Most people through history have been raised to believe in an angry God. We are taught that “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10) instead of the love of God being at the center. This God of anger is on display in a theology that tells us that Jesus was murdered as part of God’s plan, or that bad things happen for God’s long-term reasons. My journey of rebellion against this began when was around 11 years old. I had to decide where the source of the violence and anger I was experiencing came from. I chose to believe that I wasn’t all that bad and that God was good. The cause of suffering, when put into simple math, became obvious. Sometimes, #@$% happens, and the best we can do is learn and grow and be better.
When your God is anger, you don’t care about those things. You don’t really care if people suffer or are caused pain (because, God’s will). You don’t really care if others lose out on life or are abused (again…). When put in perspective, it becomes clear to me why organized religion is dying on a global scale. The problem, of course, is that those of us who don’t believe in a God of anger get lumped in with everyone who does. Like blaming all police officers for the small number who commit atrocities or blaming everyone in a political party for the fringe craziness produced by some of them. Too often, though, the silent majority allows the anger of the vocal and powerful minority to control the conversation, and that leads to tyranny. Which is why we need to speak up.
As we move through Lent toward Holy Week, I want to be clear about this: God did not murder Jesus/God’s self – the Romans, in collusion with a few religious leaders, did. God is not spiteful or arrogant or mean – God is love. If you worship a God of anger, please reconsider. Your theology is creating far more atheists than anything else is. Your theology is a danger to every person of faith who is trying to live a life centered on love. Take that log of hatred out of your eye; maybe you will see that God’s love has been there all along.
Prayer – Holy God, we want to be loving – help us to put aside our human biases so we can embrace love. Amen.
Today’s art is from The Creation of the Heavenly Bodies fresco on the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo.