Angels dancing and Limbo

Mark 12:18-27

     How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?  Sounds absurd, yes?  Sometimes religions spend an inordinate amount of time and energy coming up with reasons for things, rationalizations and worse, reasons why you or I should believe what they want you to believe. I wish I could say this is a new construct but it is not. Perhaps it is simply a human condition.

     In today's passage the Sadducee's approach Jesus with one of those inane questions in an attempt to trick Jesus. The intent seems to be to either embarrass Jesus or to show everyone listening that the Sadducee position is correct. Of course Jesus is quite good at turning tables and usually exposes the flaw and goes to the heart of the issue. Here Jesus speaks of misinterpreting scripture and not realizing the power and love of the Father. Most excellent! A body punch by Jesus!

     We are not unfamiliar with the zeal for control and aberrations of thought by major religions.  Jesus turned water to wine at Cana and yet some religions do not allow alcoholic beverages being consumed. Rather than moderation, strictures of control. Ridiculous.  The Roman church only recently got rid of Limbo. What an excellent example that is of mental gymnastics to support some convoluted theology or thought process. No, dead babies do not go to Limbo. Why did we torture already suffering parents with such dribble.

        What mental gymnastics do you do?  I think we are all capable of twisting our thoughts around whatever position we want to take. A prime example today is how the Evangelical community has their talons in the President of the United States. A man of extremely low morals, if any, he and his anti-christian, anti-love policies are promulgated, embraced and put forth by so called Christians which makes the whole process and position quite laughable and horrific. A philanderer, exuberant liar, adulterer, divider-in-chief and hate monger supported by Christians? My head spins. I ache and I am sure God weeps.

        I am not saying I am not capable of such internal brain twisting. I can think of a few examples when I have convinced myself of one thing or another. I remember preaching on such in Seminary about myself. I am no stranger to what I am writing about. Like I said, this may be a human condition. 

     In the end the basics are how Jesus lived and God's all embracing love. That is what matters. When we interpret scripture or have a question before us ( like do dead babies go to heaven? ), the  answer should always be rooted in God's love. Not our personal view of God's love but that all embracing, mind boggling, intensive and reckless abandon love that God has for us. The reason Jesus died for us.