I am thinking about the song we sang last Sunday in church to kick off the theme of God's love and mercy as demonstrated in the Book of Jonah. I can't think of the name of it right off, maybe some of you might be familiar with it. It goes something like this, "He loves me, loves like a hurricane, I'm like a tree bending under the weight of His love and mercy." This is supposed to be a comforting song, a reassuring song. The idea is that God is the hurricane and the believer is the tree bending before the wind. But I am looking out at my poor walnut tree over on its side, still trying to survive despite the heat, despite everything, and I wonder what it's view would be if it could think and speak. Love like a hurricane? More like "rape like a hurricane".
I really don't think people stop to think about the impact some of their imagery has on those of us who are shall I say of a more sensitive and fearful bent. I find this song terrifying. I don't want to be loved like a hurricane or a tornado or a derecho--I've seen what those things can do and "love" is not the word that comes to mind when I think of these things. Fear, yes. Terror, yes.
My sister called last night and mentioned that she is starting to read the Bible again after many years. She is working her way through the Old Testament. She said, "I have issues." From her standpoint, and she has a Ph.D. in psychology, the God described in these stories is quite frankly psychotic. I have bad news for her, it gets worse. I don't know what translation she is reading, she said "a Catholic Bible", but if she is reading the New American Bible, wait until she gets to Isaiah 1:5-6. "Where would you yet be struck, you that rebel again and again? The whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot to the head, there is no sound spot; wound and welt and gaping gash, not drained, or bandaged, or eased with salve." This is love?
It's no wonder the guy in Texas threw his son out on to the highway at "God's" command. If there is one consistent message throughout the Bible it is that you'd better obey God or something bad is going to happen to you. And it's not just "Old Testament" either; as I have shown in Acts, Paul and the others used that kind of thinking for leverage--if you reject this message, look out. Oh, but God loves us. Look at the love He showed Jonah, by not letting him go off to Tarshish instead of Nineveh. He sent a storm. Well, if this is love, I'd sure hate to see what God considers hate.
"Love like a hurricane . . ." No thanks.
I really don't think people stop to think about the impact some of their imagery has on those of us who are shall I say of a more sensitive and fearful bent. I find this song terrifying. I don't want to be loved like a hurricane or a tornado or a derecho--I've seen what those things can do and "love" is not the word that comes to mind when I think of these things. Fear, yes. Terror, yes.
My sister called last night and mentioned that she is starting to read the Bible again after many years. She is working her way through the Old Testament. She said, "I have issues." From her standpoint, and she has a Ph.D. in psychology, the God described in these stories is quite frankly psychotic. I have bad news for her, it gets worse. I don't know what translation she is reading, she said "a Catholic Bible", but if she is reading the New American Bible, wait until she gets to Isaiah 1:5-6. "Where would you yet be struck, you that rebel again and again? The whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot to the head, there is no sound spot; wound and welt and gaping gash, not drained, or bandaged, or eased with salve." This is love?
It's no wonder the guy in Texas threw his son out on to the highway at "God's" command. If there is one consistent message throughout the Bible it is that you'd better obey God or something bad is going to happen to you. And it's not just "Old Testament" either; as I have shown in Acts, Paul and the others used that kind of thinking for leverage--if you reject this message, look out. Oh, but God loves us. Look at the love He showed Jonah, by not letting him go off to Tarshish instead of Nineveh. He sent a storm. Well, if this is love, I'd sure hate to see what God considers hate.
"Love like a hurricane . . ." No thanks.
