Vignette One
Barbara’s mother and both grandmothers often joked that “All men are dogs!” Young Barbara heard that phrase from early childhood. Consequently, she accepted as fact that “All men are dogs.”. After all, her dad and both grandfathers were not around very much to refute the assertion.
During Barbara’s high school years, she was more focused on academics and volleyball than boys and partying. Every now and then she would go out with a young man, but even then, in the back of her mind, she just assumed that all men were, in fact, dogs.
Along her road to maturation, she heard enough stories about men mistreating women for her assumption about men to be re-affirmed.
Having graduated with honors from high school, Barbara was now determined to become an “Emergency Room Acute-Care Doctor”. One day, at the beginning of a new semester at State University, Barbara was paired with a Lab partner named “Ronald”. To Barbara’s amazement, she and Ronald clicked! By the end of the fourth week of the semester, Barbara and Ronald were inseparable. Not only did they study together, they ate together, they exercised together, they hung out on the weekends and, yes, they became best friends.
Barbara’s affection for Ronald threw Barbara into a personal crises. Ronald was the very opposite of a “dog”. Ronald was kind, thoughtful, generous, polite and accepting of people as they were. The romantic fire between them was undeniable. Barbara was convinced that she deeply loved Ronald.
Once Barbara acknowledged she loved Ronald, she sent Ronald a text. It said, “Dear Ronald, the semester is over next week. I do not want to see you again. I know you are going to only break my heart. As my mother and grandmothers always said, “All men are dogs”.
A. What happened to Barbara? Why did she deny herself love?
B. What is your opinion on the female role models for Barbara? (socialized Barbara)
C. What is “Cognitive Dissonance”?
Habakkuk 1: 2-17
Prophets Complaint
2 How long, O Lord, will I call for help and You will not hear? I cry out to You, Violence!” Yet You do not save. 3 Why do You make me see iniquity and cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. 4 Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.
God’s Response to Prophets Complaint
5 “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told. 6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans/Babylonians, that fierce and impetuous people; who march throughout the earth to seize dwelling places which are not theirs. 7 “They are dreaded and feared; their justice and authority originate with themselves. …….
Prophet’s Counter Argument
12 Are You not from everlasting, Lord, my God, my Holy One? 13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?
Summary:
The Prophet Habakkuk is perplexed that God has raised up an unclean, Gentile people, the Babylonians (referred to in the Book of Habakkuk as “Chaldeans”). The Prophet complains to God that the Babylonians are wicked people who are conquering the righteous Israelites.
God responds by telling the Prophet, “I am going to do something no one saw coming. I am going to
build up and strengthen your enemy, the Babylonians, the very people you look down upon and
regard as God-forsaken.”
Unlike the Prophet Isaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah and others,
not much is known about the Prophet Habakkuk. His
Ministry told place during the late 7th Century B.C.E.
Some of the most beautiful writing in all of holy writ is found in the Book of Habakkuk 3: 17-19
Maybe we can conduct a Bible Study series on the
Minor Prophets?
Very Important Point to Grasp
In ancient Jewish, there was the notion that “when a person or a people were approved, accepted, favored by God, then God would protect and prosper them. No harm would come to that person or people which God favored.
For example, that is what the Old Testament Books of Job and Jonah are about…
Because Job was a good and righteous man, God was supposed to prosper and protect Job. The Book of Job raises the question, “Why would God allow such suffering to befall righteous Job?”… Job’s friends assumed that Job was guilty of some grave secret sin. Otherwise, God would have protected Job from his misfortunes. Job argues that the cultural/religious assumptions do not fit his situation.
In the Book of Jonah, the Prophet Jonah experienced a crises of “Cognitive Dissonance”. Culturally, Jonah was taught that God hated the unclean Gentile, especially the unclean Assyrians. Jonah could not accept that God, in fact, loved the very people Judaism considered “God-forsaken”
We see this acculturation all around us. For example, in Hinduism’s caste system, there is the belief that the so-called “Untouchable” caste (also called “Dalit”) are in societies lowest caste, because of the evil they did in their previous incarnation… Their “Karma” was negative in a previous life and therefore, the untouchables (the Dalit Caste) are getting what they deserve. Consequently, there is often, the Dalit Caste is allowed to persist.
Here is the question I want to lay at your feet. “What do you do when your assumptions about the world are contradicted by your actual experiences?”
In the opening parable about Barbara and Ronald, Barbara was socialized by her mother and grandmothers to accept that that “all men are dogs”. Ronald is the polar opposite of a dog, in fact Barbara loves Ronald… But she could not overcome her deep-seated negative view of men. Consequently, so she broke of her the relationship.
Question: Are there any alternatives for Barbara other than breaking up with Ronald?
Give examples of someone stuck in their view the world, yet the world is often very different from that person’s fixed belief.
State the general stereotype of the categories below? Secondly, give concrete examples where the stereotype is contradicted by real life experience.
Stereotype
Reality
Race
Religion
Politics
Wealth
Paradox of the Bubble
“The Paradox of the Bubble” is as follows …
(A) We all live in a bubble.
