You see him adorned with scars from the battlefield but his smile shows just how much he lives for this fight...
The world will punish you and beat you into the ground. You can get caught up in the overwhelming circumstances as they pull at you like a mighty undertow. Situations in life happen to the best of us, things that literally break us down and try to pull us apart.
I've heard it said that we're in a war, a battle, a never ending fight with the enemy and just when you think salvation has come along, that you're born again and everything is kosher, it's really not. In fact, if you're not paying attention, you can find yourself with a very big, very visible target on your back.
One minute you're riding high on life and the next it's one small thing like misplacing your keys. Then it's another little thing like you're 5 minutes late to work. Then on the way to work you realize you're late but now you have to stop and get gas. Then you realize that this was not the morning what-so-ever to be late because out of all the days, you couldn't be late today for that big meeting. Then you're in that meeting and Janice is there whispering to another colleague but you're fairly certain it was about you and you hate Janice anyways because she doesn't do her work and she talks on the phone all day but when stuff hits the fan, it's suddenly your fault. OR something like that.
I believe that in this war, we are being tested and tried by the enemy. We are being called out by a bully who doesn't fight fair and pulls NO punches. Alone we are weak. His slights and his attacks are like a domino effect where your perfect day becomes a dart board of fecal matter.
And through this we must realize that we are powerless to stop the losing battle. We are the Israelite's standing across the battlefield from one big nasty mo-fo.
Sometimes, more often than not, when this domino effect happens or we come face to face with a Goliath we assume we're being punished from God. Even better is the, "hey Lord, why hast thou forsaken me," attitude. Why I do think we are tested from time to time by God, I do not think he bring unpleasantries into ourlives purposefully. (Even if he did, he's God and he's got a much better explanation than I do, as to why.)
But in this storm, you may look around and ask yourself, how or why. Especially when you've found yourself trying to change.
Or trying to become a better person...
or a better Christian...
or just trying to be a Christian period.
I've come to realize that God never forsakes us. I'm hard headed and I'm pretty sure I've tried enough stuff to fully test this theory. But alas, I look around and he is ever there in the details of my life. Through my trials and my tribulations. My defeats and my victories. My short comings and my abundant blessings.
God even went so far as to say, I will never leave you, nor forsake you! (Heb 13:5)
We have to realize that when things do go wrong and you feel like that dart board mentioned earlier, you have to remember that even though we are not skilled enough to win the fight, Jesus already won. That Goliath goes down every time in the name of the Lord. God is unstoppable. To fight him would be stupid...
... not to mention, who could beat God? I mean, he's God. Here's the other thing, no matter how many times you get attacked, you have an immeasurable source of strength. You have a secret weapon of faith and believing in this wonderful God.
Jesus took the scars and won the fight. He lived for the fight. And if you take away anything from my ramblings today, consider this for your next fight. You died, and it's not you who lives, but Christ who lives in you. Because Christ is in you, you are well abled to fight.
See you on the front line.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
What would you say?
The world.
The world has these unwritten rules. Practices of things that "just are." "It's a dog eat dog world." "If it's going to me or you, it's going to be me." "Always look out for number 1." "There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't." I thought of these things last night as waited to fall asleep, possibly considering each as a topic to write about. I wondered as I laid there what kind of verbal arsenal I could pre-stage as I waited. Perhaps I could take aim and fire off on whatever was controversial. Perhaps I could speak of celebrities and whatever was topical. I could poke holes into their moral fiber.
As I laid there I wondered, half praying, half thinking, "God, if you could talk through me, what would you talk about?" Would you talk about the economy or a celebrity? Would you talk about America or the world being morally bankrupt?
It sounds stupid, but I don't think God would. I honestly think that God has very little interest in what's a hot topic. (I realize the audacity about what I'm about to say...) I heard a small, clear voice say, I don't care about this. I care about the other end of the spectrum. Not the fancy cars or the million dollar homes or any of the distractions of this world. (I'm paraphrasing, of course) God told me, I care about the lost.
I began to think of the unglamorous. The junior high girl who doesn't know what it is to be loved. The drug addict and the homeless person. The real people in the world who are hurting, who are dying, who are struggling to hold on. The people that we consider background noise. The people who don't fit our MTV mold or way of thinking. The people who are written off and over looked. The people who want so badly to believe in a God or anything out there that would love them and the people who are convinced that there is no God.
