shoulders. For you to believe that you can stem the tide of my depravity by your clothing choices is a well-meaning, but utterly misguided thought.
"Should not women do their due diligence to make it easier for men to resist their lust?" some might ask. Of course they should. This is accomplished by choosing clothing that is "respectable." (See point number 1 above.) Beyond that, however, I just don't think that women/girls have the responsibility or the power in relation to men's eyes and thoughts that some would have us believe. As with most things in the Christian experience, it comes down to an internal heart issue for the man rather than external influences.
And with that, I will complete my contribution to the so-called "Modesty Debate" and thereby wrap up the discussion for believers worldwide so that we can all move on to other points of debate/disagreement like politics, music, or Santa Claus.
Thank you for reading all the way to the end.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Thursday, December 5, 2013
The Final Word in the Modesty Debate
During this past summer (2013), I began to notice an emerging trend on my Facebook feed. In addition to the usual fare of rants against Obamacare, coupon posts, sports team trash talking, and pictures of people's dogs and/or foot injuries, I saw an increasing number of links to blog articles with the word "modesty" in the title. These articles usually discussed an issue that is (in certain smaller segments of American Evangelicalism) a hot topic--girls' and women's clothing choices. Having read many of these articles and the accompanying arguments being waged in the comments sections of said articles, I decided to sit down and articulate the final word in the so-called "Modesty Debate." I figure that, if no one else is willing to settle this issue once and for all, I might as well go ahead and get it done.
The last two sentences were written with my tongue in my cheek. Obviously, I do not have the market cornered on the modesty debate, and I am certainly not one who is qualified to settle the arguments. I will freely admit that I chose the title of this article for the sole purpose of catching your attention and surreptitiously inducing you to read what I have to say. So far, my ploy appears to have worked in light of the fact that you have read all the way to this point. In reality, my intent in this article is far less ambitious than my title would have you believe. I would simply like to offer my own two cents about this issue. I will accomplish this by dividing my comments into two sections. Read them and do with them what you will.
Section One - My Personal Interpretation of the Biblical Guidelines for Women's Clothing
Ignoring for the time being the fact that discussions about modesty and dress choices almost always omit any mention of boys'/men's clothing, I would like to tell you what I believe the Bible teaches about girls'/women's clothing. This is also what I plan on teaching my children (my daughter in particular) about this area. I will be forthright with you, Reader, and admit that I have not spent a great deal of time studying the issue in all of its intricate nuances. I have, however, done a fair amount of marinating on the passage in I Timothy 2:9-10, as this seems to me to be the primary passage in which God has given clear instructions about female clothing choices. Many will argue with me and assert that the Bible contains a great deal more instruction about clothing, but I am always a bit wary when someone has to resort to an obscure, context-stripped verse in Hezekiah 45:11 for support. (Yes, I know that there is no such verse as Hezekiah 45:11. Everyone knows there's only 44 chapters in that book.) Based on my marination on the passage in I Timothy, I have formulated the following 4 principles about female clothing choices:
1. God's expectations in this area appear to focus far more on the heart attitude of the wearer than they do the specific clothing styles that the wearer chooses. Even the passage in I Peter 3:3-4 (which is the other location in which we find mention of female clothing choices) puts the focus squarely on the inward rather than the external. God's primary concern seems to be the attitude behind and the motive with which a woman wears her clothes. One of the aspects of the I Timothy passage that I was quite surprised to discover is the fact that the idea of modesty is more accurately applied to the attitude of the wearer than it is to the clothes themselves. In other words, it's not necessarily the clothes that should be modest but the person wearing them. Certain Bible versions seem to be the culprits in propagating the semantical misconception that clothes themselves can be modest in the sense of humble and meek. The ESV translates the clothing guideline as "respectable apparel" with the accompanying attitude of modesty and self-control. To be sure, God did make a statement about the clothes themselves, and I will say more about that farther down the page. At this point, however, I would simply like to point out that the majority of what God says about the issue deals with an inward state of the soul rather than a particular guideline about style. It seems to me that our teaching on this topic should reflect that emphasis as well.
2. There is nothing inherently wrong about a girl/woman dressing in a way that flatters and beautifies the body God has given her. One of the bothersome (to me at least) aspects of the numerous modesty articles I have read recently is the implicit declaration to girls/women that their body is something to be hidden, camouflaged, or even ashamed of because of its alleged power over the male mind. The female body is a powerful image and presence, to be sure. (More on that later.) I do not, however, subscribe to the notion that this power requires a woman to stifle the inherent physical beauty God has given to her or to limit the flattering/beautification process to only those parts of her body above her neck or below her knee (or ankle in some circles). I find it revealing (almost no pun intended) that I Timothy 2:8 actually instructs women to adorn themselves. This word does not simply mean to clothe. It carries the idea of "decorating" or "beautifying." In my mind, this seems to imply that there is nothing wrong with wearing clothing that flatters a girl's body and enhances her natural beauty. I Peter 3 makes it clear that this adornment should not be exclusively external (refer to point 1 above for more details), but I do not believe God has prohibited girls/women from wearing styles that accentuate and decorate their bodies. I do believe there is an appropriate and inappropriate way to do that, but I am going to save those thoughts for my big finish down in point number 4. Before we get to that, however, let me present number 3...
