THE SIDEWINDER – The Church, The Bible and Christmas

 This commentary is one of two opposing opinions being shared today. The other is by speaker and author Tom Birch which you can read by CLICKING HERE

 

The despicable and outrageous actions of a few Chilliwack and Abbotsford area churches concerning lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals is based largely on religious bigotry. It’s that same ignorance which has these money-grubbing churches remain open during COVID 19 regulated closures. I guess it’s easier for them to rip off their parishioners for donations when they are gathered together in their property tax free churches rather than appealing to them via Zoom meetings.

 

These churches have become much like the money lenders Christ threw out of the temples.

 

While not exactly new, it is surprising that it's still the unofficial, unspoken policy of some churches in the United States to deny law abiding citizens their rights under the constitution. It’s not much better in Canada regardless of policies concerning the separation of church and state.

 

If you believe the Bible and all the hoopla spewing forth from pulpits throughout the world of Christianity, Jesus was supposed to be the physical embodiment of God and His return to Earth would signify the end of the world. That's the same God who invented or created all the good and bad things in the universe. Nowadays I suppose that would include lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals but the Bible doesn't address the issue in helping us to determine if these folks are good or bad. I might add that there is no mention in the Bible of conversion therapy.

 

According to the Bible, all the diseases, all the violence, all of the horrific actions of mankind are also a direct result of God's creative genius.

 

Of course, Christian leaders tell us that God created all things but He also gave us the ability to choose between good and evil. As the story goes in the Bible, all we have to do to gain entry to heaven is to profess our belief in this God who created all these evil things along with the good.

 

Come to think of it, the Bible is really a questionable bit of literature on which to base the everyday moral values which guide our lives. The Holy scriptures are chock full of stories of rape, murder, bestiality, incest and all sorts of things we wouldn't necessarily want our children reading about without proper guidance.

 

The Bible is supposed to represent the word of God but it's really nothing more than a collection of interpretations of ancient manuscripts, few of which, including the fairy tales depicting the creation, can be taken seriously. It took religious leaders decades of debate and study spread over a period of a few centuries to even decide which manuscripts to include and which to leave on the editor’s floor.

 

The resultant collections of the scribes and prophets were assembled to form the Bible which has frequently suffered from various interpretations and translations. We don't even know if the original transcripts are factual reflections of what anyone said or did in those Biblical times because it's mostly based on the scribes' accounts of those events.

 

The scribes were early day reporters and frequently held their lofty positions because they were the only ones in many villages and towns who could read or write. We all know what reporters can do to a story in a slow news week just to add a little zest to their accounts of the news and reporters also know what an uncaring editor can do to a good story.

 

What makes anyone think they were any different in the days of Christ and even earlier times?

 

If the Bible was written and released for the first time in today's world, it would fuel demands to have it banned from local libraries. Underage children would probably require adult permission to purchase it.

 

Turning aside from the contrary teachings of the Bible is not meant to denigrate the good works of Christians, but it's their good works, not their Christianity, that makes them good people. Unless He's prepared to remedy and eliminate all the nasty things created by immoral interpretations of His word, including the slurs and totally unfair treatment of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals, maybe Jesus should indefinitely delay His return to planet Earth.

 

In any event, Merry Christmas or whatever faith you choose to follow.

SANDY Macdougall ... is a retired newspaper reporter. He was elected for three consecutive terms to Maple Ridge municipal council in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and also ran for the Progressive Conservatives in Kim Campbell's ill-fated federal election campaign. He now makes his home in the BC interior community of Kelowna.