Kid’s and even some adults read a book or watch a movie and to varying degrees pretend or imagine what it would be like to be one of the characters in the story. I shared with my children last night that we, all of us, really are characters in a true story. We are actors in a story that is currently unfolding and it’s also a story that has been laid out before us in the Bible. Our parts have been given to us, “since before the founding of the world.” We weren’t there for the beginning of the story, but we will be there for the end.
So many people believe their beginning is an accident of nature and that their end is the grave. They don’t know that their lives have real meaning and context and purpose. What I mean by that is that God takes everyday, ordinary events and uses them to change us into something that would simply not be possible on our own. In fact, He does it in ways that we would have never dreamed possible. It works like this. God brings / allows difficult events and people to come into our lives to highlight areas of needed change in our character. Suffering, loss and pain raise to the surface of our lives the most disgusting aspects of our character. Once observed and accepted, we then have the freewill option of accepting Jesus’ invitation to change.
. If our motive for living is to become like Jesus, this invitation to change is what we’ll notice.
. If our motive is anything else, the pain / betrayal / disappointment that comes with this life will push character change out of the picture leaving only anger, bitterness or emptiness remaining.
Romans 8:29 is key to understanding this paradigm. While God may use our suffering in “all things” (vs. 28) for many reasons, the bottom line reason, the main reason, the key reason for allowing suffering is this.
“For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. . .”
God uses the suffering that comes with this life on earth to make our character like that of Jesus. In fact I have never witnessed this type of character change in the absence of suffering. Most humans spend so much time trying to avoid suffering (much like toddlers, atheists seem hyper allergic to suffering) that they completely miss the learning that can only come from being in the midst of suffering.
Don’t waste your sorrow. Allow God to change you, conform you, transform you into the likeness of Jesus.
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Forgetting science "fights" for a while, I would like to point out that this post is interesting, because, if we see it from a secular point of view, I agree with it completely.
ReplyDeleteSuffering, bad times, and everything that go wrong in one's life, is actually a great occasion to learn.
What I disagree with though, is this:
They don’t know that their lives have real meaning and context and purpose.
When you truly believe, like me, that life ends at death, then life has much more meaning.
I don't see how it can be otherwise. I am not saying that life has no value when you believe in an afterlife; but I honestly believe that when you come to peace with the fact that we are mere finite humans, you realize that life is immensely precious, and that we should try to improve not only ours, but the life of others as well, because it's the only one they will get as well.
In other words, what is greater:
1/1?
or
1/infinity?
I don't expect you to understand that but I am just throwing that out there...
I don't see life being precious (which it is) and having meaning as being the same thing. Secular meaning is just doing something interesting or helpful.
ReplyDeleteThe meaning and context and purpose that Jesus speaks of is ultimately meaningful both now and in the future. The secular “important” will ultimately come to an end and be - ultimately - meaningless.
It’s easy to say that those who think that life ends in the grave believe "life is important" to be true.
Just two examples: abortion and charity work prove the error in what you say. Both sides of the issue are amply represented; secular against life and Jesus’ followers for life on both of these key issues.
Secular meaning is just doing something interesting or helpful.
ReplyDeleteI agree that finding life precious is not the same as finding meaning.
However, what you expressed here shows one of the biggest differences between you and me:
When you, (or other Christians), say that you find meaning and purpose in this life because of Jesus, I belive you.
You, however, do not believe people like me when we claim that we find meaning in life without a god.
It just shows, once again, how bad you are at understanding others' views...
abortion and charity work prove the error in what you say
Wrong. You can find both theists and atheists who are for, or against, abortions, and charity work can be justified by purely secular reasons.
That's funny - flying in the face of two millenia of evidence that puts Christians at the forefront of charitable work.
ReplyDeleteIt was only a couple days ago that I read on an atheist blog how Sunday morning was great for atheist meetups or doing yard work or “helping those in need although not many of us [atheists] seem interested in helping."
In all the years that I’ve been volunteering, and the hundreds of volunteers that have come through the place, I’ve met only one non-Christian volunteer and he was doing community service work for his third DUI.
Ya, you guys can justify doing good for others. Now all you have to do is find more than .5% of atheists who are WILLING to do it.
Like one young atheist said a couple years back, “Can’t I just fuck around and watch tv if I want?”
That's funny - flying in the face of two millenia of evidence that puts Christians at the forefront of charitable work.
ReplyDeleteI am in no way trying to diminish the charitable work done by Christians. That would be something you would do, bashing good things done by atheists just because they are atheists. That's what bigot like you do.
What I was stating is simply the obvious: you don't have to believe in a god to want to do charitable work, or to consider it a valuable asset to our society.
I like how you pick pointless things like charitable work and ignore so many other things you brought up, here and on other threads on your blog...
"That would be something you would do, bashing good things done by atheists just because they are atheists. That's what bigot like you do."
ReplyDeleteWould you like to provide an example of when I've done that?
======
Nah I don't recall you doing that, it was rhetorical, hence the use of 'would'; it was just a direct and genuine insult. Eh, I am an honest guy ;)
ReplyDeletePerhaps I should point out one thing that you don't seem to realize though. When I read/write here on your blog, I am judging you only; and it's always the case in general. Unlike what you do sometimes, I am not judging groups of people as a whole.
Anyway, that's why I said that a bigot like you would bash good things done by others only because of who they are. It's just an exaggeration, a caricature, of your broad statements regarding atheists!
ReplyDeleteSee, another thing I do differently then you. I admit that I said something false, and explain where the lie was...
"you don't have to believe in a god to want to do charitable work"
ReplyDeleteYes, and I'm sure that all the needy people really appreciated you and other atheists sitting at home with such nice thoughts.
