So, the passage was in Genesis. A hard one two, so I had empathy for the pastor. He went on to give several perspectives on the interpretation (slightly boring), but at least showing he was well-prepared. I talked myself out of being irritated when the interpretation he aligned himself with painted women as basically evil, pleasure seekers without a way to say no to temptation (i.e. sex with angelic men). Either that mind you, or the women were demon-possessed, without the ability to make decisions for themselves etc.
I grimly tolerated the underlying perspective "us (the Christians) against them (the World)". Christians looking down on the lost. How quickly we forget. We too are lost and found through a work that is not our own doing. I mean, hello! We're saved... through Christ!! They're lost, what more can be said, do you want them to act like they're found or something? What have you been smokin'? We are not better, we are in relationship with God. Anyway, I thought I had myself in hand. (I was perhaps mistaken in re-reading above paragraph.)
The pastor was trying to drive home the idea that in all generations are evil-doers who do not honor God. Good to know. In one of the illustrations he used Kathy Griffin as an example.
Then all hell broke loose... quietly, inside my own head!First of all, I wasn't one of the many Christians who got hot under the collar when she made her Emmy speech. I actually didn't care that much. I felt sad for her. One comedienne not giving credit to God for her award isn't going to shatter my faith, nor will it challenge the enormity and omnipotence of God.
Secondly, while I didn't find her funny, she is a comedienne. Right? So may hap this was a very in your face attempt at humor. Or maybe she was trying to raise the hackles or the right wing public? Whatever the reason, surely one person not giving God credit on TV is about the same as other actors, athletes and people thanking God for their awards, while not allowing him to reign in their lives.
I do understand however, that if you feel that God really is offended by Kathy, then it is your job to defend God... wait, sorry I had to take a break so I could stop laughing. I mean come on us defend God!
Anyhoo, back to the sermon.
When discussing this whole debacle, the pastor says that if he were God he would send down a lightening bolt to rip that young women in half. I still get queasy just thinking about it. So in his view misrepresenting God is worthy of death. Hmmm. And not just falling down dead, but lightening bolt rending the body in two dead. What the hell?
My church background is a little different than most people. I grew up believing that sinner and human are interchangeable nouns. That God loves us all and it's in that love he disciplines, communes and meets us where we are. I mean did or did not God send his Son to die for us all, sinners? SINNERS!! That means you, me, the person next to you. Why the judgement, why the hate? She didn't threaten my relationship with the creator, who does? I just didn't get it. If she sinned in not giving God the glory, then surely the pastor sinned in wishing that woman dead? So can you see the logic, someone help me here! I don't know... as you can see I'm still having trouble letting this go.
And around the time alarms were going off in my head and my stomach was hoping I'd get up and leave, I realized my friends had stopped paying attention. How could you sit there and not be at least a little piqued by the weirdness? Maybe I'd just had enough and this one thing finally sunk me, who knows? I entertained the thought of leaving. But how would I explain my actions to my friends without offending their church and pastor, whom they truly liked. Instead when the service was over, I stormed out ahead of them walking over flowerbeds, squelching tears of anger and trying to get a handle on my (ha, ha) righteous furry.
Who knows? Maybe we all want to send lightening bolts down from heaven?
Thank God, we're not God.
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