Backlash Follows Release of POW Bergdahl

© 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

On May 31, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier held by the Taliban since June 2009, was released by his captors as part of a prisoner swap brokered with the Taliban by the governments of the United States, Qatar and Afghanistan. In exchange for Bergdahl, the United States released five Taliban detainees who'd been incarcerated in the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They were sent to Qatar, where they are free to move about the country but are not supposed to leave it for a year.
Bergdahl is currently being debriefed and treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. It is projected that he will eventually return to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, for further recovery.
While the deal has brought relief to Bergdahl's family, the celebrations planned in his hometown were canceled in the wake of considerable backlash to his release. That backlash is based on three objections:
First, those of his former comrades in arms who have spoken say Bergdahl wasn't captured while doing his duty, but rather that he walked away from his post, and there does appear to be evidence of this.
Second, some observers say that at least six American soldiers died trying to rescue Bergdahl. The deaths of those six are not directly tied in a cause-and-effect chain to attempts to rescue Bergdahl, but people familiar with the specific missions say that those soldiers would not have been where they were at the time of their deaths had Bergdahl not left his post and been captured.
Third, some think it likely that the five Taliban prisoners released in exchange will cause problems for the United States again. All five were top Taliban commanders before their capture, and one has reportedly already said he will fight the United States again.
Some members of Congress have criticized the White House for how it executed the swap. The exchange was negotiated without informing Congress, despite a 2013 law that says the administration must give at least 30 days' notice before transferring anyone from the Guantanamo Bay facility. However, when President Obama signed the bill, he issued a signing statement saying that the restriction interfered with the president's executive power as commander-in-chief. Signing statements have been used by previous presidents as well.
In response to the criticism, the president reiterated the American practice of not leaving a serviceman or servicewoman behind. "We don't condition whether or not we make the effort to try to get them back," President Obama said.
A senior U.S. official says that Bergdahl has told military officials that he was tortured, beaten and held in a cage by his Taliban captors after he tried to escape.
More on this story can be found at these links:
The Bergdahl Exchange: Catch Up on the Latest Developments. CNN
Obama: No Apology for Bergdahl Prisoner Exchange. Yahoo! News
How Did 6 Die After Bowe Bergdahl's Disappearance? CNN
Taliban: We Found Bergdahl Alone, Cursing Americans. Newser
Freed Taliban Commander Tells Relative He'll Fight Americans Again. NBC News
Bowe Bergdahl and the Impossible Choices Families of Hostages Face. The Atlantic
The Big Questions
1. To what degree, if any, is God's rescue of us from sin based on our deservedness? If God saves only those who deserve it, who can be saved? Are there any ways in which your answer affects your view of the Bergdahl release? Why or why not?
2. If the reports of Bergdahl's behavior leading to his capture are true, it at minimum can be described as "dumb" or "ill-considered." What does our faith have to say about the dumb stuff we have done that has resulted in harm to ourselves and/or others? Does God hold our foolish actions against us?
3. To what degree, if any, does our salvation depend on our not walking away from the church? Is walking away from church the same as walking away from God? Explain your answer.
4. Regarding the Christian teaching of final judgment, does such judgment determine our salvation/damnation, or are we saved by grace and still judged for our actions? If the latter, what are the consequences of our actions?
5. To what degree, if any, does God's saving us depend on us?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. (For context, read 10:26-31.)
This is a statement by Jesus about human worth.
Questions: How would you apply this statement to the Taliban prisoners who were released from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for Bergdahl? What worth do you assign to them? What worth, do you suppose, does Jesus assign to them?
If you were the one captured by the Taliban, what price would you want your country to be willing to pay for your return? What is the actual price, not in the abstract, but in terms of the consequences, and who all will pay it?
Romans 3:22-24
For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ... (For context, read 3:21-26.)
This statement from the apostle Paul answers the question about who deserves rescue from God, and that answer is "no one." Thus, grace is a gift, not a reward.
Questions: To receive rescue from sin, is it necessary that we feel sinful? Is it necessary that we be able to point to obvious sinful behavior in our lives? Why or why not? Do you agree with Paul's "no one" answer? Why or why not?
The fourth-century African theologian Augustine often railed against what he considered the heresy of the Pelagians, who did not share Paul's formulation about original sin and insisted that humanity was basically good. What is your view of humanity and its so-called sinful nature? In your experience, are there people who seem pretty good at the core? Why do people, in the case of the current controversy, always seem to look for the worst in others? Does this say more about them or the people they criticize? Consider the popular t-shirt that displays a child with the words "God don't make junk." What does this say to the Romans text?
Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost. (For context, read 19:1-10.)
John 6:44
No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me ... (For context, read 6:41-51.)
Both of these verses point out that God acts to enable us to receive salvation through Jesus before we make a decision to seek him. In fact, as the verse from John indicates, even our impulse to seek Christ is God-given.
Some Christian denominations use the term "prevenient grace" to describe this divine action that precedes human decision (as distinguished from divine "saving grace" that results in salvation). But whether or not that term is used, many Christians recognize after the fact that God was actively wooing them before they were even aware of their need for him.
Questions: Where have you been aware of God awakening your need for Christ before you moved toward him? What made you ready to hear the gospel?
Acts 13:13
Then Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem ... (For context, read 12:25--13:5, 13.)
The "John" in this verse is also known as "Mark" (Acts 12:25), and he was a cousin of Paul's co-worker Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). When Paul and Barnabas set out on a journey to evangelize parts of the Roman Empire, they took John Mark with them, only to have him pull out of the venture after they were on their way. The reason he walked away from the trip is not known, but Bible scholars speculate that it may have been the hardships of the journey, homesickness or even displeasure that Paul had displaced his cousin as the group leader.
In any case, when Paul and Barnabas later were planning a second journey to spread the gospel, Barnabas again wanted to take his cousin John Mark, but Paul objected because of the man's desertion of them on the previous trip. When Barnabas and Paul could not agree on this, the pair separated, with Paul taking Silas instead and Barnabas taking John Mark on an evangelistic trip of their own (Acts 15:36-41).
Given a second chance, John Mark must have grown into his call, for later, Paul describes him as a "fellow worker" (Philemon 24). Also, in 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul specifically asks Timothy to bring John Mark to him "for he is useful in my ministry."
Questions: How much energy should we put into getting people who have walked away from the church to come back? Should we seek to reconcile them, or judge them, or both? Why? What offense are you holding onto? Should there be a shelf date on some of our grudges?
Luke 15:4-5
Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. (For context, read 15:1-7.)
Good shepherds go looking for their sheep that wander off, and bring them back to the flock. Jesus told this story to make a point about God seeking us.
Questions: Consider these words from the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing": "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it/Prone to leave the God I love." To what degree do these words describe your experience? In what specific ways have you been aware of the Divine Shepherd looking for you?
For Further Discussion
1. What might be the effect of rating POWs to decide which ones "deserve" rescue attempts?
2. If it's decided that Bergdahl committed a chargeable offense in walking away from his post, what should his punishment be? Have his five years of captivity by the Taliban been sufficient suffering? Who should decide, and why?
3. How might it affect your view of this prisoner exchange if more U.S. personnel are captured for purposes of swapping them for Taliban detainees?
4. Should this prisoner exchange be measured in mathematical terms of the value of a human life? Why or why not? What biblical perspectives help answer this question?
5. Respond to this, from a TWW team member: "Some walk away from a church after years of faithful membership and serving in leadership roles due to a change in pastors, church leadership, the atmosphere, church bullies and busybodies and for their own needs. Millennials are walking away for a variety of reasons, including their views about premarital sex, inclusion of homosexuals, not being provided meaningful roles in church ministries, noisy members and a host of reasons.
     "I walked away in fourth grade after watching how some church bullies treated a friend of mine while we were on a church-sponsored trip. I decided I did not want to attend a church where people were mean to other people. This was difficult for my grandmother and grandfather, an associate minister in our church and the son of a minister. I found my own way back to my home church after visiting the Baptist church my best friend attended in seventh grade. After visiting my friend's church a few times, I asked my grandmother if our home church had some of the ministries I saw at my friend's church. I returned to my home church in seventh grade and avoided that particular group of church bullies through high school."
Responding to the News
This is a good time to remind ourselves that all people -- including those with whose lifestyle and values we disagree -- are valued in God's eyes, and to consider how that should affect our treatment of such persons.
This is also a good time to review what efforts we make as individuals and as a congregation to bring those who have wandered from the church back into the fellowship.
Closing Prayer

