Unfortunately I didn’t have the opportunity to watch The
History Channel’s The Bible last
night. If Facebook is any indication, what I really missed was a rendering of
Satan that supposedly looks like President Obama. It seems a stretch to me, but
apparently not for lots of people.
Having heard several interviews of the people who are
producing and directing this series, I can’t imagine that there was any
intention on their part to make Satan look like President Obama; nor can I
imagine that after viewing the final product it would have dawned on them that
the character of Satan would be viewed as an Obama double.
Those on the political left seem to be moving towards
apoplexy – stunned by the insensitive work of the television crew who dared to
let a character as vile as Satan look like the President.
Those on the political right seem compelled to post the
picture and follow it up in the comment space with something like “Coincidence?”
So rather than focusing on whatever part of the biblical narrative the series
was portraying, it all of a sudden becomes some kind of nonsensical coincidence
that the character looks so much like the President. I’m just waiting to hear
that somehow the Holy Spirit caused that to happen.
When I reach the end of my journey here on earth and someone
asks me, “Who was the best president in your lifetime?” I seriously doubt that
I will say President Obama. I have issues with him, as I would with any
president. Questions that that are political, economic, social, theological,
and lots of other areas.
But whatever objections I might have to the current
president’s policies, I doubt that they are as strong as the objections people
like Peter or Paul might have had with the Roman Emperor and his crews of
henchmen. Listen to some of what they say:
Paul to Timothy, “First
of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are
in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the
sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and
to come to the knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:1-4 (NRSV)
Paul to
Titus, “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to
be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to
avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone.” Titus
3:1,2 (NRSV)
Peter
to the whole church, “For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human
institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, 14 or of
governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who
do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing right you
should silence the ignorance of the foolish. 16 As servants of
God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. 17 Honor
everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter
2:13-17 (NRSV)
Unless
I’ve been wrong all my life in studying Scripture, I think they are speaking
words that suggest believers respect rulers who were far worse than any ruler
we’ve ever encountered. Oddly, Paul nor Peter puts in a little parenthetical
comment to the effect that “coincidentally, don’t you think Nero looks like
Satan?”)
I
understand the frustration lots of believers have with President Obama. But he
is the president. We Christians are doing ourselves no favors when we suggest
he looks like Satan and that some character in a dramatization of the biblical
story “coincidentally???? looks like the President, even though his role in the
story is that of Satan.
Perhaps
even more a point of frustration, people by the thousands seem to be looking
for excuses to dismiss God and the story of Scripture. All those people need to
do is look at some so-called Christian points of view on Facebook and they have
all the excuse they need.
Maybe –
and I know this is insane – but maybe if I want the President to listen to the
Bible’s definition of marriage and its testimony about the sanctity of life, I
should start by modeling the fact that I’m not beating him over the head with
some of the Bible while ignoring the parts I don’t like.
As
Michael Casey suggests in his wonderful little book, Sacred Reading, this “grazing” approach to reading Scripture is not
of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment