My confession
I have to confess that I watch Real Time with Bill Mahr, and listen to Progressive Radio most of the time, and read about the new atheists and about the “God Delusion.” I seem to be around as many that don’t believe any of what I would hold dear, and to their thinking have great reason to think that I am deluded. I guess it would go something like this, “Religion as a whole is a nice comfort thing, but Jeff shouldn’t you get beyond adolescence and into adulthood. Leave Disneyland behind and realize that the real world doesn’t need it anymore.” The new atheists would be even stronger, stating that religions such as Christianity actually teach things that are just plain harmful to reality and should be done away and proven away altogether.
Maybe they are right in one respect, perhaps we haven’t matured. Perhaps as Christ followers it is time that we grow up.
I just posted something on my Facebook Wall about the time I received an F- on an AP English paper. I don’t know if anyone else has received an F- in history, but I pulled that one off. And, I probably deserved it. The teacher made a big deal of it in front of class too - so that it is now mythic legend. Like the time I threw up all my Skittles at track practice and you could see all the distinct colors. Ok, maybe not that bad…
But what would be our grade on actual Christ following? And it is Christ following that matures us for the most part, meaning becoming like Christ. These would be what our grade is based on -
Peace Making in the Here and Now
Loving Our Enemies
Caring for the Poor
Humbling Ourselves
Praying for the Sick and being with Societies So Called Lepers
Loving Our Neighbors and Being Our Brother and Sisters Keeper
The new atheists cannot not argue down true love - it creates its own reality. I guess they could say it is the God part of the brain and has nothing to do with spirituality I guess, but at least it would be admirable. And of course our faith is not about proving it to everyone anyway, but it certainly would show a maturity on our part and not an adolescence that merely barks out “well we’re right and you’re wrong!”
Ok, so I am a strange one - I believe in God because I met Jesus and that is not really too scientific or provable, but I believe my life can give evidence of the reality of a Compassionate God. Bottom line, God is Love and that is something we need to go after.
Love again will mature us