A New Menu

Blaise Pascal, the French philosopher once said that people “never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction.” Someone who is absolutely convinced that he or she is right by the authority of God, and that I am wrong because I disagree with the “authorized” version, is at least misinformed and at most dangerous. It must break God’s heart to observe the meanness of people who are fanatic about their “God given rights” and who ignore the fullness of the Gospel taught by Jesus. Anytime the Gospel is narrowed down to “the basics”, you can bet there is a narrow mind somewhere in the neighborhood.

Using God for personal or political gain, no matter if you ride a donkey or an elephant, is evil. I grow weary of hearing pulpits tell us how to cope rather than how to create. The only people who can, and should, address this phenomenon are Christians, and it’s about time. WWJD? Jesus told us to walk the narrow way, but he never meant with a narrow mind.

I’ve heard the comment that our nation is toying with the concept of democracy as a political system. That may or may not be true. More likely we are moving toward a referendum on the Christian faith as a meaningful expression of human life. I neither expect nor want Christian preachers or national Christian organizations to engage in the tactics of who can shout loudest. I do expect that the undeniable message of Jesus will echo across the land, and that message is not about passive toleration. It is about passionate transformation of rage into relationship, anger into mutual agreement, cruel comments into compassionate acts.

The pablum days of Christianity are long gone. As I was told the other day in a local restaurant: Our menu has changed. So it should. Today we feast on truth, justice, compassion, mutuality and mercy. It’s time to order. Bon Appetite.