(B) Our bubble provides us with markers, parameters, anchors, points of reference
(C) Bubble are necessary to give us boundaries and identity
(D) We do NOT want to burst our bubble. Why? (no points of reference)
(E) Typically, we inherit our bubble from family, peers, religion, society, etc.
(F) We shall inevitably have experiences that conflict with our closed bubble.
(G) New experiences force us to question the accuracy of bubble.
(H) The new experience either forces us to “modify” our bubble so as to accommodate the new experience or reinforce/defend our bubble by somehow rejecting our new experience.
Healthy Religion Encourages Us To Continuously Grow/Expand our Bubble
Let’s Close this Bible Study by Seeing How Jesus dealt with his Bubble
The Bubble is the
Religion of Jesus
What does Jesus do with His Bubble of Judaism?
In Judaism women were property.
Women were regarded as inferior to men. (Genesis 3:16, Exodus 20:17)
1st century Rabbi Eliezer forbade women to be taught the Torah
The first heralds of the Resurrection are women (Matthew 28:1-7)
Jesus taught women and men together. Luke 10:38-42
2
Judaism taught that to touch a leper made a person ritually unclean (Number 19:11)
Jesus touched a leper (Matthew 8:3)
3
Judaism taught that pay back was the norm
“Eye for eye and a tooth for a tooth”
(Exodus 21:24)
Jesus taught that we should “turn the other cheek”
(Matthew 5: 38-39)
4
Judaism taught that one must not seek vengeance against a fellow Jew. But one could take vengeance on non-Jews
(Leviticus 19:18)
Jesus taught that we are “Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us” (Matthew 5: 43-33)
A. Jesus was a Jew. However, he did not allow the contemporary interpretation of Judaism to restrict him. He critiqued the Judaism of his day and adjusted that interpretation to conform to his understanding of God. Jesus did not burst his Jewish bubble. Jesus expanded his Jewish bubble.
B. The Gospel writers are silent on Jesus and the matter of slavery. Nevertheless, this Bible Class shall examine Jesus’ view on slavery in the near future.
Vocabulary
“Cognitive Dissonance” is the mental stress or discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting thoughts. It occurs in situations where a person is presented with facts that contradict that person’s self-image, attitudes, beliefs or behaviors.
“Critical Thinking” is the process of analyzing facts, beliefs, behaviors and assumptions and customs to formulate a conclusion and/or opinion.
“Stereotype” is a widely held, but fix and oversimplified idea or opinion of a particular person, group or thing.
“Socialization” is the process of inheriting norms, customs and ideologies.
Barbara’s mother and both grandmothers often joked that “All men are dogs!” Young Barbara heard that phrase from early childhood. Consequently, she accepted as fact that “All men are dogs.”. After all, her dad and both grandfathers were not around very much to refute the assertion.
During Barbara’s high school years, she was more focused on academics and volleyball than boys and partying. Every now and then she would go out with a young man, but even then, in the back of her mind, she just assumed that all men were, in fact, dogs.
Along her road to maturation, she heard enough stories about men mistreating women for her assumption about men to be re-affirmed.
Having graduated with honors from high school, Barbara was now determined to become an “Emergency Room Acute-Care Doctor”. One day, at the beginning of a new semester at State University, Barbara was paired with a Lab partner named “Ronald”. To Barbara’s amazement, she and Ronald clicked! By the end of the fourth week of the semester, Barbara and Ronald were inseparable. Not only did they study together, they ate together, they exercised together, they hung out on the weekends and, yes, they became best friends.
Barbara’s affection for Ronald threw Barbara into a personal crises. Ronald was the very opposite of a “dog”. Ronald was kind, thoughtful, generous, polite and accepting of people as they were. The romantic fire between them was undeniable. Barbara was convinced that she deeply loved Ronald.
Once Barbara acknowledged she loved Ronald, she sent Ronald a text. It said, “Dear Ronald, the semester is over next week. I do not want to see you again. I know you are going to only break my heart. As my mother and grandmothers always said, “All men are dogs”.
A. What happened to Barbara? Why did she deny herself love?
B. What is your opinion on the female role models for Barbara? (socialized Barbara)
C. What is “Cognitive Dissonance”?
Habakkuk 1: 2-17
Prophets Complaint
2 How long, O Lord, will I call for help and You will not hear? I cry out to You, Violence!” Yet You do not save. 3 Why do You make me see iniquity and cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. 4 Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.
God’s Response to Prophets Complaint
5 “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told. 6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans/Babylonians, that fierce and impetuous people; who march throughout the earth to seize dwelling places which are not theirs. 7 “They are dreaded and feared; their justice and authority originate with themselves. …….
Prophet’s Counter Argument
12 Are You not from everlasting, Lord, my God, my Holy One? 13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?
Summary:
The Prophet Habakkuk is perplexed that God has raised up an unclean, Gentile people, the Babylonians (referred to in the Book of Habakkuk as “Chaldeans”). The Prophet complains to God that the Babylonians are wicked people who are conquering the righteous Israelites.