3. If, as I have posited above, modesty is an internal heart issue, then a woman who does not have this attitude is not fulfilling the requirements of the verse, regardless of what she is or isn't wearing. This, in my moderately humble opinion, is where many a well-meaning follower of Jesus has missed the proverbial boat. In some circles of American Evangelicalism an assumption is firmly entrenched in the minds of moms, dads, youth pastors, youth pastor's wives, and Christian school principals that their girls are just plain better off with "safer" or "higher" dress standards. A girl's heart may be as far from modest as you can get, but at least her necklines and hemlines are appropriate. If I am understanding Paul's inspired instructions in I Timothy correctly, then it is accurate for me to say that it doesn't really matter what clothes a woman is wearing or not wearing. If her spirit is not one of "modesty" and "self-control", then she is not in adherence to the Biblical standard. Dress codes certainly have their place in various contexts, but it is time to stop assuming that adherence to a dress code somehow puts a girl in a better place spiritually even though her soul is far from being spiritually healthy. Even as some of you are reading those sentences the word "But..." is forming on your lips so I will hasten on to my finale...
4. There is a standard of respectability and appropriateness for female clothing choices. If a girl does not meet this requirement, she is out of harmony with God's expectations, regardless of what her attitude and motive might be. This, in my moderately humble opinion, is where many a well-meaning follower of Jesus has missed the proverbial boat. (Yes, I intentionally chose to repeat the same sentence I used in number 3, and I did it for dramatic effect.) One of the problems that I have sensed in the comments and writings of those who argue against the "modest clothing" approach is the implicit idea that it doesn't really matter what a girl is wearing as long as her heart is modest and her intention is pure. I do not agree. Let us not forget that God did issue an instruction in the I Timothy passage about the clothes themselves. The standard is listed in the ESV as "respectable apparel." This implies that there exists in this universe styles we can call "un-respectable or unacceptable apparel." If I am understanding Paul's inspired instructions in I Timothy correctly (Yup, I did it again.), then it is accurate for me to say that it doesn't really matter what a girl/woman's attitude or motive is. If her clothes can be deemed to be inappropriate or lacking in respectability, then she is not in adherence to the Biblical standard. Now, the crux of the issue comes when we ask the question, "What should be considered respectable clothing?" You may not be surprised to discover that I have some ideas about that. However, it has taken me a lot longer to type this much than I thought it would, so I think I will save those ideas and the rest of Section 2 for a follow-up post in a few days...
Please be honest but kind in any comments you may choose to submit...
(Read part 2 of this article by clicking here.)
The last two sentences were written with my tongue in my cheek. Obviously, I do not have the market cornered on the modesty debate, and I am certainly not one who is qualified to settle the arguments. I will freely admit that I chose the title of this article for the sole purpose of catching your attention and surreptitiously inducing you to read what I have to say. So far, my ploy appears to have worked in light of the fact that you have read all the way to this point. In reality, my intent in this article is far less ambitious than my title would have you believe. I would simply like to offer my own two cents about this issue. I will accomplish this by dividing my comments into two sections. Read them and do with them what you will.
Section One - My Personal Interpretation of the Biblical Guidelines for Women's Clothing
Ignoring for the time being the fact that discussions about modesty and dress choices almost always omit any mention of boys'/men's clothing, I would like to tell you what I believe the Bible teaches about girls'/women's clothing. This is also what I plan on teaching my children (my daughter in particular) about this area. I will be forthright with you, Reader, and admit that I have not spent a great deal of time studying the issue in all of its intricate nuances. I have, however, done a fair amount of marinating on the passage in I Timothy 2:9-10, as this seems to me to be the primary passage in which God has given clear instructions about female clothing choices. Many will argue with me and assert that the Bible contains a great deal more instruction about clothing, but I am always a bit wary when someone has to resort to an obscure, context-stripped verse in Hezekiah 45:11 for support. (Yes, I know that there is no such verse as Hezekiah 45:11. Everyone knows there's only 44 chapters in that book.) Based on my marination on the passage in I Timothy, I have formulated the following 4 principles about female clothing choices:
1. God's expectations in this area appear to focus far more on the heart attitude of the wearer than they do the specific clothing styles that the wearer chooses. Even the passage in I Peter 3:3-4 (which is the other location in which we find mention of female clothing choices) puts the focus squarely on the inward rather than the external. God's primary concern seems to be the attitude behind and the motive with which a woman wears her clothes. One of the aspects of the I Timothy passage that I was quite surprised to discover is the fact that the idea of modesty is more accurately applied to the attitude of the wearer than it is to the clothes themselves. In other words, it's not necessarily the clothes that should be modest but the person wearing them. Certain Bible versions seem to be the culprits in propagating the semantical misconception that clothes themselves can be modest in the sense of humble and meek. The ESV translates the clothing guideline as "respectable apparel" with the accompanying attitude of modesty and self-control. To be sure, God did make a statement about the clothes themselves, and I will say more about that farther down the page. At this point, however, I would simply like to point out that the majority of what God says about the issue deals with an inward state of the soul rather than a particular guideline about style. It seems to me that our teaching on this topic should reflect that emphasis as well.
