The Bible as Literature
The Ephesus School
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Lie to Yourself, Please
Scripture unmasks your illusions. Religion, family, friends, ideas, institutions, nations, individuals, “isms” of every school—all your human ideals and beliefs are a lie. Unfortunately, you can’t sleep around with your lies and remain faithful to the Master. You do, in fact, have to make a choice. Note my use of the word “fact.” So, please, step in front of the bus or return to the safety of your lies. That is how this works. Go ahead—I insist—lie to yourself. It’s better for you. Enjoy your environmentally safe lifestyle. Don’t forget to vote. There you go. See? You are a good person. Your hands are clean. God bless you. You should be a guest on “The View.” Notice, I said god bless you. I did not mention the text. I was talking about your god, not the God of Scripture. Anyone who can’t see the true face of their idolatry or who tries to apologize for it or the idolatry of this age in any way is morally bankrupt. It’s true. I’m not lying. The West is having its moment—it’s painful to watch and definitely long deserved, but the pain, at least for now, is located in the weakest part of the body. But you cannot dull the pain of facts with the stupor of your idols forever. MENE, MENE, TEQEL, UPHARSIN Your narratives certainly feel good. Family is dear to you, and personal relationships mean everything to you. You take courage in speaking truth to power and in the freedom to disagree, to be different—that’s the American way, Fr. Marc. What a great story. You should work for Disney. Thanks be to the Scriptural God: the Bible is not your story. Let alone a story. It’s a text with consonants totally foreign to your colonial brain, laid out in a particular order, in a language concocted from the many Semitic languages of the many peoples you still number among your enemies, you fool. It’s funny how you love all your idols, your religion, your atheism, family, friends, institutions, and your “democratic values,” but you still somehow manage to hate the same enemies you were commanded to love. As Fr. Paul used to say in the classroom, God is merciful, but I am not God. You would do well to forgo your stupid ideals and, instead, study Arabic alongside biblical Hebrew. Then you will see with your eyes and hear with your ears what the Scriptural God said in his original Semitic syntax, sparing both you and the poor the tyranny of your self-serving flotillas. Allahu Akbar. (Episode 316) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
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