02-05-2018, 01:14 AM
I think there's another thread somewhere about Bible verses that people find triggering. I'm looking for something more positive here.
Are there any Bible stories, or other portions of scripture, that you have gained a whole new perspective and appreciation for since leaving fundamentalism? This is for everyone, whether you are still a believer, or if you are now an atheist but appreciate some portions of the Bible for its ancient wisdom.
I'll go first.
Recently I've been thinking a lot about the story of Solomon's son, Rehoboam. It is such a fascinating story about human nature and the dynamics of power.
Solomon, the wealthiest and perhaps the most powerful king that Israel ever had, dies, leaving his son Rehoboam as king. The people come to young Rehoboam and ask him to decrease taxation. The elders, his father's friends, tell him to at least listen to the people and have a civil discourse with them. He doesn't like what they say, so he asks his young friends. They advise him to basically rule with an iron fist. He takes their advice, and promises the people that he will be a harsh, unrelenting ruler -- much more than his father ever was. As a result, the people rebel and the kingdom is splintered.
Perhaps the kingdom would have eventually split anyways, but definitely not that soon if Rehoboam had acted in a more reasonable manner. It's the old adage, "You'll draw more bees with honey than with vinegar." Being a bully (or a tyrant) will only get you so far, and it can backfire. Diplomacy -- the ability to negotiate, compromise, find common ground, to smooth people over and give them a voice -- this is how lasting power and influence are built. Oppression may keep people under your thumb for awhile, but the human spirit craves freedom.
When I was in the IFB, I didn't think much about this story. On the rare occasion that I heard someone preach on it, usually the emphasis was on listening to one's elders. This certainly has merit, as older people have more life experience and often more wisdom; a lot of people tend to mellow out as they age and learn from experience to choose their battles carefully. But there is more to the story than just listening to one's elders, and I didn't think about it much. Also in reading this story as an IFBer, I knew that what Rehoboam did was wrong, but I also had this vague sense that the people should have been loyal to the line of David and Solomon. I'm not sure why I felt that way -- maybe it was my ingrained ideas about authority and loyalty, or maybe it was just my human tendency as a reader to side with the main characters in the story.
Interestingly, the Bible actually says that it was God's will for the kingdom to be split, as a punishment to Solomon for his idolatry. If I remember correctly, this was revealed by prophecy to Solomon while he was still alive. Perhaps it was already apparent that Rehoboam was an arrogant fool when this prophecy was made. But regardless, the people were actually accomplishing God's divine purpose in their rebellion. Go figure.
Are there any Bible stories, or other portions of scripture, that you have gained a whole new perspective and appreciation for since leaving fundamentalism? This is for everyone, whether you are still a believer, or if you are now an atheist but appreciate some portions of the Bible for its ancient wisdom.
I'll go first.
Recently I've been thinking a lot about the story of Solomon's son, Rehoboam. It is such a fascinating story about human nature and the dynamics of power.
Solomon, the wealthiest and perhaps the most powerful king that Israel ever had, dies, leaving his son Rehoboam as king. The people come to young Rehoboam and ask him to decrease taxation. The elders, his father's friends, tell him to at least listen to the people and have a civil discourse with them. He doesn't like what they say, so he asks his young friends. They advise him to basically rule with an iron fist. He takes their advice, and promises the people that he will be a harsh, unrelenting ruler -- much more than his father ever was. As a result, the people rebel and the kingdom is splintered.
Perhaps the kingdom would have eventually split anyways, but definitely not that soon if Rehoboam had acted in a more reasonable manner. It's the old adage, "You'll draw more bees with honey than with vinegar." Being a bully (or a tyrant) will only get you so far, and it can backfire. Diplomacy -- the ability to negotiate, compromise, find common ground, to smooth people over and give them a voice -- this is how lasting power and influence are built. Oppression may keep people under your thumb for awhile, but the human spirit craves freedom.
When I was in the IFB, I didn't think much about this story. On the rare occasion that I heard someone preach on it, usually the emphasis was on listening to one's elders. This certainly has merit, as older people have more life experience and often more wisdom; a lot of people tend to mellow out as they age and learn from experience to choose their battles carefully. But there is more to the story than just listening to one's elders, and I didn't think about it much. Also in reading this story as an IFBer, I knew that what Rehoboam did was wrong, but I also had this vague sense that the people should have been loyal to the line of David and Solomon. I'm not sure why I felt that way -- maybe it was my ingrained ideas about authority and loyalty, or maybe it was just my human tendency as a reader to side with the main characters in the story.
Interestingly, the Bible actually says that it was God's will for the kingdom to be split, as a punishment to Solomon for his idolatry. If I remember correctly, this was revealed by prophecy to Solomon while he was still alive. Perhaps it was already apparent that Rehoboam was an arrogant fool when this prophecy was made. But regardless, the people were actually accomplishing God's divine purpose in their rebellion. Go figure.
Solving all of the world's problems from the comfort of my laptop.
