The "Ness"
Current mood: good
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Forgiveness

Normally I love a good challenge. I love to push myself to the edge, to see how far I can go. To test my skills and learn new ones. I've worked in a busy cafeteria burning myself constantly and dealing with horrible customers and conditions. Cleaning up the most disgusting filth you can ever imagine. I drive 60 miles to college every day, there and back. I deal with traffic, weather, construction, fatigue and cramping muscles. I know what it's like to ration food because I didn't know when I'd eat again. I have slept in my car in strange cities. I had a wheel fall off in he middle of the desert and had to wait 6 hours for help. I had my car explode in the middle of the freeway. I go camping once a month and have dealt with intense survival situations. I've slept in cabins, caves, mines shafts, in vehicles, under vehicles, in the woods, in the mountains and in the desert.

I have put my faith and trust in God many times. But I would have to say that the hardest thing you or anyone can or will ever do is—forgive another person. Nothing else comes close.

Every other challenge you can face you either want to do or have to do to survive, but forgiveness is something we neither want nor must do. In fact, we hate doing it. Human beings tend to like holding grudges. We like having something on the other guy, so that when we want to feel good about ourselves we can just say, "well at least I didn't .....". We like blaming other people for our problems. Everything about us says, "stick it to him, he deserves it".

Forgiveness is incredibly hard, but also incredibly necessary. The ability to forgive is one of the distinctive marks of a true Christian and sets Christian love apart from any natural love. Our example is Christ, who prayed that God would forgive the men crucifying Him (Luke 23:34). As the saying goes, "To err is human, but to forgive, divine."

Holding a grudge is like holding a heavy backpack. The longer you hold it, the more uncomfortable it feels. It weighs down on you, dragging your heart and soul under the mud until you are completely submerged. This is the person that goes through life angry and spiteful. Always feeling that people owe him. Then come the pride, you feel you're better than everyone because they have all wronged you. Pride is what brought down Lucifer and made him who he is.

Forgiveness lightens the load, heals the heart and humbles the soul. It is a fruit of Love.

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15.

It is very important that we learn to forgive others. It can be hard, especially when someone does something horrible. Death or betrayal. But it's not only for our sakes, but theirs as well. "Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him." 2 Corinthians 2:7-8.

The truth is that we have done more to God than anyone can ever do to us. And we do it every day. But God forgives us every day. There is no limit to the amount that God will forgive and we are called to do the same for others. "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13.

In the end, does it really matter? Hating someone does nothing for you. It doesn't repair or undo anything. It just drags you down.

8:18 PM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Evil?
Current mood: awake
Category: Religion and Philosophy

"Does evil exist?" The university professor challenged his students with this question. "Did God create everything that exists?"

A student bravely replied, "Yes, He did!"

"God created everything?" the professor asked.

"Yes, Sir," the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything, then He also created evil since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil."

The student became quiet before such an answer.

The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question, professor?"

"Of course," replied the professor.

The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"

"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?" remarked the professor.

The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the law of physics what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.  Everybody or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist.  We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat."

The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"

The professor responded, "Of course it does!"

The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact, we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?"

Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily examples of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil!"

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God.  God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love that exists just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

[--Author unknown]

10:20 AM - 1 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment

You shouldn’t force your beliefs on others.
Current mood: curious
Category: Religion and Philosophy

You shouldn't force your beliefs on others

I love it when people tell me this.  They really have no idea what it is they are really saying.    Well, let me ask you something, do you really believe that?

"Yes, I really do.  I believe it is wrong for you to force your beliefs on others." 

"So I'm not allowed to practice my own beliefs?  You believe mine is wrong?"

"I didn't say that.  I just said it is wrong to push your beliefs onto other people and you shouldn't tell them that their beliefs are wrong." 

"But then how can I practice my beliefs? The Bible says, 'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  Matthew 28:19-20.'  Part of my belief is to preach it to others.  If I can't tell others then I can't practice it."

"Then I guess you shouldn't practice it."