If God could talk through me, I think he'd have me talk to those people. The unglamorous. The forgotten. Here I claim to be this Christian. Here I claim to be another "prodigal son." Here and now I began to think of what my life consists of. One day I will have to answer for so many things. One day I will stand side by side the other sinners and saints. One day I will see all of it and God will show me these people again. He will show me the worlds "background noises," the forgotten and unloved. He will say to me, You claim to be a child of mine, where were you for these people? Will my excuses of having to work even sound acceptable even to me? I had no time outside of watching TV or playing Xbox. I looked the other way at the intersection when the vagabond with nothing but humiliation in his eyes, looked into mine and I was too embarrassed or I thought he may have been an addict. The cars I want, or the houses I pray for and the money I hope to have one day is all but trivial. God says to me, None of this matters.
When Jesus was alive the forgotten were his calling. The people who were hurting or needing. That's where he was. He wasn't involved in politics or fashion or materialism. God was telling me that this is what he cares about! These people. These who are lost. His prodigal children.
I don't say these things with the intention of a guilt trip. I don't say these things to seem "holier than thou." I say these things because I honestly think that If God were to talk through me, this is what would matter.
I believe in all my heart that I will stand before God one day.
Nothing is as terrifying as that thought.
I cannot imagine a world hurting as it does not to have that single bit of hope. I cannot imagine
anyone around me that I know, never having that opportunity.
In my millions of miles of shame, I have only Jesus to cling too.
I think it's good to remind ourselves to be of the world and not in it. I think it's also good to remember to love people through their faults as God has loved us through ours. I believe that God wants us to be so much like Jesus that that's what he's in us. To do that, I think we need to venture out to the uncomfortable places.
I think we need to start asking God, What would you say?
The world has these unwritten rules. Practices of things that "just are." "It's a dog eat dog world." "If it's going to me or you, it's going to be me." "Always look out for number 1." "There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't." I thought of these things last night as waited to fall asleep, possibly considering each as a topic to write about. I wondered as I laid there what kind of verbal arsenal I could pre-stage as I waited. Perhaps I could take aim and fire off on whatever was controversial. Perhaps I could speak of celebrities and whatever was topical. I could poke holes into their moral fiber.
As I laid there I wondered, half praying, half thinking, "God, if you could talk through me, what would you talk about?" Would you talk about the economy or a celebrity? Would you talk about America or the world being morally bankrupt?
It sounds stupid, but I don't think God would. I honestly think that God has very little interest in what's a hot topic. (I realize the audacity about what I'm about to say...) I heard a small, clear voice say, I don't care about this. I care about the other end of the spectrum. Not the fancy cars or the million dollar homes or any of the distractions of this world. (I'm paraphrasing, of course) God told me, I care about the lost.
I began to think of the unglamorous. The junior high girl who doesn't know what it is to be loved. The drug addict and the homeless person. The real people in the world who are hurting, who are dying, who are struggling to hold on. The people that we consider background noise. The people who don't fit our MTV mold or way of thinking. The people who are written off and over looked. The people who want so badly to believe in a God or anything out there that would love them and the people who are convinced that there is no God.
If God could talk through me, I think he'd have me talk to those people. The unglamorous. The forgotten. Here I claim to be this Christian. Here I claim to be another "prodigal son." Here and now I began to think of what my life consists of. One day I will have to answer for so many things. One day I will stand side by side the other sinners and saints. One day I will see all of it and God will show me these people again. He will show me the worlds "background noises," the forgotten and unloved. He will say to me, You claim to be a child of mine, where were you for these people? Will my excuses of having to work even sound acceptable even to me? I had no time outside of watching TV or playing Xbox. I looked the other way at the intersection when the vagabond with nothing but humiliation in his eyes, looked into mine and I was too embarrassed or I thought he may have been an addict. The cars I want, or the houses I pray for and the money I hope to have one day is all but trivial. God says to me, None of this matters.
When Jesus was alive the forgotten were his calling. The people who were hurting or needing. That's where he was. He wasn't involved in politics or fashion or materialism. God was telling me that this is what he cares about! These people. These who are lost. His prodigal children.
I don't say these things with the intention of a guilt trip. I don't say these things to seem "holier than thou." I say these things because I honestly think that If God were to talk through me, this is what would matter.
I believe in all my heart that I will stand before God one day.
