The foot washing scene moves immediately to several chapters of theological monologue. In some respects, these passages express a sort of theological framework for the community of the authors. In other respects, these passages seem to be intended as encouragement to people who are being persecuted. The obvious intention is for the reader to identify with the disciples in the story, as a recipient of the promises, directives, and encouragement of the Jesus character. We will continue to explore these writings from the perspective that the Jesus character is intended as an exemplar with whom the reader could identity. The concluding paragraphs of John 13 include some plot devices that make this a little more challenging, however, so we'll see what use we can make of it.
First, Jesus finishes washing the feet of his disciples and proclaims that someone among them will betray him. He seems disturbed by this, according to the text, and he and Simon Peter engage in a little subterfuge, working out a secret sign to reveal the betrayer. Of course, the readers already know the tale, but this singles Peter out as someone special -- someone in the inner circle. We've already explored how the metaphor of Satan entering Judas represents him being driven his own fearful thoughts and beliefs. It's odd that Peter doesn't stand up and accuse Judas, given the implication of the secret message exchange with Jesus, but for whatever reason, he doesn't let the cat out of the bag to the other disciples.
This is probably just as well, since by the end of the chapter, Jesus will make the unsettling prediction that Peter will also soon betray their friendship. It's important to remember that the gospels that made it into the Bible are stories with a narrative structure, and stories need some elements to keep the plot moving forward. Probably, we could comment that every relationship will have moments in which one party throws the other under the bus, valuing personal pride or apparent safety over loyalty or devotion. People are complicated, so relationships are bound to be complicated. It's what the authors have Jesus say in between the announcement of Judas' betrayal and the forecasting of Peter's betrayal that actually provides a meaningful framework for complicated relationships.
Here, the authors put forth a "new commandment": Love one another. There are obviously old commandments. Most simply, we could view the "ten commandments" as the old covenant that the Israelites perceived as their responsibility to uphold. There are a lot of other laws and commandments in Hebrew Scripture that are proclaimed as divinely authoritative, but some of these laws are clearly peculiar to an ancient culture. By contrast, the "thou shalt nots" of the ten commandments are generally moral and ethical admonitions that most people can agree with. Don't kill people. Don't steal things. Don't commit adultery. Don't lie. We quickly invent exceptions, of course, but we generally agree with the ethical premises.
The exceptions are where we get into trouble, though. Many times, we make exceptions to moral and ethical principles because we are afraid of something. "I'm afraid I'll get into big trouble, so I'll just tell a little lie." "We're afraid that our loved ones aren't safe, so it's alright if we kill someone else's loved ones to prevent them from hurting us." "I'm afraid that I'm not lovable, so I'll indulge in someone else's affection, even though I know it's wrong to betray the trust of my partner." Our exceptions, whether we realize it or not, are steeped in fear about ourselves or other people, and when we come up with enough exceptions, the ethical principles have little value.
Even when people consider their ethical principles to be commandments from God, they orchestrate clever arrays of exceptions. Then, they orchestrate convoluted processes by which their exceptions can be excused. People wind up with complicated patterns of exoneration behavior (going to church, doing some kind of social work, praying for forgiveness, etc.) in order to make up for equally complicated integrity gaps. "I hold this ethical principle, except in the following 219 special circumstances."
Many believers are even sketchy with regard to the old commandments to honor God and keep the sabbath holy. They define God as a supernatural who agrees with their perspective. They define keeping the sabbath holy as going to church, or watching it on television, or at least praying for their team before they sit down in the bleachers at the stadium. And these principles were already squishy two thousand years ago. This is not really a commentary on current society. The Jewish religious leaders had to invent a convoluted set of laws to put boundaries on just how far one could reasonably go to skirt the ethical principles.
Some will say that the old commandments are still in place, and this is true to the extent that we all agree on many of the ethical principles. To put a Humanist spin on the whole array: We are better off honoring our own authentic selves than trying to live up to some externally defined standard of success or worthiness. We are better off when we set aside time for rest and introspection. We are better off when we are impeccable with our word. We are better off when we consider the loving advice of our elders, even when we wind up disagreeing with that advice and heading in a different direction. We are better off when we are committed to finding non-violent solutions. We are better off when we are honest, when we honor the trust of our relationships, when we recognize our own abundance. We are better off when we manage our own anxiety about not measuring up and we relax into living with integrity and intention. And we are better off when we let other people express their own authentic selves without believing that we need to convince them, compete with them, correct them, or condemn them.
