So here I am stuck with another gut-wrenching decision; should I jump or pull myself back from the ledge into another controversy. Well given my penchant for pushing the envelope, I decided to take another plunge into the murkiness of uncertainty with no off ramp or safety net at the bottom.
So – gulp! – here goes.
You see, I had one of those proverbial ‘be careful what you ask for’ moments recently. And I’m still reeling from it, let alone how I somehow missed examining it in Dr. Rodney’s popular “Literary Interpretations of The Bible” course I took in college. My bad.
More context: I’ll admit that your humble columnist is not an expert on religion and religious history. Never have been, not now and probably never will be. And I can safely say the same thing about “Robert,” a longtime friend and fellow history buff, debater of sports, race, culture and hot political contemporary issues.
Now what got us going this time was the convergence of two related issues, the first our disgust with the horrific images of human beings, children in particular, being killed and starved in Gaza and, before that, the brutal 2023 attack in Israel by Hamas that snuffed out the innocent lives of over 1200 Israelis. Here’s the exchange:
Me: Hey, if we accept the belief that we should ‘love thy neighbor,’ how do you explain this unthinkable treatment of humans, this time in Gaza?
Robert: Well, it’s written in the Bible.
Me: C’mon man, there’s no way is that true.
Robert: Okay, I’ll send you a link to Deuteronomy 20:16-18 and you’ll see for yourself.
He did. I read it several times and was stunned first by the gap in my knowledge and, second, by what I read with a wish that my eyes were lying to me. Unfortunately, no luck with that lying eyes wish.
Now the October 7, 2023, vicious Hamas attack on Isreal was summed up best by Bob Woodward in “War,” his 2024 bestseller. Here’s an excerpt:
“Hamas militants from Gaza stormed across the border into southern Isreal. Using pickup trucks, jeeps, motorcycles, they burned houses and slaughtered entire families including babies. Hamas shot, beheaded, immolated, dismembered and burned Israelites alive. Another 50 Hamas swarmed a musical festival, fired at festivalgoers and picked off young men and women as they fled.”
Okay, enough is enough. As hard as it is for me to watch Gazans recently being randomly bombed, killed and starved for reasons far beyond their control, it was no less difficult for me to remember images of that attack on Israel and to repeat the excerpt in this space from Woodard’s book. So, I’ll say no more about it.
So while sitting in a mall parking lot waiting for my wife’s return and still troubled by all this, I got my friend, a “Chris,” a talented researcher and history buff on the phone. I needed to sound him out on my confusion about the Deuteronomy verse “Robert” sent me.
“Hey, I understand your concern Terry, but you need to about the historical context of the verse. I’m on the road now but when I get home, I’ll send you some things to read. One article, ‘What is the significance of Gaza in the Bible,’ I’ll send is especially relevant. Now understand that there’s a lot written on this issue and over the years Biblical scholars have put forth a variety of opinions, interpretations and meanings of that verse.”
Here’s a summary of one piece “Chris” sent that evening:
“The Canaanite people are the descendants of a man named “Canaan,” who was a grandson of Noah, and the only grandson that Noah placed a curse upon. The Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites all descended from Canaan. So, all of them are Canaanites. We know by scripture that they ceased to exist in Israel as a unified group after the Israelites took over the land. But Scripture specifically says that “The Lord Ran Them Out of Isreal. So, of the Canaanites that lived in Israel, some were killed off in war; some were enslaved, and the rest were run out of the land.”
Turning now to what I learned from more research.
20:16-18 took place during a time when the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land. The Israelites, led by Moses, had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years after their exodus from Egypt. Now, they were on the cusp of entering Canaan, the land promised to them by God. As they stood on the eastern banks of the Jordan River, Moses addressed the people, reminding them of the laws and commandments that God had given them. Moses instructed the Israelites on how to deal with the nations inhabiting the land of Canaan. He tells them that when they come across certain cities or the nations that were to be dispossessed, the Israelites were to utterly destroy them, leaving nothing alive and breathing. This harsh command was given as a way to prevent the Israelites from being led astray by the idolatrous practices of the Canaanite nations.
There’s little doubt that this verse raises ethical and moral questions about the command to destroy an entire nation, questions that remain today if that adds additional insight into what we’re seeing in Gaza today. It forces us to grapple with difficult questions about the justification for such actions and the consequences of following such commands.
As I sifted through the opinions from scholars, they all stress the complexities of religious beliefs and practices and how they can impact historical events and shape cultural identities. We must consider, they advise, the historical context in which this passage was written and the beliefs and values of the people at that time as we reflect on it. Their consensus is that we gain a greater appreciation for the complexities of scripture and the challenges of interpreting ancient texts in a modern context by engaging with these questions and seeking to understand the deeper meaning behind this verse.
I’ll end with a list of “rubber meets the road” questions for a deeper analysis, ones that will likely raise more questions than answers:
1. How can we reconcile sincerely held religious beliefs against practices that many deem morally wrong?
2. Setting aside questions of morality and differences of opinion, what are some potential opportunities for us to learn from each other and grow as human beings?
3. The federal government recently issued a memorandum outlining to federal employees the types of religious expressions allowed (Bibles on desks, group prayers, etc.) and authorizing “engaging in polite discussions of why one’s faith is correct and why non-adherents should rethink his/her beliefs.” What are the implications of this policy?
4. Given everything you’ve read in this column, if you were accepted an opportunity to facilitate a group discussion focused on the interpretations and implications of that Deuteronomy verse how might the presence of Jews, Christians and participants from other religious traditions (Muslim, Hindu, Bahai, Skeptics, etc.) and reporting relationships contribute to or detract from the quality of the dialogue?
So, this brings you standing shoulder to shoulder next to me on the edge of the ledge on this and other emerging issues, and with it this question….am I willing to take the leap!
Well, are you?
Terry Howard is an award-winning writer, a contributing writer with the Chattanooga News Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Douglas County Sentinel, TheBlackmarket.com, recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award, and third place winner of the Georgia Press Award.