Nothing is as terrifying as that thought.
I cannot imagine a world hurting as it does not to have that single bit of hope. I cannot imagine
anyone around me that I know, never having that opportunity.
In my millions of miles of shame, I have only Jesus to cling too.
I think it's good to remind ourselves to be of the world and not in it. I think it's also good to remember to love people through their faults as God has loved us through ours. I believe that God wants us to be so much like Jesus that that's what he's in us. To do that, I think we need to venture out to the uncomfortable places.
I think we need to start asking God, What would you say?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Where is the fire?
I wonder how many times I will have to reassess or re-evaluate where I'm at. How many times I'll sit and say to myself, you've gone to far. You've gotten away from it. You have become what you said you wouldn't. You are the hypocrite you despise. Where is your fire? The one that burned in you, when you said you would give this life to God?
I said I wouldn't go back to my old habits or my old ways. But where does He find me? In my old habits. In my old ways. And I ask him again and again, why do you never tire of this? I have let my fire go out, I've let you down and whoever else who might be out there watching.
I wonder why you are so eager to welcome your prodigal son. Why that, before I can offer my excuses or my rehearsed stories, you have silenced me. You have fallen around my neck rejoicing. And this is what angers me. This is what saddens me and rips my heart apart.
To know your love is to know the need of a savior. To know your grandness compared to my frailty, your awesomeness compared to my lacking. How you could ever love the tainted hearts of any of us makes me only ask, why?
Why set us the cornerstone of your creation?
Why bless us when we fail you?
Why love us at all?
And yet I hear you rejoicing for me. Asking me why?
Why have you not gotten tired of this foolishness?
Why do bother to fight against my will?
Why not accept this grace?
Lord forgive me for letting this fire subside.
I am asking you, again, to rebuild me and to set me on fire for you.
Let me regain myself and carry this light of yours out into the world.
Let me die, so you can replace me with you.
Let this fire replace the emptiness I have placed in it's stead.
I said I wouldn't go back to my old habits or my old ways. But where does He find me? In my old habits. In my old ways. And I ask him again and again, why do you never tire of this? I have let my fire go out, I've let you down and whoever else who might be out there watching.
I wonder why you are so eager to welcome your prodigal son. Why that, before I can offer my excuses or my rehearsed stories, you have silenced me. You have fallen around my neck rejoicing. And this is what angers me. This is what saddens me and rips my heart apart.
To know your love is to know the need of a savior. To know your grandness compared to my frailty, your awesomeness compared to my lacking. How you could ever love the tainted hearts of any of us makes me only ask, why?
Why set us the cornerstone of your creation?
Why bless us when we fail you?
Why love us at all?
And yet I hear you rejoicing for me. Asking me why?
Why have you not gotten tired of this foolishness?
Why do bother to fight against my will?
Why not accept this grace?
Lord forgive me for letting this fire subside.
I am asking you, again, to rebuild me and to set me on fire for you.
Let me regain myself and carry this light of yours out into the world.
Let me die, so you can replace me with you.
Let this fire replace the emptiness I have placed in it's stead.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
I am blessed because of you :
I could only sit in a corner chair somewhere in M.D. Anderson. I couldn't tell you where I was at that moment. I had a million things running through my head. I tried my best to cope and fight back tears as I sipped my poor concoction of whiskey and coke.
I stood there amongst other friends and your family and all I could think of was myself. How I wasn't ready for you to leave my life. They had prepped you for surgery and this, for all we knew could have been the last time we ever talked to you.
I'm often amazed at how God will bring people into your life. How random occurrences are seldom random. When I think back and try to remember, I don't remember a starting place. I just remember you being there. Goofy. Loud. Your energy grabbing the attention of a room and a laugh that made others laugh.
I looked up to you with such amazement. Most of us did. We'd copy how you talked or how you acted. Some of us even tried to copy your talents of writing or drawing. However, it was your faith, you belief that I was most envious of. There are many fake people who act a certain way, but your faith was genuine. It was that light that seemed to shine brightest from you.
All of it was like a magnet. You couldn't find anyone who ever had anything bad to say about you. People where and have always been drawn by your charisma. I still crack a smile thinking of some of the most random crap I've seen or experienced around you.
Everything from floating a river to getting kicked out of a taco bell. It's easy to say you were my hero and I had felt blessed even then to be like family.