You make simple comments, yet fail on so many levels...
ReplyDeletea) It's not because you never ran into non-believers doing charity work that they don't exist (especially if you don't run into non-believers at all!)
b) You accuse, once more, ALL atheists at the same time... were you always such a bigot or it's only since you started blogging?
c) Self-identified atheists, as you love to point out, are a minority. Hence, statistically, you will see very little among charity workers, especially since atheists tend to be more prevalent among young people while the opposite is true for charity workers.
d) I have no idea of the proportion, but there are, for sure, Christians that are charity workers that are "functional atheists" in your view: people who live "as if there was no God". They do charity work simply because it's good.
ReplyDeletee) When did you start doing charitable work? After your conversion to Christianity? Never occurred to you that others DON'T need that incentive?
f) Personally, no, I don't do any charitable work right now. During high school however I was in a special international program and we did community service for 5 years. It was a great experience and I will most likely do more once I have more time for that. For now I prefer to help with money donations.
Ultimately, what I find ridiculous here, is that you seem to pretend that a belief in God is ESSENTIAL for doing good deeds.
ReplyDeletePlease prove me wrong! You cannot be THAT stupid!
...and by the way, still waiting for a reply to the other tread on 'nothing'. I was just waiting for one or 2 simple sentences...
atheists tend to be more prevalent among young people while the opposite is true for charity workers.”
ReplyDeleteOh please! At the soup kitchen where I go I’m easily the oldest person by a couple decades, with all of the leaders and the vast majority of volunteers being in their twenties and even teens.
================
Christians that are charity workers that are "functional atheists" in your view: people who live "as if there was no God".
Ya, Christians living as thought God doesn’t exist - what’s the matter with you?
===========
When did you start doing charitable work? After your conversion to Christianity? Never occurred to you that others DON'T need that incentive?
Yes, only after Jesus came into my life. I’m sure there are some people who don’t need that incentive. We live in a part of the world that is saturated with Christian values. I’m sure it rubs off on a good number of people. Good for them. I thought of no one but myself until Jesus changed me.
==============
“a belief in God is ESSENTIAL for doing good deeds.”
A belief? No. A billion Hindus believe in 5,000 gods and it does nothing to instill a desire to help others. They wait for Christians to take care of their outcasts, and starving. However, having God’s Spirit live within a person most certainly makes a difference as all studies in this area clearly and consistently show.
If a belief in God isn’t an important factor in doing good deeds why are atheists notorious for NOT giving a crap about others?
The main difference re: doing good deeds, is that from the pagan or Aristotlean view, atheists become virtuous through self-effort and therefore build up the pride and arrogance for which atheists are notorious.
A Christian view of virtue or integrity is something that is put INTO a person and is dependent upon and results in humility and patience, love and hope. Things like humility are anathema to atheists and like Nietzsche is seen as a sign of weekness.
==========
I don’t recall you saying anything about “nothing.”
If your god is so great, why don't he/she do anything and make his/her presents be known? Instead you nut cases have to come along and tell people about this invisible god that does everything for every person who asks, yet he/she has never been seen doing anything for anyone, mainly because a god like the one described in the bible does not exist!
ReplyDeleteAnd you're trying to convince yourself and other people that a god like the one in the bible exists.
You're just fooling yourself!!! Because you're not brave enough to face life without a god, you need to invent and believe in your mind that a god has chosen you for some special purpose, because you're too coward to face the reality of there being no god!
Oh please! At the soup kitchen where I go I’m easily the oldest person by a couple decades, with all of the leaders and the vast majority of volunteers being in their twenties and even teens.
ReplyDeleteWell that's great news! I am glad to be wrong on that because when I was doing voluntary work myself, there was very few young people!
Ya, Christians living as thought God doesn’t exist - what’s the matter with you?
ReplyDeleteYou're the one who wrote these words several times... when talking about Deist, non-practicing Christians/Catholics, etc... what's the matter with you?
Yes, only after Jesus came into my life. I’m sure there are some people who don’t need that incentive [...]
ReplyDeleteThis means you do acknowledge that not everyone needs God to motivate them into doing charity work...
But at the same time you bash atheists for wanting to
'become virtuous through self-effort and therefore build up the pride and arrogance for which atheists are notorious',
and also ask
'why are atheists notorious for NOT giving a crap about others?'.
Obviously, a lot of that comes from the fact that you:
"thought of no one but myself until Jesus changed me."
I wonder if you'll ever realize that atheists are not necessarily the way YOU were before, that atheists are different from each others, and that you know NOTHING about how they perceive the world, what they value and why. You expose your ignorance and misunderstanding day after day here on your blog.
This confirms that I know at least one thing for sure about you: you understand NOTHING about the way I think, and associate me with a people who you label as being the worst kind possible.
Really, the word 'bigot' suits you perfectly once more!
No. A billion Hindus believe in 5,000 gods and it does nothing to instill a desire to help others.
ReplyDeleteLOL, wrong person to tell that to!
First, just like most non-Hindus, myself included a few months ago, you don't understand Hinduism. Let me give you some "shocking" news... they are not more polytheists than you are!!
I'd be glad to explain what this means but I don't think you care...
Second, saying that Hindus have no desire to help others is such a broad and ridiculous insult to all the people that care about others in India. My girlfriend's family started their own school, including shelter, to provide a roof and free education to poor kids of their area. I think that ONE example says it all...
A Christian view of virtue or integrity is something that is put INTO a person and is dependent upon and results in humility and patience, love and hope. Things like humility are anathema to atheists and like Nietzsche is seen as a sign of weekness.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Christian view then! See how distorted your view of atheism is!?
*****
I don’t recall you saying anything about “nothing.”
You probably missed the comment, I will go add one after it to make it pop up...