Thank you, O Lord, that you seek us even before we think to seek you, and that you offer saving grace. We pray that you will help those in a position to bring an end to the conflict in Afghanistan to do all they peaceably can to bring that about. In Jesus' name. Amen.

When Religious Conscientiousness Goes Into Overdrive, Anxiety and Dysfunction May Follow

© 2014 The Wired Word 

www.thewiredword.com

In the News
Last week, the CNN website published an article titled "Religious OCD: 'I'm Going to Hell,'" a description of a condition present in some religious people that keeps them from the joys of their faith and causes them to dwell in fear of personal sin and punishment from God.
The condition, called both "religious obsessive-compulsive disorder" (religious OCD) and "scrupulosity," is a subset of the more general obsessive-compulsive disorder. The article's author, Elizabeth Landau, explained that OCD "involves unwanted thoughts ('obsessions') and accompanying behaviors called compulsions that patients use to reduce anxiety." In the scrupulosity form of OCD, Landau said, "the obsessions have a religious or moral underpinning."

Wikipedia describes scrupulosity as "a psychological disorder characterized by pathological guilt about moral or religious issues. It is personally distressing, objectively dysfunctional and often accompanied by significant impairment in social functioning. It is typically conceptualized as a moral or religious form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) ...."
Landau cities Jonathan Abramowitz, a psychology professor from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He pointed out that people with religious OCD often believe their thoughts are "morally equivalent to actions." He noted that "scrupulosity [effectively] means 'fearing sin where there is none.'" And, he said, scrupulosity sufferers are "walking around with this black cloud of 'I'm going to hell.'"
Landau also tells the stories of two women, one Jewish and one Christian, who became obsessed in childhood with fears about religious shortcomings and developed compulsive religious rituals in unsuccessful attempts to counter those fears. Their compulsions interfered with their family and other relationships, and they were frequently ridden with anxiety. Later, as adults, both sought and received therapy that helped them deal with their religious OCD in healthier ways, thus improving their lives, their outlooks and their ability to experience the blessings of their religious faith.
One of the things they had to confront was their fear of uncertainty. Abramowitz believes that "faith is about being comfortable with your beliefs even if you can't have a 100 percent guarantee about things like hell, whether there is really a God or what it means to be faithful enough. You're taught to have faith, even though you cannot have scientific proof."
For purposes of today's lesson, we think it is important to move beyond the discussion of scrupulosity as a diagnosis. It is, perhaps, an extreme form of religious conscientiousness, but many Christians, without reaching such dysfunctional extremes, still wrestle with matters of a tender conscience and seek to know at what point devotion to God goes beyond what God asks of us.
In her article, Landau mentioned that some historians have suggested that certain giants of Christian history, including John Climacus, St. Ignatius of Loyola and Martin Luther might have been afflicted with religious OCD.
But, at least regarding Luther, TWW team member James Gruetzner comments, "As I recall his history, the times when he might've been what we consider excessive today were when he was in his late teens and his 20s -- more reflective of the emotional and spiritual development of a person becoming an adult than of any significant psychological (or mental) problem. Certainly it did not interfere with his functioning in society. I don't think it's at all uncommon -- or particularly worthy of labeling as a mental problem -- for adolescents and younger adults to be rather intense in some aspects of life. ... some of the examples in the article were of teens who seemed to have outgrown it."
Gruetzner added, "I tend to see a lot of the pop psychology as forgetting that people are on a continuum and, in most cases, not necessarily stuck on one place. Those who do get stuck at an extreme would need to seek special help, while most people, as part of growing up, are better helped by Christian friends, especially the older-and-wiser. How to do each as required -- identifying and encouraging special (professional) help when needed, or just providing help as a friend -- may not be clear at all times.
More on this story can be found at these links:
Religious OCD: 'I'm Going to Hell.' CNN
Scrupulosity. International OCD Foundation
The Big Questions
1. To what degree -- if any -- is Christianity a matter of dos and don'ts? How hard should we work to stay within those boundaries? What should we do, if anything, about inadvertent failures to observe the dos and don'ts?
2. Is "pious devotion" another term for OCD behavior? Defend your answer. If you are disciplined in your devotional life, might others interpret this as OCD behavior? Is this a fair characterization?
3. In terms of practicing our faith, is it possible to be obsessively conscientious? If not, why not? If so, can the matter of being saved by grace be, in addition to redemption, a deliverance from obsessive conscientiousness?
4. How should the expression "Let your conscience be your guide" be adapted, if at all, for people who are following Jesus? When you let your conscience be your guide, whom should you rely on to test your conscience?
5. Who should decide whether a person's fervent prayer and devotional life is normal or obsessive-compulsive? How can the church help in this decision?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Psalm 119:1
Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. (For context, read 119:1-8.)
Psalm 119 is in praise of God's law (Torah). The psalm is a good example of how important a certain -- and dare we say {ITALIC}healthy -- level of scrupulosity can be: It helps provide order in a chaotic world. Psalm 119 is an acrostic of acrostics -- 22 stanzas of eight lines each, each stanza in turn beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet -- in alphabetical order -- and each of the eight lines in each stanza begins with the same letter of the alphabet. (Not surprisingly, this is more apparent in the original Hebrew, but if you look at Psalm 119 in the NIV, CEB or NASB Bible, you'll see the actual Hebrew letter as a heading over each eight-verse block.)
Additionally, each of the 176 lines in this psalm (except for vv. 2, 37, 90 and 122) uses one of the eight synonyms for God's Torah: law, decrees, precepts, statutes, commandments, ordinances, word, promise. In that regard, although we have chosen to quote verse 1 above, we could have chosen almost any verse from this psalm as a sample.
Questions: When have you found the repeating or habitual religious structures, such as rituals, formulaic prayers, daily devotions, weekly church attendance, etc., helpful in maintaining spiritual order and blessings in your life? When have such things gotten in the way of hearing God's new word for you?
How meticulous are you in your life of prayer and devotion? Do you use a printed guide? Do you follow an outline from a book or other source? What do you think are the advantages to the way you approach prayer?
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (For context, read 11:25-30.)
Many of the common people who heard Jesus carried the burden of an uneasy conscience. Many of them had been taught by the Pharisees and some rabbis a strict and legalistic interpretation of the 613 commandments stated in God's laws given through Moses. These interpretations created a body of requirements much larger than the original laws themselves. It was such a formidable mass of regulation that only a full-time legal specialist could hope to know -- and fulfill -- them all.
The result was that the common people often unknowingly violated one of these interpretations. For the most sincere and devout in their attempts to be faithful to the laws, a guilty conscience must have been a common experience. Some people may have been exhausted in their efforts to satisfy the demands of legalism.
