If you think you KNOW the answer....

If you think you KNOW the answer, maybe you aren’t asking the right question

I stood with my children around last holiday season, in a circle while someone told the assembled group that as they looked around, they just loved us so much and it broke their heart to think they wouldn’t be together with us forever – they wanted us all to be there.  But of course those of us who hadn’t said that Jesus was our savior wouldn’t be.  And they wanted to encourage us to seek their guidance so we could join them.

My quipped response under my breath was “well if they are there, I’m not going”.  Sarcasm aside, the moral, just, righteous, paternalistic, self-righteous, conceited, arrogance of that statement took my breath away.  I know these people to be well intentioned, thoughtful NICE people.  Of course they are nice.  They are trying to save us after all.  My late husband used to quote “Beware the tyranny of niceness”.  I’m not sure I got it until that moment.  Whatever one’s belief system, what gives any one the right to force that down anyone else’s throat? 

Let’s take this to its logical conclusion – let’s assume that the only way to get into heaven is by saying “Jesus is my savior”.  Then Ghandi isn’t there?  What about individuals who for thousands of years had never heard of Jesus?  Are they similarly condemned?  Is saying Jesus is my savior necessary and sufficient?  Or is it only necessary?  Does it right all wrongs done to proclaim it?  If you can get to heaven without it (ie, perhaps Ghandi will get a pass) then how much sin does it undo?  What are the proportions?  Normal every day sins like being inconsiderate of other people’s belief systems?  Does that get waved if you have proclaimed Jesus as your savior?  I assume it can’t get you to heaven if you have committed a murder, but who knows? 

I wonder sometimes if this family who made the statement would understand that I consider these moral, righteous people to be a bad influence on my kids.  That in fact, their dogmatism and failure to consider any other view point, their belief they have the only RIGHT path, could start one down the path of evil.  After all, it certainly is the epitome of conceit.  And I believe that even in the Bible, conceit is not looked on kindly. 

This family can or course argue that the Bible says that one has to proclaim Jesus in order to be saved.  But remember the Bible also tells us that if we beat a slave with a stick, and he dies immediately, we will be punished, but if he lives a few days, then shouldn’t be, since the slave is property. 

Okay, so maybe I have over-reacted.  Certainly I have managed now for a year to 1) not see the people concerned, and 2) apparently to hold on to a pretty serious level of irritation over this.  So, I guess it is time to let it go.  We are coming up on another holiday season where I will again find myself saying prayer before dinner with the same family.  Time for me to accept them for who they are and hope that just maybe, in time they may learn to appreciate others as they are.  After all, what would Jesus do?