Today’s readings:
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Baseball and Mixed Martial Arts are very different sports. One can play both, of course, but not at the same time and not on the same field. One cannot play baseball by MMA rules, nor vice versa. Neither can one crossweave the two sets of rules into something new and call it by either name. The rules of baseball are the rules of baseball. The rules of football, of America football, of rugby, of hurling, of all sports are each unique and their own thing. You can’t make them up as you go along, and, should someone do so, they are in fact playing another game. Equally fun, perhaps, but it’s not Cricket.
As Easter rolled closer this year I was reminded of how many of my friends do not believe in the Resurrection of Christ and I do not speak of the Atheists or others for whom this is laughable. Rather I am thinking of those who would take the name Christian, even saying that they are “reclaiming” it or defending it from people who believe silly things like Virgin Births and Risings.
What has me mystified is why? What’s the point? I mean, seriously: the Jesus you’re left with is laughable, powerless, and without purpose. In fact you have to make up stuff – politics and social justice – and fill his mouth with words he never said in order to have any religion at all. You have to make palatable myths out of the doctrine, to say “this isn’t really true” even while you profess it. You have to yell “Christ is Risen” while you cross your fingers and say, “well, it’s really just a symbol, or historical artefact…”
I don’t see the point. There are social justice groups that do that, there are political movements that do that, there are even other religions that already do that. Most of these folks strike me as a cross between the Humanist Society of New York and Reconstructionist Judaism, to be honest, but not really either of those, either. It’s better, somehow, to corrupt one that has historical boundaries and turn out from their communities people who are faithful to God whilst making claims against them of “h8” and “bigotry”. It’s better to make up new doctrines and call real Christians “sticks in the mud” and other names less charitable; to make the claim you’re being inclusive whilst undermining and destroying both the structure and the foundation. You cannot say something has evolved when you’ve torn it down; when you’ve jury-rigged a “worship space” in the ruble of your theological deconstructions.
Somehow this is all good, I guess.
Yet, following the Apostles, I shall take my home in Christ who is Way, Truth, and Life; and in the Church he founded. I will rest in his light and eat his bread. Increasingly I find there that I have more in common with the pious and respectful faithful of other religions than I do with those who would destroy my own; with those who follow a different path and name it such rather than with those who follow a different path and masquerade it about as mine. I will pray for his mercies on those within and without his fold and I will not confuse the two in the name of politeness. It is neither mercy or charity to say someone is right when they are wrong. Nor is it grace. But the Truth of the Apostolic Preaching (who is always and only the Risen Christ) can always and only be spoken in love.
In love, therefore, with the very salvation of your soul: baseball is baseball.
Doxos 