Perhaps my biggest pet peeve is the lack of passion from Christians and non-Christians alike in today's society. I believe that many of our issues hinge on this lack of motivation, and inspiration. In fact, during my Ministry University course, when we were asked to sum up our purpose in ministry, I stated that I intended to re-kindle an undying passion for Christ within people's heart that left them inspired and motivated just as the early church had been, and resulted in great victories for Christ's kingdom.
I'm going to tackle what I label as the biggest issue in society from two perspectives. First, from the non-Christian aspect, and then the Christian aspect. I believe each are equally important!
Starting with the non-Christian aspect, I feel that many of our problems in society are due to lack of passion. Obviously the issue is different with non-Christians in the fact that they can't fuel their passion from the same thing. Each person has to search for a different motivator, or source. This in itself is a huge issue, but right now, I believe the biggest issue is that no one is even bothering to find a source for themselves! No one cares anymore about anything! It is extremely rare to find a person who feels so strongly about something that it consumes every part of their soul.
I recently did a youth devotion on the topic of passion, and while researching for the talk, I discovered this definition of passion from the Merriam-Webster dictionary, passion is "a strong feeling that causes you to act in a dangerous way." I love this! You see, the issue isn't that we don't care for certain things, the issue is that we don't care enough. We are not willing to put our necks on the line for something we supposedly "care" about. The issue is that society is filled of people with dead dreams, goals, and loves. We claim to be passionate about our lives, but do our actions truly reveal that passion?
Using an example of someone I know, this person really wants to make it in the sports world. They feel so passionately about the sport, that they practice everyday for hours and hours. They're willing to sacrifice what normal people their age get to experience, just to pursue this passion. They are acting dangerously.
What the world has to offer is endless! Find something you feel you could care for passionately, and do it! Don't be afraid, don't be lazy, but do something with your life!
This is just the start. As Christians, we know that what the world has to offer is great, but at the same time is not entirely self-satisfying. The only passion that is actually meaningful at the end of the day is passion for God.
Again, that same definition of acting dangerously applies to our relationship with Christ. We should care so strongly for Him that it consumes every aspect of our lives. This doesn't mean that we pull Him out of the closet on Sunday mornings, and then put Him away for the rest of the week. Instead, He is involved in every minute of our live, every action that we commit, every thought that passes through our mind. When we talk to our friends, our passion is shown through the fact that we can't wait to share Christ with them. When we have free time, instead of letting our lives be sucked away by technology, we put forth the effort to become more Christ-like and to draw deeper in our relationship with God.
We have a common source: God. He sent His Son to die for us on the cross, because He loved us so much. He could not bear to watch us suffer, so He committed a dangerous act, an act that hurt Him deeply. But Jesus also loved us, and stepped up to the plate, willing again to act dangerously in order to show His passion for us. The only response to this would be to accept that love, and to offer it back. Perhaps not in the same way, but by offering our complete lives back to Him to use for His will.
That's what passion is. That's what our changed lives should look like. Just imagine a world of people so committed to what they love that they lay everything down just to see it through. The potential for great things to happen is astounding.
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Thursday, 4 September 2014
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis Book Synopsis
Rating: 9.1/10
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is a must own for all Christians, whether new to the faith, or far a long in the walk. The book is very characteristic of Lewis' writing style, with much explanation given to all subjects, and easy to understand analogies always present. Mere Christianity delves into exactly what our faith stands for; including a Christian perspective and an Atheist perspective. With a foundation laid from the beginnings of an argument for religion to the description of proper Christian behaviour, Mere Christianity is exactly as it's title implies; a talk about what Christianity is all about.
The book begins by creating an argument for a more detailed meaning of the universe, pinpointing the use of right and wrong as key to the discussion. Everything in society (no matter the century) revolves around right and wrong. While what is labelled right or wrong is not always set in stone, we each have our opinions; no one can say that they don't hold some things as right or wrong. And while we have this idea of what is right and wrong, most times we do not act or behave in the right way. This idea is further developed by examining what lies behind this Moral Law of Human Nature. C.S. Lewis, again showing his genius mind, goes on to show that the only way we can prove that something does indeed exist outside of this universe that has a purpose is through the universe that has been made and the Moral Law that has been put in our minds. However we have angered this God that has proved Himself to love goodness through this law by the way that we have disobeyed and continually have followed wrong ways. Christianity expands and helps to explain this Moral Law in a more holistic perspective.
C.S. Lewis then changes tact and moves into a description of what Christians believe, starting off with how the religion is different then other ones. Surprisingly, he states that when it comes to other religions, Christians can even accept certain areas! Realistically, everyone believes in a God, but each has different ideas about who this God is, or what He does. That is the key difference.
Christians have a certain belief set about God, that includes what is right and wrong, and they even have their own ideas about how evil entered the world. In fact, the key moment of evil was when the self was put first. That was the original sin of Satan, and the original sin of Adam and Eve, and continues to be the major sin in society today.
The story continues until it comes to a climax with Jesus, the son of God who stepped in to save the people from their sin. However, action is still required from us, the undeniably difficult task of repentance. This repentance isn't an one time occurrence, but rather occurs very frequently, as the Christian struggles to get better and better with Christ helping them along.
