All-God, No-God, Which-God

In Northern California people are all over the map when it comes to God. For some God is everywhere, in everything. You can’t step in dog-poop without touching God.

For others there is no God, not any kind of god. We are evolved mammals, products of physics and chance endowed with the mixed blessing of consciousness that brings us both wonder and suffering.

Relations among those who believe in a god but see that god as distinct from the material world are equally divided. There are hosts of things for these gods to disagree upon even if all believe there is finally only one mailbox for one big God who would hear our prayers or receive our praise. The different gods have different holy days, different codes of conduct, different dietary expectations.

The Reasonably Skeptical Urbane Majority

Polls tell us that a shrinking majority of Americans believe in “God” but pluralism has made them skeptical about many of the traditional religions that claim him.

We easily assume the ancient writings were uneven, primitive, infantile expressions that now through access to better and broader information are meant to be transcended. The outlines of ethics are clear to us even if we’re conflicted about the details. People are supposed to be good, kind and generous, helping the weak and shunning violence unless it’s absolutely necessary to preserve the assumed order that we see as self-evidently right. Surely all the enlightened people of the world mostly agree with us and its only the uneducated, primitive or the fundamentalistic who balk at how we all know the world should be administered.

Six Through Nine

While some fringe “freedom from religion” types might seek to get the 10 Commandments erased of courthouse walls most Americans are fairly comfortable with the reputation of morality found in many of these ten words. While they might be fuzzy about what all 10 commandments specifically say (more know the ingredients of the Big Mac), a review would probably produce near unanimity at least surrounding commandments 6 through 9. 

• you shall not murder
• you shall not you shall not commit adultery
• you shall not steal
• you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Almost no one would wants these overthrown.

Some are Good Advice

Some of the other commandments might be accepted simply as good advice.

• Honoring parents,
• taking a day off each week,
• not obsessing over your neighbor’s property

Most Americans I imagine would say that these too are helpful as long as we don’t get too legalistic about them.

The Troublesome Three

The first three commandments

• no other gods before me,
• no graven images,
• don’t take the LORD’s name in vain

I think would be seen as the most problematic for most Americans. It would be over these things that we can’t agree. These three make statements that might get you in trouble in public school, or at the capital building, or with your neighbors in our all-god, no-god, which-god pluralistic community. These three will get you into trouble.

God of Philosophy vs. the gods of religion

David Bentley Hart’s newest book The Experience of God  claims that the central error of the new atheists is that they misunderstand what Christianity and most other religions say about God. God is not so much one thing within existence as he is the foundation of existence itself. This god is not so much a character in a story book as much as he is the paper upon which the story is written and the language with which the story is told.

This tends to be the god of the philosophers over which the arguments as to his/her/its existence is fought. Next week when we get into the “graven images” commandment we’ll return to this idea.

The God with Name, a Story, and an Attitude

The first commandment, however, seems to leave God wide open to the critics. He is a god who gets involved, who takes on a role, who picks sides. He is a god IN the story.

The first commandment isn’t really just “you shall have no other gods before me” as it is “I am Yhwh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.”

A bit later Yhwh will note “I Yhwh am a jealous god…” This god has a name, a story relating himself to Israel his audience, and some definite ideas about ownership of these people and claims upon their behavior. This is the kind of thing that modern Americans often find deeply offensive and troubling. We see ourselves as free people, finally beholden only to a vision freely chosen for self-actualization and self-determination.

47 Ronin

I recently enjoyed a new telling of the classic 18th century Japanese tale “Chushingura”, in English 47 Ronin. It’s the story of a band of dispossessed Samurai who take revenge of a court official named Kira who they believe responsible for their master Asano Naganori commiting ritual suicide. Lead by the always faithful chief retainer Oishi they successfully kill Kira.

Since such revenge taking was illegal all 47 were condemned to death but because the people were so moved that they did this for the sake of honor they were allowed to take their own lives by ritual suicide. This is how Oishi received his sentence.

Lord Sengoku immediately notified Oishi that even the Abbot of Ueno had felt powerless to do other than to let the law take its course, and they were accordingly sentenced to death. Oishi nodded. This was what he had expected all along. But he was due for a surprise when Lord Sengoku told him the manner in which they were to die. Although lordless men and hence not legally entitled to such treatment, they were to be allowed to disembowel themselves in the noble ceremony of seppuku. Oishi could hardly believe his ears and fell forward in a deep bow of gratitude to Lord Sengoku. Then he hastened to tell his men the good news.

Allyn, John (2012-09-10). 47 Ronin (Kindle Locations 3515-3520). Tuttle Publishing. Kindle Edition.

I had never heard this story before and found it incredibly powerful and moving. I could easily understand why it became a foundational story within Japanese culture. The story was powerful and beautiful, even though some elements of the story violated my contemporary western sensitivities.

