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• Sunday, December 4, 2005 07:27 PM

  Have a Little Self-Rightousness

  I think that, at some level, I never will understand Christians. Even Christians as clearly intelligent as Anne Lamott. The constant turning to God for answers that, let's face it, you already know. It makes me nuts.

  "This is what Jesus would want." "This is what Jesus always did." "God, the eagle has landed. Now what am I supposed to do?" A woman that I spoke to in a Baptist church once said that she was thinking of going to Israel on a trip, but that she needed "God to send her a sign." Honestly: I just don't get it.

  Anne: the Torah says, "Burn the evil from your midst." It also says, "Thou shalt not steal." (Not to mention some words about bearing false witness.) According to the New Testament, Jesus threw the money-changers out of the temple. Seems to me like you didn't need to confer with God, or Jesus, or anyone but your own knowledge of the Bible. The guy stole money, and then he lied to your face. And you bought him flowers, and apologized.

  I'm glad Anne's faith brings her strength and is a source of comfort for her, but this doesn't strike me as faith being helpful, but rather faith being an excuse for pretty absurd behavior. I'm just glad that when the chips are down (e.g., Hitler, the Taliban), Christians decide that "turning the other cheek" only takes you so far, and decide that "burning the evil from your midst" is a good idea, after all.

  —Anonymous
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