tim's thoughts on samaria field study

During our Samaria field study I think I learned as much about modern day cultural settings as I did about the physical settings of the Bible. Listening to Pinchas talk, watching his interactions with the Arab bus driver, and listening to the modern day Samaritan priest were all fascinating encounters.
Listening to Pinchas speak I had a number of different reactions. At one point he was telling the story when Ephraim and Levi responded to Dinah’s rape and said “they wiped out the town of Shechem just like should be done today.” Did he really say the Arabs of Nabulus should be exterminated? He went on to make comments about the Arabs polluting the springs of Faria, and the Arabs this and the Arabs that. It was striking to me how the Arabs, for him, were not human beings, they were simply, “others,” “enemies,” “them.” How did he come to this place? What hurts are in his past that would lead him to such statements? Or is it simply his theology and ideology? Why does the story of the destruction of Shechem make it into the Holy Scriptures? Is the true meaning of it have anything to do with hoping death upon our enemies?
It's striking to see the contrast between what Pinchas was saying and the teachings of Jesus. It's so striking! I mean think about it, 2000 years ago enemies of the Jews physically occupied the same place Pinchas was looking down on. The Samaritans lived and worshipped right where Nabulus is today. The Jews and Samaritans had no love for one another. Most Jews spent as little time in Samaria as they could. Not so different from the West Bank today. Jesus, did not stand across the way from the Samaritans and wish death on them, he went and spoke with them. In fact, when his disciples wanted to destroy a Samaritan village he stopped them. He sat and spoke with the nameless woman of Sychar and told her of living water that would never leave her thirsty again. He offered her hope, truth, love, and forgiveness. How different from the words of Pinchas. How ironic that he stood overlooking perhaps the very spot where Jesus stopped to offer love and forgiveness to an enemy.
Perhaps I was so struck by this contrast because I have on occasions found myself wondering, “what’s so different between Christianity and these other religions?” Now, I realize that Pinchas is not representative of all religious Jews, I’m just saying that I was struck by how different Pinchas conceived of being faithful to God as opposed to how I understand Jesus conceived of following God. They are two radically different understandings of how one is to follow God in this world, particularly well illustrated by their divergent approaches to enemies.
This then is my challenge. I am awoken to what it means to follow Jesus in this world by the contrast I see between this and other religious expressions. Pray, sure everybody prays. Be nice to your family, great, every religion likes that. Tell the truth, fantastic, we’re all still in agreement. Love your enemies. Whoa. How about destroy my enemies or ignore my enemies? Love your enemies. All of a sudden I am confronted with the radical call of Jesus, I see clearly that my religion is not the same as my neighbor, and that I am called to a very clear and specific way of being in this world, and that it may be very difficult. Perhaps I am only beginning to understand what it means to follow this Jesus.