God responds by telling the Prophet, “I am going to do something no one saw coming. I am going to
build up and strengthen your enemy, the Babylonians, the very people you look down upon and
regard as God-forsaken.”
Unlike the Prophet Isaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah and others,
not much is known about the Prophet Habakkuk. His
Ministry told place during the late 7th Century B.C.E.
Some of the most beautiful writing in all of holy writ is found in the Book of Habakkuk 3: 17-19
Maybe we can conduct a Bible Study series on the
Minor Prophets?
Very Important Point to Grasp
In ancient Jewish, there was the notion that “when a person or a people were approved, accepted, favored by God, then God would protect and prosper them. No harm would come to that person or people which God favored.
For example, that is what the Old Testament Books of Job and Jonah are about…
Because Job was a good and righteous man, God was supposed to prosper and protect Job. The Book of Job raises the question, “Why would God allow such suffering to befall righteous Job?”… Job’s friends assumed that Job was guilty of some grave secret sin. Otherwise, God would have protected Job from his misfortunes. Job argues that the cultural/religious assumptions do not fit his situation.
In the Book of Jonah, the Prophet Jonah experienced a crises of “Cognitive Dissonance”. Culturally, Jonah was taught that God hated the unclean Gentile, especially the unclean Assyrians. Jonah could not accept that God, in fact, loved the very people Judaism considered “God-forsaken”
We see this acculturation all around us. For example, in Hinduism’s caste system, there is the belief that the so-called “Untouchable” caste (also called “Dalit”) are in societies lowest caste, because of the evil they did in their previous incarnation… Their “Karma” was negative in a previous life and therefore, the untouchables (the Dalit Caste) are getting what they deserve. Consequently, there is often, the Dalit Caste is allowed to persist.
Here is the question I want to lay at your feet. “What do you do when your assumptions about the world are contradicted by your actual experiences?”
In the opening parable about Barbara and Ronald, Barbara was socialized by her mother and grandmothers to accept that that “all men are dogs”. Ronald is the polar opposite of a dog, in fact Barbara loves Ronald… But she could not overcome her deep-seated negative view of men. Consequently, so she broke of her the relationship.
Question: Are there any alternatives for Barbara other than breaking up with Ronald?
Give examples of someone stuck in their view the world, yet the world is often very different from that person’s fixed belief.
State the general stereotype of the categories below? Secondly, give concrete examples where the stereotype is contradicted by real life experience.
Stereotype
Reality
Race
Religion
Politics
Wealth
Paradox of the Bubble
“The Paradox of the Bubble” is as follows …
(A) We all live in a bubble.
(B) Our bubble provides us with markers, parameters, anchors, points of reference
(C) Bubble are necessary to give us boundaries and identity
(D) We do NOT want to burst our bubble. Why? (no points of reference)
(E) Typically, we inherit our bubble from family, peers, religion, society, etc.
(F) We shall inevitably have experiences that conflict with our closed bubble.
(G) New experiences force us to question the accuracy of bubble.
(H) The new experience either forces us to “modify” our bubble so as to accommodate the new experience or reinforce/defend our bubble by somehow rejecting our new experience.
Healthy Religion Encourages Us To Continuously Grow/Expand our Bubble
Let’s Close this Bible Study by Seeing How Jesus dealt with his Bubble
The Bubble is the
Religion of Jesus
What does Jesus do with His Bubble of Judaism?
In Judaism women were property.
Women were regarded as inferior to men. (Genesis 3:16, Exodus 20:17)
1st century Rabbi Eliezer forbade women to be taught the Torah
The first heralds of the Resurrection are women (Matthew 28:1-7)
Jesus taught women and men together. Luke 10:38-42
2
Judaism taught that to touch a leper made a person ritually unclean (Number 19:11)
Jesus touched a leper (Matthew 8:3)
3
Judaism taught that pay back was the norm
“Eye for eye and a tooth for a tooth”
(Exodus 21:24)
Jesus taught that we should “turn the other cheek”
(Matthew 5: 38-39)
4
Judaism taught that one must not seek vengeance against a fellow Jew. But one could take vengeance on non-Jews
(Leviticus 19:18)
Jesus taught that we are “Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us” (Matthew 5: 43-33)
A. Jesus was a Jew. However, he did not allow the contemporary interpretation of Judaism to restrict him. He critiqued the Judaism of his day and adjusted that interpretation to conform to his understanding of God. Jesus did not burst his Jewish bubble. Jesus expanded his Jewish bubble.
B. The Gospel writers are silent on Jesus and the matter of slavery. Nevertheless, this Bible Class shall examine Jesus’ view on slavery in the near future.
Vocabulary
“Cognitive Dissonance” is the mental stress or discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting thoughts. It occurs in situations where a person is presented with facts that contradict that person’s self-image, attitudes, beliefs or behaviors.
“Critical Thinking” is the process of analyzing facts, beliefs, behaviors and assumptions and customs to formulate a conclusion and/or opinion.
“Stereotype” is a widely held, but fix and oversimplified idea or opinion of a particular person, group or thing.
“Socialization” is the process of inheriting norms, customs and ideologies.