In the name of the Father...

John 8:33-47

       There is a story and video currently making the rounds on Facebook and YouTube about a young man who videos his "coming out" to his family. It's interesting to a point but honestly, the ignorance was so intense I turned it off.  It was battle back in forth about "I was born this way" versus 'the Bible said it is wrong' and it IS a choice.  The family members arguing that they are following the Bible is stupidity of the highest order. Further, besides getting Scripture all wrong, they claim they are Christians and their actions fall far short of what they proclaim and how they are called to act.  This is nothing new.

         This passage from John speaks about people who proclaim to be Jewish but have warped their faith. (Read it below).  But how often have we seen this scenario?

        Right now there is some bastardized version of Islam out there called ISIS. Many Imams have stepped forward to proclaim that ISIS is not of Islam, that their barbarism is not of God.  I wonder if there were religious during the Inquisition saying that such barbarism was not from God? It makes no one more right and non one more wrong but it is all wrong. 

        I once shared duties with a Deacon who said that (Roman) Catholicism was not a smorgasbord from which you could pick and choose. Sadly he was speaking of the myriad man made laws, rules and rubrics as if that is what granted us salvation and redemption. But there is a truth in what this man said. You cannot pick and choose the essence of the faith. That essence is fundamental to most religions I would say. The peace, love and boundless care of our creator is foundational to our faith just as it is in Judaism and Buddhism. You cannot claim to be Christian and go about killing, being hateful or even ignorant. Jesus called us to love. Jesus preached forgiveness and practiced love, healing , compassion and inclusiveness.  

         I ache for the young man who was disowned by his family for his "choice" of being gay. At the same time I also ache over how we all treat each other in this world while proclaiming it is in the name of God. We have absolutely no idea. God aches too.

           

They answered him, ‘We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, “You will be made free”?’

Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there for ever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.’

They answered him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did, but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are indeed doing what your father does.’ They said to him, ‘We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.’