"Why not? Are you saying that your belief is right and mine is wrong?"

"No, I'm not saying your belief is wrong.  You just shouldn't force it on others."

"But you do believe yours is right?"

"Yes, I do."

"But if you believe yours is right, and your belief is, 'Don't push your beliefs on others' and my belief is, 'go and make disciples of all nations,' then doesn't that mean you believe that what I'm doing is wrong?"

"I guess it does." 

"So you are saying my belief is wrong for telling other people that their beliefs are wrong." 

"I guess so."

"So when you tell me my belief is wrong, you are the exception to your own rule of not telling people they are wrong?  And when you force your belief on me by saying that I should believe it over mine, once again you are the exception to your own rule of not forcing your beliefs on others?

" So I'm not allowed to tell others about my beliefs, and that theirs are wrong.  However, you are allowed to say my belief is wrong, and to force your belief on others by telling them that it is right to tell other people not to force their beliefs on others?"

"Um…?"   

"Well, guess what?  I don't believe I should force my beliefs on others either, neither does God.  That would be a violation of their free choice to accept or reject Him.  I do, however, believe it is alright to persuade others of my belief." 

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Not at all.  If I said, 'hey you should try this flavor ice-cream, it's really good.  I know you'll like it' that is persuasion.  But if I put a knife to your neck and said, 'Eat this ice-cream or die!' then that would be forcing or coercion.  I believe that there is nothing wrong with persuading others through logic, reason and conversation."

"Well…"

"Wait!  Before you say anything, you wouldn't be trying to persuade me that it is wrong to persuade others, would you?"  

"No, I'll give you that.  I guess its ok to persuade others, but it is intolerant for anyone to claim superiority for his own moral ideas." 

"Do you think intolerance is wrong?"

"Of course.  No one should be intolerant.  Don't you agree?"

"Yes, I do.  But aren't you claiming superiority for your own moral idea?"

"I don't recall having expressed one.  Did I express one?"

"Yes, sir, I think you did."

"When?"

"Just now."

"What moral idea did I express?"

"The moral idea that intolerance is wrong."

"Oh, I see.  Yes, I guess that is a moral idea.  But I didn't claim superiority for it, did I?"

"Well, I thought you did."

"Just how did I do that?"

"By saying that no one should be intolerant.  Doesn't that imply that your view that intolerance is bad is superior to the opposite view that intolerance is good?"

"Hmmm.  Perhaps it does.  What's your point?"

"Well, if some moral ideas are superior to others, wouldn't that mean relativism is false?"

"That's a thought.  That's certainly a thought.  I'll have to think about that." 

"Do you mind if I ask you a spiritual question?"

"No, go ahead."

"If you were to die tonight and stand before God, and God were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into heaven?' what would you say?"

"I'd say to God, 'Why shouldn't you let me into your heaven?"

"If I knocked on your door seeking to come into your house, and you said to us, 'Why should I let you into my house?' and I responded, 'Why shouldn't you let me in?' what would you say?"

"I would tell you where to go!"

"That's exactly what God is going to say to you!"

"To tell you the truth: I don't believe in God.  I'm an atheist."

"You're an atheist?"

"That's right!"

"Well, are you absolutely sure there is no God?"

"Well, no, I'm not absolutely sure.  I guess it's possible there might be a God."

"So you're not really an atheist, then—you're an agnostic, because an atheist says, 'I know there is no God,' and an agnostic says 'I don't know whether there is a God.'"

"Yeah…alright; so I guess I'm an agnostic then."

"So what kind of agnostic are you?"

"What do you mean?  A minute ago I was an atheist—I have no idea what kind of agnostic I am now!"

"Well, there are two kinds of agnostics, there's the ordinary agnostic who says he doesn't know anything for sure, and then there's the ornery agnostic who says he can't know anything for sure."

"I'm the ornery kind.  You can't know anything for sure."

"If you say that you can't know anything for sure, then how do you know that for sure?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you know for sure that you can't know anything for sure?  You can't be a skeptic about everything because that would mean you'd have to doubt skepticism."

