Moderation in doing God’s work.

Earlier today, I was casually chatting with my colleagues during lunch. Something led to another and we ended up on a religion-cum-denomination matter. As a Catholic, I might say that I am not new to certain criticisms about my faith and as a person…hmm, I have found myself on the other side too many times that I often make frantic efforts to appear to be in sync with some things around me. I must say that I have always seen things extra-differently from popular views.

The issue that propelled me to write this is that of moderation. I was of the opinion that everything in life required moderation. To this, there was no objection until I mentioned that even in worshiping God, moderation was required and my head was almost hacked off my neck. First, I was lambasted from all corners for my atheistic and blasphemous view. Secondly, I was shouted down and subsequently, insulted. My sanity was even called to question.

I put forward an example about Rev. King who claimed to have all the solutions to all human problems, listing the most dreaded diseases like HIV/AIDS as curable by miracle. (I am not saying that these diseases are not curable by any means possible). I got a boost from one of them saying that King saw himself as god. I then asked them if there was any moderation in his claim as he did preach in Jesus’ name and conducted his services using the Bible. This presentation is based on the premise that he burned some of his congregation who were allegedly caught in the ‘acts of fornication and adultery,’ which led to the death of one of the victims.

I am not a Bible scholar but if it’s in the Holy Book then I must have missed when Jesus changed His Word about the punishment for fornication, and asked His representatives to ‘burn’ offenders. I am not saying that church members have a blank cheque to commit whatever sins they find themselves interested in, or should not be reprimanded for misconducts in the ‘house of God’ but burning… doesn’t that tell that King crossed the line. If we ever agree that he had a ‘right to punish’ them; did he have a right to met out such an atrocity in the name of punishment.

Remember Saul in the Bible, was he not acting in the line of doing-God’s-work? If he hadn’t been stopped, I wonder if there would have been Christians to assist him after his conversion. My aim is not to bring to light these misdeeds but to help see where the line shifts from zealousness to fanaticism, or outright madness.

These are not the only cases where men of God have become murderers for God. Those who know history might recall the early days of crusades where anyone who went against the Catholic Church were branded as sorcerers and burned on the stake; Joan of the Ark would be particularly mentioned here and Galileo’s wisdom might not escape hinting. A similar history is being recorded today as to Islam and Islamism: Muslim and Islamist.