After this brief discussion of the faith, Lewis begins to break down what the Christian behaviour should look like. First, a discussion on morality or ethics is held, with three key conclusions made regarding human morality; harmony between individuals, harmony inside of the individual and purpose of human life as a whole. The argument is that there has to have been a higher power who put this need for harmony within individuals, the need for morality and ethics.
Lewis continues to list out what a Christian's ethics are, by using virtues. Prudence, Temperance, Justice and Fortitude compromise what is titled as the Cardinal Virtues. Lewis also points out the Christian's need for social morality. Using all these virtues, Lewis paints the picture of a perfect Christian society; surprisingly it is similar to what society says they strive to be like today! Sexual morality is also a topic that Lewis discusses, a topic that he decides comes down to the fact if we really want to avoid it or not. If we want to stay away from it, we will stay away from it. But if it is a half-hearted attempt, then the results will reflect the effort.
Aspects of the Christian life are also touched upon, such as the seriousness of marriage. Forgiveness is also highlighted as a key characteristic of a Christian. Pride is highlighted as the most serious downfall a Christian can find themselves with. Charity is labelled as a step to overcome pride. Hope and Faith round up the positive characteristics that Christians should strive to obtain.
After this discussion, Lewis lists out some more difficult doctrines of the faith about God, such as the Three-Personal God, the matter of time, and what makes Jesus different. This difference is what Christians strive to achieve, the characteristic that sets them apart from the world, and truly makes them children of God.
Quotes
"Progress means not just changing, but changing for the better."
"God is the only comfort, He is also the supreme terror: the thing we most need and the thing we most want to hide from. He is our only possible ally, and we have made ourselves His enemies."
"Goodness is either the great safety or the great danger - according to the way you react to it."
"If you are a Christian you do not have to believe that all the other religions are simply wrong all through...there is only one right answer to a sum, and all the other answers are wrong; but some of the wrong answers are much nearer being right than others."
"If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having."
"We do know that no man can be saved except through Christ; we do not know that only those who know Him can be saved through Him."
"You cannot make men good by law; and without good men you cannot have a good society."
"Human beings judge one another by their external actions. God judges them by their moral choices."
"And that, by the way, is perhaps the most important difference between Christianity and all other religions: that in Christianity God is not a static thing - not even a person - but a dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost a kind of drama."
"God is easy to please, but hard to satisfy."
Buy Text: Indigo Chapters Canada
Buy E-Copy: Kobo Canada
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is a must own for all Christians, whether new to the faith, or far a long in the walk. The book is very characteristic of Lewis' writing style, with much explanation given to all subjects, and easy to understand analogies always present. Mere Christianity delves into exactly what our faith stands for; including a Christian perspective and an Atheist perspective. With a foundation laid from the beginnings of an argument for religion to the description of proper Christian behaviour, Mere Christianity is exactly as it's title implies; a talk about what Christianity is all about.
The book begins by creating an argument for a more detailed meaning of the universe, pinpointing the use of right and wrong as key to the discussion. Everything in society (no matter the century) revolves around right and wrong. While what is labelled right or wrong is not always set in stone, we each have our opinions; no one can say that they don't hold some things as right or wrong. And while we have this idea of what is right and wrong, most times we do not act or behave in the right way. This idea is further developed by examining what lies behind this Moral Law of Human Nature. C.S. Lewis, again showing his genius mind, goes on to show that the only way we can prove that something does indeed exist outside of this universe that has a purpose is through the universe that has been made and the Moral Law that has been put in our minds. However we have angered this God that has proved Himself to love goodness through this law by the way that we have disobeyed and continually have followed wrong ways. Christianity expands and helps to explain this Moral Law in a more holistic perspective.
C.S. Lewis then changes tact and moves into a description of what Christians believe, starting off with how the religion is different then other ones. Surprisingly, he states that when it comes to other religions, Christians can even accept certain areas! Realistically, everyone believes in a God, but each has different ideas about who this God is, or what He does. That is the key difference.
Christians have a certain belief set about God, that includes what is right and wrong, and they even have their own ideas about how evil entered the world. In fact, the key moment of evil was when the self was put first. That was the original sin of Satan, and the original sin of Adam and Eve, and continues to be the major sin in society today.
The story continues until it comes to a climax with Jesus, the son of God who stepped in to save the people from their sin. However, action is still required from us, the undeniably difficult task of repentance. This repentance isn't an one time occurrence, but rather occurs very frequently, as the Christian struggles to get better and better with Christ helping them along.
After this brief discussion of the faith, Lewis begins to break down what the Christian behaviour should look like. First, a discussion on morality or ethics is held, with three key conclusions made regarding human morality; harmony between individuals, harmony inside of the individual and purpose of human life as a whole. The argument is that there has to have been a higher power who put this need for harmony within individuals, the need for morality and ethics.
Lewis continues to list out what a Christian's ethics are, by using virtues. Prudence, Temperance, Justice and Fortitude compromise what is titled as the Cardinal Virtues. Lewis also points out the Christian's need for social morality. Using all these virtues, Lewis paints the picture of a perfect Christian society; surprisingly it is similar to what society says they strive to be like today! Sexual morality is also a topic that Lewis discusses, a topic that he decides comes down to the fact if we really want to avoid it or not. If we want to stay away from it, we will stay away from it. But if it is a half-hearted attempt, then the results will reflect the effort.
Aspects of the Christian life are also touched upon, such as the seriousness of marriage. Forgiveness is also highlighted as a key characteristic of a Christian. Pride is highlighted as the most serious downfall a Christian can find themselves with. Charity is labelled as a step to overcome pride. Hope and Faith round up the positive characteristics that Christians should strive to obtain.
