The Bible's say on fighting

If you grew up in a Christian home, you've probably heard the phrase, "Turn the other cheek." It's a phrase that could be misinterpreted to mean "Don't fight back." To prove that it doesn't mean such a thing, I'll take you to the source of the phrase and we'll break it down.

Matthew 5:38-42: You have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye and tooth for tooth." But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Earlier in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that He hadn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. The saying He quotes is from the Law of Moses. Exodus 21:23-24 says, "If there is a serious injury, you must take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." It means that no matter who you are, man or woman, rich or poor, you will receive the same punishment as anybody else under the law would. So why would Jesus, who said that He hadn't come to abolish the law, preach against one of the laws of Moses? The answer is simply this: He didn't. What He was abolishing was a misconception of the law. The punishment for a serious injury was to be meted out in a court of law after the accused had been proven guilty. The only explanation about the misconception is that the meaning of the Law of Retaliation, which is what we just read, was gradually forgotten and by the time Jesus was walking the earth had become an excuse to take revenge for any offense.

You may also feel a bit of consternation about Jesus' next words: "Do not resist an evil person." Jesus gives three examples of what he means, however:

1. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

2. If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

3. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Look at the bold portions. Do they look like serious injuries to you? Maybe the first one does; however, what Jesus was referring to was a left backhand to the right cheek. It certainly isn't life-threatening; however, it was considered a grievous insult in the Middle East around that time. The third one may sound life-threatening, as if somebody is abducting you; however, why would an abductor force you to go only a mile? I believe that what Jesus was referring to was somebody forcing somebody else to carry a load one mile or forcing somebody to journey with him to the next town. It's inconvenient, but not dangerous.

Now the question is, "Do we turn the other cheek if we're in imminent danger?" The Bible has a say on that as well. In the book of Nehemiah, the returned exiles of Judah had returned to Jerusalem and were building the temple. King Xerxes of Persia sent Nehemiah over as a governor. Now, there were people from the surrounding areas who were opposed to the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Two of these people were named Tobiah and Sanballat. To hinder the project, they first tried guile by offering to join in the rebuilding. When that didn't work, they resorted to brute force. Nehemiah 4:7-9, 14 says, "But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gapes were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble in it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat...After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, 'Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.'" (bold mine). The Bible advocates defense. Nehemiah doesn't say it, but I believe he was including the guards themselves in his speech, as in 'Fight for your lives, your brothers, your sons..."

Jesus does not tell you to do nothing while you're being physically attacked. He tells you not to retaliate when you're insulted or inconvenienced.

A Christian observation by...Data

Somehow, I doubt the writers of Star Trek: The Next Generation intended to include Christianity in their show. But there is a scene where Commander William Riker is unintentionally made a Christ figure. Allow me to explain:

In "The Measure of a Man", the ninth episode in the second season, Data, an android serving on the USS Enterprise, is given orders to report to a cybernetics expert to be the subject of an experiment. Commander Bruce Maddox's intentions are to dismantle Data so he "can learn from it and make more." The judge of a newly formed JAG corp rules that Data is Starfleet property and, therefore, is required to obey. Captain Picard challenges this ruling and becomes Data's defense councilor. Commander Riker is chosen to be the prosecutor. Riker objects to this, claiming that Data is his friend and comrade. But when he learns that the judge's ruling will be executed if he refuses, he agrees to prosecute. Picard wins the court case and Data is spared. In the final scene, Data walks into the observer's lounge to find Riker standing by the window. He asks why he's here and not with the others celebrating the victory in the court case. When he finds out, he says, "You injured yourself and saved me."

That line reminds me of what Jesus did on the cross. He was injured, even killed, and He saved us.

Creation vs. Evolution: Morality

It occured to me recently that whoever invents something makes the rules regarding that thing. If there is no inventor, there is no invention. If something is just "there," there are no rules for using it.

Creationists and other believers of Intelligent Design, the idea that the universe was created by an intelligent being, believe that the universe was created. Therefore, what they are implying is that there is a creator to whom we are held accountable because He makes the rules. He has the right to since He invented the universe and everything in it. As a result, there is a sense of right and wrong. There is order.

