Wanting To Want To

It seems that no matter what one might believe there is an outline of justification for the belief, and just as surely there are those who hold to opposing positions of that affirmation with outlines of reasons and proofs to support their theories.  Unless students are mature to the faulty and variant conditions, practices and orientations related to the search for truth and agreement, they would avoid the conflict of scholarship and order and simply press on to a preferred conclusion and course of action.  What is the course to follow in a world taken by intellectual, moral and emotional conflict?

Jonathan Klawans writing in Biblical Archaeological Review for January/February, 2015 began his article about ancient Israel in the light of law and beliefs (faith).  He was in a group made up mostly of Jewish discussants when a non-Jewish person noted that he had considered becoming Jewish, but decided against it.  One of the persons spoke up: Why not?  He answered, I can’t convert to Judaism.  I don’t believe in God.  Another questioner slammed his hand down on the table before him in objection and said: What does that have to do with it?  Judaism has no special meaning from secular interpretation of nations unless God is a factor to it.  Secular Judaism is, for many Israelis, just another nation and/or culture.  For Christians Israel belongs to the family of nations and functions in that status.  But there is another context (spiritual) in which Israel is perceived differently by biblical Christians, by some Israelis, and by some other faiths.  It is in this context that the world seems inept to either accept organized Jewry or permit its humanistic position among the nations.  Israel and English-speaking nations may be closer to solutions for peace, but exclusive religions outside Christianity maintain historic conflict.  The history of it all is breathtaking.

As nations retreat from views of relevancy for God the problems grow greater, partly encouraged by exotic weapons that can make even small countries major contenders in world tensions and conflicts.  The public does not recognize that wanting solutions and trying those related to peace (a divine solution, even if the peace is not as friendly as it ought to be).  Most of us know persons, perhaps in our own family who keep peace in the family by moving away, by reducing contact, by building a polite distance from one another.  It is better than ongoing tension that finds no peace.  God is at peace even with those who fight him.  His power is something like that of an adult who once held my head while I, a child, flailed my arms trying to hit him.  I could not launch against him, and he would not launch against me.  He knew that someday I would grow up and have no sound reason for going to war against him.  Nations need to talk about what it takes for them to grow up – and want to do that which is best for all.  Nations will have to want to live together.

The enemies of peace are related to jealousy, pride, envy, power, ignorance and whatever it is that divides persons related to the competition which becomes international sin.  Bible history informs us what happened in Israel when nations functioned for peace.  Hiram, a foreign king, was a great friend to David.  They helped each other.  This friendship continued later in successors as illustrated in Solomon’s reign even to the building of the Temple.  The foreign Queen of Sheba marveled at Solomon.   Israel’s context was born in faith and a special relationship to the world both in the allegory of success and failure relating to all peoples, including the redemptive story of the Messiah.  Persons with long experience in the history of Israel know there is a high percentage of Jews that do not believe in God, but keep some practices simply as the culture of Jewish life, unrelated to Israel, the nation – but not inimical to it.  They find their own meaning in the processes.  The only agreed upon definition of a Jew is that at least one of his or her parents was Jewish, and that failing that one can convert to becoming a Jew by following the process agreed upon in Jewish law and gaining conformation.  Nature provides no reason for nations or persons to live in conflict with each other.  God never meant for the matter of faith to be cause for conflict.  I have close friends who know my Christian conviction, and I respect their right, granted of God, to accept or reject the faith I declare.  My prayers in faith make better friends of us.          My faith connects with my context of friendship.