After this discussion, Lewis lists out some more difficult doctrines of the faith about God, such as the Three-Personal God, the matter of time, and what makes Jesus different. This difference is what Christians strive to achieve, the characteristic that sets them apart from the world, and truly makes them children of God.
Quotes
"Progress means not just changing, but changing for the better."
"God is the only comfort, He is also the supreme terror: the thing we most need and the thing we most want to hide from. He is our only possible ally, and we have made ourselves His enemies."
"Goodness is either the great safety or the great danger - according to the way you react to it."
"If you are a Christian you do not have to believe that all the other religions are simply wrong all through...there is only one right answer to a sum, and all the other answers are wrong; but some of the wrong answers are much nearer being right than others."
"If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having."
"We do know that no man can be saved except through Christ; we do not know that only those who know Him can be saved through Him."
"You cannot make men good by law; and without good men you cannot have a good society."
"Human beings judge one another by their external actions. God judges them by their moral choices."
"And that, by the way, is perhaps the most important difference between Christianity and all other religions: that in Christianity God is not a static thing - not even a person - but a dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost a kind of drama."
"God is easy to please, but hard to satisfy."
 |
| Wikipedia |
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Homosexuality Part Two
First of all, I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of discussion that has been generated by my first blog post on the subject of homosexuality. I've really enjoyed debating whether or not homosexuality is a sin. However, as I have been increasingly frustrated over the past few weeks on the lack of progress either side is making, I've turned to others to help me figure out this problem. This includes some excellent mentors, and some amazing resources. I've realized that no progress will ever be made in this discussion unless some common ground is discovered. That common ground has to be God.
If we are arguing this topic between two Christians, the only possible right answer would be that homosexuality is wrong, because we understand that God has condemned homosexuality in His Word which provides the ultimate authority for our lives. His perfect world included a man and a woman. There really can be no discussion as to if Christians should accept homosexuality.
However, remove God from the picture, and have two non-Christians argue the topic, and the results completely flip around. What are the grounds for an argument against homosexuality without God explicitly condemning the sin? Ultimately, if we have a moral compass that isn't in sync with a higher power, then for those that deny gay rights, it comes down to a matter of prejudice.
So you see, this is why Christians and non-Christians can't debate the issue! Non-Christians cannot understand that we follow what God says, and therefore by not accepting any form of sexual impurity, we are obeying God's Words. I've come to the realization that each debate about homosexuality ultimately turns into a discussion of if God exists. This seems to be the turning point in this argument. If you believe in God, you don't accept homosexuality. If you don't believe in God, you accept homosexuality.
But using homosexuality as the starting point for an argument for the existence of God does not produce the best results. By results, I'm stating that a proper case for God is not built because as soon as you introduce God stating that homosexuality is wrong, it's like non-Christians have a mechanism that clicks on and automatically makes them turn away from any other comments about God's character. There lies the issue. The character of God being loving, pure, holy, and just has to be built before people can understand why God would tell His people that homosexuality is wrong. The picture of God has to be painted perfectly before the debate even begins!
I've been approaching this issue in the worst way. I've been trying to prove to those who don't believe in God that homosexuality is a sin. I've been so sidetracked by the fact that I have to prove myself right, that I've lost my true purpose, which is to reveal God to these people. In one of my university courses, a major point was that apologetics, while being extremely useful in certain cases, cannot be the overruling method we use to talk about God with non-Christians. I've been so caught up debating an issue about God's character, that I've forgotten to simply describe and prove what God's character is about!
Moving back to the debate between Christians, I've also discovered some more ideas. Sure, we may believe that the Bible is God's authoritative work, and we must obey it if we believe in God, and we may never know why God says something is wrong, and this is where faith steps in. But at some point, we need to stop relying upon this argument. God is a logical God, and He does have a reason behind all of His commands. Almost all of the time, it requires research, and questioning to find part of His true purpose. Again, as I stated previously, I do believe we will never truly understand exactly why God commands certain things (one aspect of heaven that I am looking forward to is complete understanding of every aspect of the Bible), but I believe that He has left tidbits for every one of His commandments.
Borrowing from a friend who I discussed the issue with, homosexuality comes down to an identity crisis. As C.S. Lewis states in his book Mere Christianity, the root of all sin is putting one's self first. This is the basis for all sin. It's rejecting God, and putting yourself as the only God. As my friend stated, this culture is stuck in a rut, full of people searching for their own unique identity. And by putting this search above all else, they turn to methods such as homosexuality to craft their own self purpose in this lost world. I don't think the issue is so much that God wants to restrict people but He wants to remove as many distractions as possible so you can concentrate on what truly matters; and that's your relationship with God. God wants people to turn away from matters such as homosexuality which may help you feel satisfied for a short time, but quickly run dry, and then you are on to the next thing. Instead, He wants you to feel your true self-worth in Him, to feel His love washing over you, to feel His presence beside you at all times, to find who you are in Him. This is what truly matters, where you truly feel that you are loved. Whatever this world offers is empty compared to what God has in store for you.
