Archive for April, 2009
The thing about truth
As I’ve gotten older and studied the Bible more, I’ve grown skeptical about how factual it really is. Don’t get me wrong, I affirm that the Bible is God-breathed. But I believe that it’s ok if God-breathed and factual are two different things.
The most obvious example of this for me is found in the first chapter of the first book of the Bible. Now, I don’t know if the world was actually created in six, 24-hour days or not. I’m not saying it’s not possible or that God didn’t, I’m just saying I’m not sure. And if this story isn’t absolutely factual, I’m ok with it. I don’t think the point of the story is to be found in the way God created, but simply that He created and found it to be good.
Then we have a story like Nehemiah’s, the man who rebuilt the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Based on my limited understanding, I think this is probably a fairly factual account of what Nehemiah did. From this story I get both a historical picture of how the walls were rebuilt and a valuable lesson in leadership.
It could be argued that I’m picking and choosing what to take literally and what I’m viewing as allegory. In my defense, I’m trying (though perhaps not wholly succeeding) to not be arbitrary with my choices. I look to scholars much smarter than I to frame these decisions. However, I’m not sure picking and choosing is worse than accepting all of scripture or none of it as factual – both are a choice that require a leap of faith and some rational reasoning.
I don’t think scripture has to be factual to be true. Just as an example, The Chronicles of Narnia books aren’t factual. But that doesn’t mean the lessons gleaned from them aren’t based in truth. I learn about sacrifice, awe, humility and grace – lessons worth learning. And that’s the point of the books.
Is it possible that some of the books in the Bible could be read with the same perspective?
I’ll bet this post will require a clarification post too.
A future of Disney and Scrabble
I was afraid to talk about this, as I didn’t want to jeopardize my current position, but I have been offered an opportunity that I just can’t pass up.
After several emails, it appears that I’m going to be coming into a little – ok a LOT – of money. Without going into too much detail, I have been contacted by the executor of the estate of a man who died in a plane crash with no living relatives and no completed will. As the executor, I guess this guy has the right to distribute the money as he sees fit, and he has chosen me!
After supplying him with my banking account information, he deposited $15 into my account, just to show me he was real and serious. I’m expecting the full transfer of funds any time today or tomorrow.
I’ve always wondered what I would if I won the lottery. Would I continue working? Would I start a business? Would I create a charity? Well, now that I kind of have won the lottery, the answers are clear: I’m going to go to Disney World for a month and then I’m going to get a Scrabble tutor and go on tour. This probably isn’t financially wise, but with the kind of money I’m coming into, I don’t have to be prudent.
I do think that we’ll keep our house in Wichita as a vacation home, but there’s a good chance that we’ll be moving to somewhere more tropic like Oklahoma City or Nashville.
If someone would like to organize a congratulations party for me, I can pay for it. Just leave a comment or shoot me an email if you’re interested.
P.S. I’m not receiving enough money to loan anybody some. Sorry.