Don't be Foolish

Amy-Jill Levine, in her book Short Stories by Jesus, writes in reference to the understanding of parables:

As  much as we might respect the idea of divine freedom and mystery, we are ultimately more comfortable with answers rather than questions, with the tried and true rather than new thoughts.  Debate can be messy; it can lead to disagreement, or words.  Better than everyone remain on the same page.  (page 300)

I think this is true as we seek to interpret scripture (and don't give me that look - all reading of scripture requires interpretation).  But beyond that, do you think it is true in life in general?  Are we more comfortable with answers? So much so that we are willing to overlook lose threads, misrepresentations, and downright lies in order to have them?  Not only that, but are we so eager for confirmation of what we believe that we give no thought to accepting that which is so clearly wrong?

There is so much misinformation deployed in our society, and we seem eager to grasp onto it, and believe it without logical thought.  I can see it happening in the United Methodist Church, so much so that there is an effort to help people to intelligently review everything that is being thrown at them.  This series from the United Methodist Communicators is one such tool.

I also see this in the world at large.  Sometimes we are so eager for our "side" to be proven "right" that we don't apply any logic at all to the information we take in - we just believe it blindly. 

Please stop and think.  Approach what you read and hear - whether it is biblical interpretation or "news" stories - with the proverbial grain of salt.  Do you REALLY believe it? It is logical based on what you already know? Does it make sense at all?  It is all of our responsibility to examine "facts" before we share them.  In church, in faith, and in politics.  Don't be foolish.