I love listening to Public Radio. I’m driving down the road on a quick run to the post office , and I’m hearing an interview with a historian who has written a book on the "lost" Gospels of Christianity. Here is a woman who did some fabulous research into the history and writings of the early Christian church, and has an astounding viewpoint on the evolution of the religion in its early years. She states that, basically, early leaders of the Christian Church, especially once Christianity was embraced by the Roman Empire, were the ones who made the decisions which "sacred" writings to keep, and which to discard, based on what was most beneficial to their roles in society at the time. Terry Gross asked this woman if she didn’t believe that most people in the church would consider her assertions sacrilege. And this quiet-spoken, scholarly woman admitted that, yes, she was sure some people might see it that way…
I found this interview absolutely fascinating. I just wanted to sit and listen and soak it up like a dry sponge. We are all sponges for knowledge, I think. What you immerse yourself in, is what you will be filled with. Unfortunately, millions of people, at least in this country, spend their time soaking up reality TV, violent movies, and contentious talk radio. We’re filling up our huge human capacity for retention of knowledge, given to us by our creator, with...crap.
I wish I could report that listening to Public Radio makes me feel smart. But it doesn’t…it makes me feel horribly stupid! It gives me a tiny smidgen of a taste of the kind of knowledge that is out there…knowledge that I just don’t have. Especially historical knowledge. The kind of thing that might make me understand mankind a little better. (And maybe a little more apt to give them a break!)
But I find that the average person is almost afraid of too much knowledge. As if, having the knowledge would then require something more of them. And perhaps it does… Could you loudly pontificate on the "sanctity of marriage" if you were familiar with all the different traditions, religious and secular, that have been followed by different groups over the centuries of written human history? Could you quote tiny little phrases from the bible, and manipulate them to justify whatever it is you want to justify, if you knew the WHOLE bible, including the books that had been left out, and all the history surrounding its compilation? Would you be able to muster the blood-lust to kill thousands of fellow human beings, for political reasons, if you understood the evolution of politics and warfare in civilized societies? People don?t want to know too much, because it makes the choices harder. The possession of knowledge necessitates the USE of it. If you don?t use it, your conscience suffers. And nobody wants to deal with that consequence. Much simpler to remain blissfully ignorant. I don?t know?I don?t feel too comfortable with taking the easy road.
This is why I started my "Bible Journal", so I could read the text and make up my own mind about things, rather than just accept the way some people use it as a weapon! That really chaps my you-know-what!
ReplyDeleteI love NPR, too. And I bet you would both love reading Elaine Pagels's books.
ReplyDeleteI have some of the books your are referring to. Trouble is I think I'm going to have to flip a coin to decide which one to read first.
ReplyDeleteDo you have my house wiretapped? This has been the table talk for at least the last eight weeks. My best friend (Catholic) is currently pregnant. Pregnant, I believe because of guilt over an abortion, an abortion because of guilt of not being married. The church charges six Hail Maries and whatever else for the premarital sex, however, will not allow them to get married (through the church) until a series of classes are completed (2 years with a civilian bigoted [hates his liberated ex wife] teacher), the birth control is scorned, blah blah blah blah. Studying John Donne, we both begin questioning what we thought we already knew. As early as the 4th century AD proven manipulation of the written word had begun. From the Norman Conquest to King James monks had to check with the king to see what the current acceptable teachings (“beliefs”) were. The Great Chain of Being had the king (man) as the closest to God, --above the clergymen. Doubting Tomas is totally excluded from any inclusive writings, as one example of manipulation. Who will ever really know the extent of the damage that Emperor Constantine inflicted, (notably on a quest to oppress women as the feared superior being). I believe answers lie in Philosophy. In every religion of every nation, Love is the guiding force. The love of wisdom will seek truth. Truth will provide the answers.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, people are afraid to leave comfort zones. Unchallenged and unquestioned beliefs are warm and fuzzy. Good luck on your quest!
Yes it is interesting that the Roman Catholic church gathered a grorp together to decide which books of the bible were suitable. I have wanted to read some of the lost books myself but I have not made it a priority yet. Maybe this winter.
ReplyDeleteAre you bashing me because I confessed I am a Big Brother fan? Will it make it any better if I admit that I knew about the picking and choosing of the books of the Bible? Or, that I have books waiting to be read that pertain to Cultural Anthropology because I have a personal interest in understanding the development of culture and thus rituals and religion in society?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I think you need moderation in all things. Knowledge is important to make informed decisions but you can get so focused on knowing that you lose sight of enjoying life.
BTW: Most religious folks will still claim that the picking and choosing of which books were canonized and which weren't as God's doing not man's. Their argument, not mine.
:-) ---Robbie
To add to my comment yesterday. I have a book titled "How the Irish saved civilization." When the early Irish monks started evangelizing in Europe-one of the first things they asked the bishops and deacons holed up in their cities was "why aren't you out in the country where the people are."
ReplyDeleteYes its facninating to read and research about constatine. Hes the one who indoctrinated alot of the changes. There are two books one called Two babylons and alexander hislop and one called Constantines sword by James Carroll. Both are great on figuring out how the church came to be what it is and even that Sunday is not the day of rest. Of course we always knew that since the 7th day on the calander ALL calanders is Saturday. But why it got changed among other things just amazed me. I mean if I hated mass murderers and did not agree with them I would not quit breathing just becuase they did it. I once hear a demographic given that 98% of prisoners eat white bread. So should I stop eating white bread?????? So why just beacuse they hated jews did they stop observing Gods day of rest on the day he prescribed it. Just thoughts. Things like this make me think. What all else changed that I do not know about.
ReplyDeleteI love NPR too - for just this reason. You hear things you would never hear anywhere else. You can get the summation of years of research...and be introduced to new ideas in a very short amount of time. It makes you think...and question. I didn't happen to hear this Terry Gross interview...but I find it fascinating in your description of it. SO much of so many lives are dictated by religious dogma. It's always astounded me that so many are not willing to see that the bible was written by men...with an agenda of power and control.
ReplyDeleteI have to wonder if the woman you heard was Elaine Pagels (sp?). I've got one of her books on the gnostic gospels. (I've recently gotten into early Christian church history and know barely enough to fill a thimble, but it's fascinating stuff. It kills me that most people don't realize that the official Bible was put together in the third century and then Protestantism threw out some of that later on.) I think that people are afraid of knowledge because it does change their world. You can't remain put when you find verifiable information that alters everything you think you know. You're forced to change, and people hate change
ReplyDeleteYou make so much sense I'm surprised you're not burned at the stake. Ha.
ReplyDeleteI wish we could hear that NPR station in my town. I enjoy talk radio, in general, although mostly all we hear are conservative Christian stations. I sometimes listen to them just to make sure I still disagree. I always do. lol
ReplyDeleteAnd as for "I wish I could report that listening to Public Radio makes me feel smart. But it doesn’t…it makes me feel horribly stupid! It gives me a tiny smidgen of a taste of the kind of knowledge that is out there…knowledge that I just don’t have," I don't think you have anything to worry about. There's some famous quote, (which of course I can't locate or remember correctly), that says the wisest person is one who realizes there's still much to learn. The smartest people want to learn more, realize how much more there is out there... The dumbasses think they already know all they need to know, and don't concern themselves with seeking to learn more.
So... you're fine. :-) But maybe I'm biased because I dont' want to be in the latter group. I always feel like there's a trillion more things I ought to learn about..
Knowledge is power.
ReplyDeleteKeep this in mind.