You were the main reason I went into the Navy. I don't know if it was your attitude or how things just seem to go your way but to hear your stories made me envious. What am I going to do with my life? I don't have a clue. This seems so awesome for you, why wouldn't I go? I even had other options for different jobs but I wanted to be what you were. So I picked Radioman just before it was renamed I.T. ...
You have continued to be one of the strongest voices in my head. Between advice or just talking about nothing at all. I've listened.
So at this exact moment, at M.D. Anderson, we don't know what will happen next to you...
I'm a mess. I remember my hands shaking. I couldn't talk. I could barely look at you. Here is my hero, his wife crying her eyes and can literally do nothing. My hands shake as I fight tears.
It's useless.
The tears burned down my face. I pray... I beg... I bargain.
The doctors tell us we should leave. It's no good for us all to wait. No one moves. No one leaves. Minutes creep by like hours and hours like days. We wait.... We pray... We hope...
I beg... Lord please. Please not my friend. Please not my brother. Please.
People make small talk but it's in vein. The hospital is empty except for a gathering crowd in a waiting room.
The night eventually fades away.
It feels like an eternity ago for me. But I realize over and over how fortunate I am that you walked away from that day. Many of us are. I guess the reason I think to this is because, well, we seldom get second chances. How many people wish they had a second chance to hug their friend? or to let them know they're loved? Or just simply being around that person.
You never realize how important someone is to you until finality get's involved. So many people are blessed to this day to know you. People from 10 years ago will ask about you. For me, I can't imagine a world without you. I am so grateful that you've been apart of my life. I'm grateful for countless memories. I'm grateful for a God who gave me a role model, a friend and an older brother. I'm grateful for your shenanigans. I'm grateful that you took an interest in us when you could have easily been elsewhere. I'm grateful for every laugh I've gotten to share with you. I'm grateful to have been apart of your life and to hear you utter words that still make me laugh...
"YEAH BABY!! HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?"
I love you, you're one of my best friends. You are why I am the way I am.
Thomas, I am blessed today, because of you.
I stood there amongst other friends and your family and all I could think of was myself. How I wasn't ready for you to leave my life. They had prepped you for surgery and this, for all we knew could have been the last time we ever talked to you.
I'm often amazed at how God will bring people into your life. How random occurrences are seldom random. When I think back and try to remember, I don't remember a starting place. I just remember you being there. Goofy. Loud. Your energy grabbing the attention of a room and a laugh that made others laugh.
I looked up to you with such amazement. Most of us did. We'd copy how you talked or how you acted. Some of us even tried to copy your talents of writing or drawing. However, it was your faith, you belief that I was most envious of. There are many fake people who act a certain way, but your faith was genuine. It was that light that seemed to shine brightest from you.
All of it was like a magnet. You couldn't find anyone who ever had anything bad to say about you. People where and have always been drawn by your charisma. I still crack a smile thinking of some of the most random crap I've seen or experienced around you.
Everything from floating a river to getting kicked out of a taco bell. It's easy to say you were my hero and I had felt blessed even then to be like family.
You were the main reason I went into the Navy. I don't know if it was your attitude or how things just seem to go your way but to hear your stories made me envious. What am I going to do with my life? I don't have a clue. This seems so awesome for you, why wouldn't I go? I even had other options for different jobs but I wanted to be what you were. So I picked Radioman just before it was renamed I.T. ...
You have continued to be one of the strongest voices in my head. Between advice or just talking about nothing at all. I've listened.
So at this exact moment, at M.D. Anderson, we don't know what will happen next to you...
I'm a mess. I remember my hands shaking. I couldn't talk. I could barely look at you. Here is my hero, his wife crying her eyes and can literally do nothing. My hands shake as I fight tears.
It's useless.
The tears burned down my face. I pray... I beg... I bargain.
The doctors tell us we should leave. It's no good for us all to wait. No one moves. No one leaves. Minutes creep by like hours and hours like days. We wait.... We pray... We hope...
I beg... Lord please. Please not my friend. Please not my brother. Please.
People make small talk but it's in vein. The hospital is empty except for a gathering crowd in a waiting room.
The night eventually fades away.
It feels like an eternity ago for me. But I realize over and over how fortunate I am that you walked away from that day. Many of us are. I guess the reason I think to this is because, well, we seldom get second chances. How many people wish they had a second chance to hug their friend? or to let them know they're loved? Or just simply being around that person.
