Life in the Bible Belt

 

Holy Donkey, Batman!

“A donkey with a load of holy books is still a donkey.”

Traditional Sufi Saying

          I live in the Bible belt, here in Alabama, or so it is believed. But the words and actions of “the Lord” have been so distorted and misused, that it may as well be “the Purgatory belt.” It’s amazing how many people who’ve never read the Bible, much less studied it, believe themselves to be following in “the Lord’s footsteps.” They praise God while strapping on their holsters or sticking a pistol into their purse.

          First and foremost, Jesus was a pacifist. And secondly, he loved marginalized people and stood with them at every opportunity—remember the healing of the leper in Mark 10:40-45. A leper, the most unclean citizen of Jesus’ time, came to him on his knees saying, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus did the unthinkable—he reached out and touched the leper, and said, “I am willing. Be clean.” Lepers were so feared and hated they were forced to reside in the catacombs away from the rest of the population. For Jesus to touch a leper made him unclean, too. Jesus saw this man as a human being who needed healing, and not as a diseased outcast. Love, not fear, guided him.

          The next time someone asks you if “you’ve been saved,” say, “Yes, thank you,” and walk away. After all, you’ve been saved from them. If you want to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, on the other hand, just be kind, merciful, and respectful of donkeys who come bearing holy books. Like it or not, they’re God’s children too.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane