Did I Say Something All That Offensive?

This is an excerpt from a discussion with a friend. It was two friends, but what I had to say has made one mad enough to no longer want to talk to me. What basically caused the conflict was me making a statement to the affect of most people have a political motivation (you could substitute power for political) in their actions, and that I would even extend that to the canonization of the Bible. So here is some of my response back to the one's questions.

I was trying to say I didn't think any theological idea was so set in stone that the community of God shouldn't be able to discuss and debate it. I feel like with the canonization of scripture, and everyone having there own bible, we have lost a sense of the fluidness of God. Everyone thinks they have Him pegged, but I think once we fit God in a round hole we no longer have a grasp on anything but an intellectual idol. I was reacting to your idea of just voting by scripture. Which I see as being voting by your interpritation of scripture. (Which we all do.) I have just been reacting badly to anything that sounds like someone thinks they hold a solidified view of God or his written word. Not that you do or don't. I just read your comment that way.

One example would be stealing. Seems simple by a litereal read, but.... When you actual look at the hebrew words used it is not. The words in hebrew apply specifically to taking of a persons livelyhood or means of living. Not taking someones basketball left outside. Unless they happen to be a professional basketball player. Not that I think our english rendering, and westernisd (greek/roman) view of the scripture is bad. I use it as an example of how we often think the Bible is so straight forward, and it is not.

I forget if you said you were or had read Velvet Elvis, but I love Rob Bell's statement, "God spoke, and the rest is commentary. Right." We have forgotten, or don't care, to engage in the discussion of who God is anymore. We want our theological statements in bullet points that can be screamed back and forth.

I will tell you something crazy. I have begun to wonder if Billy Graham has done more harm or good for the Kingdom. Does getting people to an altar with no life change even matter. How often did Christ focus on personnal sin, and who was that with? Legalistic religious folk. Generally he just said come hang out with me, and start doing what I do. I feel like I have been so focused on the cross, and personnal sin, I have totally missed Jesus.