{"id":4971,"date":"2015-07-12T00:29:06","date_gmt":"2015-07-12T04:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=4971"},"modified":"2015-07-12T00:29:06","modified_gmt":"2015-07-12T04:29:06","slug":"belief-vs-behavior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=4971","title":{"rendered":"belief vs. behavior"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"QoR8Bv1S2SEqH6UcSJCA_Tea\"<\/a>As duly noted, the Intramuralist has a long stated obsession with the question mark. It\u2019s the only piece of punctuation, friends, that requires a response. The exclamation point is for the shouters \u2014 who listen to few others \u2014 and the semi-colon, creative as it may be, is for those who tend to ramble and keep on talking; they keep talking; and they keep talking.<\/p>\n

Let me be clear: it doesn\u2019t have to be me that asks the question. I stumble upon great, thought-provoking questions daily. For example (with the help\u00a0of CNN, the International Business Times, National Geographic, and Yahoo News),<\/em> this week the following questions each gave me pause:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat’s a ‘sanctuary city,’ and why should you care?\u201d<\/em>
\n\u201cDoes Greece prove Margaret Thatcher correct that \u2018the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money?\u2019 \u201c<\/em>
\n\u201cHow good is Serena Williams?\u201d<\/em>
\n\u201cNow will you believe Bill Cosby\u2019s accusers?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

And (one of my favorites)\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you see that on \u2018Shark Week\u2019?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

One question, though, stood out far more than any of the above. Is was a simple question asked by a respected friend. It was a question that combined how we behave with what we believe. I must also acknowledge: it was beautifully profound.<\/p>\n

Does your morality dictate your theology \u2014 or \u2014 your theology dictate your morality?<\/em><\/p>\n

In other words\u2026 do we base how we behave upon what we believe? Or\u2026 do we change what we believe because of<\/em> how we behave?<\/p>\n

Do we change what we believe because of how others behave? Or\u2026 how people we love behave? Do we change what we believe? Is that wise?<\/p>\n

Perhaps no example of such moral relativism stands more poignant in history than England\u2019s King Henry VIII, who ruled from 1509 to 1547. Note that in English tradition \u2014 as actually established by Henry VIII \u2014 the British monarch also holds the title of Supreme Governor of the Church of England.<\/p>\n

While further study of this topic is both deserving and insightful, history shows that Henry VIII had multiple disputes with the Roman Catholic Church and papal authority. Hence, during his reign, he separated from Rome, establishing the Church of England as the official, state-endorsed religion, and he then inserted himself as the church’s head \u2014 the perceived moral leader of England.<\/p>\n

One of the key, revealing areas of conflict for the King was the Roman church\u2019s teaching on the sanctity of marriage \u2014 a problem because Henry VIII no longer wanted to be married to his wife. In fact, there were many<\/em> wives Henry wished to no longer be married to. After separating from Rome, and thus any strict adherence to the Catholic church, Henry VIII was married six times \u2014 four of which ended with the divorce, annulment, or even the beheading of his spouse. He was rumored to have multiple affairs\u2026 obviously completely contradicting any sense of sanctity of the marital union and commitment.
\nKing Henry VIII led a nation. He is described in \u201cThe Tudor Monarchy,\u201d a historical account depicting the power and politics in England\u2019s history, as “one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne,\u201d a powerful, attractive, and accomplished king. \u2028\u2028I wonder how he would have answered the question: did his morality dictate his theology \u2014 or \u2014 his theology dictate his morality?<\/p>\n

What do we do? What do we change because of how we wish to behave?<\/p>\n

As always, great question.<\/p>\n

Respectfully\u2026
\nAR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As duly noted, the Intramuralist has a long stated obsession with the question mark. It\u2019s the only piece of punctuation, friends, that requires a response. The exclamation point is for the shouters \u2014 who listen to few others \u2014 and the semi-colon, creative as it may be, is for those who tend to ramble and … <\/p>\n

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