Perhaps it was to such people that Jesus addressed the words above. We who are overwhelmed with responsibilities may hear these words as a call to find relaxation in Jesus. But in the original setting, Jesus' invitation was not addressing the work-burdened. For that matter, he was not addressing the sin-burdened either. He was speaking to those who were trying to live holy lives under the enormous burden of keeping all of those rules the Pharisees had laid on them. They were the "law-burdened."
In comparison to that, Jesus' burden is light. He didn't come to do away with God's laws given through Moses, but to fulfill them by giving them the ultimate interpretation. In fact, his interpretation could be boiled down to two: "Love the Lord with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus didn't mean that God's laws had no value. But he likely meant that the scrupulous attempt to reduce every law to a restrictive set of behaviors missed the point.
He was addressing those who had felt inward moral disapproval, not because they were intentionally doing wrong, but because they were trying to do right but were under constant judgment by an impossible -- and man-made -- standard. To paraphrase Jesus, he was saying, "Come to me, all you whose consciences bleed because you cannot achieve everything you believe is expected of you. And I will give you healing and inward peace."
Note that Jesus did not offer a life with no yoke at all. Freedom is preserved within protective boundaries, and a {ITALIC}healthy conscience is one such boundary.
The yoke of Jesus' day was a wooden collar made for two animals so that they could pull together as a team. The yoke of Jesus is not one he imposes on us, but one he wears with us. His words might be rephrased as "Become my yoke-mate, and learn how to pull the load by working beside me and watching how I do it. The heavy labor of life will seem lighter when you allow me to help you with it."
Questions: In what ways do you find Jesus' "yoke" hard to carry? In what ways do you find it light? In what ways do you feel that Jesus is helping you "pull" your load? Whom besides Jesus do you rely on to help bear this burden or yoke?
Luke 22:19
Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (For context, read 22:14-20.)
Luke 24:30
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. (For context, read 24:28-35.)
In the Luke 22 reference above, the gospel writer describes Jesus' actions at the Last Supper, in what became for his followers the institution of the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion. In the Luke 24 verse, the gospel writer uses some of the same vocabulary to describe the resurrected Jesus sharing a meal with the two disciples he had joined on the road to Emmaus.
We suspect that Luke uses the same words deliberately, for he understood that in the presence of Jesus, certain actions and words (i.e., "rituals") become the markers of our spiritual lives. Luke says as much, for he says that after the meal with Jesus, the two believers sought out the 11 disciples and "told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread" (v. 35).
Questions: How can we be faithful in our worship so as to recognize Jesus' presence, without fixating on ritualistic acts for our salvation? What litanies or religious practices have been most helpful to you? Where do you see Jesus in the midst of your church's practices?
Galatians 2:16
... yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. (For context, read 2:15-21.)
For those of us who want a guarantee that if we just do certain things perfectly correctly, all will be well with us spiritually, it's good to hear these words from Paul. We are justified by faith, not by works.
Questions: Apply this verse to your own life. What does it mean to you? How do faith and works come together? Where do you draw the line between faith and works in your life of faith? Where do you observe others drawing that line?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (For context, read 5:11-22.)
When Paul advised that we should pray without ceasing, we doubt that he meant we should fixate on praying to the point of compulsion. Rather, he likely meant that being in touch with God regularly is important to the spiritual life and for discovering God's will.
Questions: How can we tell what is a sign from God and what is not? How does salvation come into play? How practical is it to seek to pray without ceasing? Do you tell people you are praying for them all the time whether you are or not? What form does prayer take when it is a constant presence in your life? What are the markers (that others might mistake for OCD behaviors) in your prayer life?
For Further Discussion
1. Respond to this, from a TWW team member: "[Until] reading the [scrupulosity] article, I have never considered that one's religious fervor could be considered OCD. Yet, I know in my own journey as a younger Christian that, while I do not see it as OCD, legalism and expectation from the evangelical subculture made me feel that I was not spiritual enough because of my personal struggles. It did produce anxiety, and I guess I was 50 years old before I could ever relax in grace."
2. Respond to this, heard in a sermon: "Faith is not synonymous with certainty; it is synonymous with commitment. Christian faith is not saying, 'I know the truth'; rather it is saying, 'I am entrusting myself to Christ.'"
3. Discuss this, from a TWW team member: "I have had a chance to work with two individuals with religious OCD or scrupulosity, as it is called. These have been hard conversations, and I have actually had to encourage these two to attend church less and help them think that not everything is spiritual. Many moments in their lives were taken as spiritual signs, and the overarching focus was typically on hell and sin. Tough conversations, so this topic hits a few ministry moments for me."
4. Comment on this, from TWW team member James Gruetzner, as quoted in the "In the News" section above: "Those who do get stuck at an extreme would need to seek special help, while most people, as part of growing up, are better helped by Christian friends, especially the older-and-wiser. How to do each as required -- identifying and encouraging special (professional) help when needed, or just providing help as a friend -- may not be clear at all times."
5. In the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, that old statesman tells of living at a boarding house in England in his younger years. There was another boarder, a single woman of 70, who lived up in the garret. As a young woman, she had lived in a convent somewhere in Europe and intended to become a nun, but for some reason, the country did not agree with her, and she returned to England. But she vowed to live as much like a nun as she could. Accordingly, she had given all her estate to charity, keeping only a small amount to live on, and then she regularly gave away even much of that, living on a watery gruel. She was so saintly that the owners of the house let her live there for free, actually deeming it a blessing to have her in the house. Every day, a priest came to hear her confession. Her landlady wondered how the old woman could possibly have anything to confess daily, and asked her about it. The woman said, "Oh, it is impossible to avoid vain thoughts." What observations would you make about this woman?
Responding to the News
It may be that the uneasy conscience is more prevalent among those who attend church regularly than among the population at large, for we are people who really try to understand what it means to live righteously. The burden of undeserved guilt often comes to those who really try to do what they understand as right.
It would be good for us to consider how we use the words "must," "should," "ought" and the like, both with ourselves and when speaking to other Christians, as in statements that start, "To please God, you must ..." or "As a Christian, you ought to ...."
Of course, there are some things that Christians must, should and ought to do, but our reliance on such words to describe our religion may be a cue that we have allowed things to get out of balance in our spiritual lives, and that we have forgotten about grace, mercy and "come unto me, all you that are weary ...."
Closing Prayer

O God, help us to grasp that the yoke Jesus invites us to share is not an intimidating list of dos and don'ts, and that you do not wish to relate to us primarily as a judge. Let our gift to you be not a guilty conscience but a joyful acceptance of your mercy and love. Thank you for giving us, through Jesus, ready admission into your presence. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Advice to Woman With Unresolved Guilt Falls Short, Both Psychologically and Biblically