"Okay, I guess I really can know something for sure.  I must be an ordinary agnostic."

"Since you admit now that you can know, why don't you know that God exists?"

"Because nobody has shown me any evidence, I guess."

"Would you be willing to look at some evidence?"

"Sure."

5:09 PM - 5 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

The Atheist
Current mood: sleepy
Category: Religion and Philosophy

THE ATHEIST

ATHEIST:

Okay, I went back and read everything you have just like you asked, but I don't think you've made the case that Christianity is true. 

CHRISTIAN:

Why not?

ATHEIST:

Because it's just your interpretation. 

CHRISTIAN:

Of course it's my interpretation, but that doesn't mean my interpretation is wrong.

ATHEIST:

I say it is wrong!

CHRISTIAN:

Is that just your interpretation?

ATHEIST:

So you're turning the tables on me.

CHRISTIAN:

Yes.  All conclusions involve making an interpretation, including yours.  And in order for you to know that my interpretation (Christianity) is objectively wrong, you would have to know what is objectively right.  So what is that right interpretation?

ATHEIST:

There are no objective interpretations.

CHRISTIAN:

Forgive me for doing this again, but is that an objective interpretation?

ATHEIST:

Stop that!

CHRISTIAN:

Stop what, being logical?  I'm just using the Road Runner tactic.  When you say something that's self-defeating, I feel compelled to point it out.  So how can you make the objective interpretation that there are no objective interpretations?

ATHEIST:

Okay, so maybe there are objective interpretations.

CHRISTIAN:

Yes, there are.  While you may interpret the evidence and conclude that Christianity is false, I may do the same and conclude it's true.  But since opposites cannot both be true, one of us must be right, and the other one must be wrong.  So who is right? 

ATHEIST:

I am.

CHRISTIAN:

Why?

ATHEIST:

I just think I'm right.  

CHRISTIAN:

But that's just an assertion.  You must give evidence rather than make assertions.  I didn't make assertions that Christianity is true-- I gave evidence every step of the way, from the question of truth all the way to the inspiration of the Bible.  What evidence do you have that atheism is true?

ATHEIST:

Evil and science. 

CHRISTIAN:

That's not positive evidence for atheism but merely perceived obstacles to belief in Christianity.  As we have seen, the existence of evil doesn't disprove God, and scientific discoveries actually support the Christian worldview. 

ATHEIST:But if Christianity is true, it excludes too many people.  After all, millions of people are not Christians. 

CHRISTIAN:

That doesn't determine whether Christianity is true or not.  After all, truth is not determined by how many people believe it.  Truth is discovered by looking at the evidence.  Is your interpretation (that Christianity is false) necessarily wrong because it excludes millions of Christians?

ATHEIST:

No.

CHRISTIAN:

Neither is mine, then.  Besides, as we saw when we talked about evil, Christianity doesn't exclude people-- people exclude themselves from Christianity.  Everyone knows that God exists.  But because we all have free will, some people choose to suppress that knowledge so that they can follow their own desires.  Paul talks about that in Romans chapter 1. 

ATHEIST:

Maybe so, but I find your conclusion extremely judgmental.  And you know, you ought not judge!

CHRISTIAN:

Forgive me again, but if we ought not judge, then why are you judging me for judging? 

ATHEIST:

What's the matter, Mister Holy-- you'd rather play logic games than believe what Jesus said?

CHRISTIAN:

It's not a mere game but an observation about the way things really are.  It's self-defeating to tell me, "You ought not judge" when that's a judgment itself.  Furthermore, you are making a judgment when you say Christianity is not true! 

ATHEIST:

Okay, but what about my second point.  Don't you believe what Jesus said?

CHRISTIAN:

Why are you quoting the Bible?  Do you believe it's true now? 

ATHEIST:

No, but you do.  So why don't you believe what Jesus said?

