Experiential Truth Test

I've noticed a trend in evaluation processes. Generally it's in evaluation of biblical content. Let me give you some examples and see if you can find the trend.

The argument is that Christianity is a bloodthirsty religion, responsible for much violence and hate and generally a mean-spirited religion. Why? "Well, look at history! There were the Crusades and the Inquisition and the witch hunts and the religious wars and the Christians taking life and land from the Native Americans! Isn't it obvious?" Or "If you question whether or not Christianity is a religion of hate, just look at the Westboro Baptist Church. 'Nuff said."

Ongoing now is a debate in Christendom between the complementarians and the egalitarians. The complementarians say, "There is a difference between male and female. Each is made for different roles. Both are of equal value, but God has made male and female for different tasks and purposes." This, of course, lends itself to patriarchalism. Indeed, one of the primary reasons for the term "complementarianism" is that it is not "patriarchalism" because that word carries a lot of negative baggage. "It's wrong," the egalitarians will tell us. "God has not made male and female with differing roles. They are of equal value and there is no difference between male and female in the eyes of God." Why? Well, we can all list problems that have occurred with patriarchalism. Men in charge treating women as inferior, without respect, without care. Bad news!

As more and more voices in the world call for "marriage equity" meaning "redefining the concept of marriage to include those who were not before ... as long as they are the ones we approve", more and more voices associated with Christians are rising to agree. Their objections are not biblical ones. They are experiential. "How would you like it if you couldn't marry the one you love?" "Christians have for too long abused the homosexual community." "Look at what Christians did in the name of Christ with interracial marriage. It's the same thing here."

Okay, a few examples. What's the trend? Well, the obvious trend is "Experience trumps text." That is, it doesn't really matter what the Bible says about it. If experience says something else, experience is right. But I see another underlying trend here. There seems to be a tendency to judge Christian doctrine and biblical claims not on their truth value -- "Is it true?" -- but by whether or not it has been abused. Think about it.

Christianity is a bloodthirsty religion not because that correlates with anything in Scripture or matches up with anything remotely "Christian". No, the primary command throughout Scripture for interpersonal relationships for Christians is "Love your neighbor." Not violent or hateful. No, it's a bloodthirsty religion because people have abused Christianity and Scripture, twisting it to say things it doesn't say so that they can do things "in the name of Christ" that don't match up with Christ. And here we are, much later, still carrying the onus of things that aren't Christian because someone abused Christianity. Complementarianism and its logical conclusion, patriarchalism is dismissed out of hand by so many not because it's not biblical, but because it has been so abused. "Well, maybe you can get that from the Bible," they may say, "but I've seen too many overbearing men as fathers, husbands, pastors, and leaders who abuse their perceived power and mistreat those around them." Yes, okay, I agree that people have abused it. But does that mean that it's not true, that it's not biblical? No, no, don't ask that. And it's clearly the same with the question of "same-sex marriage". Marriage itself has been so abused over the years that calling for its defense is becoming nearly as meaningless as the idea of marriage. It has been twisted, torn, gashed, cut, abused and dismissed by society in general and even by the church. "And now you have the audacity to try to keep a minority segment from having it?" Why? Because it has been so abused that no one seems to even know what it is anymore. Not, "What is the truth about marriage?" but how has it been abused and how have people incorrectly mistreated fellow sinners in the name of Christ?

It seems to go to a lot of the questions today. Should wives submit to husbands? Bad husbands make that a difficult question to answer in the affirmative. Should women be pastors? Bad pastors have made that harder to answer. Should children be spanked? Abusive parents unclear on either love or child-rearing have made that a tough one. And just because there are clear biblical answers to questions like these and so many more doesn't mean that people -- even Christians -- are going to accept them. "The Bible says" carries less weight these days than "I've seen too many bad versions" or "In my experience ...". Even for too many Christians.