The horror of divine holiness

[matt cardin]

Remember 41 years ago when Steven Spielberg and George Lucas provided a startlingly potent and accurate cinematic depiction of biblical deity in the Ark opening ceremony from Raiders of the Lost Ark? Then The Onion did the same thing in 2014. Some thoughts on the personal and cultural impact of such things:

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This was heady, potent, revolutionary stuff to transmit to the masses. I’m of the opinion that the shock waves are still resounding and spreading throughout human societies and cultures. Personally, at age 11, I was simply overwhelmed by the spectacle, and also by the fact that my parents, who carefully curated my youthful viewing habits, were actually letting me watch such a thing. But many other parents were similarly letting this movie and that scene with its transformative implications embed itself in the psyches of their children and themselves. People of all ages, not only here in the United States (where I'm located) but around the world, were imbibing the same lesson, which some of them had already received from their religious traditions, but maybe not this vividly and overpoweringly, about the awesome, fearsome, fascinating, mesmerizing, terrifying nature of divine holiness when viewed — or especially when, God help us, encountered — from the finite, creaturely perspective of mere mortals. “Don’t look, Marion!” shouts Indy, keeping his wits about him as he remembers the ancient injunction that one cannot see the LORD and live. “Keep your eyes shut!” For indeed, as the ancient Deuteronomist solemnly, fearfully pointed out, “the LORD your God is a devouring fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24). Some 1500 years later, the unknown author of the New Testament Book of Hebrews reaffirmed this: “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). It was this same author who also, appropriately, noted that, in point of fact, “it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). More: The Horror of Divine Holiness

[bendk]

For whatever reason, I have an aversion to many words surrounding religion.
Divine, sin, holy, etc. Although, I can think of about fifty exceptions.

50 Of Robin - YouTube

[matt cardin]

I'm glad I could hit two of your triggers in a single forum post title...


"Holy" sounds so much cooler when Robin says it.

[bendk]

Quote Originally Posted by matt cardin

I'm glad I could hit two of your triggers in a single forum post title...

Well done.

Quote Originally Posted by matt cardin

"Holy" sounds so much cooler when Robin says it.

It does.

If anyone wants just a fun read, I heartily recommend this memoir. I read it due to a very favorable review in Entertainment Weekly magazine. It's hilarious. Also, Burt Ward and Adam West made out like bandits with the ladies.