You never realize how important someone is to you until finality get's involved. So many people are blessed to this day to know you. People from 10 years ago will ask about you. For me, I can't imagine a world without you. I am so grateful that you've been apart of my life. I'm grateful for countless memories. I'm grateful for a God who gave me a role model, a friend and an older brother. I'm grateful for your shenanigans. I'm grateful that you took an interest in us when you could have easily been elsewhere. I'm grateful for every laugh I've gotten to share with you. I'm grateful to have been apart of your life and to hear you utter words that still make me laugh...
"YEAH BABY!! HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?"
I love you, you're one of my best friends. You are why I am the way I am.
Thomas, I am blessed today, because of you.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Status Quo ...or not
I love some of the classes I've been taking. One of my favorites is anthropology. I've dabbled in psychology and sociology, tools I'm sure I'll need as my life progresses. How people act and why has always fascinated me. One of my most simple joys in life is just "people watching." What drives them as person to achieve what they do?
Accordingly, I just finished a chapter that spoke of a persons social status. If you make 'x' amount of dollars then you are this wealthy... or this poor. If I were to measure myself by the standards set by the book, then I would fall into a category that would be 'lower class.'
I couldn't help but laugh at the idea.
I am, by their definition, a person who is poor and left wanting. I am socially at a loss in this world.
I could not be more okay with this.
The world tells me that what I earn as person defines the type of life I'll live. The idea could not be more absurd.
I live in America. I have never truly wanted or needed. If I have gone without, it is because I've chosen to do so and for no great period of time. I have never felt the desperation of finding shelter or a next meal. If life were to deal me into dire straights tomorrow, I would have family and friends to fall on.
The world tells me I am insignificant and yet, I'm not. Today, I really let it sink in, that I am blessed more so than the rest of the world and more so than most. There are others in the world that would consider what I have to make me royalty.
Think about that, take a moment and realize how fortunate and blessed you are. To know know what it is to truly want. To wake up in a war torn guerrilla warfare existence. To know that you will not have to forage or beg for food. Say what you will, but epidemics and disease don't run rampant in the country. We have no warlords or extremely corrupt politicians or dictators.
I live better than 95% of the world! And today, I can only thank God for what I have. To never know want. To be blessed in this life and to realize it, is truly a gift.
I will go to sleep tonight, thanking and loving a God who loves and blesses me more than I deserve.
Accordingly, I just finished a chapter that spoke of a persons social status. If you make 'x' amount of dollars then you are this wealthy... or this poor. If I were to measure myself by the standards set by the book, then I would fall into a category that would be 'lower class.'
I couldn't help but laugh at the idea.
I am, by their definition, a person who is poor and left wanting. I am socially at a loss in this world.
I could not be more okay with this.
The world tells me that what I earn as person defines the type of life I'll live. The idea could not be more absurd.
I live in America. I have never truly wanted or needed. If I have gone without, it is because I've chosen to do so and for no great period of time. I have never felt the desperation of finding shelter or a next meal. If life were to deal me into dire straights tomorrow, I would have family and friends to fall on.
The world tells me I am insignificant and yet, I'm not. Today, I really let it sink in, that I am blessed more so than the rest of the world and more so than most. There are others in the world that would consider what I have to make me royalty.
Think about that, take a moment and realize how fortunate and blessed you are. To know know what it is to truly want. To wake up in a war torn guerrilla warfare existence. To know that you will not have to forage or beg for food. Say what you will, but epidemics and disease don't run rampant in the country. We have no warlords or extremely corrupt politicians or dictators.
I live better than 95% of the world! And today, I can only thank God for what I have. To never know want. To be blessed in this life and to realize it, is truly a gift.
I will go to sleep tonight, thanking and loving a God who loves and blesses me more than I deserve.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Not me...You
I've been going through older blogs and it almost broke my heart. To see where I was so passionate, to remember this love affair I had. My life revolved around God. I read the Bible to learn and just be captivated and consumed.I'd try to wrap my mind around the mysteries of God. I was infatuated. I had an understanding. I loved it. Millions of people everywhere in the world and all there was was us. The creator of heaven and earth and it was just us. I was on the front line...
but my priorities shifted. Not at first. but little by little. My eyes filled with amazement and wonder shifted toward mirrors and worldly things. I realized my agenda was how can I fit God into my life? How can my life reflect God? I had images and thoughts of being this amazing pastor. I'd Speak hell fire and salvation, picturing people being moved. Prodigal sons and life stories.