 © 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

A couple of weeks ago, a woman wrote to advice columnist Emily Yoffe, who writes the "Dear Prudence" column for Slate. The woman, who is a grandmother, explained that one day when she was a young girl, she accidentally bruised herself at school by doing something clumsy. When she came home, her mother noticed and asked what happened. The woman said that her mother "was always making me feel stupid," so instead of telling what really happened, she said that her teacher pinched her.
"I was hoping for a little 'poor baby' from her and then the whole thing would blow over," the woman wrote.
That didn't happen. Her mother became enraged, went to the school and accused the teacher. An investigation ensued, and the girl was too scared to back down. The teacher was either fired or quit to avoid criminal charges.
"I felt terrible, especially when she asked me, in tears, why I was telling that lie," the woman wrote. "It has always bothered me since."
The woman added that the event "is so far in the past that I can't see what I can do to make restitution to the teacher. Surely she is retired by now." Nonetheless, she said, she would like to do "something."
Her letter was signed "Guilty."
In her reply, Yoffe said that the fact that the woman continued to be haunted by this incident showed she was a decent person. Yoffe advised "Guilty" that since there was little likelihood that she could find the teacher, she shouldn't try to do so. Besides, Yoffe said, the teacher was probably able to continue her career elsewhere, and it could be hoped that she had put the incident behind her. Yoffe suggested that "Guilty" donate some money to a group such as the Innocence Project, which works to exonerate the wrongfully convicted. The columnist concluded, "Now it's time to recognize [that] the person who did it was a hurting little girl, and forgive her."
The Wired Word team doesn't think Yoffe's reply went far enough. One team member, Malia Miller, who was a high-school-level guidance counselor for many years and now teaches others who are in school to be counselors, said, "The suggestion from the advice columnist is a great plan B, but to really achieve the closure this woman is longing for, she should make an effort to find the teacher and seek forgiveness. What a gift for the teacher to be exonerated -- even at such a late date -- as well as redemption for the grandmother. Even if she is unsuccessful in finding her former teacher, the effort made can be very therapeutic to her emotional healing. That is the clinical view from my standpoint, but I believe it mimics the Christian journey of repentance and forgiveness taught in the scriptures."
More on this and related stories can be found at these links:
Lies and Consequences. Slate
I'll Tell You No More Lies. Slate
Embezzler Comes Clean 41 Years Later. Spokane Chronicle
The Big Questions
1. The gospel tells us that when we receive Christ, he forgives us our past sin. When we have wronged someone else in our past, is forgiveness from Christ sufficient, or do we also need to seek the forgiveness of that person insofar as possible? Explain your reasoning. What if we fail to, are unable to or do not succeed?
2. When we feel guilt over hurting someone in the past, what factors should be considered in deciding whether to seek that person out to apologize or make amends?
3. When we do seek out and apologize to someone we long ago hurt, and that person forgives us, does that end our responsibility in the matter and are we then absolved of our guilt? Is there anything else we should do?
4. When we do seek out and apologize to someone we long ago hurt, and that person refuses to forgive us, does that end our responsibility in the matter and are we then absolved of our guilt? What about when the person we hurt cannot be found or has died?
5. When both God and the person we've hurt forgive us, sometimes we nonetheless continue to feel guilty. What should we do about those feelings?
6. It's possible to become too accepting of guilt feelings -- perhaps deeming them an inevitable part of the human condition -- and thus allowing such feelings to lose their power to drive us toward redemption. How can we avoid that without wallowing in guilt for things that have been forgiven?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Matthew 5:23-24
So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. (No context needed.)
These words from Jesus provide a solid basis for the practice of seeking reconciliation with people we've hurt as part of an ongoing life of worship and faith.
Questions: What would you say to the woman who signed herself "Guilty"? What advice do you think Jesus would give the woman? What does this verse say to you about work you need to be doing?
Is it better to work out our differences before we worship with each other, or is it better to worship together as a prelude to or means of reconciliation? Does it even matter? What do we do if someone refuses to be reconciled?
Mark 2:5
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." (For context, read 2:1-12.)
Psalm 51:4
Against you, you alone, have I sinned ... (For context, read 51:1-17.)
This line from Mark is Jesus' first comment to the paralyzed man who had been lowered through the roof of a house where Jesus was. Jesus' comment may seem odd, because the man on the mat hadn't said anything about needing forgiveness. Given Jesus' reputation as a healer, it was obvious this man had been brought to Jesus to be healed. And, as far as anything in the text tells us, this man on the mat was a stranger to Jesus, so how did Jesus know he needed to be forgiven?
The answer has to be that Jesus knew that the man had a greater need, which, if not taken care of, would leave him crippled in mind and spirit even after his body was healed. Jesus did heal the man's body, but by also pronouncing him forgiven, Jesus made the man truly whole.
Although a surface reading of the story suggests that Jesus did this with no merit on the part of the man on the mat, Mark tells us that after this man was lowered through the roof, "Jesus saw their faith." At minimum, "their faith" refers to that of the people who were convinced enough that Jesus could help their friend that they tore the roof open. But Mark's comment about faith probably also includes the man on the mat, for he allowed himself to be the centerpiece of this bold move of his friends. And it was only after Jesus saw their faith that he said to the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
The psalmist reminds us that, in a very real sense, all our sins are against God, not against fellow creatures. It is a stark reminder of our relationship as responsible creatures to the Creator.
The point we can take from these Bible passages is this: We don't have to be crippled by the guilty weight of our past sins, misdeeds, mistakes, selfish actions or hurting of someone else. But it is not simply a matter of "forgiving ourselves." We know what's intended by that phrase and it has a worthwhile meaning, but technically, forgiveness is not the possession of the transgressor to give. If I have hurt you, you may choose to forgive me, but I can't just say "I forgive myself" and have fully dealt with my guilt.

More realistically, we should seek forgiveness from the one we have hurt -- when that is possible -- and we should seek forgiveness from God. That's because the opposite of guilt is not innocence, but grace -- the grace of those whose forgiveness we seek and, importantly, the grace of God extended through Jesus Christ.
Questions: What does "forgiving yourself" actually mean? How does what it means fit as a part of seeking forgiveness from those we've hurt? Why should we also seek forgiveness from God, even when our wrongdoing was not intentionally aimed at him?