2. There is nothing inherently wrong about a girl/woman dressing in a way that flatters and beautifies the body God has given her. One of the bothersome (to me at least) aspects of the numerous modesty articles I have read recently is the implicit declaration to girls/women that their body is something to be hidden, camouflaged, or even ashamed of because of its alleged power over the male mind. The female body is a powerful image and presence, to be sure. (More on that later.) I do not, however, subscribe to the notion that this power requires a woman to stifle the inherent physical beauty God has given to her or to limit the flattering/beautification process to only those parts of her body above her neck or below her knee (or ankle in some circles). I find it revealing (almost no pun intended) that I Timothy 2:8 actually instructs women to adorn themselves. This word does not simply mean to clothe. It carries the idea of "decorating" or "beautifying." In my mind, this seems to imply that there is nothing wrong with wearing clothing that flatters a girl's body and enhances her natural beauty. I Peter 3 makes it clear that this adornment should not be exclusively external (refer to point 1 above for more details), but I do not believe God has prohibited girls/women from wearing styles that accentuate and decorate their bodies. I do believe there is an appropriate and inappropriate way to do that, but I am going to save those thoughts for my big finish down in point number 4. Before we get to that, however, let me present number 3...
3. If, as I have posited above, modesty is an internal heart issue, then a woman who does not have this attitude is not fulfilling the requirements of the verse, regardless of what she is or isn't wearing. This, in my moderately humble opinion, is where many a well-meaning follower of Jesus has missed the proverbial boat. In some circles of American Evangelicalism an assumption is firmly entrenched in the minds of moms, dads, youth pastors, youth pastor's wives, and Christian school principals that their girls are just plain better off with "safer" or "higher" dress standards. A girl's heart may be as far from modest as you can get, but at least her necklines and hemlines are appropriate. If I am understanding Paul's inspired instructions in I Timothy correctly, then it is accurate for me to say that it doesn't really matter what clothes a woman is wearing or not wearing. If her spirit is not one of "modesty" and "self-control", then she is not in adherence to the Biblical standard. Dress codes certainly have their place in various contexts, but it is time to stop assuming that adherence to a dress code somehow puts a girl in a better place spiritually even though her soul is far from being spiritually healthy. Even as some of you are reading those sentences the word "But..." is forming on your lips so I will hasten on to my finale...
4. There is a standard of respectability and appropriateness for female clothing choices. If a girl does not meet this requirement, she is out of harmony with God's expectations, regardless of what her attitude and motive might be. This, in my moderately humble opinion, is where many a well-meaning follower of Jesus has missed the proverbial boat. (Yes, I intentionally chose to repeat the same sentence I used in number 3, and I did it for dramatic effect.) One of the problems that I have sensed in the comments and writings of those who argue against the "modest clothing" approach is the implicit idea that it doesn't really matter what a girl is wearing as long as her heart is modest and her intention is pure. I do not agree. Let us not forget that God did issue an instruction in the I Timothy passage about the clothes themselves. The standard is listed in the ESV as "respectable apparel." This implies that there exists in this universe styles we can call "un-respectable or unacceptable apparel." If I am understanding Paul's inspired instructions in I Timothy correctly (Yup, I did it again.), then it is accurate for me to say that it doesn't really matter what a girl/woman's attitude or motive is. If her clothes can be deemed to be inappropriate or lacking in respectability, then she is not in adherence to the Biblical standard. Now, the crux of the issue comes when we ask the question, "What should be considered respectable clothing?" You may not be surprised to discover that I have some ideas about that. However, it has taken me a lot longer to type this much than I thought it would, so I think I will save those ideas and the rest of Section 2 for a follow-up post in a few days...
Please be honest but kind in any comments you may choose to submit...
(Read part 2 of this article by clicking here.)
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Raising a Rebel
"Evelyn, don't keep your eyes crossed like that. If you do they will stay that way."
I am in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch on a lazy Saturday afternoon when I hear my seven-year old son issue this admonition to his younger sister.
"Eldan, what did you just say?"
"I told Evelyn not to keep her eyes crossed or they will get stuck that way."
"Where did you hear that?"
"Everyone at school says it."
Oh boy. Here we go.
I knew this day would eventually come, but I will have to admit--I didn't necessarily expect it this soon in the parenting process and I definitely didn't expect it to come in the form of such an inane old wives-fable. (I guess I am a bit naive.) Now that it's here, however, I can see the advantages. He's young and impressionable. He hasn't yet passed the "my dad is my hero" stage of his elementary years. He will probably give me more of a fair hearing now than at any given time in the next 20 years. Plus, it's such an innocuous topic that it may provide the perfect case study for him to consider his personal ontological leanings.
So...as I continue putting the clean pots in the cupboard and the dirty ones in the dishwasher, I decide to engage...
"Just because everybody says it doesn't mean it's true."
"Yeah, but you're the only one I know of who says it isn't true."
"Well, it doesn't really matter what people say. Do you have any proof? Have you ever met anyone who kept their eyes crossed and they stayed that way?"
"No."
"So you don't really know if it's true, do you?"
"But everyone says it is."
"So? You can't believe things just because lots of people say it. Lots of people might be wrong. You have to look for proof. Bring me some proof that keeping your eyes crossed will freeze them that way and then we'll talk. Without the proof, you have to admit that it might not be true."
