VIOLENCE  AND GOD 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 16^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Violence and God.”

The topic was triggered from today’s first reading  from Exodus 14: 21 to 15:1. It not only tells of God as Savior - but also God as Warrior - killing the Egyptians - drowning them in the bathtub of the Red Sea.

Is God, Our Father,  also a God of violence? 

So when it comes to God, we all have to do our thinking and praying about violence and God - how we see and understand God.

I say that because I often hear people say when something goes wrong: "Is God punishing me?"

These are some first draft thoughts. I’ve never been able to reconcile Biblical  texts where God is described as both saving as well as killing people. I understand a bit - the violence of hurricanes, tornadoes and tsunamis - that people get killed by weather going wild. I see that as being part of the package called earth. I have problems saying God is part of humans killing humans  - and some of these stories in the scriptures where people are killed and saying God is doing this to kill our enemies - that I have not figured out.

Come Holy Spirit.

THE KORAN

Once upon a time, a Rabbi asked if I had read The Koran. It was at a wedding reception in Washington D.C.  I said, “No. I hadn’t.” And he said, “You better.” So I went to Barnes and Noble and checked out different translations - and purchased a copy.

When I held The Koran in my hands,  it did not have for me the feeling of the sacred - as I feel towards our Bible. Yet it did feel different than other books. And I know for some Muslims - holding The Koran in one's hands is sacred and for someone to disrespect or even burn a Koran, that is an act of violence.

An analogy that hit me was this. I hope it’s not too far fetched.  It would be like the difference between the following 3 pieces of cloth.  Imagine the feel of a United States flag for a U.S citizen compared to the feel that same person would have for a flag of Estonia or Ecuador - unless that is their roots - and then the feel of a table cloth. All 3 are different - all 3 are cloth - all 3 elicit different feelings.

As I read The Koran I saw red. Fire. So I got a magic marker and every time I saw the word, “fire” or “burn” I highlighted that word in “orange”. Those words appear  quite a bit. Now I can pick up The Koran and page through it and see “fire” - “orange fire” - on many, many pages.  

I also wondered how much of that was part of the World Trade Center and Pentagon crashes - to burn down buildings and bring disaster. Was it from a religious motive? I think I hear Suicide Bombers saying that.

Surprise, after noticing the words "fire" and "burn" over and over again,  I began to notice mention of wars and violence and God striking people dead in our scriptures. It taught me that I could get a magic marker and do the same with our Jewish and Christian scriptures.

So the first comment I’d make is that our scriptures contain violence and God doing violent acts. Question: is it God or is it only us or what?

So when it comes to religions, I see blood and fire - as well as the good stuff.

SECOND COMMENT - EVOLUTION

In time there is an evolution of understandings about God as Warrior and God the Violent - to seeing God as a Peacemaker and God as Non-Violent.

In time some people discover that there are different evolving thoughts about what God is like. This can happen to religions as well as to individuals. We evolve!  Question: do I understand God today differently than I did many years ago? 

THIRD COMMENT - BOTH

At times we discover different voices and understandings of God from the same period and the same people. It happens with our understanding of Jesus as well. Jesus voices violence and gnashing of teeth - and at other times Jesus says, “Put down the rocks and put down the swords.”

FOURTH  COMMENT - VIOLENCE IN THE NAME OF GOD

If we study the history of the world, we’ll find plenty of violence done in the name of God. Moses will send men with swords into the camps and kill thousands.  In Jesus’ time people were crucified all the time. Down through A.D. times many are killed in the name of religion - not just Christians, but also Muslims - and who have you and vice versa.  Read history and you’ll read about religious wars - crusades and massacres.

FIFTH COMMENT - IF YOU TAKE A STAND FOR NON-VIOLENCE EXPECT VIOLENCE AT TIMES

If you take a stand for non-violence, expect a tough time of it.

It’s difficult to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to say from any cross to those who are violent in any way, “Father forgive them they don’t know what they are doing.”

SIXTH AND LAST COMMENT

As I began this homily, I said that these are first draft thoughts. They are. The bottom line is mystery and the bottom line is the ability to say, “I do not know.”