I just thought of something from yesterday's reading...

[47of74]

In the Episcopal Church I attend this was the reading we used yesterday;

When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. 27When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son.

But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord, 1 and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, ‘There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had very many flocks and herds; 3but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meagre fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. 4Now there came a traveller to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.’ 5Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, ‘As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; 6he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.’

7 Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; 8I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. 9Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. 13David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan said to David, ‘Now the Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord,* the child that is born to you shall die.’ 15Then Nathan went to his house.

The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became very ill. (2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15)

Something just clicked with me in that the story could be applied to many right wing Christians who are getting on their high horses over Orlando. That they are the man who took the lamb from the poor man with their hatred of others.

[kwassa]

1. The far right has no interest in supporting the poor ...

They are into the authoritarianism of the old testament version of God.

I have problems with this passage, with God smiting the innocent child. Not my vision of God.

This story of David and Bathsheba is a classic story of lust and power, with no constraints or limits. It has been often replicated in later history.


(And greetings from a fellow Episcopalian. )

[onpatrol98]

2. Smiting the innocent child...

I have wondered about that myself. But, it is my understanding that a child before the age of accountability would be with God. The goal of every Christian is to eventually be with God. But, that would be a tough pill to swallow as a parent. But, a loving God receiving a child to be with Him provides me with considerably more peace.

Yes, the story of David and Bathsheba is a classic story of lust and power. But, it is also a story of God's love for David and provides great hope for Christians.

God's Love for David
Even as Nathan shares the understanding of the story with David, he is emphasizing that David has a God that would have given him anything.

(2 Samuel 7-8)
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!

Hope for Christians
Even after David has committed this horrible sin, he repents (absolutely necessary - we shouldn't live knowingly unrepentant lives if we say we love God), and God forgives him.

(2 Samuel 12:13-14)
13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” (acknowledges his sin)

And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. (forgiven)


In other words, if there is hope for David, there is hope for every sinner who repents.

14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”

But, with a just God, there are also consequences to sin. (The child is not guilty, the child returns to God. However, David and Bathsheba, no longer have the child.)

These are very interesting scriptures indeed!

[onpatrol98]

3. They are the man who took the lamb from the poor man with their hatred of others.

Hmm...I don't know. The man who took the lamb away from the poor man represents David. David is a man after God's own heart and is forgiven in these scriptures for his sin. So, following the logic of your statement, you would be saying that right wing Christians are David. People after God's own heart, who will be forgiven for their sins.

[47of74]

4. Yeah I see your point.

It was just something that clicked in my head yesterday, that those who complain about the acts of others need to look in the mirror first to make sure they're not talking about themselves.

[onpatrol98]

5. Yeah...I see what you mean.

Luke 6:42
New International Version (NIV)

42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

John 8
New International Version (NIV)

7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Matthew 7:1-3
New International Version (NIV)

Judging Others (admonition against hypocrisy in judgement)
7
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Inevitably, this one hits us all. Well, it hits those of us who profess to be Christians. Because as we think to cast these verses out at others, they always point back to our own lives and sins. These are good verses if you want to try a day of silence. LOL.

Interestingly enough DU conflicts greatly with my desire to be non judgmental. Odd isn't it? I have more empathy for others, when I avoid discussion boards. I think they bring out the worst in me.

So, I thought I would check out the Religion section of DU. But, I'm not sure I believe in the Christian liberal anymore than I believe in the religious right. LOL. Oh, well! I do want a better understanding of the Bible, though.