Evolutionists believe that there is no creator. They believe that the universe was formed by random processes. If they are right, than there are no set rules. There is no morality to which we can consult. Everybody can do whatever they want. Therefore, what Evolutionists are implying is that there is nothing set in stone that condemns people killing, raping, stealing, extorting, beating, torturing, bullying, enslaving, and cheating their fellow humans. Now that is a scary concept.

Scary concept? Where do I get the idea that these things I mentioned are immoral? Where do you readers get the idea that they are immoral? It can only mean that we have a sense of right and wrong. Where do we get it from? Our parents, of course. Where did they get it from? Their parents. We can go down the line, but the question is "Who came up with the idea that there is good and there is bad, that there are things you should and shouldn't do?"

Is the law king or is the king law? What came first, Despotism or Morality? If the law is king, then morality is set in stone and everybody from merchant to monarch is held accountable to it. If the king is law, then morality changes constantly with every ruler's whim. Of course, the ruler is not held accountable to the laws he makes.

Which would you rather have?

Anonymous God

How many readers have read the book of Esther? To the unbeliever, Esther would still be good reading material, especially in this era: The protagonist is a woman, and the story is one of courage. It also has no mention of God, except when Mordecai is pleading with Esther to go before the king on behalf of the Jews.

So where is God in Esther? He's there, but He remains anonymous. To non-Christian readers, the villain in the story was defeated in a series of circumstances.

1. King Xerxes, while completely drunk, asks Queen Vashti to wear her crown in front of the men at his party (this is like the President asking the First Lady to join a White House party in revealing attire). He banishes her after she refuses.

2. Adassa (Esther's Hebrew name), is beautiful enough to catch the king's eye among a throng of beautiful women.

3. Mordecai happens to hear an assassination plot being discussed by Bigtha and Teresh, two of the king's servants, and, after Queen Esther credits him with overhearing the plot, somebody forgets to reward him.

4. The king shows favor to Esther when she enters the throne room without being summoned.

5. The king happens to have insomnia on the night when Haman comes to ask him for permission to build a gallows to hang Mordecai. He happens to catch the lack of reward given to Mordecai and wants it rectified immediately.

6. When the king, after hearing of Haman's sinister extermination plot, returns from the garden after stewing over the revelation, Haman just happens to be in a position that is easily mistaken for rape.

Christian readers and Jewish readers, however, can see God's work from backstage. But why is He not mentioned by the narrator? For one thing, this story takes place after the exiles' return to Jerusalem. This story is about the Jews who chose to remain in Persia because they considered their businesses more important than their love of their country. Even so, if you read with a Christian or Jewish perspective, you can see how God took care of His people.

Esther: Is God Absent?

The book of Esther is a unique book in the Bible: It is the only book where God is not mentioned. The unbeliever can read this story and think it a story of courage in the midst of the threat of genocide. The Jews, (s)he would say, were saved by a series of circumstances:

Xerxes happened to be drunk when he requested that Vashti, the woman he'd been married to for who knows how long, parade herself to be ogled at by a group of drunk men. He also was drunk when he decreed that she be banished for refusing to obey such a stupid order.

Hadassah (Esther) happened to be chosen, out of many beautiful girls, to be the next queen.

Mordacai happened to overhear Bigtha and Teresh plan together to assassinate Xerxes, and somebody happened to forget to reward him.

The lots Haaman cast happened to indicate a date that was far off.

Xerxes happened to have insomnia on the night before Haaman was to ask him for permission to build the gallows to hang Mordicai, and he happened to be reminded of Mordicai's loyalty before he fell asleep.

Haaman happened to be in a position where Xerxes would mistake his actions as sexual assault.

The gallows meant for Mordicai happened to be completely built in time for Haaman to be hanged on it.

Was God absent when all this occured? To the Jews of that time who were condemned to die, it must have seemed that way. But God was "backstage" all along, making sure things went as He planned them.

