I have been Facebook for 10 years. I have been on the Bible for most of my 60 years. I think that I have posted on facebook the most about the Palestinians. I believe they are persecuted by the Israeli government. Israel has all the power, the guns, the checkpoints , the water , the land and the support of the United States. I cannot understand why the U.S. watches it happen and does nothing. The Palestinians ( Muslims and Christians ) did not carry out the Holocaust, but they seem to have to pay for it. The Holocaust was carried out by Western Christianity. I think the Palestinians should be able to have their land, and peace. So, I have posted many times about this, but I do not believe I have changed any person's ideas about it. Those who agree with me, agree with me, and who do not agree with me, do not agree with me. There is much anger on both sides, and I am angry too. But it seems to be a waste of my Facebook time and space. What do you think ? If it is important , then I should do it ?
I am also a Bible person. I share Bible verses on Facebook, and I write this article once a week on WordPress. I think the Bible is important to my faith, and it has been the church's book for its 2000 years of history. It is not straightforward. It does not answer my science questions. It challenges me on my ethics and moral responsibilities in my life. It has many broken characters/people that God used in the past. I hope to be used by God in my world today. But, I do not know if I have had anyone change their minds on the Bible or faith. People have their own views, and we do not change easily. People tell me that I should not believe the Bible because it is a bunch of fairy tales of long ago. It is sexist and racist. And how can you worship a God that kills all those people in the Old Testament stories ? All very good questions that perplex me too.
Paul, that early church letter writer, speaks about this kind of dilemma many times in his letters. “ I do what I do not want to do “ , but he also continues to inspire people to love one another , and if it is up to you , you should live in peace . He is trying to change the minds of people in those small new communities in ancient Turkey and Greece. He did not always get it right in his own mind, because he says it is “me” speaking, and not always God. Paul wrote to many new churches, and had some conflict with them.
I guess I will continue to try to change the minds of people, and also be open to have my thoughts, ideas and strongly held positions to be changed by you, and hopefully by the “ Ground of our Being “. Jesus asks us to really change our minds in the Sermon on the Mount in the biography that we call Matthew. He says that you have heard it said , but “I tell you it is now this way”. Whoa !!! he is changing the work of God from Moses/God from Sinai. Let that sink in, and then wonder if you can change your mind . AMEN
Fred Redekop
Ponder Anew 