Amos 5:11-24
New International Version (NIV)
11 You levy a straw tax on the poor
and impose a tax on their grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,
you will not live in them;
though you have planted lush vineyards,
you will not drink their wine.
12 For I know how many are your offenses
and how great your sins.
There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes
and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times,
for the times are evil.
14 Seek good, not evil,
that you may live.
Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you,
just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil, love good;
maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy
on the remnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore this is what the Lord, the LORD God Almighty, says:
“There will be wailing in all the streets
and cries of anguish in every public square.
The farmers will be summoned to weep
and the mourners to wail.
17 There will be wailing in all the vineyards,
for I will pass through your midst,”
says the LORD.
The Day of the LORD
18 Woe to you who longfor the day of the LORD!
Why do you long for the day of the LORD?
That day will be darkness, not light.
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
and rested his hand on the wall
only to have a snake bite him.
20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light—
pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness? 21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
19 comments:
Funny how no one ever responds to the content of scripture!!!
Misused Scripture, at that.
I don't mean to sound too questioning, but how is a raw posting of OT scripture a "misuse" of scripture? Is it simply because Larry posted it on his Urban Daily?
BTW Larry, the post is timely for me having just finished Metaxas' biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer which I'm still trying to process.
Thanks!
Barecycles, those of us that have been following Larry's blog for a while,acknowledge that he is a liberation theologist. As such, he uses scriptural quotes to fit his political philosophy.
Don't know that I agree with your characterization of Larry, sounds more like an opinion but that's ok. I appreciate your clarification of the term "misuse".
Thanks!
Barecycles, thanks for your comments. Curious, huh, that I simply cut and paste the word of God--a word that deals directly with injustice, the poor and the realities of systemic oppression--and the boo birds claim that I am misusing it?
Here's a challenge to any and all: tell me what the text means in your estimation.
Tell me what Amos meant by his use of terms like justice, oppression, the innocent, etc.
Dismissing me as a "liberationist" is easy. But it doesn't deal with clear words of the text and it says nothing about the duel tasks of interpretation and application.
I must say, I am very concerned to know what it means when the text quotes God as saying, “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me...."
What say you?
Just for Barecycles, do you acknowledge that you are a Liberation Theologist?
What does it possibly matter? It's a straight quote from the Bible.
But, from the usual anons: Name calling. Labeling. Guilt by association. In other words, the usual. No substantive response.
Anon 5:44, good point, but then, you are open to the discovery of truth, truth that has been buried and made invisible by the cooption of faith by a worldview that stands against the poor.
To the question do I acknowledge I am a Liberation Theologist? Not sure but I think not...but how would I know for sure and would it matter? Just asking.
I don't see myself as having the necessary knowledge to be any type of theologian.
Thanks!
Barecycles, I think the question was to me, a glancing blow to draw me into an irrelevant discussion, as you so wisely recognize.
Some people do not see anything in this chapter except social injustice but the chief theme is the contrast between true religion and false religion. Some people do not even believe in false religion.
I'm pretty sure Larry was trying to make a point which included using the Scripture to paint his target scapegoats as the source of poverty in this country.
Anon 10:36 and "Speech Teacher," no argument about true vs false religion as a theme of the entire book of Amos. The point still holds: people who claim to worship and adore God see no ethical/moral connection between their religion and the plight of the poor in society. Amos' critique assumes systemic forces that create situations of oppression, as well as individual acts of greed and selfishness. That's just what the text says.
"Speech Teacher," as to your observation, I do believe that the poor suffer unduly in the richest nation and the most Christian nation on earth because people of faith have not made the connection clearly enough or often enough to bring folks relief and equity.
"I'm pretty sure Larry was trying to make a point which included using the Scripture to paint his target scapegoats as the source of poverty in this country."
If you see that in the text, respond to the text.
It is amazing to me that Larry can post a straight quote form the Bible and draw an inflammatory response. I wonder if those responding so negatively have been pricked a little by the text.
Right before your quote, in Amos 4:1 -
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!"
Hard words - wealthy women ignoring the poor and living it up - and Amos calls them cows! Not likely to hear that from any mainstream pulpit in America today.
Alas, poor Amos, ”the land is not able to bear all his words."
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