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what the hell is “scripture”?
I don’t have any business talking about it, because I don’t know Greek and Hebrew and Aramaic. But it’s pretty clear to me that old-skool Christianity has bogged us down with some heavy burdens, in the form of words that only apply to The Church.
I talked about this before in a post called repent or burn <cough, gag>. Someone decided, when translating a certain group of authority-approved books about our religious history, to use words like “repent” and “sin” and “savior”.
When you translate, you choose words appropriate to the time and place you’re in. They should be words that are in general use. In King James’ time, you’d call someone who saved a kid from drowning a “savior”. But now-a-days, we think “savior” means something magic and weird. If you’re curious, here’s my understanding of what those words really mean. “Repent” would be better translated “change your approach”, “sin” actually means “screw up”, and “savior” would better be called “rescuer”.
Right now I’m thinking of “scripture.” That word means “words that are written down.” Whoop-de-do! Just like “Bible” means… get this… “book.”
Jesus didn’t talk in magic-language. He didn’t want to hold up a system of code-words that kept people separate from God. He used the a word like “kingdom” because “kingdoms” made sense to people. When’s the last time you set foot in a “kingdom”?
I imagine that by the word that became “kingdom”, Jesus meant a world where God was present, fully involved, where God’s will carries the day. That we can look around a see a new environment, a new world that belongs to God and where we, as sparks of the divine fire, can be truly ourselves.
Posted by Angela under ideas
Saturday, August 8, 2009
5 Comments
Thank you for coming to my blog. please feel free to add me to your blogroll. I would like that very much. If you do not that is ok too. From what I have read here you ladies have found the “wierd” love of “God” that I try and express on the Fear Nada blog. Again Thank you. I love you and keep doing in love what feels right. If I can ever help in anyway please let me know.
Love and Light,
David
Hi, and welcome. Just so you know, I’m not much of a lady, but I’m more of a lady than Tracy, who is actually a full-fledged dude. :P
Fear and Failure are lies to the core. Look deep inside and you will see God at the door.
Come in Come in it’s great to see you, I have been waiting here to make all your dreams true.
The world had you hypnotized by is glamour and flare, and now you are understanding that it has never been there.
The ego lies and tells you it’s true that I want to hurt, kill and later burn you.
My children who hear my voice know this is not so, how can I create a love and then just let it go?
Why would I, love create, in order to just annihilate?
Think on you own without being told and you too will see this Great Lie of old.
Fear is control and lies are the means, so go deep within and plan your dreams.
When you understand that FEAR is lie, you can see the culprit and remove his disguise.
Brothers and Sisters listen and hear, I too am a son of God and He is right here.
Live this life and live your dreams without the fear to Fail! And you too will see that our God is a God of love and Not the god of Hell!
david winter
the greek word for sin literally means “missing the mark” like an archer missing a target. why we have lost that greek meaning that is in the new testament is beyond me. the problem is that fundies continue to be trapped in the law because that is something people can use to control others and prop themselves up. how that does not look exactly like those who were at conflict with jesus and killed him for it is also beyond me.
also conversion literally means to turn around to a new direction. same sense as repent. all of these verbs have a core meaning of doing something differently, not believing correctly. those who think they have it most correct, have it most wrong. those of us who are struggling with God are, by grace, the closest to god. (see the hebrew bible for all of the meaning behind human struggle with god as well).
Hey, Drew,
Yeah, you’re right that the literal meaning of the word usually translated as sin is “miss the mark.” I think that the connotation of that is more like “screw up” than, you know, “be *bad*.” That was my point.
It’s so hard for folks to trust Love/God and let go of law. My heart aches for people experiencing that pain. I wish I knew how to break through that wall.
-Angela