Bibliography: Culture Shifts, lesson 5
Our Bible story makes us feel uncomfortable. We are not really comfortable with it being in the Bible. Its a story that seems rather out of place and it doesn’t seem like it belongs. What is it doing in a book that talks about the relationship of faith between humans and God?
Our story is one of violence and the pain and suffering we cause one another. Our story is one of relationships with people who are different than us.
Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, has recently reconciled with his brother Esau. His name has been changed by God to Israel. In him, his family, and their descendants rests the promises of God. They are to be God’s holy people.
Jacob has left his brother Esau and is traveling towards the land promised to them by God - the land of Canaan. His family comes to reside outside of a city called Shechem. There, the young ruler of the same name rapes Jacob’s daughter Dinah.
When Jacob finds out what has happened, he waits for his sons - Dinah’s brothers - to come home to determine how to handle the situation.
In the meantime, though his initial demonstration of affection was by force, Shechem expresses a desire for Dinah to become his wife. He asks for his father to approach Jacob and ask for Dinah’s hand in marriage.
This creates a two fold dilemma. First, as we will see by their actions, Simeon and Levi who are Dinah’s brothers are angry about Shechem’s treatment of their sister. Furthermore, Jacob’s family understands that they are a people set a part by God for God. They cannot intermarry with other people who do not believe as they do, worship the same God they do.
Jacob is strangely silent. Simeon and Levi make the arrangements for their sister to marry this foreigner, on the one condition that Shechem and his people must become a part of the covenant Jacob and his family adhere to with God. They must be circumcised.
Somehow, Shechem convinces all of the city and every man agrees to be circumcised, entering into covenant with God.
It becomes very clear very quickly, that Simeon and Levi had other plans besides just incorporating these strangers into their faith. Three days following their circumcision, while the men are still incapacitated by the pain, the brothers attack the city. They kill every man and plunder the city. They take every woman and child, all of their flocks and herds, and everything that they had.
In the end we see Jacob rebuke them for their actions. He is afraid of retribution from neighboring cities. After all, the true foreigners here are Jacob and his family.
But the brothers reply, “Should our sister be treated like a prostitute?”
*****
From the very beginning, we bristle at the actions that are taking place within the story. With each seceding development, things just go from bad to worse. Nothing good comes out of this story. Notice the lack of interaction between humanity and God within it. Why was this story recorded for us? What are we suppose to learn from its retelling?
There are several little things, several curiosities that jump out at me as we explore this story.
The 360 degree change in Shechem’s actions and attitudes towards Dinah makes me wonder about her role in all of this. Most rapist don’t fall in love with their victims or want to marry them. Of course, we have become more aware of stalkers in our society and the irregular behavior of such individuals today, but I am skeptical of this being the case here. The role and rights of women in that day wouldn’t extend to the freedom from stalking. It wouldn’t be considered stalking. She would have no say so in whether she was to be married or not. And even though he eventually indicated he wanted to marry her, having sex with her before marriage would still have been a disgrace to her reputation and honor.
I am just drawn to question whether the “rape” wasn’t more of an interpretation on her brothers’ part of what had actually happened, rather than the actual actions on the part of Shechem.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not suggesting that Dinah led him on or deserved what she got from Shechem. I’m sure no one asked her what she wanted. She was just a woman and counted for very little in that day and age. My point is that there inconsistencies in the retelling of events. I am led to wonder if "rape" is really what happened, or is that the biased perception of the writer and of Dinah’s brothers because of their feelings about Shechem - an outsider and one they considered inferior to them.
I also wonder about Jacob’s response, or should I say lack of one. Why is he so quiet, letting his hot headed sons do all the talking and bargaining? Why does he appear to be so indecisive? It only adds to my curiosity as to what the real relationship between Dinah and Shechem was from the beginning of the encounter.
I also wonder about Shechem’s embracement of the covenant. Does he really understand what the religion of Jacob’s family is all about? Does he truly embrace the covenant and the faith indicated by the circumcision, or does he just engage in the religious act to get what he wants?
And then there are the brothers, Simeon and Levi. Their response to the situation is extreme. Their concern is not for the well being of their sister, but for their own disgrace brought about by this outsider. They are zealots, and they let their anger and hatred get the better of them. This wouldn’t be the last time, either. Later their anger and jealousy would lead them to sell their brother Joseph into slavery. They have difficulty controlling their emotions and their pride. I am reminded of those who have expressed the same sentiments. Their hatred and anger of others who they consider inferior, different, and worthless, led them to religious extremes that resulted in the attack of the World Trace Center and the Pentegon.
Just as we deny the actions and attitudes of Al-Queda as God’s will and desire, we question the righteousness of Simeon and Levi’s actions, particularly when Shechem has shown every indication of restitution and reconciliation.
Jacob’s comments, who finally speaks in the end, reminds us to consider who is the true outsider here. After all, the Hivites - as Shechem’s people are known - are the residents here. Jacob and his family are just passing. Though the Hivites live in the land of Canaan which is the promise land given to Jacob and his descendants by God, there is no indication at this point that physical and violent removal of the people who live there in order for the Israelites to possess it is the way God originally intended for the Israelites to come into possession of the land. Wouldn’t it have served God much better, if the Israelites had been a witness to the love of God to the people who lived in Canaan, eventually converting them to Judaism and love of the one true God? We have to wonder if the violent action that takes place here doesn’t leads to the violent action that takes place when the Israelites finally do come into possession of the land.
Did the Israelites demonstrate to the inhabitants of this land the kind of people they really are by their actions here, rather than by the peace of God they proclaim to believe in?
Where is God in all this? Not once does anyone seek God’s guidance or direction in how to handle the situation. It seems that on both sides, each party attempts to manipulate God’s laws to get what they really want, and to manipulate their faith to justify their actions. What happens here seems to be in such sharp contrast with the loving and peaceful God I know. How can such actions take place in the name of God when they stand in direct opposition to the God who speaks faithfulness to the thousandth generation, who proclaims and mercy and forgiveness to all who will believe and follow him? Yet Simeon and Levi manipulate the beliefs of their faith to do ultimate harm.
This story has more questions than answers for us. We wonder at its inclusion and how it is suppose to relate God to us. It makes us uncomfortable and we squirm in its presence. When we live in a world that seems so overcome by violence, where we seem use to the violence all around us, why does this story trouble us so?
*****
In truth, there is an acceptance of the violence we live in. Were I to share statistical information with you, I am sure you wouldn’t find any of it surprising. I had actually intended to do so, but the trouble is I couldn’t decide where to begin with the statistics. There are so many of them and what they share is so overwhelming.
Let us just summarize what will be obvious: Violence and crime rates are on the rise and have been over the last forty years. Drug use is more prevalent than it ever has been before. Gun possession and shootings are more prolific than ever before. Our prisons are busting at the seems. Violence, sexuality, abuse, and immorality is commonplace to our entertainment mediums. It in our movies, on the television, in our music, on the computer, in our video games. Its everywhere we look and we hear it all the time.
Those most affected are the young generations among us. Teenagers and young adults are faced with the realities of shorter life spans. Someone they know or are related to was either wounded or killed, most often by shooting, or they know someone who has committed suicide.
Schools have become the most common place for the violence that occurs. Everyday they are reminded they live and function in a war zone when they pass through the metal detectors as they enter school.
Its tough being a kid today.
We are casualties of war. In the past we understood that the war zone existed overseas. But 9-11 has made it blatantly clear. The war zone is on American soil as well. However, the events of 9-11 are misleading. It suggests an “us-them” mentality. We are lulled into a false since of security into believing if we can eradicate the outsider who has harmed us, we will be safe. 9-11 can close our eyes and blur our vision so that we fail to see the violence that surrounds us everyday, inflicted by our own hands upon one another.
How have we changed over the last forty years as exposure to violence has risen, becoming commonplace? Craig Miller suggests we respond and deal with it in 3 ways.
First, we accept it as a normal part of life. We are afraid, but the possibility of violent death is something we must just face and prepare for.
Related to this, we constantly wonder if we will be next. A key issue in our life isn’t just safety, its survival.
Finally, we have changed our perception of the future. It is a blatant reality we stand a good chance of not having one.
These beliefs are particularly real and vivid among our young people.
This changes how we respond to those around us, particularly those we don’t know. We suspect everyone and everything. We trust no one and nothing. We are led to consider our own interests before anyone else’s, whether our actions and attitudes are harmful to anyone else or not. Our first thoughts on any issue or situation is to consider how we will be affected and what’s in it for us.
If we are compromised, if we don’t benefit, its not worth our time or effort. We don’t have that luxury.