CHRISTIAN:

I do.  The problem is you don't know what he said.  Jesus did not tell us not to judge.  He simply told us not to judge hypocritically.  He said, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Matt. 7:1-2).  He then went on to say, "Take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."  In other words, when you judge, don't judge hypocritically.  The Bible also commands us to make judgments when it tells us to "test everything" (1 Thess. 5:21), and not to "believe every spirit" (1 John 4:1) but to believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life (John 3:16).  

ATHEIST:

Are you done?

CHRISTIAN:

No. There's one more point: it would be impossible to live very long if you didn't judge good from evil.  You make hundreds of vital decisions every day that can either hurt you or help you.  When you make those decisions you are making judgments! 

ATHEIST:

Alright, I see that everyone makes judgments.  And you are making judgments by interpreting the Bible the way you do.  Who's to say that your interpretation is right? 

CHRISTIAN:

You need to look at the context of the passage to discover the objective meaning.  

ATHEIST:

If objective interpretations are possible, then why are there so many different interpretations of the Bible? 

CHRISTIAN:

Why do so many people get their math sums wrong?  Is there no right answer to arithmetic problems? 

ATHEIST:

Language is different.  I think that there are many interpretations of a sentence or a Bible verse that are true.  That's why you get so many denominations. 

CHRISTIAN:

So you are saying that sentences can be interpreted in only one way.

ATHEIST:

No!...Didn't you hear what I just said?  I said exactly the opposite is true.  There are many valid interpretations. 

CHRISTIAN:

If there are many valid interpretations, then why did you just correct me for misinterpreting what you said?

ATHEIST:

I did?

CHRISTIAN:

Yes, you just told me that I misunderstood you.  In effect, you said my interpretation was wrong!  Why did you do that if there are many valid interpretations?   

ATHEIST:

Because I knew what I meant, and it should have been obvious to you. 

CHRISTIAN:

You're right.  So let me ask you this: why is it that when you make a statement, you expect others to know what you mean, but when God makes a statement in the Bible, you give yourself the option of pouring any meaning you want into it? 

ATHEIST:

Okay, so maybe there are objective interpretations.  But if there are, then why are there so many denominations? 

CHRISTIAN:

For the same reason there are a lot of non-Christians.  It's not because the truth is not perceived, it's because the truth is not received.  In other words, we believe our own traditions and desires over the Word of God.  Jesus spoke forcefully against doing this (Matthew 15:23). 

ATHEIST:

Alright.  I'm going to come clean with you.  

CHRISTIAN:

It's about time! 

ATHEIST:

The real problem I have with Christianity is that it leads to intolerance.  You Christians all think you have the truth!  

CHRISTIAN:

Haven't you noticed that everyone thinks they have the truth?  Those who say Christianity is false think they have that truth.  Even those who say every religion is true think that's the truth! 

ATHEIST:

Okay, okay, you're right.  I think atheism is true.  But I'm not intolerant like most Christians! 

CHRISTIAN:

Even if Christians are intolerant, that wouldn't mean Christianity is false. 

ATHEIST:

I realize that, but it's still a practical problem. 

CHRISTIAN:

How so? 

ATHEIST:< P>

Because people who think they have the truth want to impose that truth on others. 

CHRISTIAN:

Do you mean politically?

ATHEIST:

Yes. 

CHRISTIAN:

I've got news for you: everyone involved in politics-- including every non-Christian-- is trying to impose what he or she thinks is the truth.  So what's your point?  

ATHEIST:

My point is that Christians want to take away the rights of people!  

CHRISTIAN:

Actually, Christianity is one of the few worldviews that can justify absolute human rights because it affirms that those rights are given to us by God.  As our founders recognized, governments aren't meant to give or take away rights: governments are meant to secure rights that the people already possess.  That's what we affirmed in our Declaration of Independence. 

ATHEIST:

But what about tolerance?

CHRISTIAN:

Christianity is one of the few worldviews that not only offers but champions religious tolerance.  Since God doesn't force anyone to believe (in fact the purpose of this life is to make a free choice), most Christians recognize that government shouldn't try to force belief either. 