"Yeah, but it might be true."
"Yeah, but it might be false, too."
And so it begins...
In a way, I am really excited. The process is beginning. (In truth, it has been underway since they day they were born.) This is the way we are going to raise our children. I want them to question. I want them to challenge. I want them to examine the issues (whether it is crossed eyes or same-sex marriage) and to base their decisions and beliefs on the fact that they are convinced in mind and conscience that something is true. I don't want them to take what any human says--whether it is a preacher, teacher, politician, or parent--at face value. Of course, there will be times (probably many) when they will have to temporarily submit their opinions and choices to me, my wife, or some other authority figure in the interest of honor and obedience, but I don't want either of those interests to become so overpowering that it causes them to lose their God-given ability and responsibility to think for themselves. This lunch-time discussion was just the first of what I hope will be many opportunities I have to challenge my children's status-quo and push them to think. Like they say--it isn't illegal yet.
But, in a way, I am also scared. The process has begun in earnest. The process of raising a child to become an adult--a responsible, thoughtful, opinionated, conviction-driven, truth-seeking adult. By encouraging my kids to question, consider, and challenge, I realize that I am also creating a situation in which they might reach different conclusions than I. These differing conclusions may come in areas of very little significance such as crossed-eyes or reading in the dark. They may also come in areas of incalculable significance such as their view of God and themselves. I know that I may have begun the process of raising a rebel who will reject the moral absolutes that we have been trying to calmly and consistently inculcate into their fiber from day one. I know. I know. Questions can be dangerous. Debate can be dangerous. I know--and it scares me a little bit. Okay, it scares me a lot of bit.
But my fear of my children reaching different conclusions than I cannot be allowed to overcome my desire (and the need) for them to reach conclusions--on their own. In the end, I don't want them to agree with me because I say so. I don't want them to believe what I believe because I believe it. I want them to believe because they believe it. I am fully aware that the process of reaching their own answers may lead them through some dangerous waters, but I have full confidence in the power of God and His truth to help them find their way.
So, for now, I'll just keep putting the dishes away and issuing my challenges...
"Show me some proof, Eldan. It might not be true."
"Yeah, but it might be."
Oh, boy! Here we go!
God help us...
I am in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch on a lazy Saturday afternoon when I hear my seven-year old son issue this admonition to his younger sister.
"Eldan, what did you just say?"
"I told Evelyn not to keep her eyes crossed or they will get stuck that way."
"Where did you hear that?"
"Everyone at school says it."
Oh boy. Here we go.
I knew this day would eventually come, but I will have to admit--I didn't necessarily expect it this soon in the parenting process and I definitely didn't expect it to come in the form of such an inane old wives-fable. (I guess I am a bit naive.) Now that it's here, however, I can see the advantages. He's young and impressionable. He hasn't yet passed the "my dad is my hero" stage of his elementary years. He will probably give me more of a fair hearing now than at any given time in the next 20 years. Plus, it's such an innocuous topic that it may provide the perfect case study for him to consider his personal ontological leanings.
So...as I continue putting the clean pots in the cupboard and the dirty ones in the dishwasher, I decide to engage...
"Just because everybody says it doesn't mean it's true."
"Yeah, but you're the only one I know of who says it isn't true."
"Well, it doesn't really matter what people say. Do you have any proof? Have you ever met anyone who kept their eyes crossed and they stayed that way?"
"No."
"So you don't really know if it's true, do you?"
"But everyone says it is."
"So? You can't believe things just because lots of people say it. Lots of people might be wrong. You have to look for proof. Bring me some proof that keeping your eyes crossed will freeze them that way and then we'll talk. Without the proof, you have to admit that it might not be true."
"Yeah, but it might be true."
"Yeah, but it might be false, too."
And so it begins...
In a way, I am really excited. The process is beginning. (In truth, it has been underway since they day they were born.) This is the way we are going to raise our children. I want them to question. I want them to challenge. I want them to examine the issues (whether it is crossed eyes or same-sex marriage) and to base their decisions and beliefs on the fact that they are convinced in mind and conscience that something is true. I don't want them to take what any human says--whether it is a preacher, teacher, politician, or parent--at face value. Of course, there will be times (probably many) when they will have to temporarily submit their opinions and choices to me, my wife, or some other authority figure in the interest of honor and obedience, but I don't want either of those interests to become so overpowering that it causes them to lose their God-given ability and responsibility to think for themselves. This lunch-time discussion was just the first of what I hope will be many opportunities I have to challenge my children's status-quo and push them to think. Like they say--it isn't illegal yet.
But, in a way, I am also scared. The process has begun in earnest. The process of raising a child to become an adult--a responsible, thoughtful, opinionated, conviction-driven, truth-seeking adult. By encouraging my kids to question, consider, and challenge, I realize that I am also creating a situation in which they might reach different conclusions than I. These differing conclusions may come in areas of very little significance such as crossed-eyes or reading in the dark. They may also come in areas of incalculable significance such as their view of God and themselves. I know that I may have begun the process of raising a rebel who will reject the moral absolutes that we have been trying to calmly and consistently inculcate into their fiber from day one. I know. I know. Questions can be dangerous. Debate can be dangerous. I know--and it scares me a little bit. Okay, it scares me a lot of bit.
