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| Got a ton of books a couple weeks ago. One of them is The REASON for GOD - Belief in an Age of Skepticism. It's a good book so far, though I've only just started. Only quibble I have with it is its lack of Biblical reference so far. But it does at least hold Biblical concepts.
Here is a small list of answers I like. Small snippets of answers from the book.
Objection - All major religions are equally valid and basically teach the same thing.
Answer - Do we really want to say that the Branch Davidians or religions requiring child sacrifice are not inferior to any other faith? . . . Ironically, the insistence that doctrines do not matter is really a doctrine itself. It holds a specific view of God, which is touted as superior and more enlightened than the beliefs of most major religions. So the proponents of this view do the very thing they forbid in others.
Objection - Each religion sees part of spiritual truth, but none can see the whole truth.
Answer - How could you possibly know that no religion can see the whole truth unless you yourself have the superior, comprehensive knowledge of spiritual reality you just claimed that none of the religions have?
Objection - It is arrogant to insist your religion is right and to convert others to it. - John Hick
Answer - Most people in the world don't hold to John Hick's view that all religions are equally valid, and many of them are equally as good and intelligent as he is, and unlikely to change their views. That would make the statement "all religious claims to have a better view of things are arrogant and wrong" to be, on its own terms, arrogant and wrong. | | |
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| There have been so many deaths lately, some suicides, I don't really even know what to pray for anymore. I mean, in a way I know, but it feels like there something that needs prayer that I can't pray for. It can only be done through interceding by the Holy Spirit.
I guess this all has a way of bringing us back to reality that everything and everyone on earth will perish. So something for me to sulk over... am I storing up our treasures here on earth?
Matthew 6:19-21 | | |
| Most if not all of you know that I'm a Christian. Or as I much prefer... Christ follower. Some have told me that they really admire my genuine passion for Christ. I've also been told that there are people who look up to me as a spiritual role model. People have seen me do things for the sake of Christ that they've never seen anyone else do.
Though I love encouragement I get from others, there's something that really bothers me. Actually, it is the very fact that people think that I'm a praiseworthy example of what a Christian should be.
When you read the book of Acts in chapter 4, you'll find that the early church had a large number of genuine believers. Followers that would literally give up everything to follow Christ and suffer for Him. Not just an individual here and there (what we see today). The average "Christian" would be fully devoted to God and love Him in a way we'd never imagine.
So here's the problem... I am fully convicted that I am a Christian that should actually be a shame to the body of Christ. I truly believe that God wants and expects so much more from me than what I have given. It's just that in our generation and culture, the expectations for Christians are so low that when any of us show even a glimpse of the fruit of the spirit, it's like we're the most unbelievably amazing person in the world.
I have a prayer request... Pray for me that I become a much better Christ-like follower. Pray that Christians will have someone much better than me to look up to, someone who really represents Christ as they did in the early church. | | |
| I think God's thrown a curveball into my life... and an interesting one. There's just such a large number of different things going on in my life right now, like bag of jellybeans with a mix of good, bad, okay, and weird flavors.
- Right now I'm listening to Wounded by Shane & Shane. It's really soothing, and brings out my desire for God to heal me every single day. And it's helping me relax through all the hustle and bustle going on.
- Today (May 11th) I will be performing piano in front of three judges and an audience... I feel like I'm pretty prepared as of tonight, but also feel the impending doom that I'll horribly screw up during the performance. I'm not worried about it, but I will naturally get nervous right before it's my turn, and my right foot will spaz out during the performance like it did during the semi-finals. Bah!
- Audris' friend committed suicide this past week. This brought back memories of when John Skinner took his own life. As I thought about it more through the day, I actually started feeling more and more emotional pain, even though I didn't know this individual. This pain was trigged partly because I feel horrible for Audris, having to go through this experience. Another part of the pain comes from knowing the consequences of sin... a truth that I despise and don't want to believe, yet I accept.
- I've been inundated with work at Tapulous, and slapping on additional work from other commitments I've made is a bit nerve-racking. Luckily, I enjoy working at Tapulous. I'm also making a decent salary, and found that the best part of making money is being able to give it away. Like free iPods for people who went to my birthday party. But I'll leave that for a separate post.
- Creative Writing is an awesome class. Despite the fact that my writing skills are the ultimate suck, I have a great teacher, and I've actually been learning! Doesn't happen for me very often in English classes.
- I am forever excited for each year of CBM Camp. The time for nature's fresh air, red dirt, creaky cabins, camp food, and a giant dose of spiritual goodness. I feel like I've had tons of spiritual growth this year, and I want to share that with the campers and other counselors.
- I've been basking in the pros of staying in my parents' house. But I've got to survive on my own sometime, and now that I have what seems to be a steady and solid job, it seems like the right time to start considering moving out.
- Jarod says I'm a predator, and Adonis said I should go to Masters for a year to find a girl. Those two make me laugh. Sadly, the most plausible place to find a partner at this point would be church, but I've already known most of the church girls for a long time, and there aren't too many to begin with at FBC. I could go be a predator at CBM camp, but that would likely result in a long-distance deal, which is sort of bleh. Maybe God has plans for me to fly solo!
Yeah, so my life is mixed right now. There are many more jellybeans than what I listed above. But I thank God for each and every one of them, and I want to entrust every aspect of my life to His wisdom.
God's jellybeans ftw! | | |
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