Jesus was a man of his time. Jesus was the man chosen and empowered by God to deliver a salvation message from eternity to all humanity. That’s it! Everything else is a point of discussion. We 21st century believers ought to be able to grant the other guy or gal the freedom to expand this understanding in whatever direction the believer deems justified. Too often, the wagons are circled and the bullets fly.
The Bible is the central issue when discussing any expansion of fundamental beliefs. Is it enough to say, the Bible said it, end of discussion? Are we Bible readers to accept the words of the Bible as a sort of video recording of everything said or every happening two thousand years ago? Or are we to consider time and place, the multiplicity of languages, the verifiability of speakers and the culturally defined belief systems of the hearers and recorders?
Just quoting the Bible is too easy. That is, just quoting the Bible is too easy for this believer but if it works for you, great. However, to shoot bullets and question the spirituality of those who may disagree with your narrow perspective is the kind of spirituality that is extra-biblical. That kind of spirituality has stopped at nothing through history and will stop at nothing to maintain control. That is why this blog has compared some religious advocates to spiritual terrorists. Their brand of spirituality gives no room for discussion.
G. Goslaw
Landers, CA