But my fear of my children reaching different conclusions than I cannot be allowed to overcome my desire (and the need) for them to reach conclusions--on their own. In the end, I don't want them to agree with me because I say so. I don't want them to believe what I believe because I believe it. I want them to believe because they believe it. I am fully aware that the process of reaching their own answers may lead them through some dangerous waters, but I have full confidence in the power of God and His truth to help them find their way.
So, for now, I'll just keep putting the dishes away and issuing my challenges...
"Show me some proof, Eldan. It might not be true."
"Yeah, but it might be."
Oh, boy! Here we go!
God help us...
Friday, June 22, 2012
You Don't Know What You're Missing, Part II
"Have you ever eaten at Morton's Steakhouse?"
"No."
"Oh! Well let me tell you, you don't know what you are missing! It's fantastic!"
Have you ever taken part in a conversation like this one? Most of us probably have at some point. We use phrases like "You don't know what you're missing!" to try to convince the person to whom we are talking that they really are missing something great. It's kind of a funny thing to say if you think about it. If it is true that they really don't know what they are missing, telling them this doesn't really accomplish much. The only way to induce them to try Morton's Steakhouse (or whatever the subject at hand may be) is to somehow get them to recognize and appreciate the greatness of which they have been ignorant up to that point.
This, in essence, is the idea we considered in Part I of this post. The only way that the Pharisees and Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day would have called so adamantly for His execution was the fact that they did not recognize or appreciate the truth of which they were ignorant, namely, that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. All things being equal, this was a truth that the Pharisees could have and should have known. (I understand and agree completely with the idea that their actions were part of God's bigger plan of redemption and that the crucifixion for which they called was an essential component of God's will for Jesus. I do not believe, however, that this excludes them from culpability for missing and refusing the Christ.) The warning sounds out to all believers--Well-meaning and well-studied individuals can miss important truths without even realizing it. (The warning becomes even more appropriate when you consider the fact that even Jesus' own disciples did not understand the full-scope of His Messianic position until after His earthly sojourn--see Luke 24:13-35.)
As stated in the previous post, the key to avoiding such costly oversights is to honestly and regularly ask the question, "What are we missing and where are we missing it in Christianity?" (Perhaps it would be even more beneficial to phrase the question in 1st person.) Either way, it is the starting point in a journey of reflection, evaluation, and discovery which every believer needs to take.
Before beginning that journey, however, I feel strongly that there are two preliminary ideas you must consider:
Your Motive - Questioning and evaluating your own beliefs, the beliefs of your church, or even the beliefs of Christianity at large is a dangerous thing. At least, that is what many a believer will tell you. Looking for genuine is often denigrated as simply "rocking the boat," "opening up a can of worms," or "throwing the baby out with the bathwater." (How's that for a trio of metaphors?) In many circles, questioning established traditions and beliefs is frowned upon (particularly by those in positions of authority) because it often results in reformulation (or even outright rejection) of ideas and traditions long held by the masses. Change is something of which many people are afraid--particularly in the realm of religious doctrine and practice.
Armed with this understanding of people's nervousness about a questioning spirit, it is critical for you as the questioner to examine and purify your motives. Don't begin this process with the idea of becoming some rouge iconoclast bent on demolishing anything that even hints of being "traditional" or "old-school thinking." The point is not to prove that everything we have ever believed or been taught is wrong and must be changed. This is how many people perceive those of us who raise questions. Let's do all we can to change that perception. The purpose in this process is not to act as a proof-reader, armed with a red-pen, bent on finding and highlighting every minute mistake we can find. Rather, we are trying to serve as investigators or inspectors who honestly evaluate all that "comes down the line"--approving what is good and exposing what is not. (See Ephesians 5:10-11 and I Thessalonians 5:21) In short, your motive should not be to cause trouble but to find truth. Personally, I believe that much of what I have been taught is true and correct. That does not, however, preclude the possibility that I and those around me are missing some key ideas.
Your Weaknesses - If we come back to the story of the Pharisees and the disciples for a moment, we can see it's obvious they did not know what they were missing. The deeper issue emerges, however, when we ask the question, "Why didn't they know what they were missing?" or "How could they miss something so important (and so obvious, I might add)?" The fact is, several forces were at work in their lives that were contributing to their ignorance. A necessary prerequisite to beginning your own journey of evaluation is to determine if and how these same weaknesses may be influencing your ability to see the truth. Here is a short list of some of the contributing factors to the spiritual and religious miscalculation of the Pharisees. How many are applicable to you?
1. Pride - one of the primary reasons the Pharisees never accepted Jesus as Messiah or even considered the possibility that He might be so was their stubborn pride. Even in the face of clear, conclusive evidence and persuasion (including one of their own--Nicodemus--challenging them to at least give Jesus a chance), the Pharisees' arrogance and foolish stubbornness would not allow them to open their eyes. Pride blinds and pride hardens. Very few vices have as negative an impact on the human soul as pride, and very few forms of pride are as hard to unseat as religious pride.