*****
Craig Miller summarizes:
“As we reflect on the level of violence and abuse surrounding us today, a number of questions come to mind. What is the value of human life? Do we all operate exclusively out of our own desire without thinking about how this affects others? Are we moving towards becoming an armed nation, with each person constantly looking over his or her shoulder for danger? Does anybody believe in a sense of community in which we all work together and help one another out? Have we lost the connection between what we do as individuals and how this affects the society as a whole? Is life precious anymore?
“As the Millennial Generation enter their teen age years and young adulthood, chances are that the rate of violence will get worse, not better. We have to decide if we are going to learn from the devastating effect violence has on a person’s view of life and their hope for the future. Then we have to decide to turn it around before violence soars among the next generation.”
As Christians, we are called to stand in opposition to violence. How one does that today without becoming a part of the violence one’s self is the question.
As we struggle to be faithful Christians in a violent world, how do faithful Christians respond?
There are three things that come to my mind. These three are by no means the only ways we, as Christians, can and should respond to violence. However, within them is a beginning in what it means to be a Christian in a violent world.
First, I think we have to be aware of the numbing effect the constant exposure to violence has on us, particularly on teenagers and young adults. We have to break out of this mode of acceptance we are in that the world has to be a violent place. Its time for a change in our value system. Its time for us to remember that what we do sets off a chain reaction of effect on others. We learned through our Bible lesson that violence only leads to more violence. Though the road might be a bit more uphill, we as Christians are called to remember that the opposite is equally true. Peace creates peace, and spreading peace begins with us. It begins with the way we treat one another and the way we treat others.
I am reminded of the movie, Pay It Forward, where one boy had the premise that acts of goodness and kindness done for one person leads to acts of goodness and kindness done for others.
We must be aware of the violence we are tolerating, and also pay attention to whether we are sewing seeds of love, or sewing seeds of hate.
It has also never become more clear how important our relationships are with young people today. Whether we are parents or not, as Christians it is vital for us to develop lasting relationships with the young people we come in contact with. We have the most opportunity beginning with the youth and children of this church. We can never forget, that each of us may be the only example of nonviolent behavior these young people see this week. If there is one thing that becomes clear from this culture shift we are living in, it is that our youth and children need real relationships with adult role models who can teach them about how to live peacefully in a violent world - who can teach them that life does have meaning. We don’t have to constantly live in fear of danger, looking over our shoulder, if we don’t want our world to be that way.
It is vitally important that we come together with other Christian friends and believers. We are called to worship together with one another. Together we draw strength from one another. When we gather together in prayer and worship, we find a center that makes it possible for us to face the days ahead when we face this world of violence on our own, individually. And we learn from one another, lean on one another, sharing the joy of love and peace that surpasses all understanding with one another. In the sharing, we find ways to relate to others outside our Christian fellowship, so that we are witnesses to them of what the love of God means as revealed inside of us.
In other words, we practice and learn how to be Christians in here, so that we can be good Christians out there.
Now I am a “fix it” kind of person. When a situation bothers me, I want to do something about it. I don’t necessarily have to believe I will be able to entirely correct the situation. But when I feel I have something, sometimes anything to do, I feel better about the situation.
I realize that in some ways these three suggestions are “fix it” answers.
I believe they are ways in which Christians are called to respond in a world filled with violence, but I am not naive enough to believe making ourselves aware of the violence in the world we live in, establishing meaningful relationships with our youth and young adults, and to worship, pray, and fellowship together as Christians is going to remove the violent content from our world.
Our Bible story is a prime example of that. In humanity’s infancy violence existed as a part of human nature. In humanity’s old age, violence will still exist. And in the end, neither Jacob or his sons bring about a good ending to this story because in the end, there is nothing that lies within their power to undo the evil things people do to one another.
*****
Ultimately, we must remember that the world was saved through a violent act. Christ, innocent of sin, was nailed to a cross to be crucified. Violence, our violence, brought about his death. The power of God raised him from death and restored life within him. It is our faith in the occurrence of that resurrection, and our faith that Jesus and Jesus only has the power to bring about that resurrection in us that is the true calling of Christians in this violent world. As the faithful Christian Paul, we are called to believe and to teach Christ and him crucified - and may I add to that Christ’s resurrection and the eternal life we have in him.
Belief in the Gospel, sharing that good news with everyone we come in contact with -that ultimately is how we as Christians are called to respond to a violent world.
In Jesus name, Amen.
