Guess who is still a Christian today…

Boatswain’s Log November 15^th.

 

Yep. It’s me. Last night sucked. I went to bed and didn’t sleep well. For obvious reasons. I woke up way too early and then headed out to the field. We were sowing rice. That means bending over and putting a bunch of tiny seeds in holes over and over and over again. Man o man o chevvits. I am glad that doesn’t happen tomorrow. We are going to the pool.

 

While I was in the field I made a decision. I was A) Going to stop thinking and B) Going to pray. Miraculously it worked (or rather, like it does all the time God wants it to and I have the faith to have it happen). I suddenly found myself without doubt where I had previously been having a mental war with myself. It was as though I was waking up from a dream. I also found myself working in the field doing something I dislike with a good attitude at the same time. Whereas last night I was a step away from being an atheist who hated the very idea of working outside in the farm, this morning in the field I was a person who believed in Jesus without any uncomfortable silences trusting in the Lord and actually enjoying the hellish labor of sowing rice. Glory to God for that one. Following this I felt like I was being prompted to ask God for something so he could show me what was what. I asked for a good lunch that I would like (it happened) and for it to rain after lunch. That happened too wicked hard rain. Then it became obvious that I wouldn’t get to learn to drive a motorcycle with Heyner if it was raining, I prayed for it to stop raining. It did. So, let’s just say that I am staying the course in this whole loving Jesus thing. I am glad of that too. If I were a Pentecostal pastor I might ask y’all to “levantense sus manos en una oracion de gracias conmigo”, if I did that your hands would be up in the air for between 5-8 minutes. So I won’t.

 

I am still left with some good questions to ponder despite the fact that I didn’t become an atheist. Angry Gnostic (believes Jesus isn’t God) marcionite (thinks God in the OT and in the NT are different) man helped me ponder a few things.

 

For one thing, I wonder what the deal is with the blood sacrifice in the OT? Angry author dude was all pissed off about it, but unlike his previous suggestion in book that Jesus was part of some devine ugly blood-spilling conspiracy, it is more after actually reading the text of the bible and not his extremely biased position, that Jesus in fact died to save us from ourselves. In essence through sin we are killing ourselves by separating us from God and God isn’t big on that. What I am thinking is that sin results in death. The goal is to keep ourselves in a relationship with God which is the opposite of death. In the OT and now something had to die to cover the sin. That’s the way it is. Hence animals before Jesus, and Jesus once and for all. Still looking into it more, but it is no longer a source of contention.

 

What about God using violence as a punishment? Isn’t that bad? While it is true that God in the OT especially uses violence to punish the Israelites, I don’t see this as drastically offensive to the human spirit nor the use of the text as sacred. The author dude kept calling the texts “sacred” with quotation marks, I kind of want to punch him in the face. I think that Paul made a good point in Romans

         

          “But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For how then how could God judge the world?”

 

In essence God being a God of justice needs to serve that justice. Sometimes it takes the form of violence other times having people not enter eternal life. He is God. I trust Him to make the call. Some might not, but I think that is dumb. Note: God exercises justice through violence sometimes, man does so only on God’s direct behalf. As in Divine Command Theory. God says something and thus it goes and is okay, regardless of what He says.

 

Basically author dude helped me think a lot more about how I read the biblical text, despite the fact that he is still a jerk that probably leads people unnecessarily astray, he makes one think about the text. I still choose to and believe the bible (in its entirety. Not just picking the bits and pieces I like, but also the bits I am uncomfortable with.) has authority. As in it speaks the truth. If God being violent sometimes stresses people out then they should read the text and wrestle with that, the book is a stumbling block. Or maybe read the book, but be ready to be challenged. If you’re a muslim I think you will dislike it more than me. His stuff about the violence of Allah is pretty harsh.

 

Okay. I dunno how clear all of that was, but it was a response to author’s questions as best as I could manage. It is a process and I have some good questions to ask now to people who are smarter than me. Get ready Dave. Get ready Rob Lee. Get ready Dr.Spina.

 

So, after lunch I did something really cool. I learned how to drive a motorcycle. Yessir. A motorcycle. My host brother Heyner took me over to the plaza on his bike and showed me what to do. Working a clutch is complicated still, but it is easier with your hands. It took me about 20 minutes, but then I could make it start from standing position and go and change gears and stuff. Shoot. It was cool. Surfing, motorcycles, soon to be tortilla mastery (I made one. As soon as I learn to make the dough…game on.). I am becoming a badass.

 

I got back and called the folks after Nano and I watched the mummy. Everything seemed shipshape with them. They are quite happy having talked with all three of us kids today. They made a good point about this experience. Despite my hatred of lots of the things here I have about 10 days left and have persevered through some of the hardest experiences of my life and done so praying as much as possible. I also have learned a lot. Not to say that I will like everyday of work that remains, but I don’t think it will be that bad.

 

Lesse now, other than that…I have learned that Latin American couples have no qualms about public displays of affection. They make out in parks, they cuddle in my living room, and generally are not ashamed of being intimate with their significant others. More power to them. They’re in love (or lust depending on the situation) and they don’t care who knows it. Other people see it, but it doesn’t weird them out. There was this one time that Tyrell Johnson and his girlfriend at the time were cuddling in a room where I was while talking to me and other people. It was crazy awkward. Latin American couples have the decency to ignore everyone else when intimacy starts. Take notes Ty.

 

 

PS: I think I may have mentioned it in passing, but there is a picture of JJ Kissinger giving the bird to the camera. With a silly face at leadership celebration last year. I look at that photo sometimes and chuckle. I miss JJ. Here’s to repeated hang-out times with him in Bellingham in December. (imagine me drinking something, if you imagine me drinking a beer then I appreciate that…however, I only get to do so on family tradition sorts of things.)

 

PPS: Maybe it is time to make some new family traditions.