Just like the Jews in Persia, we are living in difficult times. Does that mean God is absent? No. He's in control of everything. He has a plan.

Christianity and other religions

Okay. So you're probably wondering how Christianity is so different from other religions such as Mormonism, Bhuddism, Hinduism, Shintoism, etc. Also, why is Christianity better than other religions? The answers may surprise you.

First of all, why pursue religion in the first place? Because we have a gaping void in our souls that we must fill. At the beginning of days, humans were perfect because God made them perfect. The first man and the first woman knew God personally. They obeyed him because they loved him. But one day, that all changed. Long story short, devil deceived woman, woman ate apple, woman gave man apple, man chose woman over God and ate apple. Since that dark day, we have a void we try to fill with religion among other things.

Christianity is different from these other religions in a simple fact, which we find in Romans 6:23: "But the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." (italics mine) Christianity is the only religion that says paradise is being offered as a gift. It's for free. Just ask and you'll get it. Sweet deal, huh? Other religions all say the same thing: you have to earn your way. Even religions that have come from a semi-Christian understanding say this. Examples are Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses. Followers of these religions believe that Jesus died on the cross. Then, I ask, what good is Jesus' death? If we have to earn our way to heaven, than Jesus' death was worthless.

What's so wrong about earning our way to heaven. It's simple: Bad people are not allowed in heaven. Before you protest your innocence, let me ask you some questions.
Have you ever lied? If so, what would that make you?
Have you ever stolen anything (regardless of value)? If so, what would that make you?
Have you ever looked at somebody else with lust? In his sermon on the mount, Jesus said that if a man looked at a woman lustfully, he has committed adultery (sex out of marriage) with her in his heart. This applies to women as well. Women looking at men/women. Men looking at women/men.
If you said yes to these things, you have admitted that you are a lying, thieving, adulterer/adulteress at heart. Takes the wind out of you, doesn't it? We can't get to heaven with our good deeds. We must depend on the perfect life and the death of Jesus to get to heaven.

The devil's best trick...

Three years ago, I was hospitalized with a collapsed lung. This was the sixth or seventh time this had happened, so I was fairly used to it. But I'm digressing.

Late at night on June 6, 2006 (6/6/06), I was watching The Late Show with David Letterman. In it, Dave wished Satan a happy birthday since the date formed the number 666, which is the number of the beast (Revelation 13:18). David Letterman and his audience had fallen for the devil's deception.

The French poet Baudilaire wrote, "My dear brothers, never forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment vaunted, that the devil's best trick is to persuade you that he doesn't exist" (http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=935597).

Thanks to morality plays from the middle ages, many people imagine Satan as a red guy with horns, a forked tail, and a trident. But that is not the case. He was once an angel. Even now he disguises himself as an angel of light. In the Bible, he is refered to as a prowling lion, seeking someone to devour, as a serpent, and as a dragon. He is the enemy of God and of those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.

The devil exists. He points you away from God and toward the material things, things such as wealth, status, success, popularity, etc. Maybe you're dubious about these claims. But there is One you should fear more than the devil, and that One is God. Jesus died on the cross so you wouldn't have to spend eternity enduring God's well-deserved judgement for every commandment you've broken.

I read a story once: Hundreds of people were sitting on a fence. Jesus came on one side of the fence and asked the people to follow Him. Satan came on the other side of the fence and asked the people to follow him. Some chose Jesus and some chose Satan. One, however, remained on the fence. Jesus took those who chose Him and left. Satan did the same. That one person remained on the fence. As evening came, Satan returned to the fence and told the one to come with him.
"I did not choose a side," this person said.
"I know you didn't," Satan answered. "But I own the fence."

Jesus paid a very high price for your salvation. If told a friend that you had paid for her to go to (pick a popular destination) and she slapped you in the face and walked away, how would you feel? If you reject Jesus' sacrifice, that's what you're doing. I implore you to recognize the devil for the liar that he is and accept Jesus into your life. How? "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified. And it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10: 9-10)

I know the question you're asking: "Why should I choose Christianity when there are so many other religions to choose from?" I'll answer that in my next blog entry.