Theocentric Musings

In this age of violence, I notice many trying to justify or excuse violence by using a single event in scripture to support their narrative of a violent non-pacifist Jesus. I shake my head because it’s the same problem I see day in and day out when it comes to scriptures. People do not use exegesis, they rely on eisegesis. This is a major, major no-no when it comes to scripture.   A brief explanation of the 2 terms may be in order for those who don’t know what this means: exegesis is the process of drawing out the meaning from a text in accordance with the context and discoverable meaning of its author, eisegesis occurs when a reader imposes his or her interpretation into and onto the text. In a nut shell, exegesis is studying scripture to find out what IT says, eisegesis is studying scripture to make it tell what YOU say. So instead of “reading” the text, you are “reading into” the text. All this does it provide confirmation bias, which is:   the tende...

Today many men and women will stand on stages and claim to be speaking for God.   Many of them will share messages that contradict each other. Many will share messages that go against the non violent, enemy loving teachings of Jesus. Many of them won't share a message of beating weapons into plow shares but a message of stocking up in even more weapons. Many won't share a message of reaching out t o our neighbors, but a message to fear our neighbors. Many will share a message not that we have overcame, but that we are under attack and must overcome others by force. Many will place you under laws and bondage that never applied to Gentiles.   Please, don't listen to your emotions, don't listen to political rhetoric, don't listen to fear, don't listen to lies, listen to your heart.   Don't be deceived, your heart will guide you to Love. Love doesn't do what many "men and women of God" will tell you God does. Please trust Love, not the many mess...