Bible verses, gun sights, and creative spirituality.

By Aelred Edmunds in Articles

Aelred suggests that iving spirituality does not come off a dogmatic assembly line.

Many of you will have seen the recent New Zealand press coverage of the controversy surrounding the presence of Bible verses on Trijicon gun sights used by, among others, our own Army. A headline in the Otago Daily Times (22/1/10) reads: "Army wants 'Jesus sights' cleaned up." One American justification for this weird innovation is that it makes a weapon "a spiritual weapon of Jesus Christ."

I thought that in a long life I had seen just about everything. Not so! This absurd and tragic travesty of all that Jesus was, is, and represents, has really distressed me. For one thing, it is clear evidence that at least some Christian sectors are returning to the mind-set of the Medieval Crusades which justified the slaughter of Saracens (Muslims) and, at one point, Orthodox Christians. This is a "gift" to Islamist extremists.

I don't wish to say more about this controversy as such, but rather to show through it how very important it is that we not only retain, but fine-tune our critical faculties. If we don't, then I suggest we are indeed at risk of having our "islands" of rationality and tolerance overwhelmed by the "tide" of religious fundamentalism, of which this rifle sight business is an example.

The key question for me is: How do we proceed such that our "islands" of rationality are not overwhelmed? Many things could be said in response to this question, but what I wish to offer is my appeal that by all means possible we encourage creative spirituality in our Methodist communities. Be sure: dogmatists do not like spiritualities which are free and creative. Their suit is rigidity and orthodoxy (their reading of orthodoxy, be it noted).

Rigidity.... Significantly, these Bible verses are stamped on the rifle-sights. We might say that this is a kind of frightening 'message metaphor' involving steel, mass-production, invariability.

This propaganda for a perverse reading of Scripture (and of Jesus) has nothing in common with creative spiritual life.

To be creative in our spiritual lives we need to be comfortable with the recognition that what we have been taught in a Christian context must be personalised if it is to be meaningful. "One has to connect the dots between religious traditions and daily life." Living spirituality does not come off a dogmatic assembly line - like contaminated rifle sights!

To be spiritually creative we need to be relaxed, trusting, open, hopeful. We need a personal inspiration, not a catechism certainty.

We need to be comfortable with who we actually are, not be seeking some "pie-in-the-sky" religious ideal.

We need to recognise, ultimately, that our spiritual paths are our own as individuals. Church may guide, but should never dictate. This is our Reformed inheritance.

We need to avoid any kind of "herd thinking." What I term "the rifle sight proponents" are clearly examples of "herd thinking" of an extreme kind.

It is not somehow "un-spiritual" or evidence of "unfaithfulness" to question any body of teaching, or any Church position.

Hard religion of the kind that we find among "the rifle sight proponents" knows nothing of peace and calm - marks of the presence of the Spirit. Rather, it is always edgy, looking for enemies within and without. The current biggest enemy for these people is, after Muslim terrorists, homosexuality.

Above all, I think, "creative spirituality" is ready to accept doubts and uncertainties. These stimulate creativity. They are not necessarily a mark of loss of faith. "The rifle sight proponents" are frightened people, frightened of losing their traditional securities.

"Creative spirituality" is not only comfortable with the presence of minorities, but rejoices in their presence. "Rifle sight proponents" most certainly fear minorities of any kind.

Finally, wasn't Jesus himself profoundly CREATIVE in his religious context? And wasn't it the 1st Century equivalents of "the rifle sight proponents" who set out to destroy him?

Just as a footnote, as it were, I would like to make reference to the film AVATAR. I have seen it twice, and could go to a third viewing! Clearly, AVATAR is having a considerable impact world-wide in adding to the rich mix of contemporary spiritualities. This deserves an article in its own right. However, a friend of mine in the United States points out that AVATAR is now caught up in the maelstrom of America's "culture wars." Fundamentalist Christians are up-in-arms in a big way over this brilliant movie. They see it as attacking both "Christian values" and "the American Way." How easily upset they are! They will certainly be calling for Bible verses on their preachers' rifle sights.

-- Aelred Edmunds

A Connections article reprinted from the Parish weekly bulletin for Jan. 31, 2010.