$*^t Jesus Says: “Don’t Worship the Law” Edition

While I’m sure the prosecutor effectively proved they had broken some law by being where they were, this is a classic case in the worship of law–or rather, a certain interpretation of the law–as an idol above human life and well-being. Laws against trespassing are in place in order to protect people and property. But these clergy gathered to make a justice stand were posing a threat to neither. To prove a point by convicting them, possibly even locking them up, is an affront not only to the faith they displayed–but to the spirit of the law itself. Manipulating the law in order to make a political statement is not only an abuse of power–it is an abuse of the entire legal system.

We cannot worship the law, because the law is fallible. The law, without human interpretation, is blind to human circumstance. And very often, the law AND its interpreters are biased.

Like when a young black man gets 20 years for an ounce of weed, but a privileged white kid goes free after trafficking heroin.

Or when another privileged white kid walks free after a rape trial. Again. Because some technicality protects the criminal instead of the victim.

It’s much the same as Christians extracting a few clobber texts condemning homosexuality, while happily setting aside the thing about giving away all your stuff to the poor.

It’s the same idolatry that leads to proof-texting the many reasons that women can’t preach; but don’t mind so much about shellfish and poly-synthetic fabric blends.

To value what the law says above what the law means to do, is to limit the realm of God to ancient history; and reject the ongoing nature of Holy activity in our own time. It is the daily sin of sending the prophet out to the wilderness, rather than hearing what he has to say. Because the law must be “obeyed” at all cost.

This happens all the time. This happens everywhere.

“Do you wish to live in the kind of place where preachers face prosecution for following the dictates of their own conscience in a peaceful protest?” This is what Jay Barnes, a Republican House Member and attorney representing the protesters, said as he faced the jury yesterday. Those words might have fallen on deaf ears… but it sounds a lot like another final argument I’ve heard before: “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water?”

Worship the law, and everyone’s a prisoner. Even the thirsty donkey.