What's so great about obedience?
By Tusk ~
Since coming out 10 months ago, I've caught a lot of flack from my Christer friends. My best friend is a seminary student and a member of the Uber-Baptist Inc. denomination. His ol' stand-by is that he wouldn't have to worry about my damnation if I would only turn back to god in obedience. It doesn't really bother me, because I used to believe the same mumbo-jumbo, but now a-days I have to wonder...What exactly is so great about obedience, anyway? Why do they think it's so godly?
Now, I think we'd all agree that Judaism is a religion based primarily on (Abraham's) obedience, but founded initially because of a (Adam and Eve's) supposed disobedience. Christianity is a different bag. There's a whole lot of trying to have your cake and eat it too that goes on. On the one hand, no amount of obedience you or I or anyone could ever do would be enough to please their invisible sky-master. Essentially, obedience doesn't matter. Why bother, right? Remember, it's what you believe that counts...your faith, not your works. On the other hand, plenty (read "most") of the sheeple will complain (read "admonish you") if you claim to be a believer, yet you continue spend time getting your sin on. As soon as you stop living like others think you should, they suddenly forget that obedience doesn't make a difference. They forget that their good book says the thoughts in your head are all that really matter.
But let's take a different look at obedience. Most of my xtian friends have stated that obedience is holy...it's godly...it's good...god demands it...etc. But what sort of example does god set?
Whom does god obey? Well, if you look in the old testament, you'll find that god obeys nobody. He does what he wants, when he wants, how and to whomever he wants. If you want someone to take you seriously, you're going to have to lead by example, and throughout the old testament, the example god sets is to do what you want with little or no regard for who is affected by it. The only incentive he gives you for obedience in the OT is that if you don't, he'll kick your ass.
We can check out the new testament, too. Who's the one that every Christian will claim is a shining beacon of hope and a glimmering example of obedience to god? You guessed it...Jesus. And who's the one that Christians will claim IS god? You guessed it again...Jesus. Let's first assume that he actually is. Funny, I know, but bear with me. So here we have Jesus (read "god") obeying god (read "himself"). Do you see the example he's set here? Do as I do. Obey yourself as I obey myself. It's ludicrous to expect humans to see anything miraculous or marvelous about a god-figure doing exactly what we all already do. And it's ludicrous for a god-figure to be upset when we do as he does and not as he says. You could say that god is the biggest hypocrite that never lived.
Now, just to tie up loose ends, let's quickly go back and assume that Jesus was not actually god. Ahhh, that's more like it. Now, we've got a guy who may be strictly adhering to OT law, and let's not forget what happened to this unconfirmed obedient (god?)man after his life of obedience. He found himself on the ass end of an ass kicking...and then he was killed.
So...Old Testament: Either you obey god or he'll kick your ass. New Testament: You obey god and wind up getting your ass kicked anyway.
Decisions, decisions.
Jesus' obedience to the law was certainly something else, but it wasn't godlike. Remember, god doesn't obey anyone... He does whatever he wants. Why shouldn't we? Essentially, nothing is off limits if we want to call ourselves godly. Murder? Good enough for god. Abortion? Good enough for god. Lying? Rape? Genocide? Cursing? Entrapment? Selfishness? Insecurity? All good enough for god. I've grown to find, though, that we are so much more mature than any proposed deity. We are less selfish. We are less insecure. We are less murderous, less rapey, and more honest. And we exist.
Now, I think we'd all agree that Judaism is a religion based primarily on (Abraham's) obedience, but founded initially because of a (Adam and Eve's) supposed disobedience. Christianity is a different bag. There's a whole lot of trying to have your cake and eat it too that goes on. On the one hand, no amount of obedience you or I or anyone could ever do would be enough to please their invisible sky-master. Essentially, obedience doesn't matter. Why bother, right? Remember, it's what you believe that counts...your faith, not your works. On the other hand, plenty (read "most") of the sheeple will complain (read "admonish you") if you claim to be a believer, yet you continue spend time getting your sin on. As soon as you stop living like others think you should, they suddenly forget that obedience doesn't make a difference. They forget that their good book says the thoughts in your head are all that really matter.
But let's take a different look at obedience. Most of my xtian friends have stated that obedience is holy...it's godly...it's good...god demands it...etc. But what sort of example does god set?
Whom does god obey? Well, if you look in the old testament, you'll find that god obeys nobody. He does what he wants, when he wants, how and to whomever he wants. If you want someone to take you seriously, you're going to have to lead by example, and throughout the old testament, the example god sets is to do what you want with little or no regard for who is affected by it. The only incentive he gives you for obedience in the OT is that if you don't, he'll kick your ass.
We can check out the new testament, too. Who's the one that every Christian will claim is a shining beacon of hope and a glimmering example of obedience to god? You guessed it...Jesus. And who's the one that Christians will claim IS god? You guessed it again...Jesus. Let's first assume that he actually is. Funny, I know, but bear with me. So here we have Jesus (read "god") obeying god (read "himself"). Do you see the example he's set here? Do as I do. Obey yourself as I obey myself. It's ludicrous to expect humans to see anything miraculous or marvelous about a god-figure doing exactly what we all already do. And it's ludicrous for a god-figure to be upset when we do as he does and not as he says. You could say that god is the biggest hypocrite that never lived.
Now, just to tie up loose ends, let's quickly go back and assume that Jesus was not actually god. Ahhh, that's more like it. Now, we've got a guy who may be strictly adhering to OT law, and let's not forget what happened to this unconfirmed obedient (god?)man after his life of obedience. He found himself on the ass end of an ass kicking...and then he was killed.
So...Old Testament: Either you obey god or he'll kick your ass. New Testament: You obey god and wind up getting your ass kicked anyway.
Decisions, decisions.
Jesus' obedience to the law was certainly something else, but it wasn't godlike. Remember, god doesn't obey anyone... He does whatever he wants. Why shouldn't we? Essentially, nothing is off limits if we want to call ourselves godly. Murder? Good enough for god. Abortion? Good enough for god. Lying? Rape? Genocide? Cursing? Entrapment? Selfishness? Insecurity? All good enough for god. I've grown to find, though, that we are so much more mature than any proposed deity. We are less selfish. We are less insecure. We are less murderous, less rapey, and more honest. And we exist.