How would you feel, having a complaint against someone who hurt you deeply, if that person felt off the hook because of receiving Jesus' forgiveness, especially if that person, as part of his or her testimony, told of the past wrongdoing and then bragged that the slate had been wiped clean?
Romans 3:21-24
But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ... (For context, read 3:9-26.)
Martin Luther found great help for his guilt from Romans 3. He was concerned that he might forget a sin and fail to confess it, and, as a result, lose out on salvation. Over time, and especially through his reading of Romans 3, he came to the understanding and reassurance that simply confessing one's sinfulness or one's sins "en masse," even if you can't recall every last one to confess individually (and who can?) is sufficient because our salvation is assured by God's grace, not by any work we do -- not even the "work" of confession!
Questions: In what sense is sin universal? Do you think anyone gets through life without feeling guilty for something he or she has done? What does that tell you about the need for grace?
How might "Guilty's" sin as a child have been caught up with the fear she had for her home situation (which is possibly where the real cause of the sin lies) and the brokenness from past generations that may have led to the difficult situation in which she was raised?
1 John 1:8-9
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, [God] who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (For context, read 1:5-10.)
These two verses are commonly used as the introduction to the ritual confession and absolution in some denominational worship books. The implication is that confession is a necessary step on the way to absolution.
In terms of the woman in the advice column letter, there is good that could come -- both for her and for her teacher, if she is found -- by confessing and apologizing to the one who was hurt. But if that proves impossible, this passage could remind her and others riddled with such guilt that God is faithful and just and forgives us all our sins when we confess to him.
Questions: What do you think led John to make this bold assertion about the pervasiveness of sin? Why do you suppose he said denial of one's sin is self-deception?
Micah 7:19
[God] will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. (For context, read 7:18-20.)
When we repent of whatever we have done wrong, others may or may not remember our past, but as far as God is concerned, we have no reputation to live down. We may have work to do with those we've hurt, but as far as God is concerned, our sins of the past are not merely forgiven; they are forgotten.
This verse tells us that God pitches our sins into "the depths of the sea." We suspect he then posts a "no fishing" sign.
Questions: What hope do you take from this verse? How does this help with guilt you feel regarding someone with whom you cannot reconcile because they have died or cannot be located?
For Further Discussion
1. Comment on this, from team member Joanna Loucky-Ramsey: "I agree the advice given by Prudence is not particularly helpful, except for the part that she needs to forgive herself. But that does not erase her haunting guilt any more than waving a magic wand makes someone a princess. Nor does it make things right for the teacher, who very likely did not find another teaching position as the columnist seems to naively believe she could do easily. I do not agree that the woman should make no effort to find the teacher she wronged. And if she cannot find her, she could at least contact the school where the teacher taught, confess to the school board so that the teacher's name could at long last be cleared. That is closer to some kind of justice than sweeping it under the rug and pretending it never happened and that a woman's reputation was not damaged.
     "And beyond that, the question of how one gets forgiveness or makes amends remains. The woman's relationship with the teacher, with the community at large and with God are all involved. If she is ever to really feel whole again, each of these relationships needs to be addressed. And beyond that, her self-image of herself as a liar needs to be transformed, which can only happen when she finds forgiveness and cleansing from her sin through the blood Jesus shed for her. In a way, it doesn't matter why she lied, although we can all empathize with her childhood fear and hunger to be loved that were behind her lie. What matters is that that one deed had haunted her her whole life, and completely changed the teacher's life as well. She caused unimaginable pain to her teacher and needs to find genuine redemption."
2. Discuss this story that was shared with TWW anonymously: "Our family suspects that my grandma slept with my grandpa out of wedlock and then felt obligated to marry him. Divorced when their second baby (my mom) was only six months old, she seemed to carry a heavy burden of guilt her whole life. Though she never talked about the details, her somber personality (some would say 'dour') and what we see in hindsight as depression point to unresolved guilt. Not long before her death at age 85, in private and without offering specifics, she asked my dad, a pastor, what to do about a sin she couldn't forgive herself for. His response went something like this: 'You give it to Jesus, because he has already forgiven you.' Of course we hope she took his counsel to heart, but it's a shame she had to wait so long to experience peace."
3. Comment on this: In their book If Grace Is True, Phillip Gulley and James Mulholland suggest that in heaven, each of us will sit between two people. On one side will be the person we need most to forgive and on the other side will be the person who most needs our forgiveness. Perhaps the authors are saying that part of the work of heaven is the reconciliation of all things. That sounds like a lot of work, but perhaps that's what eternity is for.
4. In his book Amish Grace, Donald Kraybill and coauthors say that according to the Amish, forgiveness is automatic, whether or not the person wishes to forgive, wants to be forgiven or deserves it. Pardon requires victim and victimizer to work together. Reconciliation takes even more work. From this position, what might the Amish advise the woman who wrote to the advice columnist?
Responding to the News
We ought not to assume that because our friends and fellow parishioners are Christians, none experience any guilt over things in the past. It's good to preach and teach occasionally -- even to longtime Christians, including ourselves -- that God forgives sin and that it's important to seek to right old wrongs, when possible.

Closing Prayer

Lord, forgive us our sins, both as we forgive those who have sinned against us and as we seek forgiveness from those against whom we have sinned. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Commencement Speeches Dole Out Wisdom; So Does the Bible

© 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

At colleges and universities across America, graduating students and their families are being addressed these weeks by individuals, usually either famous or high achievers in their field, who have presumably learned some valuable lessons from life and who have been invited to share their wisdom with the graduating class. In so doing, these speakers are continuing a tradition that dates back to at least 1774, when Barnabas Binney addressed the graduating class of Rhode Island College (now Brown University).

During the past week, NPR devoted a couple of program segments to "great" commencement speeches, analyzing not only those of the 2014 graduation season, but also many speeches from previous years. In one segment, Anya Kemenetz reported that the lectures typically contain some or all of the following elements, numbering down to those that occur most often:

12. Be kind.
11. You only live once.
10. Make art.
9. Seek balance between work and the rest of life.
8. Dream.
7. Remember the lessons of history.
6. Embrace failure.
5. Work hard.
4. Don't give up.
3. Listen to your inner voice.
2. General tips, such as "Use money to buy experiences, not things" and "Don't ruminate on bad events."
1. Change the world.

In the other NPR segment, Cory Turner noted that commencement messages in general fall into one of two different kinds. One is the type that tells the graduates, in some form, that they are special. Turner summarized this type as "Follow your heart because life is about you and your specialness."

The other kind, said Turner, is the speech that tells graduates, "You're not special." Turner said, "The goal of the 'You're Not Special' speech is to say to grads: "As hard as you've worked, you also lucked into plenty, including your parents and your country." This kind of speech includes the theme that with luck comes obligation, and thus, graduates should find a way to serve.

Turner said that the two kinds of speeches complement each other, and that taken together, they say, "Congratulations. You are special. Just remember ... so is everybody else."

More on this story can be found at these links:

Anatomy of a Great Commencement Speech. NPR
What We Learned From the Best Commencement Speeches Ever. NPR

Some sample speeches from the 2014 commencement season:

Ret. Gen. Colin Powell Urges HPU Grads to Dream Big, Give Back. News & Record
Jill Abramson's Commencement Speech at Wake Forest [about resilience]. Washington Post
John Kerry to Boston College Graduates: 'Set the World Aflame.' BostInno
Tory Burch to Babson Graduates: 'If It Doesn't Scare You, You're Not Dreaming Big Enough.' BostInno
George Stephanopoulos' Commencement Address to the Class of 2014 [Err in the Direction of Kindness]. Franklin & Marshall College
[William G. Bowen] Blasted [Haverford Students] for Being Arrogant and Immature [Value Openness and Mutual Respect]. Business Insider

About Biblical Wisdom Literature
Since the wisdom strand in the Bible tends to be less well known than the prophetic and salvation strands, you may find it helpful to share the following with your class:

"Wisdom" in ancient Israel was a belief that both the physical and moral realms of the world operated according to orderly principles that people could perceive, and that if one lived in harmony with this order, things would go well for that person. The books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon, as well as some of the Psalms and portions of other biblical books (including James in the New Testament), are usually considered wisdom literature. In general, they do not contain references to the temple, priests or covenant, or to heavenly rewards or divine punishment. Rather, the goal was to achieve fullness of life, characterized by well-being and happiness. People who cooperated with this order of life were wise. Those who did not were fools.

This is akin to the concept of "natural law" in philosophy, which states that human reason (rational and reflective thought) can help one discover moral rules of life. Paul refers to this when he states that "what the law requires is written on [the Gentiles'] hearts" (Romans 2:15).

To understand biblical wisdom, it's helpful to consider what was happening in Israel when most of those biblical books were composed. Earlier in the Old Testament, though the Israelites often displeased God, they understood their relationship with God as based on a covenant requiring their obedience and righteousness. The priests held special authority as mediators of that covenant. After Israel became a monarchy, things changed. King Solomon, especially, turned from God. Israel was now involved in international political and economic relationships and absorbed many different peoples. The nation for the first time struggled with cultural and religious pluralism. This period of Israel's history might be called a kind of "renaissance" where the old traditions and old ways began to seem irrelevant. Israel was fast becoming a secular society.