So, as Christians, we do not want to condemn homosexuality; that is God's job. Rather, we want to try and guide EVERYONE (not just those who have committed homosexuality) from their self-search to the search for God. The most frustrating thing for me over the past few weeks has been trying to get other people to understand this principle. We do not hate others, we love them in a Godly manner. We strive to have everyone find Jesus, and for everyone's lives to be led and consumed by passion for God, instead of passion for worldly things.
If we are arguing this topic between two Christians, the only possible right answer would be that homosexuality is wrong, because we understand that God has condemned homosexuality in His Word which provides the ultimate authority for our lives. His perfect world included a man and a woman. There really can be no discussion as to if Christians should accept homosexuality.
However, remove God from the picture, and have two non-Christians argue the topic, and the results completely flip around. What are the grounds for an argument against homosexuality without God explicitly condemning the sin? Ultimately, if we have a moral compass that isn't in sync with a higher power, then for those that deny gay rights, it comes down to a matter of prejudice.
So you see, this is why Christians and non-Christians can't debate the issue! Non-Christians cannot understand that we follow what God says, and therefore by not accepting any form of sexual impurity, we are obeying God's Words. I've come to the realization that each debate about homosexuality ultimately turns into a discussion of if God exists. This seems to be the turning point in this argument. If you believe in God, you don't accept homosexuality. If you don't believe in God, you accept homosexuality.
But using homosexuality as the starting point for an argument for the existence of God does not produce the best results. By results, I'm stating that a proper case for God is not built because as soon as you introduce God stating that homosexuality is wrong, it's like non-Christians have a mechanism that clicks on and automatically makes them turn away from any other comments about God's character. There lies the issue. The character of God being loving, pure, holy, and just has to be built before people can understand why God would tell His people that homosexuality is wrong. The picture of God has to be painted perfectly before the debate even begins!
I've been approaching this issue in the worst way. I've been trying to prove to those who don't believe in God that homosexuality is a sin. I've been so sidetracked by the fact that I have to prove myself right, that I've lost my true purpose, which is to reveal God to these people. In one of my university courses, a major point was that apologetics, while being extremely useful in certain cases, cannot be the overruling method we use to talk about God with non-Christians. I've been so caught up debating an issue about God's character, that I've forgotten to simply describe and prove what God's character is about!
Moving back to the debate between Christians, I've also discovered some more ideas. Sure, we may believe that the Bible is God's authoritative work, and we must obey it if we believe in God, and we may never know why God says something is wrong, and this is where faith steps in. But at some point, we need to stop relying upon this argument. God is a logical God, and He does have a reason behind all of His commands. Almost all of the time, it requires research, and questioning to find part of His true purpose. Again, as I stated previously, I do believe we will never truly understand exactly why God commands certain things (one aspect of heaven that I am looking forward to is complete understanding of every aspect of the Bible), but I believe that He has left tidbits for every one of His commandments.
Borrowing from a friend who I discussed the issue with, homosexuality comes down to an identity crisis. As C.S. Lewis states in his book Mere Christianity, the root of all sin is putting one's self first. This is the basis for all sin. It's rejecting God, and putting yourself as the only God. As my friend stated, this culture is stuck in a rut, full of people searching for their own unique identity. And by putting this search above all else, they turn to methods such as homosexuality to craft their own self purpose in this lost world. I don't think the issue is so much that God wants to restrict people but He wants to remove as many distractions as possible so you can concentrate on what truly matters; and that's your relationship with God. God wants people to turn away from matters such as homosexuality which may help you feel satisfied for a short time, but quickly run dry, and then you are on to the next thing. Instead, He wants you to feel your true self-worth in Him, to feel His love washing over you, to feel His presence beside you at all times, to find who you are in Him. This is what truly matters, where you truly feel that you are loved. Whatever this world offers is empty compared to what God has in store for you.
So, as Christians, we do not want to condemn homosexuality; that is God's job. Rather, we want to try and guide EVERYONE (not just those who have committed homosexuality) from their self-search to the search for God. The most frustrating thing for me over the past few weeks has been trying to get other people to understand this principle. We do not hate others, we love them in a Godly manner. We strive to have everyone find Jesus, and for everyone's lives to be led and consumed by passion for God, instead of passion for worldly things.
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
The Case for Christianity: Part One, The Case for a God
With the amazing interest that was generated by my last post, I've decided to start a series of posts building the case for Christianity. I hope to gear these posts towards two purposes; to strengthen Christian's perspectives of their religion, and to shed some light to non-Christians as to what our religion stands for.
This first post will start with building a case for a God. This is not specifically the Christian's God, but rather just the case for a higher power. I will then continue in later posts to build a case for the Christian's God specifically, and then for Jesus, and the Bible, and so on.
I believe that undeniably there is a God, and I believe that this is one argument that can be won. Even if you don't agree that the Christian God is true, or even that the term God is correct, subconsciously everyone knows that there is a higher power that was and is still at work amongst us. As of 2009, according to the LA Times, 95% of American adults accepted the fact that there was a higher power. Surprisingly, more than half of American scientists also believed in a higher power.
Those that deny a higher power usually have an interesting story behind their choice. It may be turmoil, previous abuse, e.t.c. that influences this decision to stubbornly turn away from the evidence. Most times, after much intense discussion, the truth is revealed, but the person will continue to deny the facts. For those who would like a good view of this scenario, or documented situations where scientists have openly admitted God is a plausible explanation for the universe, check out Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed starring Ben Stein.
