Last night and this morning I was looking over old notes when I came across a Bible that I had used for about 7 years. The cover was hanging on by a few threads, the maps were falling out, and the pages had notes scribbled all over them. On first page, Genesis 1, there was a little note in the upper left hand corner that said, "God didn't make creation perfect, but 'good.'" Everything God created he said, "It is good (tov)." It's all good. Nothing in creation...NOTHING, was bad. This is key!
Many people that study the Bible, even just a little, know the Hebrew word for "good" is "tov." Even before I started learning Hebrew and went over to Israel to study, I knew this word...a little. The definition of "good" in English rendered by the New Oxford Dictionary states: "to be desired or approved of, pleasing and welcome, strictly adhering to or fulfilling all the principles of a particular cause, religion, or party." "Good" is based on what think...something can be good to me, but not so good to you, therefore, changing what the thing is based on perspective. Does that make sense? When I pastored some people would come up to me and say, "That was a good sermon." I also had people come up to me the same day and say, "That was lousy sermon." The sermon was either good or lousy based upon perspective.
Tov, in Hebrew does not mean "good" in the way of how God (or anybody else for that matter) sees or it or feels about it. Even though he is the ultimate authority and his perspective trumps all others, it is nevertheless a perspective. Since I'm not God, my perspective may differ. I can't see the "good" in most bugs--especially mosquitoes. Jeff Benner of the Ancient Hebrew Research Center defines "tov" beautifully:
What
does "good" mean? The first use of this word is in Genesis chapter one
where calls his handiwork "good". It should always be remembered that
the Hebrews often relate descriptions to functionality. The word tov
would best be translated with the word "functional". When looked at his
handiwork he did not see that it was "good", he saw that it was
functional, kind of like a well oiled and tuned machine. In contrast to
this word is the Hebrew word "ra". These two words, tov and ra are used
for the tree of the knowledge of "good" and "evil". While "ra" is often
translated as evil it is best translated as "dysfunctional".
This changes the context of creation tremendously. Everything was created with a specific purpose and design. In chapter 3 of Genesis, it says, "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD GOD HAD MADE." If God "made" him, then he (the serpent), was a part of what God called "tov." Therefore, even the serpent had a specific purpose and design. I know that is hard to swallow for many American Christians because they want to make the serpent this fallen angel that was the chief musician in heaven, etc., etc., etc., But the fact is, God made him and there wasn't anything God made that was without a purpose.
There was also a tree that God planted in the middle of the garden called "The tree of knowledge of good and evil." If you plug in the mechanical definition of "good" (tov) and "evil" (ra) in there, suddenly this tree has a "new perspective." Rather than give my own commentary on this, I would like to hear what you have to say and ask a few questions.
-Is evil (dysfunction) just "good" out of balance or against its designed purpose?
-Is the "serpent" just a metaphorical term for dysfunction?
-Was the act of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil necessary and therefore an "elevation" rather than a "fall?"
-Can a person understand functionality without dysfunction?
-Is religion today functional? Who created it? Is "yes", explain.
Journey with me...LECH LECHA!!!
Church, I have always tried to see everyone perspective for the way it is, I see religion just as a serpent both good and evil. It has a purpose which is good through the services it provides to the community;but bad because the mechanical hands or humans are dysfunctional within this machine called religion. In conclusion the church is progressive and evolutionary that should hopefully last throughout the ages, providing the surrounding community with hope. For religion is both good and evil like the tree of knowledge which I hope will aid in man kind's evolution for it stands for, a hub for all perspectives alike. matt out.
ReplyDelete-Is evil (dysfunction) just "good" out of balance or against its designed purpose?
ReplyDeleteDysfunction- not working the way it was intended to. (Neither for nor against it's designed purpose) (a simple state of being)
To have knowledge of Function and Dysfunction is to be responsible for them.
God, like a parent says "stay away, you aren't ready for that (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) yet"
-Is the "serpent" just a metaphorical term for dysfunction?
No, I think it is a story of how we were seduced into allowing dysfunction.
-Was the act of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil necessary and therefore an "elevation" rather than a "fall?"
Yes.
An analogy might be...when I was a teenager I got pregnant. My parents had always told me to wait , get married, have kids.
Did they never want me to "partake"? No.
Did it turn me evil to follow my nature? No.
Was it a "fall"? Yes.
Was I elevated by it? Yes.
Waiting till I was more mature would have been the easier path but we have free will and our loving Father lilies us to chose our lessons.
Was the expulsion of the Garden a punishment? No.
It was a consequence and as the executors of this new responsibility we needed to be shown that right away. Function follows form. Action has consequence.
-Can a person understand functionality without dysfunction?
No. We depend on both to learn. Else it would have been the Tree of the Knowledge of Good (function). ;)
-Is religion today functional? Who created it? Is "yes", explain.
No. Conviction and belief is spirit created.
Here is an old quote of mine
Religion is created by man to control the masses- LK
Consider this -
By the early fourth century, strong Christian factions were vying with each other for influence and power, while at the same time the Roman Empire was beginning to fall apart. In A.D. 325, in a move to renew the unity of the empire, the absolute dictator Emperor Constantine convened the leaders of the feuding Christian factions at the Council of Nicaea. He offered to throw his imperial power behind the Christians if they would settle their differences and agree on a single creed. Decisions made at this first council set the foundation for the Roman Catholic Church. (Soon after, the books of the Bible were fixed too.) For the sake of unity, all beliefs that conflicted with the new creed were banished.