Part of what I found so fascinating about 47 Ronin was the cultural distance between that world and our own. What motivated these dispossessed Samurai to commit these illegal acts, acts that they knew would cost them their lives, was their sense of place in the universe beneath a man born to lordship and themselves to his service. What a different world this story comes from than our own. Why would these young men happily end their lives over honor, reputation and loyalty?

It is clear from the Biblical text that Yhwh expects Israel to be his faithful servant in a way similar to the 47 Ronin. This is strange to Americans.

Pluralists by creed are supposed to be reluctant to say that one culture is better than another, but our reaction to Yhwh claiming ownership of this people should at least be informed by our own cultural filters. I can imagine that most of the world’s generations would hear this command very differently than we do.

Unique Allegiance in a God Competitive World

Yhwh, on the basis of the rescue he provided them from Egypt which was only generally requested and sometimes opposed, declares in his own voice that as far as gods are concerned Israel owes him unique allegiance. The Israelites at this point seem, like most people in the world at that time to be polytheists, and they are to shun allegiance to other competing gods.

Religions in the world have long had a market dynamic about them. For many cultures if one god is good two gods may be better. Gods were specialists that can be appealed to as needed in the course of one’s life.

This command of Yhwh may have felt unreasonable and as the track record of Israel indicates perhaps idealistic. Israel it seems will come to the practical conclusion numerous times that Yhwh doesn’t seem to pay out as they expect him to and so it is better to head off to try out other gods who may offer what they need for the moment. Shopping in a religious marketplace is hardly a new thing.

Yhwh himself is a jealous god and here he commands, later to be reiterated numerous times by the prophets that he expects Israel to be faithful in unique allegiance to him. This is the first commandment he declares, the one to begin the conversation.

Like the kind of life-long-identity-creating demands we find in a story like 47 Ronin this command is intended to establish the identity of Israel as Yhwh’s unique possession and all of its people as belonging exclusively to him, the way a spouse belongs to their partner, the way Oishi belonged to the house of Asano. Faithful to the end, faithful unto death.

This is something that is intended to create a new type of person in a world of religious consumers, not one who continually seeks out and tries out new partners hoping for younger flesh, more emotional support or greater economic security. This extreme command is supposed to mark the beginning of the end of religious consumerism and establish a community of people who are faithful right through the end of the age.

Idolatries in the hands of so many blind men

For the last 1000 years in many places in what is sometimes called “Christendom” most preachers of this commandment addressed the subtle idolatries that capture our hearts. These sermons rightly note that even if we are formally bound to the particular Yhwh by name, story and attitude we cheat on him by establishing our identities upon other frameworks, none of which can finally support the full range of our humanness nor the full need of our hearts. We have innumerable ways of being unfaithful without formal papers of divorce from our husband and master.

Northern California seems decidedly post-Christendom. Formal submission to such jealous, demanding master seems limiting, out-dated, narrow. Idolatry no longer needs to be done quietly and subversively. It is fashionable to embrace the all-god or no-god solutions, or to simply transcend the demanding commandment because skeptical pluralism invites us to imagine that all petitioning gods were actually one elephant in the hands of so many blind men. Couldn’t we take 4 commandments, three pieces of advice, throw in the golden rule and leave it at that?

The Story Behind 47 Ronin

The Foreward to the contemporary edition of 47 Ronin gets into the historical account behind the story. Many historians believe the historical facts in many ways are reverse of this national myth. Kira, the villain of the story was actually wronged, being attacked from behind by Lord Asano who was not the great, noble leader the tale imagines.

This young daimyo, of course, was Asana Naganori, the hero in Chushingura. In reality he was a self-indulgent libertine of 34, the descendant of great warriors but now found to be dissolute and pleasure seeking, content to leave his domain in the hands of others.

Allyn, John (2012-09-10). 47 Ronin (p. 10). Tuttle Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Why did the playwrights who penned the tale that became so famous, so enduring, so attractive reverse the tale?

The hero of the story isn’t really Lord Asano but rather Oishi, his loyal retainer. In the story after Lord Asano’s death and the confiscation his fiefdom by the Shogun other daimyos tried to retain Oishi seeing his qualities. Oishi refused. No one would have blamed Oishi for taking with a new feudal lord. He was a valuable commodity in the feudal job market.

What Oishi needed to do to avenge the death of his lord would be enormously costly. In order to shake the spies of Kira’s allies Oishi needed to dismiss his family, ruin his reputation by living a dissolute life and convince the world that he was NOT a faithful servant but rather a man primarily concerned about his own wellbeing and pleasures.

Why did the Japanese people latch onto this story? What is so beautiful about this story of personal loyalty and sacrifice?

Deep down I think they believed that the ideal, strong man, the beautiful man would not simply be out for his own survival and success, that he would be loyal and faithful to his call even to the cost of his life. Good and beautiful leaders expend themselves for the welfare of their followers. Good and beautiful followers expend themselves for the welfare of their master. Lovers expend themselves for the welfare of their beloved.