The authors, through the character of Jesus, are trying to simplify all of that. They are attempting to simplify the convoluted guidelines that define the laws that clarify the ethical principles. Perhaps they are even hoping to stem the potential for excuses and complex patterns of behavior to make the excuses palatable. Love one another. Act in ways that reflect genuine regard for one another's well-being. Ask yourself before you say or do what you are about to say or do, "Will this demonstrate love?" If the answer is Yes, go right ahead. If the answer is No, reconsider your decisions.
Who is one another, then? Did the authors mean just the disciples sitting in the room with Jesus? Probably not. They are writing these words to a community of people generations after the events of the narrative were supposed to have happened. Does one another just apply to members of the same community, then? So, show love to people who believe the same things you do, but you aren't obligated to demonstrate love toward anyone else? This is certainly the way some people seem to interpret it. This seems like another clever way of making excuses for claiming an ethical or moral position and still getting to treat people however you want to.
The point of having a "new commandment" is to establish a guiding principle for the community that is in some way superior to the previous principle(s) by which the community made decisions. Meaning, the authors are suggesting that if people "love one another," there won't be any need for rules about avoiding specific behaviors. People who love one another don't kill each other. People who love one another don't lie about each other. People who love one another don't steal from each other. They don't let their fear provoke them into doing harm or taking things personally. If "love one another" is taken seriously, without leaving room for excuses when love is inconvenient or uncomfortable, you don't need a long catalog of rules or an itemized list of what to avoid.
It isn't always clear what the most loving action would be in certain situations. There is certainly room for discussion about how to create the greatest good for the greatest number of people. That's rarely our motivation, though. Our motivation is more often, How can I seem loving at the least cost to my own sense of safety and comfort? This new commandment the authors are suggesting to their community takes a lot of thought and lot of work. It requires people to be very intentional in the way they treat people. It isn't weak or easy, and most people simply don't buy it.
Love people. How many excuses just popped into your head? Who do you think you don't have to love? What problems can't be addressed by love? What are you unwilling to give up when it comes to loving other people?
Part of our problem is a flimsy definition of love. We might reasonably define love as demonstrable concern for another's well-being. There is an element of compassionate connection in the word perhaps, but there is nothing about love that requires permissiveness, or giving up one's own authentic self for the sake of someone else's comfort. Love, as a foundational value, directs us toward actions that align with the guiding principle that every person has inherent worth and dignity. Love as a principle holds us accountable in a very different way from a checklist of avoided misdeeds.
Love one another. Respect other people's boundaries, and be clear about your own boundaries.
Love one another. Do what is within your means to contribute to the well being of people around you without being judgmental or condescending.
Love one another. Care for yourself well enough that you will be able to offer your best to others.
Love one another. Take responsibility for only what you are responsible for, and let other people be responsible for their own feelings, beliefs, and decisions.
Love one another. Listen compassionately without trying to fix people.
Love one another. Seriously. Get to the heart of what that means, and make your life about that. This is no small adjustment or simple task. This is a lifelong commitment to a deep value that permeates every relationship.
Love one another. When it starts to settle in that this is not a platitude, but that this is the very core of what it means to be fully human, you'll be on the right track.
Showing posts with label ten commandments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ten commandments. Show all posts
Monday, April 27, 2015
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Deuteronomy 4-5: Rewriting the Ten Commandments and Making a Covenant with Ourselves
Deuteronomy, the "second law" (or the second telling of the agreement between the Israelites and God), imagines Moses speaking to the Israelites as they are about to enter the Promised Land, recounting their decades-long journey and reminding them of their spiritual identity as a community. As such, it contains some passages that read like pep-talks, and it is repetitious of information that was conveyed in previous books. Deuteronomy 4 is one passage in which Moses tells the Israelites why their god is the best god ever, and in many ways, he's right. Their concept of spiritual identity was indeed different from many cultures of their time. The writers of Deuteronomy also knew that by referring back to people who had supposedly been eye-witnesses to certain impressive events, later generations would be more likely to take that spiritual identity seriously. It's why some people believe in ghosts or alien abductions. Eyewitness accounts build credibility.
Out of this chapter, the passage on idolatry is of particular interest. When we read about the golden calf episode before, I wrote about our desire to worship things outside of ourselves. If you missed it, here's a link. Even once we get more comfortable with ascribing worth to ourselves, there will be moments of self-doubt. Moses reassures the Israelites that even if they are driven away and wind up carving little wooden idols for themselves, when they determine to earnestly look for God, they will find him. Spiritually speaking, this is a truth that bears repeating, or rephrasing at least.
If you should find that spark of divinity within yourself -- if you should recognize that deep truth, undeniable beauty, and intentional creativity -- and then later be overcome with doubt and look for something outside of yourself to place above you, it's alright. You haven't really lost anything, and the divine character within you will be there when you determine to recognize it again. It may get easier for you to see the more you connect with it, but it isn't something you can lose. You can't make yourself worthless.
Which brings us to the Ten Commandments. Jesus is recorded as rephrasing these commandments in a more positive light: Essentially, love God and love one another. The apostle Paul reiterates in his letters that to love others is to fulfill the law. It's hard to disagree with that. The Ten Commandments were likely influenced by Hittite and Mesopotamian treaties between lords and vassals, and they contain some of the moral absolutes that human cultures of every faith and creed have accepted to a certain degree, concepts regarding the value of human life and the sanctity of personal property. The Ten Commandments were in theory a pact between God and the Israelites, but in practical terms they were a pact between the Israelites and themselves. They were saying, in essence, "We agree to abide by these laws in order to have a unified and sustainable culture." I'm not saying that they didn't believe in God. I'm just clarifying the practical reality of their agreement.
We have many laws in our culture, too. Some of them are based on the same concepts about the value of human life and property. Acknowledging the Ten Commandments as the model of the American legal code is hotly debated from time to time when someone becomes offended that they are displayed at a courthouse somewhere. Instead of getting into the practical matters of legal code, though, it seems most appropriate for this venue to approach the Ten Commandments from a perspective of what can be spiritually reclaimed.
Slightly out of order, some of the commandments are covered by the idea that we will be generally happier people if we respect others, or love others if you prefer. We cannot honor others and still lie about them, steal from them, or otherwise betray their trust. When we are willing to recognize the universality of human value, we also recognize that we do damage to our own identities when we devalue others. We are not above anyone else, so we are not entitled to dehumanize anyone else. Honor and respect other people, and murder, adultery, theft, and false testimony become non-issues.
Coveting other people's possessions, relationships, or circumstances is not so much about devaluing another person as it is about devaluing ourselves. Be aware of what you have in your life. Acknowledge your ability to create a life focused on what matters most to you. Cultivate gratitude, and it won't be as tempting to compare what you have with what other people have. When you are grateful for your own life, it becomes easier to celebrate with other people rather than resent them.
Honoring one's mother and father is also good advice, if a bit vague. One must eventually think for oneself, and it can be debilitating to base every thought on what Mommy and Daddy think. That being said, parental wisdom is going to be an inevitable guiding force as a person develops. The relationship perhaps bears a bit more emphasis than other human relationships because of the sacrifice inherent in raising a child. It can be humbling to consider the choices parents make on our behalf. Having an even softer and more gracious heart toward the people that chose to make sacrifices for our benefit is powerfully connecting.
Not all parents are willing to make sacrifices, though. Not all parents make choices for the benefit of their children. Although they may be few and far between, some parents are dangerous to their children in one way or another. There is no obligation for us to bring ourselves into harm's way. Exercise wisdom and be as understanding as you can be. Be grateful for the gift of life if nothing else, and honor their humanity even if a close relationship seems harmful. The relationship is not more important than your well-being.
The first four commandments are the ones that are focused on spiritual things rather than our relationships with other people. In my post-Christian thinking, I place these philosophically closer to the bit about coveting because they are more about how we view ourselves than they are about how we treat other people. To begin with, recognize your worth and your capability. We've already revisited our tendency to find something outside of ourselves to worship. The truth is that we can find that worthiness within ourselves if we are willing to look there. Remember that there is nothing that you can do to make yourself worthless. Instead of placing other people or things or concepts above yourself and ascribing more value to them than you ascribe to yourself, become aware of how people and things and concepts work in cooperation with one another. Nothing is more worthy than you, and you are not more worthy than anyone else. Some people may have certain abilities that you lack, and you have some abilities that other people lack. That offers us opportunities to connect and co-create.
This concept of self-worth is at the heart of this endeavor, so it will come up again. It isn't a switch to be flipped. It's a journey, a process. It takes time and intention. For this reason, the concept of a Sabbath is a powerful tool. If we do not know ourselves and understand ourselves, we cannot hope to create truly fulfilling lives. It is important for us to set aside time -- sacred time that we prioritize -- to tap into that center of truth and beauty and creativity within us. It doesn't have to be a whole day every week, but consistent time set aside to engage with ourselves is how we learn to see the depth of our own value, and consequently recognize that quality in everybody else. It's tempting to find ways to numb ourselves to the things we don't like about our lives or to remain so busy bouncing from one thing to another that we never have to take a look within ourselves. You don't have to be afraid of what you'll find there. There may be layers of lies or negative beliefs about yourself to sort through, but if you go looking for connection, for beauty, for creativity, you will find it.
