Somewhere between heresy and ‘who cares?’

We can talk about God and the Bible more freely than any humans before us. And we should.

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We live among the most human rights-respecting group of people in history.

Look no further than our societal obsession with seeking out “microaggressions.” For most of human history, the aggressions were of a macro character.

In the bad old days, heresy was an accusation that carried life and death.

To speak against The Lord or his Word, or even to speak of the Bible in ways outside of the mainstream, was to risk it all. Accusations of heresy were the original cancel culture.

Most every attempt to disqualify a person or viewpoint, in our modern world, is modeled on charges of heresy in the ancient world.

Treason is heresy against the state. Racism is heresy against human decency. Sexism is heresy against equality.

I was met with a charge of heresy this week.

I tweeted: “Jesus is simply a better guy than the God of the Old Testament…Wouldn't be the first or last son whose heart is softer than his father's.”

Most people could see the point I was making — Jesus is presented and carried himself much differently than the God of Numbers 15 or Genesis 38. If there were no differences, there wouldn’t be Judaism and Christianity both. Differences make things different, it should be understood.

Still, it’s an arguable point. Some people spoke up about the singularity of God, arguing that they’re the same guy. That Jesus is God is the God of Israel, and we are all his people.

A friend responded: What about Matthew 10:17-18? It reads in part:

“Good teacher: What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good — except God alone.”

Jesus refused to say he was good, let alone God. It’s what we appreciate most about him.

If this were 500 years ago, heresy would be a fighting word. If this were 50 years ago, it might have mattered. It might’ve stung.

Today? It’s a small-minded shame tactic we can’t afford, or give in to.

The Bible is too important to subject to prior restraint, religious censors, or Twitter anons.

Some of my readers are international, but I’m American. A free born man of the USA.

We don’t honor sacred cows or principalities. We speak our minds, with all due disrespect to anyone who would stop us.

But we also keep an open mind to anyone who has another view, if it is supported by the text.

Heresy is a big word that’s become small, without consequences. It grew shopworn with overuse, and dull with time.

This is not a world where we’re all some form of Christian, or have signed up to particular readings of the Bible. We are free as Americans, as humanity’s Class of 2022, and as God’s children to read and talk about the book in any way we choose.

Or not.

Apathy is the real heresy, and the most common. But saying so wouldn’t help. Closing ourselves off keeps us from reaching people. We must open ourselves up. We are free to have the conversations that men killed for centuries ago. And we should.

You can claim heresy all you want. But you can’t make that claim matter.

Better to get off the high horse, crack open your Bible, and offer your take. We are all here to learn.

When people offer inaccurate readings of the Bible — as happened this week with Sodom and Gomorrah, as has happened with Cain and Abel — the best course is to respond with accurate readings.

When people take an interest in the Bible, even in a misguided way, engage them. Ask questions. Ask them what Jesus did, “Have you not read?”

And then show them what the book really says.