The Preacher’s Job

As a preacher I think many in the church might expect me to try to convince you and the people you work and live with to bow before this demanding god of Sinai. This is the creator god to whom you owe your existence. He IS the master and you OUGHT to be his dutiful servant.

This is all true. None of us can credit ourselves with our own existence. We are contingent, fragile creatures whose lives can be snuffed out by a virus, an accident, or just old age.

I also lack the kind of explosive fireworks the text talks about. You are not standing before Sinai terrified by the lighting, the thunder and the great voice saying “I am Yhwh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me!”

The people around the mountain in shock and awe of course declared their loyalty, a promise they would almost immediately violate. We saw last week how Yhwh’s public appearance didn’t work. 

Christendom is almost spent in America and the pockets of servants willing to bear allegiance to this story grows thin. We are consumers and critics, not servants.

Beauty Twisted Into Hellish Cruelty

I didn’t actually read 47 Ronin, but rather listened to it on audio book. I discovered that the book on Kindle was only 3 bucks and then discovered that the audio book was only 4 so I thought I’d give it a try.

I was deeply moved Chushingura/47 Ronin. I was captivated by its beauty even as numerous elements in the story violated my contemporary sensitivities. Women were vassals and servants in the tale. Human life was cheap. Servants and soldiers were regularly beaten, but something in the store drew me.

Another book I had wanted to get into was Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, the story of Louis Zamperini. I decided to also try this audio book. I was equally captivated by the power of this story, but the stories made me feel conflicted. I was enamored by aspects of the Japanese culture I saw in Chushingura but horrified by the treatment of the Chinese and the POWs by the Japanese in WWII. I could see how elements of the culture that I saw as beautiful in Chushingura could become twisted and cruel in WWII. Shame and honor culture became an excuse to victimize and abuse the weak.

The Love of the Faithful Retainer

What was it about Oishi Yoshio, the faithful retainer in Chushingura that attracted me so strongly to him?

The power of Oishi Yoshio was not his strength in battle, but rather the power of his love for his Lord, his family, and the soldiers who trusted in him. He would sacrifice his honor, his reputation, his comfort, and almost everything else that belonged to him in service to those he loved. This love moved me deeply.

As a preacher I might try to argue people into submitting to the thundering LORD of Sinai but my arguments probably won’t work. The thunder itself didn’t work for long. 

The LORD of Sinai after hundreds of years of asking, begging, demanding allegiance from his people eventually took a different tact. He came to them not in a blaze of glory or in threats of fire and condemnation, but in quietness, humility and love.

This LORD of Sinai came to us knowing that we owe allegiance to him, but we are not faithful retainers, we are religious consumers, always have been. We’re in this life for ourselves. So he came and was in it for is.

Jesus was of course a puzzle to those who met him. Most had difficulty concluding whether he was good or bad, sane or crazy. The dominant question that those in power had concerning him was “can he be made useful to us” and in the end they all concluded “no”. As much as they tried to employ him and make him into a tool towards their religious and political ends they failed and for that reason they killed him.

Jesus, the faithful retainer of the God of Sinai comes to us and invites us to love him for his beauty. It was for love that he was humiliated, abused, because in his faithfulness he was untouchable.

I want to be loved by one like Oishi and for such a love I can give my love. Jesus comes and says “I have loved you with that love and this love cost me my reputation, my life.”

Misery-Deliverance-Gratitude

So we live as religious consumers in the land of all-god, no-god, which-god. We are constantly on the hunt for the religious service provider that will give us what we crave, amusement, security, glory, identity. Each time we imagine we will find ourselves in one and it disappoints. What we are really looking for is love but we hardly know what love is.

Somehow we know that our deliverance must not just involve finding one who loves us, but ourselves growing into the capacity to love in return. This is the kind of love we see in Oishi, a love that holds on, that doesn’t let go. A love whose beauty is seen in faithfulness, in sacrifice, in costly determination. We see this love in the cross of Jesus, who saves others by refusing to save himself.

We are drawn to this love not so by demand but by beauty. The demands of this love, even the shape of duty are transformed by the joyful vision of its beauty. In this way faithful servants actually find freedom in their service. Their service is not done out of threat of punishment or fear of consequence, but out of desire of a new beautiful identity fueled by joy.

Consumers in the land of all-god, no-god, which-god tire of shopping for a new identity, a new vendor, a new savior. Perpetual consumers are eventually consumed by their own consumption. Our hearts long for identity, for fierce faithful love, for home. You cannot find this unless and until you find yourself a faithful retainer to follower, to emulate and eventually become.

The first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism reflects such a pledge, a declaration, an aspirational longing for this love, this home, this end to consumption.

1 Q. What is your only comfort
in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own,
but belong;
body and soul,
in life and in death;
to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven:
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

Sermon Audio