ATHEIST:

But during the Crusades, some Christians obviously thought differently!

CHRISTIAN:

They may have called themselves Christians, but they certainly were not following the teachings of Christ.  Jesus never condoned such conduct. 

ATHEIST:

I think a completely secular government is the most tolerant of all.  After all, there is religious freedom in secular countries in Europe. 

CHRISTIAN:

Those countries do exist, but most of them are living off the remnants of the Christian worldview from previous generations.  How much religious freedom is there in a self-declared atheistic country such as China, or how much was there in the former Soviet Union?  Not much.  And if you go to most Muslim countries today, you'll also find very little religious freedom.  Last I checked, churches are not allowed in Saudi Arabia, and most other Muslim countries treat Christians as second-class citizens. 

ATHEIST:

That may be true for religious tolerance, but most Christians are not very tolerant about certain moral issues. 

CHRISTIAN:

Do you think tolerance is an absolute moral obligation? 

ATHEIST:

You're trying to connect moral obligations with God again, aren't you? 

CHRISTIAN:

There is no other connection.  There are no moral obligations or moral rights if there is no God.  So why should anyone be tolerant if there is no moral obligation to be tolerant? 

ATHEIST:

Because it's the right thing to do. 

CHRISTIAN:

That's just another assertion.  As an atheist, you have no way to justify why anyone should be tolerant. 

ATHEIST:

Maybe not.  But as a Christian, you do.  So why don't you believe that we ought to be tolerant? 

CHRISTIAN:

Actually, the supreme moral obligation is love-- not tolerance.  Tolerance says, "Hold your nose and put up with others."  Love says, "Reach out and help others."  

ATHEIST:

Why can't you be tolerant and loving?

CHRISTIAN:

You can, but sometimes love requires you to be intolerant.  For example, wouldn't it be unloving to tolerate murder, rape, theft, or racism?  

ATHEIST:

I suppose so. 

CHRISTIAN:

Good, but we're getting a little off the subject.  The focus of Christianity is spiritual, not social salvation.  While Christians certainly have social obligations, Christ came to free us from our sins, not to free us from "the Romans."

ATHEIST:

You wouldn't know that by the behavior of some Christians today.  

CHRISTIAN:

You mean you don't like their Biblical views on moral issues like abortion and homosexuality? 

ATHEIST:

Yes.

CHRISTIAN:

So?

ATHEIST:

What do you mean, so?  Those issues are important to me!

CHRISTIAN:

Are those issues so important to you that you're willing to give up truth itself in order to keep them? 

ATHEIST:

What are you talking about?

CHRISTIAN:

The issue is truth, not what you find politically or personally attractive.  Do you think you ought to believe what's true?

ATHEIST:

Of course.  Every reasonable person would say yes to that! 

CHRISTIAN:

So if Christianity is true, you ought to believe it regardless of the impact you think it might have on politics, moral issues, or any other facet of your life.  

ATHEIST:

That's hard to do. 

CHRISTIAN:

Maybe.  But it's a lot harder in the long run to believe error.  Christ said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me ill find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"  Do you really want to exchange your eternal soul for temporal political positions or personal preferences? 

ATHEIST:

If Christianity is true, that's the choice I have to make.  

CHRISTIAN:

Yes.  And God wants you to choose him.  But he loves you so much that he'll respect either choice you make.  Just remember that either choice you make will have consequences here and in eternity.  And that's not just my interpretation.   

10:33 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Observe the Sabbath?
Current mood: pleased
Category: Religion and Philosophy

This blog comes out of an experience I had in LA this past fall.  I was leaving my class at CSUN and a young man came up to me and we started to talk.  He was from a local church run college and was attempting to convince people that the only true day to worship is on saturday the jewish Sabbath.  Well, I've never really looked into this subject so I respecfully heard him out.  He gave a very thorough presentation complete with pamphlet and scripture.  His argument was based on God commanding us to keep the Sabbath Holy, and claimed that worshiping on Sunday came from pagan influnce from Constantine (early 300's AD). 

This is my response: