evil

I like thinking of clever (or clever at least to my mind) titles for these entries. The contain is often serious enough, so a bit of a clever title may be a bit of something to get people in to read it.

But I can't do that here. I can't think of anything more appropriate to call this but "evil". Evil as basic and as vile as one will ever see.

The leader is needed in order to refuse leadership

Is it not the case that among the most important teachings of a great religious leader to their most dedicated disciples will involve the words, “do not follow me”.

And is it not the case that that is one difference we have with Jesus? (I think Rollins' contention is even a bit questionable). Jesus does say "Follow me", He does say to obey what He says, He even makes it the central thing. Even if all other religious leaders were as Rollins' says (debatable), equating them with Jesus is asinine for a Christian.

So then, what if to swear that we will never betray our great teacher is to betray him already (reifying his dynamic way of love into dead letters)?

If you read Rollin's blog entry (do so), you'll see that he begins it with a 'parable' or story of whatever genre, in which a Master tells his disciple that he will never be a real master because the student has never betrayed the Master's teachings.

“But you fail to understanding my friend”, replied the Master, “The fact that you have never betrayed my teachings, and the fact that you swear never to betray them; this is to betray them already”

What is Rollins' doing, but telling people that they should disobey God? What is he saying, but that true disciples thumb their noses at the commands of God, and go their own ways? What is he saying, but that we know better than God what we should do.

This is the first evil, the one that appeared in the Garden of Eden, "Has God really said?" I have no qualms in saying that by this standard Rollins sets, the greatest heroes in the Bible are Adam (or maybe Eve for being the first to disobey) and Judas, the one whose name is synonymous with betrayal.

There is no evil more vile, no blasphemy more loathsome. Only hell would cheer at such words.