Question of the Week: August 23, 2009

First...SO SORRY...for getting behind on answering questions. So much going on combined with little help have made getting everything accomplished a big challenge. This week's question comes from Alex in Raleigh, North Carolina.

"Do you believe in the virgin birth of Jesus?"

In a word, "No." Honestly, I have not thoroughly studied the birth stories surrounding Jesus. This is quite simply due to the fact that Jesus' birth is not a focal point for me. It represents in no way, shape or form the crux of my faith. If someone told me that they had definitive proof that Jesus was born of celestial semen in a virgin birth, my response would be a surprised, "Okay." If someone told me that they could definitively proof that Jesus was not born of a virgin, again, my response would be, "Okay."

My connection to Jesus is really found through his teachings and the wisdom he offers a hurting world, a world that truly needs to connect with its Father in the spirit of love and compassion. I don't see the 'fundamentalist Christian' version of Jesus when I reflect on him. The fundamentalist version demands a 'belief' in Jesus as God in order to satisfy a divine requirement. That very idea, I believe to be very much foreign to the real Jesus. I believe Jesus was introducing us to the Kingdom of God as a here and now, happening reality that is right here and beyond here. As such, he touted relationship to the Father (God, spiritual entity, etc. however, one terms God) which would create lives consumed and driven by compassion. Lives that would create a very different world in first century Palestine or 21st century America for that matter.

I really think that Jesus would look at much of Christianity today and say, "...wow, you people still don't get it!" He would look at the millions spent trying to halt a gay marriage bill and just say, "This is how you display love for your brothers and sisters? Let all rejoice in their love and put that money to better use...feeding, clothing, helping those truly in need."

So, forgive me if my "birth" knowledge of Jesus is lacking. Those are wonderful stories found in Matthew and Luke, but most likely just that--with certain elements of truth and certain elements of narrative symbolism. I hope I've helped somewhat.

True