As Solomon and others turned away from the priests, another breed of teacher began to gain respect, known as "the wise." Neither priests nor prophets, these men simply observed life and drew conclusions about how best to live. Theirs was not a godless belief. In fact, in the very first chapter of Proverbs is this verse: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (1:7). But it was a belief system in which God was addressed not by sacrifice in the temple, but by cooperation with the order God had built into life as the common property of all humanity.

While from a Christian standpoint, the wisdom literature may seem like religion-lite, we have to acknowledge that our culture today is more like the secular world of Solomon than the covenant world of Moses. For some, the wisdom motif -- do good because it pays off -- is a more compelling reason to do the right thing than because God commands it. So in a way, the concept behind wisdom teaching can be a connecting point with nonbelievers because that teaching speaks the language of the world. This is not a compromise with the secular; it is a bold statement that God's revelation is applicable not merely to Christians, but is consistent with Reality with a capital "R."

The Big Questions

1. Where can Christians obtain wise counsel that is in line with God's will?

2. What is the criteria we should use to separate bad advice from good? How do we do that?

3. What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? What are the dangers of knowledge without wisdom?

4. In what ways might biblical wisdom be an avenue to reach people who are resistant to the gospel?

5. Have you ever heard a commencement speech, either as a graduate or a guest, in which something was said that was so striking that you still remember it? Describe the effect such a speech had on you. Was the speech specifically or implicitly Christian?

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

Proverbs 8:22-23
The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. (For context, read 8:22-31.)

The speaker in these verses is "Wisdom," personified as a woman. Taken literally, these verses mean that Wisdom was birthed prior to the creation of the world. Bear in mind that Wisdom is not really a separate individual, but a characteristic of God on whom the biblical people put a human face to make it more understandable. Wisdom here says that while God was marking out the foundations of the earth, she was "beside him" (v. 30). In other words, Wisdom was God's companion in the process of creating the world. This is likely a poetic way of saying that God imbued some measure of his divinity in the world he created.

In this section of Proverbs, Wisdom is in effect presenting her credentials. By portraying herself as the first of God's creations and of having been there with God at the birthing of the world, Wisdom is not claiming to be equal to God, but she is telling of her honored place next to God himself. Those credentials are important, for Wisdom wants her audience to heed her instruction, something they will only do if they are convinced that she is right. She wants them to listen, for she knows the value of her teaching. As she states it, "For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD" (v. 35).

Questions: Why would wisdom be necessary before the world itself was brought into being? Do you look on wisdom as something foundational to creation, available to all, or is it something revealed to those who are earnestly seeking for God? Name one phrase, sentence, saying or cliché that embodies wisdom for you.

Proverbs 1:32-33
For waywardness kills the simple, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but those who listen to me [Wisdom] will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster. (For context, read 1:20-33.)

Here Wisdom, personified as a woman who "cries out in the street" (v. 20), calls people to love knowledge, fear God and accept her reproof. She criticizes those who ignore her counsel, and predicts that they will experience panic, calamity, distress and anguish.

Questions: Where do you hear the Wisdom of God calling out today? What are the consequences of ignoring God's counsel? Wisdom is portrayed as shouting so loud it is almost embarrassing. Is this the way that conscience works, in your experience? How easy is it to tune it out and ignore it? Are you more or less likely to receive counsel or wisdom when someone speaks to you discreetly? Do you have to be bonked over the head by events, or shouted at in the marketplace in order to get it?

John 8:7
Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. (For context, read 8:1-11.)

Here's a good example of wisdom in action. The words above are Jesus' reply to his opponents who had brought to him a woman caught in the act of adultery and demanded to know whether he would support the Mosaic law that called for stoning adulterers. Note that in his reply, Jesus doesn't appeal to religious law but instead calls the men to view themselves in the same category -- sinner -- in which they've placed the woman. And, as we know, when they did that, they all "went away, one by one, beginning with the elders" (v. 9), leaving the woman with Jesus.

Questions: When have you seen wisdom in action? When has a wise answer headed off violence or anger? Part of the wisdom displayed by Jesus is to not engage in a scriptural argument based on the texts chosen by his opponents, but to take the discussion to another track. Have you ever been able to defuse a seemingly unsolvable conflict by changing the terms of the discussion? Have you ever been involved in or witness to a dispute in which you were unable to help and in which people were unable to receive help? What controversies are you or your church dealing with that you would prefer be ratcheted down in tone and emotion? Does this passage mean that crimes are not ever to be punished (because we all sin), or is there some other meaning? Explain.

Matthew 12:42
The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! (For context, read 12:38-42.)

Jesus is here referring to the queen of Sheba coming to visit King Solomon (see 1 Kings 10:1-13). His point is that though Solomon may have had a reputation for being wise (consider, for example, his "split-the-baby" ploy, 1 Kings 3:16-28), in Jesus himself, someone much wiser had come.

Questions: In what specific ways does biblical wisdom go hand-in-hand with the gospel? In what specific ways is the gospel superior to biblical wisdom? What piece of New Testament wisdom, what words of Jesus, do you quote most often to yourself or others that qualifies as wisdom? How effective is it?

1 Corinthians 1:22-24
For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (For context, read 1:18-31.)

Paul is trying to teach and inspire the Christians in Corinth to carry on the work that he has started. He wants to transition the leadership of the church from its founders (Paul and Apollos) to the Corinthians themselves. Paul reminds the Corinthians that they were not necessarily wise by human standards, but that they now have "life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God" (v. 30).

Questions: Where is the wisdom of God found in Jesus? How is it different from the wisdom of the world? How can we share this with others, in particular the next generation of church members and leaders?

For Further Discussion

1. Comment on this, from Stan Purdum's account of how a wisdom approach opened the door for a later theological approach: "A coworker of my wife's, knowing I was a minister, asked if I would counsel her daughter and son-in-law, who were having marital problems. They were not churchgoers and neither had much religious background. But the mother felt that a minister might be able to help. They were in my office only a few minutes when a painful tale of marital infidelity on the part of the wife began to unfold. It would have been easy for me to talk about the sinfulness of her behavior, but the fact was, she was not even thinking of it in that context. She felt justified because of some slights on her husband's part. In fact, she was still seeing the other man. In my judgment, simply pointing out that her behavior was wrong would not have achieved any healing of the relationship.
     "Instead, I started from their interest in saving the marriage. I pointed out that the first prudent thing to do if she truly wanted to give the marriage a chance was to stop seeing the other man. She reluctantly agreed, and we set up an appointment to work on the other problems in the marriage. If they had been people who permitted religion to have a role in their lives, I might have offered to pray with them. But this was not part of their lives, so I did not suggest it.
     "In effect, I didn't function much differently from a secular marriage counselor that day, but as I continued meeting with them, I repeatedly raised the 'wisdom' position -- that treating each other with understanding and consideration would have a positive effect on their marriage. And by the third time we met, we were able to begin speaking about some very theological things: the wife's need to repent of her actions and the husband's need to forgive. He also had some things he needed to repent of and she had some things she needed to forgive.
     "But before they could even consider those things -- which they ultimately did, by the way -- they had to be helped to see a higher view of life than they had."