So, a suggested "covenant" we can make with ourselves, understanding that if we fall short or make a mistake that we can forgive ourselves and try again:
1. Recognize the deep truth, genuine beauty, and intentional creativity within you.
2. Value yourself as much as every other human being, and more than external things and concepts.
3. Prioritize time for self-examination to become more adept at seeing the truth, beauty, and creativity within yourself (and in other people).
4. Acknowledge the close relationships in your life and the sacrifices that other people have made on your behalf.
5. Honor and respect other people -- all people regardless of their culture or beliefs.
6. Be grateful for your life and celebrate what you have.
Out of this chapter, the passage on idolatry is of particular interest. When we read about the golden calf episode before, I wrote about our desire to worship things outside of ourselves. If you missed it, here's a link. Even once we get more comfortable with ascribing worth to ourselves, there will be moments of self-doubt. Moses reassures the Israelites that even if they are driven away and wind up carving little wooden idols for themselves, when they determine to earnestly look for God, they will find him. Spiritually speaking, this is a truth that bears repeating, or rephrasing at least.
If you should find that spark of divinity within yourself -- if you should recognize that deep truth, undeniable beauty, and intentional creativity -- and then later be overcome with doubt and look for something outside of yourself to place above you, it's alright. You haven't really lost anything, and the divine character within you will be there when you determine to recognize it again. It may get easier for you to see the more you connect with it, but it isn't something you can lose. You can't make yourself worthless.
Which brings us to the Ten Commandments. Jesus is recorded as rephrasing these commandments in a more positive light: Essentially, love God and love one another. The apostle Paul reiterates in his letters that to love others is to fulfill the law. It's hard to disagree with that. The Ten Commandments were likely influenced by Hittite and Mesopotamian treaties between lords and vassals, and they contain some of the moral absolutes that human cultures of every faith and creed have accepted to a certain degree, concepts regarding the value of human life and the sanctity of personal property. The Ten Commandments were in theory a pact between God and the Israelites, but in practical terms they were a pact between the Israelites and themselves. They were saying, in essence, "We agree to abide by these laws in order to have a unified and sustainable culture." I'm not saying that they didn't believe in God. I'm just clarifying the practical reality of their agreement.
We have many laws in our culture, too. Some of them are based on the same concepts about the value of human life and property. Acknowledging the Ten Commandments as the model of the American legal code is hotly debated from time to time when someone becomes offended that they are displayed at a courthouse somewhere. Instead of getting into the practical matters of legal code, though, it seems most appropriate for this venue to approach the Ten Commandments from a perspective of what can be spiritually reclaimed.
Slightly out of order, some of the commandments are covered by the idea that we will be generally happier people if we respect others, or love others if you prefer. We cannot honor others and still lie about them, steal from them, or otherwise betray their trust. When we are willing to recognize the universality of human value, we also recognize that we do damage to our own identities when we devalue others. We are not above anyone else, so we are not entitled to dehumanize anyone else. Honor and respect other people, and murder, adultery, theft, and false testimony become non-issues.
Coveting other people's possessions, relationships, or circumstances is not so much about devaluing another person as it is about devaluing ourselves. Be aware of what you have in your life. Acknowledge your ability to create a life focused on what matters most to you. Cultivate gratitude, and it won't be as tempting to compare what you have with what other people have. When you are grateful for your own life, it becomes easier to celebrate with other people rather than resent them.
Honoring one's mother and father is also good advice, if a bit vague. One must eventually think for oneself, and it can be debilitating to base every thought on what Mommy and Daddy think. That being said, parental wisdom is going to be an inevitable guiding force as a person develops. The relationship perhaps bears a bit more emphasis than other human relationships because of the sacrifice inherent in raising a child. It can be humbling to consider the choices parents make on our behalf. Having an even softer and more gracious heart toward the people that chose to make sacrifices for our benefit is powerfully connecting.
Not all parents are willing to make sacrifices, though. Not all parents make choices for the benefit of their children. Although they may be few and far between, some parents are dangerous to their children in one way or another. There is no obligation for us to bring ourselves into harm's way. Exercise wisdom and be as understanding as you can be. Be grateful for the gift of life if nothing else, and honor their humanity even if a close relationship seems harmful. The relationship is not more important than your well-being.
