My views are Christian, but I am not convinced of a literal interpretation of the bible.
Me either. I think there are some passages that are clearly metaphorical and others that are quite clearly to be taken literally. In the relatively few places where it is difficult to establish a definitive sense, I tend to opt for a more literal meaning because I wish not to read too much into the text before me. But this is not always true. Sometimes I will opt for a more metaphorical interpretation employing what I can gather from extra-biblical historical sources.
The biggest one regards the whole frying in hell part and how believing in Jesus will save you from this. It is hard for me to believe that one could lead a virtuous life, but not be convinced that Jesus was the son of God, and therefore be condemend to an eternal misery in flaming hell. And another could be quite abominable (priest child molestors for instance), yet believe firmly that Jesus is the son of God, and therefore get a trip to heaven, and eternal bliss.
I think most people who have problems here employ mortal standards of “virtue” and “value” where a Divine one is required. After all, mortals will not ultimately judge all men. God will be the ultimate judge. So we need to understand Who God is, what He requires of us, and how we are to meet the requirement.
God is Good. He is the definition of the term. He is Good with objective and mathematical precision. He is also Perfect. To have union with such Precision we must share Its identity without a single deviation at all. Else we don’t belong in the Equation, so to speak. It really is as simple as that. So it will not do to compare ourselves to others and then, after judging ourselves kinder than most, think God owes us a favorable judgment and a spot in heaven.
In view of this lets take a look at our “virtuous person.” Let’s say the guy is trying hard to get into heaven by doing good things, giving money to the poor, etc., etc. and lets say in his mind he has just once lusted for his neighbor’s wife, a thing God claims is foreign to His identity. Let’s say the “virtuous guy” kept his lust in himself, hid it, but thought his works were good enough to earn him the Perfection he needs to hang out with God. The guy is kidding himself and is near to buying himself a house of brimstone. God is mathematically Perfect. That means not even the slightest error will be tolerated.
Now lets say on the other hand we have this child molester priest guy. He knows there is just no way in the world he could ever earn a spot in heaven. So, he says
“It’s over for me Lord. I am without all hope. I belong in hell. I am broken. It is up to you to save me because I am too weak and hopeless to save myself.”
That is a guy who sees the truth, a truth that applies to all things in our reality, including to our “virtuous guy.” We live in an illusion of “goodness,” one defined only by us. Likewise, value and life are also illusions. There is no real difference between Hitler and a “virtuous person.” There is no difference between us and a truckload of rocks. Everything here is quite profoundly dead. The “virtuous person” gains his so-called “virtue” only because other dead beings claim he is “helpful.” That is no real virtue at all.
What are the child-molester and “virtuous guy” in effect saying about themselves and God? The child-molester is saying he is too weak to even have a hope of reaching God, that God’s identity is of an Unreachable Perfection. On the other hand, the “virtuous guy” in effect claims that while God is great, He is not so great that a man can’t somehow work hard enough to deserve union with Him. The “virtuous guy” in fact insults the identity of God. The child-molester, in his child-like humbleness, actually tells the truth. The heart of God will incline toward the molester and will harden against the “virtuous guy.”
The striking thing about this is that the transaction here is already established. God could literally come down from heaven and provide a means for the “virtuous guy” to acquire perfection and the “virtuous guy” would not see it, so confident is he in himself. But the child-molester is just hungering for the chance for perfection. He already knows he hasn’t what it takes to acquire it himself. So the moment God presents the opportunity, the child-molester grabs it. The child-molester here is judging “virtue”, “value” and “life” from God’s perspective and not his own. Heaven will contain quite a lot of thieves, drunks, drug-addicts, whores, murderers and child-molesters because the wretched lives of these people made it obvious to them that they were no fitting matches for God. It is harder for “virtuous people” like you and me to get to heaven than it is for them.
If you wish to explore this further, just fire away. You are in control. To end it, just stop asking questions. If you wish to continue, perhaps at some point we can explore how Jesus fits into the thing. |
