Reactions to a Bible Teacher's Claims

Yesterday I went to a Bible study and heard some bold and audacious claims. This person stated that if you believed in the Word of God, there should be no question about who you voted for in the last election (answer: McCain). After all, God clearly hates homosexuality and abortion. Later on in the Bible study, the leader said that Harry Potter and The Shack were against God and she would not condone them.

I was astounded. At first it was like, "Wait, did you just say that? Seriously?" I have never seriously heard someone making such a claim. My church in Ann Arbor was very biblical but also in Ann Arbor, so it was obviously politically to the left. I am also used to "seeker sensitive" churches, churches that don't try to offend people because if an unbeliever is at a church service in which the pastor says all people who vote Democratic are against God, that unbeliever would leave, never to come back. In our postmodern culture, any judgment at all is viewed upon with suspicion. In addition, I've mostly gone to churches that are apolitical. Rob Bell is enthusiastically against partisan politics.

So these statements really took me by surprise. She also rationalized her statements by using God and the Bible. It was not her opinion but GOD's that the Shack and Democrats and Harry Potter were satanic.

I will address her concerns systematically by category:
1. Politics
2. Books- Harry Potter, The Shack

1. Politics

This person asserted that we should vote based on two issues, homosexuality and abortion, both of which God hates. I will not disagree with her there. I believe God hates abortion as He hates murder of all kind. But how much legislation actually deals with same sex unions and abortion? Not much has changed in abortion since Roe v. Wade. Homosexuality is a growing social issue, but the amount of legislation on homosexuality versus health care and military involvement is minimal.

To say that God cares about homosexuality and abortion EXCLUSIVELY is absurd. So screw soldiers and civilians being killed in Iraq because being born is the most important thing? And what about poverty? Lack of health care? Things that are killing people every day?

I don't know how many times I have to say this, but the Bible mentions poverty over a thousand times, and abortion is never even addressed. Homosexuality is addressed like under 10 times, and only a few times does it apply to us today.

There are a lot of important issues in politics today, things that ACTUALLY impact us. Health care. Military involvement. Immigration. Homosexuality? Abortion? Not so much. Homosexuality and abortion are plucked out of context and obsessed about by "conservative Christian" groups to make a statement.

Let's just be consistent about what it means to be pro-life. I think Jesus was pro-life... He loved babies... but also poor refugees abroad, dying AIDS children, civilians whose limbs have been blown off. Jesus is not only American. He did not sign the Constitution. He would not be shouting "God hates fags" in public areas. He would not be protesting abortion clinics. What good does that do anyway?

There are many issues to take a stand about, so let's take a stand for the things that MATTER. God is always in favor of the oppressed, the orphan and widow. Leave the poor homosexuals and abortion clinics alone and start fighting for things that matter. Let's tackle issues that are affecting terrorism and abortion-- poverty. Start showing the homosexuals some love, whether you agree with them or not.

To obsess about two minute issues in the eyes of God, what a waste of time. And to vote for someone on those principles? How ignorant and ridiculous! And worse yet, to say that every "true" Christian should see things the same way?

2. Harry Potter and The Shack

The leader of this Bible study also said that Harry Potter and The Shack were "against the Word of God" and said that Christians shouldn't be reading them. She said that the Shack had "over 14 errors in it."

I wonder how many other books this person would condemn. Because, well, good Christian books are hard to come by. There are nice Christian book stores, and don't get me wrong, I read my fair amount of Christian books, but not all good books are Christian. Why? Most authors aren't Christian!

If you look at the classics, maybe some authors are culturally Christian, but the bulk have worldviews that could hardly be classified in such a way. This person said that J.K. Rowling was an "atheist" as evidence that we shouldn't read Harry Potter. First of all, I don't exactly buy that Rowling is an atheist, but let's say she is.

Does that mean we're not allowed to read books by atheists? What about Jews? Agnostics? Muslims? Merely "lukewarm" Christians? We're getting into legalism now: only "true" Christian authors can be digested by Christian readers. All other reading material might incense blooming Christian minds.

My alma mater, Calvin College, was always against such bans because "all truth is God's truth." If Harry Potter is well-written and has goodness about it, well then, is that goodness not part of God's goodness, who is the Creator of all good?

To ban such a book is to close the mind to beauty, adventure, and possibly a deeper admiration for God. It is saying that God cannot redeem "garbage" not written under the inspiration of His Holy Spirit.

As for The Shack and its supposed "14 errors," I guarantee there are more than 14 errors in everything ever written, Christian or not! I loved The Shack. I loved the interesting description of the Trinity. I think people reading this book are getting introduced to the Trinity who have never experienced this concept before.

Do I think The Shack is perfect? By no means! I don't believe it's orthodox Christian! There are some (grave) theological errors. But it doesn't matter. You take what's good and discard the rest. It doesn't pollute the whole book.

If this attitude is left unchecked, Christians will be in a little bubble with only other Christians, reading Christian books, going to Christian school, living in Christian areas, and speaking Christian-ese. What a sad existence this is! God created the whole world for us. Sometimes that means stepping on (gasp) NON CHRISTIAN terrain! Reading Harry Potter, for crying out loud! Exploring the Trinity through The Shack. And maybe even helping homeless people through an organization that is WELFARE SUPPORTED (Democrats like welfare, oh my goodness!).

The sad part of it is, living in this judgmental little bubble is so against the message of Jesus. It is easy to quote the one verse on the abomination of homosexuality and ignore the thousands on poverty and love. It is easy to live in the watch tower, shaking fingers at people and never really living "life to the full" as Jesus intended it to be.

Jesus intended for us to live a radical existence, an existence founded on love, love for Him and others. He intended for us to reach out to others, to be culturally relevant. Jesus judged others' behavior, of course. He didn't condone everything like a postmodern hippie. But He was loving and kind.

And the way this particular leader approached these issues, I felt little love and kindness. It was more, "I'm right, you're wrong, and if you're not for me, you're against God." I feel sorry for people who believe this way... people who are so close-minded that their interpretation is right that they're not able to reach out to embrace beauty that might not be in their little Christian bubble, abortion clinic protest group, or Focus on the Family session.