2. In his book Abundant Living, the missionary and evangelist E. Stanley Jones tells of New York City psychologist Dr. Henry Link, who, based on his study of psychology, gave up Christianity as outmoded superstition. As he began treating patients, however, trying to help them untangle their snarled-up lives, he realized that he had to give them something outside of themselves to love. That made sense, but to what should he direct them? As he pondered this problem, he eventually realized that the only permanent thing he could direct them to was God. And after realizing that, he soon found that he had talked himself back into being a Christian. In what ways was Wisdom operating in this case?

3. Discuss this: To be effective, knowledge needs to be aided by wisdom. Rabbi and author Harold Kushner made that point when he addressed the graduating class at Cornell University in 1985. He used the phrase "the best and the brightest," which commentators had earlier coined to describe government officials who had taken the United States into the war in Vietnam and then kept our nation going deeper into the conflict. Because that war had occurred when most of those graduating were children, he had to explain the irony of that phrase. Kushner's point was that as brilliant people graduating from a prestigious school, the grads had a great deal of good information, but that they needed to seek wisdom to go along with it. Without it, he said, "the best and brightest" of their generation would be "smart enough to lead but not wise enough to know where they should be going." Wisdom, Kushner said, is "the instinctive sense of how to apply the information they had." He then added that the essence of wisdom is "a respect for the limits of human intelligence and a sense of reverence for the vast dark reaches of reality where reason cannot penetrate."

4. Have you ever given a commencement speech? Encapsulate what you said. What impact do you think it had? Did anyone ever speak to you afterward about the effect it had on them? How did it reflect your faith?

Responding to the News

Consider how your church might contribute the wisdom of God (as opposed to outright gospel admonitions) to the public discussions of community issues and even national ones.

Closing Prayer

Help us, O Lord, to see how to employ biblical wisdom in the situations of our lives, especially those involving people who may not be open to a more gospel-based approach. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Kidnapping of Nigerian Schoolgirls Highlights Danger of Religious Extremism

 © 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

It has now been more than a month since 276 girls were kidnapped from their secondary school in Nigeria by members of Boko Haram, a violent Islamist terrorist group that has been fighting in that African nation to overthrow its government and establish an Islamist state ruled by sharia (Islamic law). Dozens of the girls escaped during the April 14 abduction, but the group is still holding well over 200 of them, plus another 11 girls it since captured from a Nigerian village.
Many of the girls taken are Christians, and most of those are members of the Ekklesia Yanua a Nigeria (the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Others are members of other Christian denominations, and some are Muslims. Boko Haram, whose actual name is "Party of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad," has since announced that all the girls have converted to Islam. Presumably, their captors gave them no choice.
In a released video, a leader of the terrorist group said the kidnappings were retaliation for Nigerian security forces nabbing the wives and children of group members. He said the captured girls would begin new lives as slaves. There is speculation that some may be farmed out as wives to group members.
Members of Boko Haram, which loosely translates as "Western education is sin" or "Non-Islamic education is sin," view non-Islamic education -- and almost any education of females -- as a threat to the way of life they seek to impose on Nigeria.
In a statement released in February, the leader of Boko Haram said, "We ... are fighting Christians wherever we meet them and those who believe in democracy, those who pursue Western education wherever we meet them. By Allah, we will kill whoever practices Democracy. ... All these infidels we are the ones killing them. We enjoy shedding their blood. The Koran must be supreme, we must establish Islam in this country; ... we will henceforth destroy any schools wherever we see them."
The group is responsible for more than 4,000 deaths so far in 2014, including hundreds of children, according to the Nigeria Security Tracker at the Council on Foreign Relations. While the current attack on a school involved kidnapping girls, in other attacks on schools, Boko Haram members have slaughtered boys. The publicity surrounding the kidnapping of the girls may make it appear that Boko Haram is particularly anti-female, but more broadly, the group is anti-Western education.
After the kidnapping, Boko Haram announced that the young women should not have been in school and should have been getting married instead.
The members of Boko Haram are not mainstream Muslims. In fact, they reportedly do not interact with the local Muslim population and have carried out assassinations in the past of anyone who criticizes their group, including Muslim clerics.
On Monday, the Boko Haram leader said he would release the girls in exchange for Boko Haram prisoners held by the Nigerian government. It's not clear yet whether that will happen.
Several countries, including the United States, have offered Nigeria assistance in locating the captives.
This is a developing story. Check the news for updates.
More on this story can be found at these links:
Timeline: Nigeria Schoolgirls Abduction. CBC News
Boko Haram: Why Terror Group Kidnaps Schoolgirls, and What Happens Next. CNN
What Gives Boko Haram Its Strength. CNN
What Prophet Muhammad Would Say to Boko Haram. Fox News
'We Enjoy Shedding Blood' -- Boko Haram Threatens .... Daily Post (Nigeria)
Michiana Ties to Kidnapped Nigerian Schoolgirls. WNDU
Boko Haram. Wikipedia
The Big Questions
1. Are there any circumstances when your deep religious conviction gives you the right to deprive someone else of their right of self-determination and force them to do your will? If so, when? If not, why not? Has there ever been a time when you felt your beliefs trumped someone else's position? Discuss how your answer applies to current controversies in American society.
2. When have you perceived secular education as a threat to faith? What are the strengths and weaknesses of faith unsupported by education?
3. How do you think about Christians who have concluded that faithfulness to God compels them to kill abortion doctors? When have you felt rage about the beliefs or actions of others, even if you didn't respond violently?
4. Is zeal a necessary component of the Christian life? If so, how should zeal for your Christian faith be demonstrated in your life? If not, why not?
5. How can we discern when our own beliefs and practices represent positive religious zeal and when they have crossed the line and become harmful to others (i.e., fanaticism)? What is the difference between your zeal and someone else's fanaticism?
6. The abduction of the schoolgirls has been well-publicized, with a resulting rise in sympathy and a justified urge to do something to help. Why might the publicity and response be so much greater for the kidnapped girls than it was for the similar number of boy students murdered by Boko Haram?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
John 16:2
They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. (For context, read 16:1-4.)
Acts 7:57-58
But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him ... (For context, read 7:51-60.)
Acts 9:1-2
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (For context, read 9:1-20.)
In several places, the Bible talks about or alludes to zealousness or passion in faith, which can be defined as "enthusiastic devotion to God and Christ, and tireless work toward furthering the faith." But the Bible distinguishes between good and evil zeal.
The three passages above are examples of evil zeal. The John 16 verse is part of the warning Jesus gave his disciples of the persecution that was to come. Note that those who would kill them would do so out of religious zeal, thinking "they are offering worship to God."
The Acts 7 verses describe the action of certain Jews who became enraged at the preaching of Stephen, and then stoned him because they heard his words as an attack on their faith.
The Acts 9 verses describe the pre-conversion Saul/Paul, who thought he was doing a good thing for the synagogues by arresting Christians. In Philippians 3:6, Paul even sets his zeal as persecutor of the church and his "righteousness under the law" side by side, as if to say they were one and the same thing.
Questions: What do you think caused these people to conclude that their actions were righteous? Does one have to have a certain personality type to carry one's faith to the point of doing violence toward others? Is there anything that can stop religious extremism? What are the main differences, if any, between "religious" extremism and other forms of extremism (e.g., naziism, Red Brigades)?
Romans 12:11
Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. (For context, read 12:9-21.)
In Romans 12, Paul speaks about the kind of zeal that is truly righteous, and in the context verses, he spells out what he means: "Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. ... Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ..."
That kind of zeal is a blessing.
Questions: What is the difference between zealously blessing those who persecute you and doing it halfheartedly? How might a guest perceive your hospitality if you offer it only because "it's the Christian thing to do"?
Hebrews 6:10-12
For God ... will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (For context, read 6:9-12.)
Here the writer of Hebrews urges Christians to retain the right kind of zeal. He doesn't use that word per se, but he warns them not to "become sluggish," which can be an indication of lacking zeal. Still, the writer is not calling for extremism as we define that today.
Questions: When have you experienced a feeling of spiritual sluggishness? What, if anything, have you done to rouse yourself? What message for yourself do you hear in this text?
Genesis 16:3, 6
Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave-girl, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. ... Abram said to Sarai, "Your slave-girl is in your power; do to her as you please." Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she ran away from her. (For context, read 16:1-6.)
Boko Haram at one point stated that the kidnapped girls would be sold in the market, and there has been speculation that they would be sold specifically for the purpose of sex trafficking. With that in mind, the story of Hagar perhaps applies.
When Sarai was unable to bear a child, she offered her Egyptian slave-girl to her husband as a wife in order to have a child by her. (At a later date, the wives of her grandson Jacob, Leah and Rachel, did the same with their slave-women Zilpah and Bilhah.) When Hagar became pregnant, she "looked with contempt on her mistress" (v. 4). Sarai complained to Abram and treated Hagar so harshly that Hagar ran away.
While we sometimes assume that it is usually males who exploit females, this passage demonstrates that enslaving and abusing others occurs in other kinds of relationships, including females against females, although in this case, with the cooperation of a man in a patriarchal society that condoned slavery to begin with.
Questions: Were Hagar, Zilpah and Bilhah in effect victims of sexual exploitation? Why do you think the experiences of these women are included in the Bible? What would you say if you could take a time machine back to Abram's time and address the patriarch about his practices that seem to amount to sexual abuse? Are you willing to confront people about language and attitudes that constitute verbal violence toward women?
Luke 10:38-39
Now as they went on their way, [Jesus] entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. (For context, read 10:38-42.)
By the custom of that society, Mary, as a female, had no business sitting at the feet of a visiting man and listening, yet Jesus approves of her place there. In some societies today, women are likewise excluded from the main action of life.
There are several examples in which Jesus ignores the restrictions imposed by his society that privilege men over women. He treats Mary as a disciple in this text, and converses with a Samaritan woman in the gospel of John, for instance.
Questions: How do you think Jesus would look upon the education of girls around the world today? Why? Ought it to be a goal in our churches to support such efforts?
For Further Discussion
1. Respond to this, from TWW team member Frank Ramirez, who is a Church of the Brethren pastor. He tells us that "the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, whose school was attacked, was originally founded by missionaries but is now an autonomous church. Church leaders have been killed and homes and churches destroyed by groups like Boko Haram. Church leaders (I'm not using any names because of possibility of reprisals) continue to encourage members to respond with love and not violence. One bishop told us last year at the Brethren World Assembly in Ohio that when some young men from his church burned down a mosque, he sent them back to rebuild it. It is also worth noting that Islamic terrorists have killed more Muslims than any other people they've killed."
2. Do you allow yourself to be in situations where the majority of people present have beliefs different from yours? Are you willing to listen to someone else's viewpoint? What are the limits to your tolerance of another's viewpoints?
3. When does one person's faith or beliefs cross a line beyond which what they do is indefensible? Give examples.
4. Read Judges 11:30-40. Is this an example of zeal gone too far? Why or why not?
Responding to the News
Below are the names of the schoolgirls known to be kidnapped in the school raid by Boko Haram. Suggest that your church pick a few girls from this list each day and pray for them until they are returned home.

