Are We Affected More than We Think?

I have heard it said that bad Biblical teachings should not affect us if we are rooted in the Bible - if we make it a daily habit of studying Scripture.  We should take what we can from teachings, and leave the rest.  "Eat the meat, spit out the bone."  I bought into this for a while.  I don't any more.  Not the way it is often meant, anyway.

I believe we are more affected by bad teaching that we want to admit.  We believe being affected by something we may not agree with or we see is harmful or abusive is being weak-minded.  In fact, it is not.  I believe this is a perfect application of "Evil communications corrupt good manners" (I Corinthians 15:33b, KJV).  

Please allow me to elaborate.  

I recently had a discussion about Mary Magdalene.  For years and years, probably most of us have heard teachings that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.  Sometimes, she is even associated with Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, due to the fact that a sinful woman anointed Jesus and Mary did also.  So the teachings go, Mary was Mary Magdalene, who was a prostitute who anointed Jesus.  A little research shows that Mary was from Bethany, Mary Magdalene was from Magdala; two separate places.  One is north, one is south.  A little further research shows that the Bible never once says Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.  It says she was a woman out of whom Jesus cast seven demons.  The association of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute is due to pure tradition.  But how many Bible-believing, Bible-reading Christians have thought that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute?  If they're reading the Bible, which only says she had seven demons cast from her, where in the world did they get the idea she was a prostitute?  Straight from the pulpit.  Straight from Christian books.  Straight from Biblical teachings.  

Let me give another example.  

If you're anything like me, you are very familiar with the phrase, "Don't be a doubting Thomas."  There is some Biblical accuracy in that statement.  Thomas did refuse to believe Jesus rose from the dead until he saw the nail holes in His hands and the spear mark in His side.  But I believe Thomas gets a bad rap in this situation.  After all, none of the disciples believed Jesus rose from the dead - until they saw it.  The women who visited the tomb told them, just as the ten disciples told Thomas.  But just as Thomas, the other ten disciples did not believe until they saw the risen Christ with their own eyes.  

I remember a college class I took over the Gospels that pointed this out.  To be honest, I was amazed I had never given that any thought before.  I just always bought into the "Doubting Thomas" tradition.    And it certainly was not that I had never read the Gospels.  

In the same way teachings that are rooted in doctrinal interpretation can and oh, so often do affect how we read the Bible.  Just a couple of years ago, I attended a church that taught as their doctrine that one must speak in tongues in order to be saved.  Believe it or not, I had written a college paper on my belief about tongues just a couple of years before.  My research was rooted in the Bible.  My opinion presented in this paper was that I believe in the gift of tongues.  I believe it is still an active gift.  But I believe there are churches that abuse this gift by believing everyone must speak in tongues.  But the way this church used supposed Biblical evidence to support their view got into my mind.  Logically, the next idea was, "Maybe I was never saved."  Even though I read the Bible, I studied the Bible.  Even though I had written about this exact topic.  The idea presented put a seed of doubt in my mind.  

Here is another example.  "Be ye holy for I am holy" (I Peter 1:16b).  How many people have grown up in the holiness tradition believing this means be careful what movies we see and what music we listen to?  If we're female, be careful what we wear because we are responsible for the thoughts that males that see us may think.  We would not want them to fall into temptation.  In some traditions, it may even mean these females should only wear dresses, never cut their hair, and never wear jewelry or make-up.  

Where do these ideas of what holiness is originate?  You guessed it.  In the doctrine of churches - the doctrine that is presented in a Biblical teaching right from the pulpit.  

In mild cases of tradition being taught as Biblical, we believe Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.  In severe cases, we are spiritually abused and our very thoughts are tormented by the anguish caused by the teachings.  Depression and despair are natural results of such abuse.  

This leads me to ask why.  Why was it important to some to vilify Mary Magdalene and Thomas?  Why was it important to say someone must speak in tongues to be saved or must have these views of holiness in order to please God?  I believe it comes down to just that - dogmatic beliefs of holiness.  

There needed to be someone to hold up and say, "Don't be like them!"  Don't be like Mary Magdalene.  See?  Jesus delivered her from prostitution.  Don't be like Thomas.  Never doubt.  Be holy.  Stay holy.  Watch your thoughts.  Go through this formula to ensure you are holy, because only holiness pleases God.  

In reality, all we need to do is trust Jesus.  We do not need to follow a specific formula.  We do not need to adhere to specific doctrines and theologies based upon traditions of the church.  We need to follow Jesus.  That is what I consider the difference between being a "Christian" and being a follower of the One that died to save me from my sins, who rose again and gave me eternal life, who cares about every, single day of my life on earth, who hears my prayers, who understands my weaknesses and shows grace anyway, who offers forgiveness, who loves me unconditionally.