The more I have delved into belief functions outside my traditional upbringing (more specifically the emergent movement) I have noticed a few words that seem to be brought up very frequently by opposing parties. These words are typically thrown around by both sids in an attempt to place the opposing party in a “negative” Biblical context while placing their party in the “positive” Biblical party. One of the more frequent words that comes up is the word “pharisee”. I see this word used almost exclusively as a derogatory remark towards a different (opposing) perspective of theology or denomination. This word typically is an attempt to place the opposing theology in a biblical analogy that essentially means “theologically legalistic”, or one that forgoes the “heart” of God yet holds the “law” of God.
I too am guilty of applying this label to others, sometimes it feels like it’s the best lens through which to view the opposing party. A way in which I can understand people who claim to be following the same God as myself, yet still hold them in a negative light. I recently have grown increasingly uncomfortable with using this label. It seems it has become a spiritual curse word at best. Yet, somehow, because Jesus called them out in the Bible we justify our modernized label as the moral equivalent. We are being “just” and if the truth hurts, so be it.
I will not argue that there are not modern day pharisees, however I will argue that many times, more often than we would like to admit, it’s not “them” but “us”.
I fear that many times when we read the stories in the Bible we like to assume that we would be on the good side. Much like any other story, we assume the position of the hero. We would be the one to stay and fight, the one to die for our friend, the one who would take in the begger and listen to Jesus when he said that “those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” We read of the disciples misunderstanding Jesus and we chuckle to ourselves “silly little disciples”.
It is so much easier to listen to a sermon and think about how it applies to someone we know. We entertain ourselves on stories of other persons problem’s and justify it as “letting others know to pray for them”. That’s easy. Yet, if we spent half the time criticizing ourselves as we did others, perhaps we wouldn’t be so quick to group people of different belief system into the “bad” crowd.
Maybe its taken me longer than most, I’ve known this to be the case for a long time, yet only recently have I KNOWN this. Previously if you had asked me what I saw when I said “pharisee” I would have said “this denomination” , “or that theology”. Now when I say it or hear it said I feel gut-wrenching realization that it’s me. The second I start to promote myself is as the decider or who is “in” or “out” with God, is the same instant I become a pharisee.
There is danger in placing others in a lesser level of relation to God than yourself. It’s near impossible to simultaneously hold someone in a lesser view of spirituality and still view yourself as a servant of them. For if we view someone with contempt, than are we not merely pitying this person? If we are honest, at this point are our efforts at “humility” not more of an act and less of the quintessential expression of love?
I am not arguing against the existence of legitimate differences in theological stances. I am not arguing that there isn’t both a time and place for a debate and even disagreement on beliefs and actions. Yet, I admit that many times it is far easier to see the faults of others and be blind to my own. Perhaps we should be wary of using negative labels when speaking of sincere followers of God. Very little is ever changed by doing so, except the self-inflated view of our own perspectives.
May we always view others as individuals and not as a group. May we recognize our own shortcomings before applying a microscope to others. May we be generous with our words and thoughts. May the posture of our heart reflect Christ in deed and in thought. And may we realize that at some point we are all guilty of missing the point of Jesus’ message.