2. Cultural Conditioning - I use the term "culture" here in a very broad sense. Your "culture" can refer to everything from the region in which you live to the type of church you attend to the family in which you were born and reared. All of these (and more) strongly influence the way we think. In the case of the Pharisees and the disciples, Jesus' failed to fit in the box into which the prevailing culture of the day taught them the Messiah would fit. Jesus didn't meet their expectations as Messiah--plain and simple. Rather than reevaluate their inherited belief system (as I am suggesting we do), they simply dismissed Jesus as a fake. Cultural conditioning is very hard to detect and even harder to eliminate, but we must do both when the truth breaks the mold by which we have been formed.
3. Inaccurate Interpretation of Scripture - I fully believe that many Pharisees in those days could have given you scriptural reasons for rejecting Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah. (One of them would very likely have been the fact that He was Jesus of Nazareth.) The religious Jews were students of the Word, but the problem was that their approach to and conclusions about the Word were often flawed. As much as we hate to admit it, Biblical Hermeneutics (interpretation) is an inaccurate art subject to the foibles of human depravity. We can and we must regularly evaluate our interpretations of Scripture to be as accurate as possible. (Part of doing that is being willing to consider the interpretations and ideas of those who have reached different conclusions than we.)
4. The Fallen Human Condition - We all naturally have our "own way." We all naturally gravitate toward untruth and error. We all tend to live unexamined lives. We all tend to be subject to inertia--both literal and figurative. Simply put, the Pharisees and disciples were subject to the Fall of Man (just as we are) and, as such, they had the current of human depravity working against them (just as we do). The good news is that God is in the business of redeeming humanity, and He has provided us with everything we need to know Him, to love Him, and to obtain and live His truth.
Building upon these foundational ideas, I believe that every Christian can and should embark on their own journey of evaluation and discovery. Every Christian can embrace the spirit of the believers at Berea (Acts 17:10-12). Every follower of Jesus should be on their own mission to find the genuine.
What are you waiting for?
(By the way, if you have never been to Morton's Steakhouse, you don't know what you're missing! It is really, really good!)
"No."
"Oh! Well let me tell you, you don't know what you are missing! It's fantastic!"
Have you ever taken part in a conversation like this one? Most of us probably have at some point. We use phrases like "You don't know what you're missing!" to try to convince the person to whom we are talking that they really are missing something great. It's kind of a funny thing to say if you think about it. If it is true that they really don't know what they are missing, telling them this doesn't really accomplish much. The only way to induce them to try Morton's Steakhouse (or whatever the subject at hand may be) is to somehow get them to recognize and appreciate the greatness of which they have been ignorant up to that point.
This, in essence, is the idea we considered in Part I of this post. The only way that the Pharisees and Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day would have called so adamantly for His execution was the fact that they did not recognize or appreciate the truth of which they were ignorant, namely, that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. All things being equal, this was a truth that the Pharisees could have and should have known. (I understand and agree completely with the idea that their actions were part of God's bigger plan of redemption and that the crucifixion for which they called was an essential component of God's will for Jesus. I do not believe, however, that this excludes them from culpability for missing and refusing the Christ.) The warning sounds out to all believers--Well-meaning and well-studied individuals can miss important truths without even realizing it. (The warning becomes even more appropriate when you consider the fact that even Jesus' own disciples did not understand the full-scope of His Messianic position until after His earthly sojourn--see Luke 24:13-35.)
As stated in the previous post, the key to avoiding such costly oversights is to honestly and regularly ask the question, "What are we missing and where are we missing it in Christianity?" (Perhaps it would be even more beneficial to phrase the question in 1st person.) Either way, it is the starting point in a journey of reflection, evaluation, and discovery which every believer needs to take.
Before beginning that journey, however, I feel strongly that there are two preliminary ideas you must consider:
Your Motive - Questioning and evaluating your own beliefs, the beliefs of your church, or even the beliefs of Christianity at large is a dangerous thing. At least, that is what many a believer will tell you. Looking for genuine is often denigrated as simply "rocking the boat," "opening up a can of worms," or "throwing the baby out with the bathwater." (How's that for a trio of metaphors?) In many circles, questioning established traditions and beliefs is frowned upon (particularly by those in positions of authority) because it often results in reformulation (or even outright rejection) of ideas and traditions long held by the masses. Change is something of which many people are afraid--particularly in the realm of religious doctrine and practice.
Armed with this understanding of people's nervousness about a questioning spirit, it is critical for you as the questioner to examine and purify your motives. Don't begin this process with the idea of becoming some rouge iconoclast bent on demolishing anything that even hints of being "traditional" or "old-school thinking." The point is not to prove that everything we have ever believed or been taught is wrong and must be changed. This is how many people perceive those of us who raise questions. Let's do all we can to change that perception. The purpose in this process is not to act as a proof-reader, armed with a red-pen, bent on finding and highlighting every minute mistake we can find. Rather, we are trying to serve as investigators or inspectors who honestly evaluate all that "comes down the line"--approving what is good and exposing what is not. (See Ephesians 5:10-11 and I Thessalonians 5:21) In short, your motive should not be to cause trouble but to find truth. Personally, I believe that much of what I have been taught is true and correct. That does not, however, preclude the possibility that I and those around me are missing some key ideas.