Anyways, moving on to those facts; I believe that building a case for a God has to begin at the start, which is creation. No matter how you want to explain how our world came into being, there is still a massive void that needs to be filled. Whether it be the Big Bang Theory, or the Multi-Verse Theory, the odds for any explainable possibility are so astronomically low that it is mind boggling. Now that doesn't necessarily state that the theories are impossible (although I can definitely produce facts that do argue against the theories), rather it simply states the need for something else. There had to be a catalyst, or an original simulation that sparked this creation process. The only plausible explanation would be an eternal, almighty, intelligent power.
Not only do the mathematics point to a power, but the design of our world would also point to an intelligent creation. Again, the odds of such a perfect environment that seems to be designed specifically for our race are crazy low! Our position in the solar system, how perfectly we are placed away from the sun, our specific tilt and spin as a planet, our atmospheric chemistry, and the amount of resources that thrive on Earth aren't just a random 1 in a billion (scientifically even more that that) occurrence.
And that's not even bringing up our intricate design! How could we randomly come into existence? Our bodies that contain so many cells that weave together to create an interdependent structural system, created by accident? Is that even possible? Even if you do follow the train of thought that we evolved (which is a theory that can be disproven, but is still interesting to explore), how can you explain the starting point of this evolution process? How did the perfect conditions just happen to come together just once for this single cell? And what provided the catalyst for the process?
Perhaps my favourite argument is contained in C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity. He argues that our intelligence is the largest piece of evidence supporting a power. There is absolutely no way that such a developed intelligence could simply randomly appear out of nowhere. We must be based off of a model, or an idea, or something. And our moral intelligence is perhaps the best demonstration of this. We all just seem to have ideas of what is right and wrong. But how originally did we gain this perspective? Expand the situation for a second, and go beyond society, beyond your family, to the beginning. How did the first human decide what is right and wrong? Again, the only explanation is a higher power who dictated how His creation should function.
This is only the beginning of an extremely large discussion. Next, we argue for the Christian God, then the Christian creation, and continuing to the Christian's current beliefs. But ignore that for a second, and just see if you can wrap your mind around a simple higher power who created or even just started the creation process?
I'm extremely interested to see if anyone doesn't believe in a higher power, so let me know what your beliefs are! I'm looking forward to another intense discussion!
This first post will start with building a case for a God. This is not specifically the Christian's God, but rather just the case for a higher power. I will then continue in later posts to build a case for the Christian's God specifically, and then for Jesus, and the Bible, and so on.
I believe that undeniably there is a God, and I believe that this is one argument that can be won. Even if you don't agree that the Christian God is true, or even that the term God is correct, subconsciously everyone knows that there is a higher power that was and is still at work amongst us. As of 2009, according to the LA Times, 95% of American adults accepted the fact that there was a higher power. Surprisingly, more than half of American scientists also believed in a higher power.
Those that deny a higher power usually have an interesting story behind their choice. It may be turmoil, previous abuse, e.t.c. that influences this decision to stubbornly turn away from the evidence. Most times, after much intense discussion, the truth is revealed, but the person will continue to deny the facts. For those who would like a good view of this scenario, or documented situations where scientists have openly admitted God is a plausible explanation for the universe, check out Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed starring Ben Stein.
Anyways, moving on to those facts; I believe that building a case for a God has to begin at the start, which is creation. No matter how you want to explain how our world came into being, there is still a massive void that needs to be filled. Whether it be the Big Bang Theory, or the Multi-Verse Theory, the odds for any explainable possibility are so astronomically low that it is mind boggling. Now that doesn't necessarily state that the theories are impossible (although I can definitely produce facts that do argue against the theories), rather it simply states the need for something else. There had to be a catalyst, or an original simulation that sparked this creation process. The only plausible explanation would be an eternal, almighty, intelligent power.
Not only do the mathematics point to a power, but the design of our world would also point to an intelligent creation. Again, the odds of such a perfect environment that seems to be designed specifically for our race are crazy low! Our position in the solar system, how perfectly we are placed away from the sun, our specific tilt and spin as a planet, our atmospheric chemistry, and the amount of resources that thrive on Earth aren't just a random 1 in a billion (scientifically even more that that) occurrence.
And that's not even bringing up our intricate design! How could we randomly come into existence? Our bodies that contain so many cells that weave together to create an interdependent structural system, created by accident? Is that even possible? Even if you do follow the train of thought that we evolved (which is a theory that can be disproven, but is still interesting to explore), how can you explain the starting point of this evolution process? How did the perfect conditions just happen to come together just once for this single cell? And what provided the catalyst for the process?
Perhaps my favourite argument is contained in C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity. He argues that our intelligence is the largest piece of evidence supporting a power. There is absolutely no way that such a developed intelligence could simply randomly appear out of nowhere. We must be based off of a model, or an idea, or something. And our moral intelligence is perhaps the best demonstration of this. We all just seem to have ideas of what is right and wrong. But how originally did we gain this perspective? Expand the situation for a second, and go beyond society, beyond your family, to the beginning. How did the first human decide what is right and wrong? Again, the only explanation is a higher power who dictated how His creation should function.
This is only the beginning of an extremely large discussion. Next, we argue for the Christian God, then the Christian creation, and continuing to the Christian's current beliefs. But ignore that for a second, and just see if you can wrap your mind around a simple higher power who created or even just started the creation process?
I'm extremely interested to see if anyone doesn't believe in a higher power, so let me know what your beliefs are! I'm looking forward to another intense discussion!
