Comments on George Tarleton's Insights
(CONTINUED)

Why target the Old Testament for special attack? If we want to warn those around us of danger to their spiritual and emotional health, we would be better to warn them of the greater danger. For most people in our society, including most people who call themselves Christian, the Old Testament has little relevance. Theoretically, they might argue fiercely about its inerrancy and relevance; practically, they ignore it. The New Testament is the more dangerous book if we consider the effect it has on present day religious groups. New Testament, rather than Mosaic, "law" has been used to divide friend from friend and impose immoral pressure on gullible believers. Ask anyone who has been excommunicated from the charismatic/evangelical movements what texts were quoted to justify the mental cruelty exacted on them ... I predict that the majority will refer to New Testament references.

I do not think there is really anything to be gained by destroying, hiding or suppressing any of these books whether Old or New Testament, Apocrypha or any other religious writings, even though they can and have been used to hurt people. Once a weapon has been invented it is impossible to un-invent it. The sword should not be destroyed, but turned into a useful cutting instrument. The problem is not in the tool or weapon but in the person who uses it with hatred. Take away the weapon and the evil man will find an alternative means of attack. Change the heart of the evil man and the weapons stock will become irrelevant. If we look for grace, for mercy and for love in the scriptures we will find them. If we look for rules, for penalties and for damnation we will find them too. The difference is in our heart and it is the actions that spring from a heart of love that will speak strongest of all to a disturbed world. Once we thought that the world ought to read the Bible to resolve its problems, but it is our lives that are really being read.

George's marvellous conclusion is that we are "free to explore new areas without a sense of guilt". I have not felt that guilt for many years, which is perhaps why I do not feel the need to attack the Bible with any great emotion. There are many views about the world and I search among them to test my own model of reality and to update it. I am increasingly impressed by the personality of Jesus and his remarkable insights into human and divine nature, so I take his view of life more and more as the basis for my own view. Love is everything. Mercy, forgiveness, fairness, honesty, calmness, cheerfulness and moderation characterise the nature that is capable of leading towards a desirable world for mankind to share. Jesus never wrote a book but he lived in a way that forced people to see the god they had been concealing behind their foolish religious misconceptions. Rather than attack the misconceptions I want to live the life. If Jesus' example is anything to judge by, this will prove more damaging to the opposition, and give more healing to the needy.

©Derrick Phillips
March 1993