The first four commandments are the ones that are focused on spiritual things rather than our relationships with other people. In my post-Christian thinking, I place these philosophically closer to the bit about coveting because they are more about how we view ourselves than they are about how we treat other people. To begin with, recognize your worth and your capability. We've already revisited our tendency to find something outside of ourselves to worship. The truth is that we can find that worthiness within ourselves if we are willing to look there. Remember that there is nothing that you can do to make yourself worthless. Instead of placing other people or things or concepts above yourself and ascribing more value to them than you ascribe to yourself, become aware of how people and things and concepts work in cooperation with one another. Nothing is more worthy than you, and you are not more worthy than anyone else. Some people may have certain abilities that you lack, and you have some abilities that other people lack. That offers us opportunities to connect and co-create.
This concept of self-worth is at the heart of this endeavor, so it will come up again. It isn't a switch to be flipped. It's a journey, a process. It takes time and intention. For this reason, the concept of a Sabbath is a powerful tool. If we do not know ourselves and understand ourselves, we cannot hope to create truly fulfilling lives. It is important for us to set aside time -- sacred time that we prioritize -- to tap into that center of truth and beauty and creativity within us. It doesn't have to be a whole day every week, but consistent time set aside to engage with ourselves is how we learn to see the depth of our own value, and consequently recognize that quality in everybody else. It's tempting to find ways to numb ourselves to the things we don't like about our lives or to remain so busy bouncing from one thing to another that we never have to take a look within ourselves. You don't have to be afraid of what you'll find there. There may be layers of lies or negative beliefs about yourself to sort through, but if you go looking for connection, for beauty, for creativity, you will find it.
So, a suggested "covenant" we can make with ourselves, understanding that if we fall short or make a mistake that we can forgive ourselves and try again:
1. Recognize the deep truth, genuine beauty, and intentional creativity within you.
2. Value yourself as much as every other human being, and more than external things and concepts.
3. Prioritize time for self-examination to become more adept at seeing the truth, beauty, and creativity within yourself (and in other people).
4. Acknowledge the close relationships in your life and the sacrifices that other people have made on your behalf.
5. Honor and respect other people -- all people regardless of their culture or beliefs.
6. Be grateful for your life and celebrate what you have.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Rewriting Exodus 20-23: Divine Guidance without Attempting to Control the Masses
Lest we completely dismiss these initial laws of Moses for being misguided or naive, it's worth remembering that Moses is an incredible example of a person doing his best to follow the guidance of his divine self. His weaknesses come out, but he's in a vulnerable and visible position. He gets frustrated with the people he's leading, but anyone would. Whether the biblical depiction of Moses is historically accurate or pure fabrication, he serves as a model of connection with his divine character. Thus, there is bound to be some value in the direction he attempted to give the Israelites through laws.
When we take away the threat of death and look at these laws as words of guidance rather than punishable offenses, we can see some remarkable and noteworthy ideas. In a sense, the punishment for ignoring this guidance is that we are less happy and engaged in life than we could be. Perhaps living a life of misery is worse than death for some people. The reward for following this guidance, though, is a more fulfilling life. Deeper connection with ourselves and with other people. A more purposeful, intentional, and meaningful existence. Later in the Bible, Jesus sums it all up by directing people to love God and love their fellow human beings. There may be some value at starting from the thoroughness of Moses before getting to the broad summary, though.
Beginning with Exodus 20: The divine within you is worth acknowledging. Don't put the deep truth you know aside for the persuasive words of another. Rather, allow wisdom from outside of your self to temper your awareness and understanding of the inspiration and truth and beauty within you. This is easiest to do if you spend time becoming aware of your divine character. Remember that you have value, that you are worth spending time on. If there is anything that can be called "holy," you are holy. Treat yourself that way.
Listen to the wisdom of your parents without obligation or entitlement. They have lived through experiences that you will never have. They have walked through fires that you will never know. And yet, they cannot live your life for you. You must ultimately walk your own path and make your own decisions.
Respect human life more than your own anger. Your anger can never justify taking another person's life. Value the trust that other people place in you. You ultimately suffer when you commit acts of betrayal, no matter how well you know the person or what they have done to you. If you want something, pay for it honestly. That may mean making some difficult financial decisions, but that process also brings clarity about what matters most to you.
Tell the truth. If you speak about yourself or about someone else, be honest. Recognize that everyone lives through a different set of circumstances and values. Value what you have and celebrate what those around you have. We can always find flaws and disappointments in our own circumstances, and the people we are tempted to envy can find flaws and disappointments in their lives. Envy robs us of fully appreciating what we have.
Embrace personal responsibility. You are responsible for your life, and you are accountable for your actions. Blaming other people or bemoaning your lot in life won't change anything. You are the one at the helm of your own decisions. Should you do something that brings harm to another person, be honest about it and face the consequences. More importantly, strive to avoid doing harm in the first place.
As you become more aware of your own divine character, remember that everyone possesses within them that same deep sense of truth, beauty, and creativity. Even when you have a hard time respecting a person's actions or decisions, at least respect that there is something of that divine character somewhere within them. If it makes you holy, then they are likewise holy and worth being treated as such.
You won't be punished with death if you don't do these things. Going against your own divine character is punishment in and of itself. I'll restate, though, that the reward for following this guidance is a more fulfilling life. Deeper connection with yourself and with other people. A more purposeful, intentional, and meaningful existence. Something truly sacred.
When we take away the threat of death and look at these laws as words of guidance rather than punishable offenses, we can see some remarkable and noteworthy ideas. In a sense, the punishment for ignoring this guidance is that we are less happy and engaged in life than we could be. Perhaps living a life of misery is worse than death for some people. The reward for following this guidance, though, is a more fulfilling life. Deeper connection with ourselves and with other people. A more purposeful, intentional, and meaningful existence. Later in the Bible, Jesus sums it all up by directing people to love God and love their fellow human beings. There may be some value at starting from the thoroughness of Moses before getting to the broad summary, though.
Beginning with Exodus 20: The divine within you is worth acknowledging. Don't put the deep truth you know aside for the persuasive words of another. Rather, allow wisdom from outside of your self to temper your awareness and understanding of the inspiration and truth and beauty within you. This is easiest to do if you spend time becoming aware of your divine character. Remember that you have value, that you are worth spending time on. If there is anything that can be called "holy," you are holy. Treat yourself that way.
Listen to the wisdom of your parents without obligation or entitlement. They have lived through experiences that you will never have. They have walked through fires that you will never know. And yet, they cannot live your life for you. You must ultimately walk your own path and make your own decisions.
Respect human life more than your own anger. Your anger can never justify taking another person's life. Value the trust that other people place in you. You ultimately suffer when you commit acts of betrayal, no matter how well you know the person or what they have done to you. If you want something, pay for it honestly. That may mean making some difficult financial decisions, but that process also brings clarity about what matters most to you.
Tell the truth. If you speak about yourself or about someone else, be honest. Recognize that everyone lives through a different set of circumstances and values. Value what you have and celebrate what those around you have. We can always find flaws and disappointments in our own circumstances, and the people we are tempted to envy can find flaws and disappointments in their lives. Envy robs us of fully appreciating what we have.
Embrace personal responsibility. You are responsible for your life, and you are accountable for your actions. Blaming other people or bemoaning your lot in life won't change anything. You are the one at the helm of your own decisions. Should you do something that brings harm to another person, be honest about it and face the consequences. More importantly, strive to avoid doing harm in the first place.
As you become more aware of your own divine character, remember that everyone possesses within them that same deep sense of truth, beauty, and creativity. Even when you have a hard time respecting a person's actions or decisions, at least respect that there is something of that divine character somewhere within them. If it makes you holy, then they are likewise holy and worth being treated as such.
You won't be punished with death if you don't do these things. Going against your own divine character is punishment in and of itself. I'll restate, though, that the reward for following this guidance is a more fulfilling life. Deeper connection with yourself and with other people. A more purposeful, intentional, and meaningful existence. Something truly sacred.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Exodus 19-24: The Voice of God and the Death Penalty Cannot Control a Society
Societies need laws. Even though we all have an innate sense of right and wrong, and we have feelings like guilt and shame to guide our behavior, societies need laws. It's important to have some ground rules about how people are allowed to treat one another, just to clarify any discrepancies. Laws also provide a sense of repercussion for when someone's behavior is out of line: If you do this, then this will happen to you. The punishment isn't necessarily a deterrent, but it defines the consequences for one's actions.
Exodus 19-24 is about creating laws. We've already seen that the Israelites have the capacity for some pretty rotten behavior, just like any group of people. It may be tempting to excuse some of that because they didn't have any guidelines written down, but I believe that people still know right from wrong. Rather than sheer education about morality, it seems that the purpose of creating a set of laws is more likely (a) to encourage people to do what they know is right more often, and (b) to define a set of consequences for when someone decides to do something harmful to another human being. The Moses solution to these matters is to claim that the laws originate from God, so there can be no arguing or debate about them. He also applies the death penalty liberally, should people need additional deterrent.
The setup is brilliant. There is a display of God's ferocious voice on Mount Sinai, with the people kept behind a boundary (because touching the holy mountain would kill them). According to the telling in Exodus, the theatrics should have been impressive enough to make anyone think twice before disobeying the command of God. Over the course of the chapters, it's not quite clear which elders were allowed on the mountain when, or how many times Moses went up and down the mountain, or how long the Israelites were camped out near the mountain. It is clear that they were there for awhile and that the place was holy. Mount Sinai is a symbolic representation of a place where the divine and the physical meet.