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Social Media
In today's age, social media is perhaps the most dominant force, redefining our culture and the way we live. And while it has in many aspects improved our quality of life, or at least parts of it, there are many different impacts that we must be cautioned to avoid. In our Christian lives, we must make sure we use social media in a certain way, in order to maximize the positives and downplay the negatives.
Most worrisome about our continued dependence on social media are the glaring negatives that shine around all people. Again, we are taking this issue through a Christian perspective. The first issue that arises is the amount of time being spent on social media outlets. This affects our lives in two ways. First, we begin to lose our social abilities, our confidence and skill in associating with people face to face. Second, our lives become a drainage of waste, with nothing worthwhile or constructive being produced from the endless hours spent updating our status. Perhaps the biggest issue for Christians are the ever present temptations on social media. Most times, as soon as you mention temptations, the mind goes right to pornography. And while this is a big issue, especially with the readily accessible social media providing an easy way to access these pictures and videos, there are other temptations as well. Social media in itself is a temptation, sucking people towards it to waste every minute of their day.
However, social media does provide some excellent opportunities for Christians. As mentioned previously, it is perhaps the most dominant force of our culture. If we can harness this force, and use it for good, the results that could potentially be produced are astronomical! We can promote charities, church events, and Christian organizations. We could encourage others through Bible verses, prayers, and more. Essentially, if we can use social media and transform it into a Christian force, the world would be faced with this different influence everyday!
Social media also provides Christians with the opportunity to strengthen their own faiths. One way to do this is by connecting with other Christians. Encouragement, prayers, and more can be shared, and a community of believers could be created. Also, social media can provide daily devotions, and Bible verses to uplift and encourage believers. YouVersion is just one example of an app that also has a Twitter and FaceBook account, continually posting Bible verses, devotions, and prayers to encourage a believer to spend time with God.
In conclusion, social media provides two different ends of the spectrum with usefulness. It all depends on the choices you make, or what purpose social media serves for you. If it is used for good, it is a very powerful tool. It's also powerful on the other end of the spectrum, providing temptations that are very difficult to avoid. Like much of what this world has to offer us, we need to make sure we maintain a heavenly perspective, and find the best of what is given to us, while staying away from the evil.
Most worrisome about our continued dependence on social media are the glaring negatives that shine around all people. Again, we are taking this issue through a Christian perspective. The first issue that arises is the amount of time being spent on social media outlets. This affects our lives in two ways. First, we begin to lose our social abilities, our confidence and skill in associating with people face to face. Second, our lives become a drainage of waste, with nothing worthwhile or constructive being produced from the endless hours spent updating our status. Perhaps the biggest issue for Christians are the ever present temptations on social media. Most times, as soon as you mention temptations, the mind goes right to pornography. And while this is a big issue, especially with the readily accessible social media providing an easy way to access these pictures and videos, there are other temptations as well. Social media in itself is a temptation, sucking people towards it to waste every minute of their day.
However, social media does provide some excellent opportunities for Christians. As mentioned previously, it is perhaps the most dominant force of our culture. If we can harness this force, and use it for good, the results that could potentially be produced are astronomical! We can promote charities, church events, and Christian organizations. We could encourage others through Bible verses, prayers, and more. Essentially, if we can use social media and transform it into a Christian force, the world would be faced with this different influence everyday!
Social media also provides Christians with the opportunity to strengthen their own faiths. One way to do this is by connecting with other Christians. Encouragement, prayers, and more can be shared, and a community of believers could be created. Also, social media can provide daily devotions, and Bible verses to uplift and encourage believers. YouVersion is just one example of an app that also has a Twitter and FaceBook account, continually posting Bible verses, devotions, and prayers to encourage a believer to spend time with God.
In conclusion, social media provides two different ends of the spectrum with usefulness. It all depends on the choices you make, or what purpose social media serves for you. If it is used for good, it is a very powerful tool. It's also powerful on the other end of the spectrum, providing temptations that are very difficult to avoid. Like much of what this world has to offer us, we need to make sure we maintain a heavenly perspective, and find the best of what is given to us, while staying away from the evil.
Monday, 7 July 2014
Homosexuality
Same-sex relationships are a key discussion point in society today. Your stance can define how others see you as a person. Choosing a side can ruin politician's careers or destroy the respect of certain religious leaders. Although treading through the homosexuality waters are so treacherous, it seems like there is no end to the news articles, debates, or movements surrounding the topic. Christianity provides nothing different. Within our own religion, we discuss amongst ourselves if we should choose to accept homosexuality, or take a stance against it. Sadly, it seems as if more and more churches are slowly choosing to welcome homosexuality, and not treat it as a sin, in order to boost their attendance numbers, and our religion's picture in society. Ultimately, we compromise our own beliefs in an effort to stay updated within society.
For the majority of our religion's history, we have been against homosexuality. To support our argument, Christians use multiple points. First, God created our bodies in a certain way for a certain purpose. We were created and designed to interact man and woman not man and man or woman and woman. The certain purpose of that specific design was to procreate. God's command was for us to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. The only natural way to do that is through man and woman. Finally, the Bible also contains many stories about God condemning homosexuality, particularly in the Old Testament. For instance, the story of the Great Flood, or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, they all speak of God acting because of their sins, one being the sexual impurity, and homosexuality. The apostle Paul was also strictly against homosexuality, citing multiple times in his Epistles that homosexuality led to eternal death.