Your Weaknesses - If we come back to the story of the Pharisees and the disciples for a moment, we can see it's obvious they did not know what they were missing. The deeper issue emerges, however, when we ask the question, "Why didn't they know what they were missing?" or "How could they miss something so important (and so obvious, I might add)?" The fact is, several forces were at work in their lives that were contributing to their ignorance. A necessary prerequisite to beginning your own journey of evaluation is to determine if and how these same weaknesses may be influencing your ability to see the truth. Here is a short list of some of the contributing factors to the spiritual and religious miscalculation of the Pharisees. How many are applicable to you?
1. Pride - one of the primary reasons the Pharisees never accepted Jesus as Messiah or even considered the possibility that He might be so was their stubborn pride. Even in the face of clear, conclusive evidence and persuasion (including one of their own--Nicodemus--challenging them to at least give Jesus a chance), the Pharisees' arrogance and foolish stubbornness would not allow them to open their eyes. Pride blinds and pride hardens. Very few vices have as negative an impact on the human soul as pride, and very few forms of pride are as hard to unseat as religious pride.
2. Cultural Conditioning - I use the term "culture" here in a very broad sense. Your "culture" can refer to everything from the region in which you live to the type of church you attend to the family in which you were born and reared. All of these (and more) strongly influence the way we think. In the case of the Pharisees and the disciples, Jesus' failed to fit in the box into which the prevailing culture of the day taught them the Messiah would fit. Jesus didn't meet their expectations as Messiah--plain and simple. Rather than reevaluate their inherited belief system (as I am suggesting we do), they simply dismissed Jesus as a fake. Cultural conditioning is very hard to detect and even harder to eliminate, but we must do both when the truth breaks the mold by which we have been formed.
3. Inaccurate Interpretation of Scripture - I fully believe that many Pharisees in those days could have given you scriptural reasons for rejecting Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah. (One of them would very likely have been the fact that He was Jesus of Nazareth.) The religious Jews were students of the Word, but the problem was that their approach to and conclusions about the Word were often flawed. As much as we hate to admit it, Biblical Hermeneutics (interpretation) is an inaccurate art subject to the foibles of human depravity. We can and we must regularly evaluate our interpretations of Scripture to be as accurate as possible. (Part of doing that is being willing to consider the interpretations and ideas of those who have reached different conclusions than we.)
4. The Fallen Human Condition - We all naturally have our "own way." We all naturally gravitate toward untruth and error. We all tend to live unexamined lives. We all tend to be subject to inertia--both literal and figurative. Simply put, the Pharisees and disciples were subject to the Fall of Man (just as we are) and, as such, they had the current of human depravity working against them (just as we do). The good news is that God is in the business of redeeming humanity, and He has provided us with everything we need to know Him, to love Him, and to obtain and live His truth.
Building upon these foundational ideas, I believe that every Christian can and should embark on their own journey of evaluation and discovery. Every Christian can embrace the spirit of the believers at Berea (Acts 17:10-12). Every follower of Jesus should be on their own mission to find the genuine.
What are you waiting for?
(By the way, if you have never been to Morton's Steakhouse, you don't know what you're missing! It is really, really good!)
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
You Don't Know What You're Missing, Part I
The following post is a summary of the introductory lesson I taught for a series I am presenting to a Young Marrieds Sunday School class this summer. Hopefully I will articulate my ideas more clearly here than I did in the classroom.
I am a big fan of dramatic irony in literature and film. Whether it's Peyton Farquhar from "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" or Henry Bemis from a classic episode of The Twilight Zone, I relish the ironic twist ending.
Perhaps this is one reason why I find the story recorded in Luke 23 (and the other Gospels) so compelling. This passage recounts the familiar story of Pilate's interaction with the crowd on the day of Jesus' crucifixion:
If ever there was a sterling example of dramatic irony, this is it. The key to recognizing it is to remember that the people demanding the execution of Jesus were not God-hating, Satan-worshipping pagans with a desire to plunge the world into a cesspool of debauchery and unspeakable evil. On the contrary, the people shouting at Pilate that day were God-fearing, God-loving, and (ostensibly) God-pleasing religious devotees who desired more than anything to see God's name made great in the world. The were the obsessively religious Jews that we refer to most generally as Pharisees, and the irony of the moment was that they were rejecting the very Messiah for whom they were all looking so earnestly.
How sad! How tragic! How...ironic! These well-meaning folks made one of the most infamous mistakes in history, and the truly ironic part is that it could have been very easily avoided. To say it tritely--they should have know better. Of all the people living during the time of Christ, the Pharisees should have been first in line to recognize and honor Jesus as the Christ. This is the one thing they should not have missed. Perhaps some readers would come to their defense and say, "Well, it's easy for you to judge them because you have the advantage of looking back on their story. Hindsight is always 20/20." To that, I respond, "Yes, but they had the advantage of being thoroughly trained in the Old Testament prophecies. They had the advantage of seeing the sign miracles in person. They had the advantage of hearing Jesus brilliantly defend His Messiahship first hand." (See John 5 and Luke 11 for examples) Disagree if you will, but I am convinced that these religious experts had more than sufficient evidence before them to prove the legitimacy of Jesus as the Christ. They could have and should have believed. But...they didn't. They dismissed Jesus as a fraud and a rabble-rouser. Quite literally, they missed the very "finger of God" when it was right under their noses. (Luke 11:20)
Now, the point in making that point is simple--I believe there is a latent but solemn warning for us in the story of the Pharisees. I personally believe that one of the reasons why the Pharisees appear so often in the story of the Gospel is because they are we...or we are they. (However you want to put it.) That is--Pharisaism is not something that only first-century Jews were faced with. It's not a Jewish problem. It's a human problem. Pharisaism is the default setting of the fallen human heart. If that is true, then the irony of the Jews' case of mistaken identity with Jesus should not be lost on us. If they could be so sincere and so well-meaning and yet miss something so critical, where does that leave us? Well-meaning though we may be, the possibility of us missing key doctrines or ideas in our own time is very, very high.