Deborah Abge Christian Awa Abge Hauwa Yirma Asabe Manu Mwa Malam Pogu Patiant Dzakwa Saraya Mal. Stover Mary Dauda Gloria Mainta Hanatu Ishaku Gloria Dama Tabitha Pogu Maifa Dama Ruth Kollo Esther Usman Awa James Anthonia Yahonna Kume Mutah Aisha Ezekial Nguba Buba Kwanta Simon Kummai Aboku Esther Markus Hana Stephen Rifkatu Amos Rebecca Mallum Blessing Abana Ladi Wadai Tabitha Hyelampa Ruth Ngladar Safiya Abdu Na'omi Yahonna Salomi Titus Rhoda John Rebecca Kabu

Christy Yahi Rebecca Luka Laraba John Saratu Markus Mary Usman Debora Yahonna Naomi Zakaria HanatuMusa Hauwa Tella Juliana Yakubu Suzana Yakubu Saraya Paul Jummai Paul Mary Sule Jummai John Yanke Shittima Muli Waligam Fatima Tabji Eli Joseph Saratu Emmanuel Deborah Peter Rahila Bitrus Luggwa Sanda Kauna Lalai Lydia Emmar Laraba Maman Hauwa Isuwa Confort Habila HauwaAbdu Hauwa Balti Yana Joshua Laraba Paul Saraya Amos Glory Yaga Na'omi Bitrus Godiya Bitrus

Awa Bitrus Na'omi Luka Maryamu Lawan Tabitha Silas Mary Yahona Ladi Joel Rejoice Sanki Luggwa Samuel Comfort Amos Saraya Samuel Sicker Abdul Talata Daniel Rejoice Musa Deborah Abari Salomi Pogu Mary Amor Ruth Joshua Esther John Esther Ayuba Maryamu Yakubu Zara Ishaku Maryamu Wavi Lydia Habila Laraba Yahonna Na'omi Bitrus Rahila Yahanna Ruth Lawan Ladi Paul Mary Paul Esther Joshua Helen Musa Margret Watsai Deborah Jafaru Filo Dauda Febi Haruna Ruth Ishaku

Racheal Nkeki Rifkatu Soloman Mairarna Yahaya Saratu Dauda Jinkai Yama Margret Shettima Yana Yidau Grace Paul AminaAli Palmata Musa Awagana Musa Pindar Nuhu Yana Pogu Saraya Musa Hauwa Joseph Hauwa Kwakwi Hauwa Musa Maryarnu Musa Maimuna Usman Rebeca Joseph Liyatu Habitu Rifkatu Yakubu Naomi Philimon Deborah Abbas Ladi Ibrahim Asabe Ali Maryamu Bularna Ruth Amos Mary Ali Abigail Bukar Deborah Amos Saraya Yanga Kauna Luka Christiana Bitrus Yana Bukar Hauwa Peter

Hadiza Yakubu Lydia Simon Ruth Bitrus Mary Yakubu Lugwa Mutah Muwa Daniel Hanatu Nuhu Monica Enoch Margret Yama Doeas Yakubu Rhoda Peter Rifkatu Galang Saratu Ayuba Naomi Adamu Hauwa lshaya Rahap Ibrahim Deborah Soloman Hauwa Mutah Hauwa Takai Serah Samuel Aishatu Musa Aishatu Grema Hauwa Nkeki Hamsatu Abubakar Mairama Abubakar Hauwa Wule Ihyi Abdu Hasana Adamu Rakiya Kwamtah Halima Gamba Aisha Lawan Kabu Malla Yayi Abana Falta Lawan Kwadugu Manu

Closing Prayer

We pray, O Lord, for the safe return home of each of those held captive by Boko Haram. And we ask that in some way, there might be a maturing of understanding and true righteousness in the captors, so that they might abandon violence as a way of promoting their goals. In Jesus' name. Amen.