Righteous Indignation, Ch. 7 (p 55-59)

Righteous Indignation, Ch. 7 (p 55-59)
Rereading Genesis -- Ellen Bernstein

We now shift gears from the introductory chapters dealing with social action/justice to specific areas where these principles can be applied. First stop, The Environment.

(1) Our first short chapter on this topic discusses the meaning and significance of "dominion" (Gen 1:28). Does it mean, as Lynn White argued, that Genesis gives us permission to do anything we want to the planet? Or does it carry with it the idea of stewardship and care?

I appreciate the explanation on page 57 that Hebrew is more vague than English. This is good for us to remember when we get the urge to decipher a Hebrew text without its linguistic, cultural, historical and spiritual context.

I've read a couple estimates that say the English language has up to 1 millions words (take out double counts where a word is more than one part of speech and a low estimate comes in around 250,000), while Hebrew has 80,000 or fewer. Do any readers have more precise numbers? We may like precision, but the original language doesn't lend itself to that. This partially explains, in my opinion, why Judaism has such a rich history of interpretation.

"...both kvs, 'master,' and rdh, 'have dominion over,' appear here in these particular grammatical forms, and nowhere else in the Bible. Translating them is not a cut-and-dried affair" (p 57).

How do you feel about ambiguity in the sacred text? Why do you think God left "wiggle room" in His teachings for us? What does this say to you personally about God and truth?

(2) Pages 58 and 59 are packed with content--meaning of dominion, right use of dominion, tending the garden (Gen 2), ownership, continuity of creation, free will, love, work, blessings, curses, etc.

"Dominion, like money, is not in itself bad; it all depends on how we exercise it" (p 58).

Power is a third item that is not bad in itself. It can be used positively or negatively. And power is an integral aspect of dominion. We have power over creation. We do. Not because of our muscles, for the most part, but because of our brains. "With great power comes great..." You know the Spiderman line.

Will we use this power to destroy habitat and the creatures that depend on it? Or can we use our creativity and genius to learn to live with nature instead of against it? In what ways are you living more sustainably now than a year ago? What is your next step in reducing your carbon, chemical and consumptive footprint?

(3) "The complimentary pair of blessings: 'fertility' and 'mastery,' can be understood as blessings for 'love' and 'work.' Fertility implies love, creativity, and being; mastery implies work, strength, and doing" (p 59).

This refers to the two injunctions in Genesis 1:28--to be fruitful and to master the earth. When interpreting in context, it is good to look at the rest of what God said as these other words help define the original command. In Genesis 2:15 God puts humans in the garden to "take care of it."

When you think of humankind's role and activities on this earth, do you tend to think in terms love or work, relationships or accomplishments, enjoyment or utility? What might balance look like for you at this point? What aspect of God, of the human experience, could you expand in your life?

(4) Matthew Sleeth also deals with the word "dominion" in Serve God, Save the Planet (p 34-37). "Dominion comes from a Hebrew term meaning 'higher on the root of a plant.' Dominion does not mean ownership or even unrestricted use. Implied in our dominion is our dependency on everything under us. Cut the root out from under a plant and the fruit above it will perish, despite its superior position" (p 35).

"When we drop off children at kindergarten, we cede dominion over them to the teacher.... At the end of the day... we expect to find them in the same or better condition as when they arrived. We would not tolerate finding them battered or less inteligent at the end of the day. Similarly, dominion over nature does not translate to neglect, license, or destruction" (p 35).

In what ways are we cutting the roots out from under us? With these examples in mind, how could we (I) live more sustainably in these areas? What is the connection or relationship between caring for creation and the health of my own soul? That is, what is the spiritual significance of valuing the world God created to be our home?

Righteous Indignation, Ch. 3 (p 23-30)

Righteous Indignation, Ch. 3 (p 23-30)
Divine Limitation and Human Responsibility - Rabbi Or N. Rose

(1) The story of the Lost Boys of Sudan was a harrowing and effective way to begin this chapter (film). Wow. The questions at the end of the story set up the rest of the chapter, and these are questions that we face too. "Could I, as a religious activist, develop a spiritual narrative that accounts for such instances of injustice? More importantly, could I help others--particularly those suffering from oppression and degradation--frame their experiences in meaningful theological terms?" (p 24).

In some ways this reminds me of Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Incredible book. What is your answer for evil, for injustice? Is it strong enough to help someone in the middle of their devastation? Does it need to? And is there meaning in all pain?

(2) Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev must have been one interesting gentleman. I appreciated the summarizing thought on page 27: "While God's heroic actions at the Sea of Reeds may have been necessary to impress the Israelites and to astound any would-be foes, at Sinai God wished to provide God's people with the spiritual and ethical tools--Torah--to function as an increasingly independent community, no longer reliant on God's supernatural intervention in human affairs."

I see here a father teaching the child to crawl, stand, walk and feed itself. But I'm not ready to move all the way to Deism, where in my understanding, the child is ultimately left alone and the father has no further role to play in the life of the offspring. I still believe in the power of prayer to effect change in the world, even if that change is primarily in me.

What about you? How active do you believe God is in altering events on planet Earth? Why do you hold this belief? Have you ever had or seen a significant answer to prayer? What is the role of faith in even attempting an answer to this question? What is your understanding of the interaction of divine and human in activism, justice and peace-making?

(3) "Among the deepest expressions of God's love and respect for humankind is the gift of free will" (p 28). The rest of that paragraph unwraps this idea beautifully. I can't imagine a response to the question of suffering without some reference to free will. Apparently, free will is more important to God than anything else, even His own heart.

How well am I using my free will? What is the best choice I've made today or this week? What is a good decision I made even though I felt like choosing a different option (e.g., a way to spend time, money, energy, etc.)? In what ways do I take free will for granted or deny its existence (two very different problems)? Do I value the free will of those around me, or do I feel a deep need to control their actions and opinions?

(4) "The question about Auschwitz is not where was God, but where was man" (p 28). Batman style Pow! Zing! Whack! to the gut.

(5) "The Divine may inspire, agitate, and comfort..., but human beings must act to create a just and compassionate world, minimizing the pain and suffering of all God's creations" (p 29).

Brilliant. I like that he included "all creation," not just humans.

I wrestled with this theme of God using humans in one sermon I gave in Korea (I only gave 3 real sermons in 3 years there)--I Don't Know Why. " “God, why don’t you do something to stop this?” “Jeff, why don’t you?” The wrestling match has not yet concluded.

God, I want to create a just and compassionate world. I want to relieve suffering. I want to give hope. I want people to have the liberty to exercise their free will. Teach me how. Take away my excuses and doubts and fears. Or help me to work despite them. Remind me of the power of little things, and open my eyes to bigger actions I can take. Let me be your hands and feet this day. Open my ears to hear your "still, small voice urging me forth in my efforts to help mend the world" (p 30).