The laws are another matter. First, there are the famous Ten Commandments, about which much has been written. It's been noted that they are almost all in the negative, i.e. "You must not ..." And later on in the biblical narrative, Jesus' commands contrast with that by telling people what to do instead of what not to do. Neuro-linguistic programming aside, the laws of Moses are clearly an attempt at control, and some measure of control may have been completely necessary for the survival of the Jewish society. Ultimately, though, the Jewish people didn't do any better than any other society with regard to obedience, despite the claim that the laws came from God. The rest of the Old Testament is the record of that told through their own eyes.
Looking at the laws themselves, most of them make sense for a society and seem quite rational. If you damage or steal someone else's property, you are responsible for paying for it along with a monetary penalty. If you kill another person, you will be put to death. If you harm someone without killing them, the same level of harm will be enacted upon you. Justice. There are even specific detailed cases that are included for the sake of clarity.
Some of these laws are not enforceable, nor are they intended to be. In a couple of places, the command is given not to mistreat foreigners, and then God promises that the Israelites will destroy six groups of people completely. It seems like this destruction would probably involve something those people would consider "mistreatment," not to mention killing. There is the proclamation that witches should be put to death, and we know how that went in Salem (and much of Europe). But then, no one claimed that these laws were on the cutting edge of women's rights. If a man rapes a virgin, he has to marry her or at least pay for her, but if he "dishonors" his parents, he gets put to death. Who gets to decide whether a man has "dishonored" his parents anyway?
The point is that the laws that make sense in these chapters are the same kind of laws that every successful society has established. They don't have to carry a death penalty or be attributed to an unquestionable deity for people to understand why those kinds of laws make sense. The laws help to clarify the wrongness of the very things we are already wired to feel shame about. The problem with their iteration in Exodus is that the culture did not recognize all people as having equal value. If a son strikes his violent and abusive father, the son gets put to death while the father continues to be violent and abusive, as long as he doesn't kill another man. If he kills a slave, he just has to pay for the slave. If he kills a foreigner, chances are that he's just doing God's work. But if he exploits a widow, then he will be put to the sword. The "laws" then become just a concrete way of articulating who can get away with what in the society.
Our society has laws. They are created by men, whom we know to be fallible. For the most part, the consequences seems reasonable on paper, although in reality the punishment often seems light. Still, few people would rationally introduce the death penalty for every crime. The laws help to clarify how the society will respond to certain behavior, and the "justice" system is intended to carry out that response. Laws and punishment don't really alter what people do all that much, though. People still speed, even though they know they may get a ticket. People still murder other people, even though they know they may get the death sentence. People are still abuse and mistreat other people, even though there are legal consequences.
I believe that those individuals know that what they are doing is wrong, even without a law to tell them so. I believe that when a corporation brings harm to people or the land on which they live, the people responsible for that decision know that what they have done is wrong. I believe that when a person strikes another human being in anger, a part of him feels shame. What he does with that shame is another matter entirely. The greater the group of people responsible for a shameful act, the easier it is to brush past it and appreciate the perceived reward for bad behavior. At the end of the day, we need a clear set of societal consequences for shameful behavior, because we do not have a universal respect for our fellow human beings and the world we share with them.
Moses missed the boat just like every other lawmaker. You cannot control human behavior through laws, even with the voice of God to back you up and the most severe of penalties for disobedience. Laws help a society hold together, but people will continue to break the laws of a society as long as the society's values are misguided. If the society values money, people will do shameful things to get more money. If the society values power, people will do shameful things to get more power. Laws cannot change that.
Wouldn't it be something if the society valued its people? Wouldn't it be something if people looked at themselves and the other people around them and saw something worth more than money and power? Wouldn't it be something if people saw the resources of the world and felt a deep sense of respect rather than greed? I don't know if a society can change in such a fundamental way. I know that individuals can. I know that it is possible for an individual to see the truth and beauty and creativity within every person. All it requires is a willingness to see it. There are no laws that can govern or enforce it, but if we all managed to do it, we may not need so many laws.
Exodus 19-24 is about creating laws. We've already seen that the Israelites have the capacity for some pretty rotten behavior, just like any group of people. It may be tempting to excuse some of that because they didn't have any guidelines written down, but I believe that people still know right from wrong. Rather than sheer education about morality, it seems that the purpose of creating a set of laws is more likely (a) to encourage people to do what they know is right more often, and (b) to define a set of consequences for when someone decides to do something harmful to another human being. The Moses solution to these matters is to claim that the laws originate from God, so there can be no arguing or debate about them. He also applies the death penalty liberally, should people need additional deterrent.
