Dear soso,
same questions made me throw out theology of any organized religion--they are always exclusive.
So I have wondered if Jesus in saying (if he said) "I have been sent to none but the lost sheep of Israel" and his attempt to remind them that claiming to be children of Abraham they needed to act like Abraham's children"through whom all the nations of the world will be blessed, because you listened to my voice". Was he doing as other prophets in other lands and cultures done---spoken to THEIR people, referencing THEIR traditions to call them to a shared brotherhood?
A story that made me wonder is that one told in Mark 9:38 to chapter's end. Jesus said to not hassle anyone who wasn't following the group with him. "anyone who is not against us is for us".
What!
Jesus you can't develop a tight cult following like that! Think of the screwed up stuff that can happen if you aren't right there--if we aren't there--to kick their ass.
Two years ago my plane was stuck in the Charlotte, NC airport on Thanksgiving evening FOR HOURS. Profiling was responsible. 7 middle eastern students had been invited by the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, DC to Thanksgiving dinner, American style, in recognition of their good grades and hard work. They didn't know one another having come from all over the U.S. but , once they arrived at this last stop before DC, they saw one another(profiling, you know :)they did too) and a woman reported them to authorities as a possible terrorist threat.
I know exactly this background as I sat next to one of the "terrorists" as the drama slowly unfolded. (all of us missed our Thanksgiving dinners)
The good thing at the end, my seat-mate, named "Hadeff" talked to me and showed me the pictures on his samrt phone of his mom, family etc. He asked me about mine. I saw a young man of great peace and dignity go through a humiliating situation along with the other 6 young people. (This was not the first time this had happened to him or to sme of the others) Toward the end I told him that the good god of us all had spoken, it is said, to the old father of Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths--Abraham. Abraham listened, though fallible, though uncertain, not to religious leaders, but to only god as HE heard him speak. Was this not what it is to be blessed as a child of Abraham?
I told Hadeff that in a world of hatreds it is well to know that we are blessed NOT to follow the hatreds of others--even religious leaders-- but the single voice of a god who loves us all.
That is what I understand of god--he doesn't hate everybody at all and he wants us to share that as best we can.
Maeve