However, recently, churches are starting to bend to the ever pressing gay rights movements. Key amongst these arguments is the fact that God should love and accept every person regardless of their sexual tendencies. A true and real and loving God would not shun, or condemn a gay person.
This is a false statement. There are two reasons why we cannot accept this. First, God is not only a loving God, but He is also a just God. When He says something is not right, He follows through with His statements! And He clearly has set out a standard for right and wrong. One of the ways He shows His love is by bringing justice. Secondly, we cannot, and should not even embark on the philosophical journey of putting actions or even thoughts/words onto our Lord's character. How do we know that He is shunning or condemning gay people?! The truth of the matter is that He is extending the same love towards them that He extends to everyone. However, because of their sin, they are shunning Him! It's not the other way around.
Again, with this issue we come to the heart of the matter, and that is the character of God. I have discovered that perhaps all our lives here on Earth are a journey to reveal and know more and more about God. This comes with many tricky situations, such as this one. Can God really be loving if He says homosexuality is wrong? The answer is yes!
Finally, we also come upon the issue of catering to society. Should the church be concerned about the image we are producing to society? Some might be surprised with this, but my answer is yes! We should continually strive to present ourselves in a way that makes people interested with our relationship with God! However, while we are working towards a good outside view, we cannot compromise our beliefs or God's commands of us. There comes a point where what people think does not matter at all, but rather what God thinks. Like so many other things in life, it's all a balancing act.
And while homosexuality is an issue that we need to firmly stand against, we have to watch how we treat gay people. Even though we may have the stance that homosexuality is sinful, we have to watch how we treat these people and approach them. The popular saying, "Love the person but not the sin" is entirely correct in this situation. We should be extending God's love towards every person we meet, no matter their history, previous or present sins, or reaction towards you. Yes, homosexuality is wrong, but we can still accept these people! Don't openly trash homosexuality, instead respectfully state your opinions, and try to be friends with these people. The best way to change sin to good works is by loving relationships, not harsh words.
For the majority of our religion's history, we have been against homosexuality. To support our argument, Christians use multiple points. First, God created our bodies in a certain way for a certain purpose. We were created and designed to interact man and woman not man and man or woman and woman. The certain purpose of that specific design was to procreate. God's command was for us to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. The only natural way to do that is through man and woman. Finally, the Bible also contains many stories about God condemning homosexuality, particularly in the Old Testament. For instance, the story of the Great Flood, or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, they all speak of God acting because of their sins, one being the sexual impurity, and homosexuality. The apostle Paul was also strictly against homosexuality, citing multiple times in his Epistles that homosexuality led to eternal death.
However, recently, churches are starting to bend to the ever pressing gay rights movements. Key amongst these arguments is the fact that God should love and accept every person regardless of their sexual tendencies. A true and real and loving God would not shun, or condemn a gay person.
This is a false statement. There are two reasons why we cannot accept this. First, God is not only a loving God, but He is also a just God. When He says something is not right, He follows through with His statements! And He clearly has set out a standard for right and wrong. One of the ways He shows His love is by bringing justice. Secondly, we cannot, and should not even embark on the philosophical journey of putting actions or even thoughts/words onto our Lord's character. How do we know that He is shunning or condemning gay people?! The truth of the matter is that He is extending the same love towards them that He extends to everyone. However, because of their sin, they are shunning Him! It's not the other way around.
Again, with this issue we come to the heart of the matter, and that is the character of God. I have discovered that perhaps all our lives here on Earth are a journey to reveal and know more and more about God. This comes with many tricky situations, such as this one. Can God really be loving if He says homosexuality is wrong? The answer is yes!
Finally, we also come upon the issue of catering to society. Should the church be concerned about the image we are producing to society? Some might be surprised with this, but my answer is yes! We should continually strive to present ourselves in a way that makes people interested with our relationship with God! However, while we are working towards a good outside view, we cannot compromise our beliefs or God's commands of us. There comes a point where what people think does not matter at all, but rather what God thinks. Like so many other things in life, it's all a balancing act.
And while homosexuality is an issue that we need to firmly stand against, we have to watch how we treat gay people. Even though we may have the stance that homosexuality is sinful, we have to watch how we treat these people and approach them. The popular saying, "Love the person but not the sin" is entirely correct in this situation. We should be extending God's love towards every person we meet, no matter their history, previous or present sins, or reaction towards you. Yes, homosexuality is wrong, but we can still accept these people! Don't openly trash homosexuality, instead respectfully state your opinions, and try to be friends with these people. The best way to change sin to good works is by loving relationships, not harsh words.
Sunday, 22 June 2014
Reading the Bible
Currently, this semester for my Bachelor of Arts in Religion degree, I'm taking a very interesting course titled Biblical Interpretation. I'm only four weeks in, but this course has opened my eyes greatly, to many mistakes that I make when reading the Bible, and other issues that I now notice in the way we as a Christian society approach the Bible. Perhaps the biggest issue for myself right now is the way we read the Bible.
Many times, we simply read a book cover to cover. We just read for enjoyment, and the occasional teaching. What we read doesn't necessarily have a huge impact on our lives. Many times we treat the Bible in the same way. I know that personally I have just read the entire Bible to say I've done it! Get the gold star in Sunday School class, and move on. That's not the way to do it.
