Seeds of Mystery
Friday, January 25, 2008 at 12:01PM 
Religious fundamentalism is just way too easy and potentially wrong. I have had many occasions to consider this proposition in recent years. Being raised in the Baptist Church, I was heartily exposed to the Bible, and I was encouraged to accept a literal belief in what is written therein. No matter if the translations contained nuances that could not be squared. No matter if I did not know that some concepts could not be adequately translated into English. No matter if my Western way of thinking was not capable of comprehension. If I did not understand some of the parables of Jesus, Christian "shaman" were happy to tell me what they meant, and usually they meant something that was easy to get and good for the prevailing power structure of the United States of America.
Growing into my intellect and heart and converting to the Episcopal Church has exposed me to the value of mystery and ambiguity. Mystery is harder than literalism. Mystery requires a good deal of meditation, an expansion of the mind and, I now believe, a mystical journey. Ah, but.....where in Western culture do I learn how to do these things while dodging the stones thrown by fundamentalists? Am I not wasting my time trying to convince a closed mind that I am not changing the gospels to suit my fancy? Isn't it sad that Bible study in the institutional church makes my teeth hurt because, after all, we need to make it easy? Isn't it scarey that normal looking people who call themselves Christians talk as if they have God on speaker phone ("after all, this or that - which is, conveniently, what I want - is part of God's plan...so get on board, damn it")? It wears me out, makes me want to run in the opposite direction and leaves me wondering if there isn't something more.
At Logos Made Flesh Matthew Miller says it best:
"...the power of the Gospel is often displayed in mystery, riddle, and ambiguity, instead of blatant propoganda."
Miller's blog entry focuses on how Jesus taught in parables, answering questions in mysteries that the listener needed to solve (those who had "ears to hear").
Miller quotes Mark 4:10 - 12:
Mark 4:10-12 "And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables, in order that while seeing, they may see and not perceive; and while hearing, they may hear and not understand lest they return and be forgiven." (see also Matthew 13:13 ;Luke 8:10)
Miller believes that this means that "Jesus taught in parables so that only those seeking the answer would understand. He was the Sower who spread the seed. But His seed would only grow in the ground that was willing to receive it."
How interesting a concept. A seed will grow where the ground is willing to receive it. Understanding will come to those actively seeking it. When I start thinking along these lines I know that I need to contemplate concepts way, way, way beyond the sing-song "love your neighbor as yourself". I need to till and fertilize and prepare my field, not yours, to understand things like winning the world and losing my soul; recognizing the kingdom in the here and now; how I can give away everything and still have not love; how the pure in heart are blessed and filled with light; how the meek will inherit the earth; how love never falls in ruins as it covers all things, has faith for all things, hopes in all things and endures in all things.
There is so much to learn, but nothing to be learned if we already know. Can we expect much from a seed planted where a bush already grows?
Religion
Reader Comments (1)
Your willingness and ability to share your search are seeds that often flower in my own search. Thank you.
Robin