Spaniards, Salvation & God

Unlike our dear tusked blubber boy, I am new to tending the bar. I have a passion for the fermented drink, but my experience is shallow. My only request, please make your order with a strong, clearly annunciated voice....and keep in mind, I am still memorizing the names of drinks. However, though I am transparent and consequently somewhat timid in my ability to serve...don’t think I won’t kick your ass if you roughhouse your way past me.

My final preface: I recently wrote a post on my own humble blog that is the precursor of this post. Though written in a different context, please feel free to read it: The Riddle. If time is short then simply know that I wanted to see if we could live “as if” heaven did not exist. My conclusion is that in our present theological paradigm, living as if heaven doesn’t exist betrays the self-centered religion we perform. Living as if heaven did not exist might actually help us live better lives.

The Spaniards aren’t evil, but damn, they really have been mean in the past. Jared Diamond in his book, Guns, Germs, and Steel, quotes in full the story detailed by witnesses of how the Spaniards conquered the largest civilization in the New World--the Incas. Coming into Cajamarca, they asked the emperor Atahuallpa to come and meet them in peace. The Spaniards attempted to evangelize the emperor (of course evangelism couched in imperialism) and gave him a Bible which he couldn’t read and refused. In a true deceptive ploy they slaughtered his entourage and captured Atahuallpa. After receiving a huge bribe of gold, they broke their promise and executed the emperor instead of freeing him. However, listen to this witness, who explains what they said to the emperor after they captured him:

“The Governor said to Atahuallpa, ‘Do not take it as an insult that you have been defeated and taken prisoner, for with the Christians who come with me, though so few in number, I have conquered greater kingdoms than yours, and have defeated other more powerful lords than you, imposing upon them the dominion of the Emperor, whose vassal I am, and who is King of Spain and of the universal world. We come to conquer this land by his command, that all may come to a knowledge of God and of His Holy Catholic Faith; and by reason of our good mission, God, the Creator of heaven and earth and of all things in them, permits this, in order that you may know Him and come out from the bestial and diabolical life that you lead. It is for this reason that we, being so few in number, subjugate that vast host. When you have seen the errors in which you live, you will understand the good that we have done you by coming to your land by order of his Majesty the King of Spain. Our Lord permitted that your pride should be brought low and that no Indian should be able to offend a Christian.’” (pg 73-74)

In our world of political correctness, we can’t imagine a politician speaking such words. But that’s just the liberals over-powering our common sense. Maybe the Spaniards were a bit harsh but that’s what we want isn’t it? We want God to rule the world and that Christians will live freely and without struggle. We want what God wants don’t we? We want people to leave their “bestial and diabolical” lives. So what does it really matter if we do it the Spaniard way or the politically correct way with pamphlets, door knocking and revivals? Grow a spine and draw the line--there are those who are saved and there are those who are lost.

We feel like we’ve advanced from the Spaniards. But I propose there is no difference between a Spaniard conquistador and a door-knocking evangelist from Franklin, TN. The only difference is self-deception--the evangelist thinks he is better than the Spaniard. Where is the proof? The Spaniard thinks God told him to kill and torture the heathen. The modern evangelical thinks God told him to be the scout--God will do the killing and torturing. That’s a big difference you say? Bullshit. The result is the same. Hell seeps into our relationships. What is supposed to be a human interaction becomes a conflict overseen by Hell. By allowing human beings to be tortured in a supposed afterlife, we devalue that same life on this side of death. Hell crosses the great divide and fills the world. If I can allow a man to be stabbed to death after death, then what’s the difference if I stab him now? The Spaniards were better theologians. Well, they at least didn’t fall into a cowardly self-deception.
I’m being fairly aggressive. But western Christianity has completely fixated on something that is AFTER life. This fixation breeds violence.

I think it is fair to say (especially if we learn from historical Christian imperialism) that “soteriology” (i.e. how a human gets saved, why a human needs to be saved, when a human is saved) defines the sociological space we create with our neighbor. The soteriological myth of the Spaniards and today is defined by violence whether this worldly or other worldly. Violence is part of the fabric of creation. But, violence is what salvation is supposed to escape. Nevertheless, because of Christian salvation, the sword of a Spaniard dripped with Incan blood, a Christian elementary school teacher stabbed and ripped an immigrant family apart (see This American Life), or a missionary trivializes absolute poverty and injustice because “accepting” Jesus is all that matters. Why? What is the problem with this Christian salvation? Well, at the risk of falling into reductionism, let me suggest a BIG issue. God is the problem. God is responsible.

Like the fall of qualitative to quantitative, storytelling to metaphysics, conversation to creed, we have reduced salvation to selfishness. The overarching shadow of God has been the key. We think salvation is achieved by a simple imitation of a literary character called God. Without qualification, we are overwhelmed by the need to personalize and domesticate a conceptual and experiential mystery like “God.” We read salvation myth, observing an imaginary ethical bias toward God, and selfishly side with this God. What is the greatest commandment according to the Christian tradition? Most would think of “love God with all your....” However, we stop with God. Since we have identified the “right” character, we are saved. But, we have trouble grasping the unified nature of God AND Neighbor. Consequently, we fixate on some kind of inner representation of God that syncs with self.

I live in a place where “salvation” doesn’t exist. Literally, this word doesn’t exist in the local language. But ‘chikulupusysio’ exists here. This word works in the context of defending another human being. ‘Chikulupusyio’ is a linguistic expression of human connection. I can perform ‘chikulupsyio’ to my fellow human. I can defend you.

I think we need to be saved from God. We need a salvation that redefines how we survive together. Salvation cannot be separated from my neighbor. The dualism of heaven/hell cannot be stripped from this side of death. The timeless character of “eternal life” must be found on earth. Consider at least: the bulk of Jesus’ recorded sayings refer to human interaction; the quality of Jesus’ life was what swallowed death; and the resurrected Jesus was seen in the same places where his life with his neighbor had been rich (around a table, on a journey). Salvation is found in my neighbor. My neighbor has at least some resources for resisting my tendency to violence. The literary character “God” merely feeds my selfishness.