Searching for Truth!

                                             

Author’s Note

“It's a mistake to think that God has conflict with anything. He's everything. So, the closer you are to God, how can you be in conflict with anybody? Conflict comes from ego, and from thinking, ‘I'm right and you're wrong.’ If I can reach the point where I understand that what is right for me may be different than what is right for you, that would be a good step. But most people don't reach that point, and so they fight about it.”

Goswami Kriyananda

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Reflections

Setting: Early fall evening in Antioch, year 200 CE. I am sitting in a wine shop, enjoying a mug of a newly discovered local white wine, when I overhear the following conversation about religion, between three men.

A servant girl places a tall jar with two side handles onto the table, along with three mugs, and announces, “Gentlemen, here is the wine you ordered.”

Bartholomew, a wealthy merchant living in Antioch responds cheerfully, “Thank you, young lady, here is a silver denarius, keep the change!”

As Bartholomew pours a deep, ruby almost black, red wine from the amphorae into the three earthenware mugs, he begins, “Serapion, thank you for accepting my invitation to meet with Abraham and I to discuss your religion with us!”

The three nod their heads to greet each other, raise their mugs and take a drink of the wine.

“What is this wonderful wine you graciously serve us my friend?” asks Serapion as he places his mug back on the table. “I have never tasted anything so delightful!”

Joseph agrees, “Yes, this is such a treat, please tell us what this wonderful elixir is you bathe our tongues with?”

“Ah, my friends, thank you. You are drinking a Chian wine, a product of the Greek island of Chios. Wonderful, isn’t it!”, Bartholomew proudly exclaims.

In a more serious tone, Bartholomew continues, “Now, to the point. Serapion, I must first explain to you, why Abraham and I asked to speak with you. It has come to our attention, your religious beliefs, uhm … how can I say it graciously, are exclusive, arrogant to say the least?!”

“Come on Bartholomew, stop being so nice, his beliefs are crazy, He’s nuts!” blurts out Abraham.

Abraham continues, “You Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah spoken of in the Septuagint, our book of sacred Scripture. Jesus was not the Messiah. He was a common thief, a fake, a man who was crucified by the Romans because of his blasphemy against our God! Not only do you believe that lie, but you also now claim our God as your God and tell us we killed our own God!” Abraham quickly gulps the wine left in his mug and fills the mug with more wine.

Abraham continues, “Unlike you Bartholomew, we believe in one transcendent God, not many gods as you foolishly do. Our God revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and our Hebrew prophets. We, Jews, are His chosen people, He is not the god of the gentiles. We are in a conditional, covenantal agreement with our God, where our God promises to protect us if we keep His Law found in the Septuagint and rabbinic traditions. If we break this agreement, we will be punished! Unlike you Serapion, our relationship with our God does not require faith, but instead requires works!”

“Let me respond to your attack on my gods!”, interjects Bartholomew. “Abraham, I can respect your belief in one god, but don’t call me foolish because I believe in many gods. I think all of us can agree, as mortals, we have no control over the forces at work in our world that can harm us. Therefore, we have a need for religion. For example, I believe the state gods of the Roman empire are responsible for protecting us. If we continue to pray to these gods and offer sacrifices to them, they will continue to allow our emperor, Septus Servinius to protect our borders from the Persians and others who would do us harm. Because we are a major crossroads between Rome and the eastern provinces of the empire, Septus Servinius has developed our city into a major Roman army garrison. Therefore, our very existence here in Antioch is allowed by the gods. In the past, earthquakes and other natural disasters have destroyed many portions of our

cities, so me must continue to give the gods what they want, so they will continue to protect us from these natural disasters that will surely come our way if we don’t!”

Bartholomew gulps down the remaining wine in his cup, pours himself more, then continues, “It is true I have many gods. Not only do I care for the state gods, but I also care for gods that protect my business, my city, and my family. I have no allegiance to any one god as both of you do, no belief or creed I must adhere too. Any belief I have in any god is a private matter. I do not believe in an afterlife, when I die, I believe I cease to exist, therefore I have no need for the Christian god I have heard of. In the future, if I become aware of something that might harm me not protected by the gods I now care for, I am free to begin believing in a new god as well! I am inclusive, not exclusive as you are Serapion!”

Serapion gulps down his wine, slowly pours himself more wine, filling his mug to the rim, then responds, slowly and calmly, “Well gentleman, where to begin? I respect your attacks and will answer them most assuredly. But, first, let me tell you this! My God loves both of you. As the Patriarch of Antioch, I serve as the bishop of the Christian community here in Antioch. Before I offer a defense about my beliefs, I first want to make you aware, there are other so-called Christians in the empire, who do not subscribe to what I believe. You may have heard their names, Marcion, Valentinius, and Montanus. If you are interested in their false views, you will have to talk with them. Before I start my defense, everything I am about to say is the truth, the absolute truth above all falsehood, found in the Scripture of truth given to us by God through the writings of Jesus’ disciples and apostles. The Holy Spirit who inspired the Scripture of truth also guided the writings in the Septuagint. Based on the truth found in these writings I believe the following. I believe in one God, maker of heaven and earth, all that is visible and invisible. I believe in Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, who came down from heaven, for man’s salvation, suffered, was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day as written in the scriptures, ascended in glory into heaven, sits at the right hand of his Father, and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Because we are all sinners, we all will be separated from our creator God, who is a just God, who demands payment for our sin. But because Jesus died for our sins, we have been made right in the eyes of God. All we need to do is have faith in the work of Jesus on the cross at Calvary and we will be able to spend an eternity with God. We cannot earn our way into heaven as the Jews believe, through our works, therefore the old covenant between God and the Jewish people is no longer in effect. God has a new covenant with both Jews and gentiles. That new covenant is based on faith in Jesus. When we die, there will be no more pain and suffering, instead we will spend an eternity in a loving relationship with our creator God.”

In silence, the three men stare at each other, first in anger, then disbelief, then a look of surrender, I’m sure an effect caused by the large quantity of wine they have drank!

Bartholomew picks up the amphorae and exclaims, “Ah, the jar is almost empty! Here, let me pour the last of the wine into our mugs, so we can make a final toast to agree, to disagree, before departing for the evening. Let us depart not in anger, but in a spirit to respect each other’s beliefs and go our separate ways in peace!”

As they finish toasting and drinking the last drops of wine, Bartholomew continues, “Well gentleman, thank you again for accepting my invitation to meet. This has been a very enlightening and intense conversation to say the least. Thank you Serapion for graciously sharing your Christian belief with us.”

As they stand up to depart for the evening, Serapion says, “Bartholomew and Joseph, if you are interested, I would like to show you a cave where Simon Peter, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples worshipped God around 50 CE! I can tell you more about this religion of mine there if you are interested.”

Reluctantly, but to my surprise, in a spirit of peace and understanding, they agree to meet the following day to continue the discussion, and politely, say goodnight.

After listening to this conversation, I finish my wine and think to myself, now, I’m not sure what I believe!

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Silent Prayer

Creator God, help us discover the truth You would have us know!

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Music

Greig - Morning from Peer Grynt - Best-of Classical Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgbVlfWRkHk

Barry