The setup is brilliant. There is a display of God's ferocious voice on Mount Sinai, with the people kept behind a boundary (because touching the holy mountain would kill them). According to the telling in Exodus, the theatrics should have been impressive enough to make anyone think twice before disobeying the command of God. Over the course of the chapters, it's not quite clear which elders were allowed on the mountain when, or how many times Moses went up and down the mountain, or how long the Israelites were camped out near the mountain. It is clear that they were there for awhile and that the place was holy. Mount Sinai is a symbolic representation of a place where the divine and the physical meet.
The laws are another matter. First, there are the famous Ten Commandments, about which much has been written. It's been noted that they are almost all in the negative, i.e. "You must not ..." And later on in the biblical narrative, Jesus' commands contrast with that by telling people what to do instead of what not to do. Neuro-linguistic programming aside, the laws of Moses are clearly an attempt at control, and some measure of control may have been completely necessary for the survival of the Jewish society. Ultimately, though, the Jewish people didn't do any better than any other society with regard to obedience, despite the claim that the laws came from God. The rest of the Old Testament is the record of that told through their own eyes.
Looking at the laws themselves, most of them make sense for a society and seem quite rational. If you damage or steal someone else's property, you are responsible for paying for it along with a monetary penalty. If you kill another person, you will be put to death. If you harm someone without killing them, the same level of harm will be enacted upon you. Justice. There are even specific detailed cases that are included for the sake of clarity.
Some of these laws are not enforceable, nor are they intended to be. In a couple of places, the command is given not to mistreat foreigners, and then God promises that the Israelites will destroy six groups of people completely. It seems like this destruction would probably involve something those people would consider "mistreatment," not to mention killing. There is the proclamation that witches should be put to death, and we know how that went in Salem (and much of Europe). But then, no one claimed that these laws were on the cutting edge of women's rights. If a man rapes a virgin, he has to marry her or at least pay for her, but if he "dishonors" his parents, he gets put to death. Who gets to decide whether a man has "dishonored" his parents anyway?
The point is that the laws that make sense in these chapters are the same kind of laws that every successful society has established. They don't have to carry a death penalty or be attributed to an unquestionable deity for people to understand why those kinds of laws make sense. The laws help to clarify the wrongness of the very things we are already wired to feel shame about. The problem with their iteration in Exodus is that the culture did not recognize all people as having equal value. If a son strikes his violent and abusive father, the son gets put to death while the father continues to be violent and abusive, as long as he doesn't kill another man. If he kills a slave, he just has to pay for the slave. If he kills a foreigner, chances are that he's just doing God's work. But if he exploits a widow, then he will be put to the sword. The "laws" then become just a concrete way of articulating who can get away with what in the society.
Our society has laws. They are created by men, whom we know to be fallible. For the most part, the consequences seems reasonable on paper, although in reality the punishment often seems light. Still, few people would rationally introduce the death penalty for every crime. The laws help to clarify how the society will respond to certain behavior, and the "justice" system is intended to carry out that response. Laws and punishment don't really alter what people do all that much, though. People still speed, even though they know they may get a ticket. People still murder other people, even though they know they may get the death sentence. People are still abuse and mistreat other people, even though there are legal consequences.
I believe that those individuals know that what they are doing is wrong, even without a law to tell them so. I believe that when a corporation brings harm to people or the land on which they live, the people responsible for that decision know that what they have done is wrong. I believe that when a person strikes another human being in anger, a part of him feels shame. What he does with that shame is another matter entirely. The greater the group of people responsible for a shameful act, the easier it is to brush past it and appreciate the perceived reward for bad behavior. At the end of the day, we need a clear set of societal consequences for shameful behavior, because we do not have a universal respect for our fellow human beings and the world we share with them.
Moses missed the boat just like every other lawmaker. You cannot control human behavior through laws, even with the voice of God to back you up and the most severe of penalties for disobedience. Laws help a society hold together, but people will continue to break the laws of a society as long as the society's values are misguided. If the society values money, people will do shameful things to get more money. If the society values power, people will do shameful things to get more power. Laws cannot change that.
Wouldn't it be something if the society valued its people? Wouldn't it be something if people looked at themselves and the other people around them and saw something worth more than money and power? Wouldn't it be something if people saw the resources of the world and felt a deep sense of respect rather than greed? I don't know if a society can change in such a fundamental way. I know that individuals can. I know that it is possible for an individual to see the truth and beauty and creativity within every person. All it requires is a willingness to see it. There are no laws that can govern or enforce it, but if we all managed to do it, we may not need so many laws.
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