Not the Whole Puzzle.....

On Emerging Universalist someone mentioned being a bit wary of Girard's theory since it seemed to fit so well and explain so many things. I tend to agree with her and wrote the following response.....

The thing that I think is lacking in Girard's theory is that it seems cut and dried, matter of fact....and it seems to gloss over the very basis for the reason that we fall into a wrong kind of desire (rivalry with our fellow man) and that is our very selfish nature when we are "in adam" as opposed to God's extravagantly loving, forgiving nature when we are "in christ". (We sang that song the last time I was at church....'Your Love is Extravagant") Girard's theory holds the mirror up to our "dirty faces" and says....LOOK!!! I always felt that it was us who desired/required sacrifice but I never understood why. I do think there is more to it than what Girard points out (from the Girard I have read anyway) and that sacrifice is not just this safety valve to prevent society from self destructing, but it also because of our guilt (for what we have done....our sins....which we recognize as sinful because we do bear the divine stamp of our father....a godseed within us) and our fear. Our fear of the angry divinity (who is actually a god of our own making when we transfer our shortcomings to God) Job made sacrifice after sacrifice for his children in case they had somehow done something that angered God. Again both of these are motivated by our all consuming interest in ourselves. So I agree with you that Girard's theory is a bit too neat and tidy....but it does provide a huge chunk of the puzzle (for me anyway) but it is not the WHOLE puzzle. Also....I wonder what Job meant when he said " 5"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."