Creed

I got into one of those huge discussions about two weeks ago that's stuck with me. It was the kind of conversation that happens late at night, with or without alcohol. (This one with.) It was about the Bible and sexuality. (I told you it was huge.)

The conversation went all over the place, but at the end, it was me (this is ridiculous!) with a Bible in hand defending why I don't believe in having premarital sex. I should probably say that of the four people involved in this conversation, I was the only one to hold this belief.

I woke up the next morning and didn't feel good (part of it being the bottle of wine I consumed) because the discussion had essentially defined a Christianity that I don't believe in. That Chrisitianity was simply what you can and can't do. Because that's not what Christianity is to me. It's not why I believe.

I didn't become a Christian because I don't believe in premarital sex. Heck, I've had premarital sex in the past. And there it is. That's why I believe. Did you catch it? I did something I don't believe in.

I want to be a better person. But I'm not. I constantly foil myself in big and small ways. So when Jesus says, "I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full," (John 10:10) I have to stand up and say, "Yes. I want that." Because I need something outside of me. Something bigger than me, because I sure as hell can't do it on my own.

One of my favorite singers, Steve Taylor, wrote a song called, "Jesus is for Losers." I'd have to say that's about right.

A Lesson from Kingdom of Heaven

Saladin: May peace be with you.
Balian of Ibelin: Alakum-al-salam.

This is dialogue from the movie Kingdom of Heaven. I think it is beautiful. Not the semantics. But what is behind the words.

See, Saladin is Muslim and Balian of Ibelin is Christian. They're exchanging their religious salutations and I just remember thinking how beautiful that was. There was no attempt at proselytizing because it's not going to happen in that encounter. There was no hatred. There was an understanding: "This is what is important to me. This brings me joy. I live my life by this. Let me greet you with this." And they did.

I remember thinking how wonderful it would be if we could live like that. I work at a Jewish agency. It would be wonderful if I could say Merry Christmas and in return I would hear Happy Hanukkah. If we could just get past this fear. Because what is "Happy Holidays"? It doesn't promote understanding. It is a fear-mongering statement. It hides what we believe in a murk of ambiguity. We fear what we cannot see. If we could live out in the open. If we didn't have to hide what we believe but if we could share that in small ways. Bestow it on people. At the very least, there would be much less hate.