The purpose of this post, the next post, and the Sunday School series I am currently teaching is two-fold--1) To learn what we can from the mistakes of the Pharisees so as not to repeat them, and 2) To open a dialogue in which we confront ourselves with this question, "What are we missing and where are we missing it as followers of Jesus?" You see, the real problem for the Pharisees was that they didn't know what they were missing. They had no idea that they were calling for the crucifixion of the real Messiah! If they had realized the truth they were missing they would no doubt have reacted differently. Unfortunately for them, however, they didn't realize it. They were completely blind to their own misinformation and bad doctrine. The problem with not knowing what you are missing is that you have no motivation to correct the situation. Who goes looking for their keys, their purse, or the remote control before they realize these items are lost? Nobody! Only when the reality that you have misplaced one of these things dawns on your mind do you begin looking for them. That reality will only dawn on your mind when you open your eyes, look around you, and recognize that something is missing.
So...that is what I am attempting to do in this two-part post, in my Sunday School class, in this blog, and in my life. It is something that needs to be a regular exercise in Christianity on both a personal and corporate level. We need to open our eyes, look around us, and ask ourselves, "Have we misplaced our keys?"
I will share with you how to start that process in the next segment...
I am a big fan of dramatic irony in literature and film. Whether it's Peyton Farquhar from "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" or Henry Bemis from a classic episode of The Twilight Zone, I relish the ironic twist ending.
Perhaps this is one reason why I find the story recorded in Luke 23 (and the other Gospels) so compelling. This passage recounts the familiar story of Pilate's interaction with the crowd on the day of Jesus' crucifixion:
Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!” Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
How sad! How tragic! How...ironic! These well-meaning folks made one of the most infamous mistakes in history, and the truly ironic part is that it could have been very easily avoided. To say it tritely--they should have know better. Of all the people living during the time of Christ, the Pharisees should have been first in line to recognize and honor Jesus as the Christ. This is the one thing they should not have missed. Perhaps some readers would come to their defense and say, "Well, it's easy for you to judge them because you have the advantage of looking back on their story. Hindsight is always 20/20." To that, I respond, "Yes, but they had the advantage of being thoroughly trained in the Old Testament prophecies. They had the advantage of seeing the sign miracles in person. They had the advantage of hearing Jesus brilliantly defend His Messiahship first hand." (See John 5 and Luke 11 for examples) Disagree if you will, but I am convinced that these religious experts had more than sufficient evidence before them to prove the legitimacy of Jesus as the Christ. They could have and should have believed. But...they didn't. They dismissed Jesus as a fraud and a rabble-rouser. Quite literally, they missed the very "finger of God" when it was right under their noses. (Luke 11:20)
Now, the point in making that point is simple--I believe there is a latent but solemn warning for us in the story of the Pharisees. I personally believe that one of the reasons why the Pharisees appear so often in the story of the Gospel is because they are we...or we are they. (However you want to put it.) That is--Pharisaism is not something that only first-century Jews were faced with. It's not a Jewish problem. It's a human problem. Pharisaism is the default setting of the fallen human heart. If that is true, then the irony of the Jews' case of mistaken identity with Jesus should not be lost on us. If they could be so sincere and so well-meaning and yet miss something so critical, where does that leave us? Well-meaning though we may be, the possibility of us missing key doctrines or ideas in our own time is very, very high.
The purpose of this post, the next post, and the Sunday School series I am currently teaching is two-fold--1) To learn what we can from the mistakes of the Pharisees so as not to repeat them, and 2) To open a dialogue in which we confront ourselves with this question, "What are we missing and where are we missing it as followers of Jesus?" You see, the real problem for the Pharisees was that they didn't know what they were missing. They had no idea that they were calling for the crucifixion of the real Messiah! If they had realized the truth they were missing they would no doubt have reacted differently. Unfortunately for them, however, they didn't realize it. They were completely blind to their own misinformation and bad doctrine. The problem with not knowing what you are missing is that you have no motivation to correct the situation. Who goes looking for their keys, their purse, or the remote control before they realize these items are lost? Nobody! Only when the reality that you have misplaced one of these things dawns on your mind do you begin looking for them. That reality will only dawn on your mind when you open your eyes, look around you, and recognize that something is missing.
So...that is what I am attempting to do in this two-part post, in my Sunday School class, in this blog, and in my life. It is something that needs to be a regular exercise in Christianity on both a personal and corporate level. We need to open our eyes, look around us, and ask ourselves, "Have we misplaced our keys?"
I will share with you how to start that process in the next segment...
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