The Bible isn't just any regular book. It contains the Words of God, which He divinely inspired man to write down (more on this topic in a later post). The Bible has an unique purpose, a potential to change lives. And not just slightly, but radically. But this purpose, this potential, this goal of God can only be realized if we put in the work, and approach the Bible correctly.
Instead of just reading the Bible, we need to start studying it and interpreting it. We can't just read the words, and not understand what is being said, and how to apply it! We need to comprehend what God is instructing of us. Last year in the fall I was involved in a youth Bible study every Wednesday night. While leading us through the book of Romans chapter by chapter, the pastor who was leading the discussion challenged us to see if we knew what certain words meant such as sanctification, justification, and salvation. I was surprised with how much I struggled to place a definition in words in the context of the verses in Romans! I've read the book multiple times, I've heard the words, and I thought I knew what they meant. But in the context of each verse, I gapped, and struggled to come away with a concrete lesson, or meaning, or application from each verse because of uncertainty of these few words.
Not only do we need to start studying the Bible more, and start understanding and comprehending what it being said, but we need to start properly using interpretation skills. This is where my course has really paid dividends. Using some specific skills, such as the interpretation of verses, or taking a meaning and application from each passage, is difficult, but worthwhile. We continually run into problems where we either don't care about interpreting the Bible, and we are stuck right back into the "just reading" problem, or we interpret incorrectly. Finding the right way to do this is key. I have discovered that central to interpretation are these pointers; take the passage in the Biblical context (the time that it was written), understand who the passage was written to, dissect the translations (find the original words written), find the meanings of certain words, and understand how this Bible verse could apply in our culture. When it comes to interpretation, there are two approaches that are important; the literary approach, and the historical-cultural approach. The literary approach deals with the translations, original text, meaning of words, e.t.c. The historical-cultural approach deals with who the author was, who they were writing to, what the purpose of the book/passage was, e.t.c. Together, these two approaches form a balanced way of interpretation. Of course, this isn't fool proof, and I'm still learning and adding to my procedure of interpreting. Don't just interpret in a way that you think is right! Find some time to learn from someone who has mastered the craft! Interpretation is the most important skill when it comes to studying the Bible.
Closest to my heart right now is the issue of reading the Bible versus properly studying it. Think of how the world could be changed if we all just put forth a better effort to fully understand the pages we read everyday! It takes effort, and it takes time, but it pays dividends. In my opinion, it is better for someone to fully understand just one passage from the Bible and to have figured out how to properly apply it to their lives than for someone to say that they have read the Bible cover to cover.
Many times, we simply read a book cover to cover. We just read for enjoyment, and the occasional teaching. What we read doesn't necessarily have a huge impact on our lives. Many times we treat the Bible in the same way. I know that personally I have just read the entire Bible to say I've done it! Get the gold star in Sunday School class, and move on. That's not the way to do it.
The Bible isn't just any regular book. It contains the Words of God, which He divinely inspired man to write down (more on this topic in a later post). The Bible has an unique purpose, a potential to change lives. And not just slightly, but radically. But this purpose, this potential, this goal of God can only be realized if we put in the work, and approach the Bible correctly.
Instead of just reading the Bible, we need to start studying it and interpreting it. We can't just read the words, and not understand what is being said, and how to apply it! We need to comprehend what God is instructing of us. Last year in the fall I was involved in a youth Bible study every Wednesday night. While leading us through the book of Romans chapter by chapter, the pastor who was leading the discussion challenged us to see if we knew what certain words meant such as sanctification, justification, and salvation. I was surprised with how much I struggled to place a definition in words in the context of the verses in Romans! I've read the book multiple times, I've heard the words, and I thought I knew what they meant. But in the context of each verse, I gapped, and struggled to come away with a concrete lesson, or meaning, or application from each verse because of uncertainty of these few words.
Not only do we need to start studying the Bible more, and start understanding and comprehending what it being said, but we need to start properly using interpretation skills. This is where my course has really paid dividends. Using some specific skills, such as the interpretation of verses, or taking a meaning and application from each passage, is difficult, but worthwhile. We continually run into problems where we either don't care about interpreting the Bible, and we are stuck right back into the "just reading" problem, or we interpret incorrectly. Finding the right way to do this is key. I have discovered that central to interpretation are these pointers; take the passage in the Biblical context (the time that it was written), understand who the passage was written to, dissect the translations (find the original words written), find the meanings of certain words, and understand how this Bible verse could apply in our culture. When it comes to interpretation, there are two approaches that are important; the literary approach, and the historical-cultural approach. The literary approach deals with the translations, original text, meaning of words, e.t.c. The historical-cultural approach deals with who the author was, who they were writing to, what the purpose of the book/passage was, e.t.c. Together, these two approaches form a balanced way of interpretation. Of course, this isn't fool proof, and I'm still learning and adding to my procedure of interpreting. Don't just interpret in a way that you think is right! Find some time to learn from someone who has mastered the craft! Interpretation is the most important skill when it comes to studying the Bible.
Closest to my heart right now is the issue of reading the Bible versus properly studying it. Think of how the world could be changed if we all just put forth a better effort to fully understand the pages we read everyday! It takes effort, and it takes time, but it pays dividends. In my opinion, it is better for someone to fully understand just one passage from the Bible and to have figured out how to properly apply it to their lives than for someone to say that they have read the Bible cover to cover.
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