Greg Bahnsen, founding father of the theonomy movement, uses this argument in his book, No Other Standard: since God never changes, neither does the Old Testament law. From there, it is an easy road to destroying homosexuals and keeping the women at home, barefoot and pregnant.
This, obviously, is an oversimplification. But this is a blog entry, not an academic paper. I hate the error of theonomy, and I don't mind being open about it.
I was watching a special this afternoon about Mormon polygamy. Like to know what the polygamist's creepy justification of his activities was? You guessed it: God never changes. If the OT patriarchs practiced polygamy, it's no great stretch for you or me.
After I threw the remote and screamed at the TV for a second, I got a hold of myself, and gave myself this lecture: You know enough about logical argumentation to know that guilt by association isn't exactly compelling. And you know that this one common argument doesn't comprise the views of theonomists or polygamists.
However, you have to admit that the coincidence does suggest a few things.
It's true that scripture does say that God doesn't change (1 Sam. 15:29). However, clearly there are times that God does things differently (Is. 43:19). If you are feeling generous, you might even admit that becoming a human being and allowing himself to be pushed out of a woman's birth canal, and blinking, stunned, into a wide and brutal world might have been a little, I don't know, new.
A short list of things I hate:
- Static electricity
- People who honk their horns
- Rudeness
- Fakiness
- Bullies
- Bad theology
The last two go together: if there is one thing I hate more than anything, it's bullies who use bad theology. Yes, I know, I've spent so many words complaining about theology, and I certainly have no great love for our human scarecrows of God, but it's even worse when people use theology to try to limit, defeat, or control other people.
Not exactly the character of God, which never changes, I might add.
I talked to a guy about Lutheran theology over cigars today. It was a good time.
Posted by: loofrin | February 27, 2006 at 02:44 PM
God is the same yesterday today and.....forever full of surprises. And if this finite creature thinks he has a lock on who HE IS, and becomes devoted to keeping Him staticly within that snap shot of my understanding, God have mercy on me for taking His Name in vain. It is a lot more fun surveying the lengths breadths and hights of what He has revealed about Himself, with Jesus as our trail blazer, than digging a hole into some aspect of who He is and not wanting any surprises.
Posted by: Doug Corey | February 28, 2006 at 04:58 PM
Happy Birthday babe. I am glad you're turning 29 with me. I love you.
Posted by: savannahb | February 28, 2006 at 07:26 PM