So what's wrong with that?
Well, looking back I realize, I traded this love affair for my agenda. I put me first.
I heard a pastor speaking in a sermon series. The series itself had nothing to do with this. It was entitled, why your purity doesn't work. Obviously not the same thing as this. I've heard the message before but, this was somehow different.
The pastor began the message with, Mark 8 - Take up your cross and follow me; and 2 Corinthians 4 - I die daily.
I talk about my agenda, my writing had hints of it underneath. My life had it under the surface. But, I had no cross... and I certainly stopped following Jesus. I didn't recant my faith or anything like that... but just as Peter denied Christ... My life and my agenda, my thoughts and my actions ... well I was denying Christ.
"I die daily..." The contradiction was staring me down. My flesh, my sin, my denials... I certainly wasn't dying to myself. If I was the prodigal son, I would have basically gone BACK into the world...
I've put off thinking about this for about a week. Tonight as I drove home, well, it seemed like God was saying, "we need to talk."
I just... I just don't want my agenda anymore. Not if it's going to cost me something like this. So what happens now? Now, I guess I have some things to sort out. Time for this prodigal to start walking home. Time to pick out my cross and lay my life down.
So tonight, I pray for a lack of agenda. I pray for a lack of me. Not me... but YOU.
but my priorities shifted. Not at first. but little by little. My eyes filled with amazement and wonder shifted toward mirrors and worldly things. I realized my agenda was how can I fit God into my life? How can my life reflect God? I had images and thoughts of being this amazing pastor. I'd Speak hell fire and salvation, picturing people being moved. Prodigal sons and life stories.
So what's wrong with that?
Well, looking back I realize, I traded this love affair for my agenda. I put me first.
I heard a pastor speaking in a sermon series. The series itself had nothing to do with this. It was entitled, why your purity doesn't work. Obviously not the same thing as this. I've heard the message before but, this was somehow different.
The pastor began the message with, Mark 8 - Take up your cross and follow me; and 2 Corinthians 4 - I die daily.
I talk about my agenda, my writing had hints of it underneath. My life had it under the surface. But, I had no cross... and I certainly stopped following Jesus. I didn't recant my faith or anything like that... but just as Peter denied Christ... My life and my agenda, my thoughts and my actions ... well I was denying Christ.
"I die daily..." The contradiction was staring me down. My flesh, my sin, my denials... I certainly wasn't dying to myself. If I was the prodigal son, I would have basically gone BACK into the world...
I've put off thinking about this for about a week. Tonight as I drove home, well, it seemed like God was saying, "we need to talk."
I just... I just don't want my agenda anymore. Not if it's going to cost me something like this. So what happens now? Now, I guess I have some things to sort out. Time for this prodigal to start walking home. Time to pick out my cross and lay my life down.
So tonight, I pray for a lack of agenda. I pray for a lack of me. Not me... but YOU.
Step right up....
(below is me being a little silly, taking on a nonbeliever. feel free to add comments)
When did it become hip to bash Christianity? I hate this stereotype that Christians are bleeding heart hypocrites that are viewed as idiots for their beliefs.
Ironically, I feel the same about the people who throw rocks at my beliefs. Sure it's easy to join the band wagon and poke holes in anyone's beliefs. However, before you mock me, maybe you should stand up for what you believe in.
If you're an atheist, good for you. You either don't believe in God or you believe that we evolved from a lesser being according to science and what science has proven. You say something along the lines of, Religion is man made and fallible. Science can be proved. Science proves all things. Yeah? First of all, science is another one of those "man made" things. And according to that, that means it can be argued and proven wrong. For those of you that say, "no it can't." I say, look at how science offers theory's, then adds, changes or discards those theory's. And that's what most of science has to offer... theory's. By the way, evolution can be proved just as much as God is real according to the "scientific method." So, I'd like to take the time to negate science as a leg to stand on, in an argument against my beliefs.
Also, for those of you, who just think that there is no God. Cool, I don't mind arguing this point. If there is no God, then fine, you win. Nothing happens when you die and this life was a giant coincidental waste of time... whoop-ey. From your point of view, you were right. but you're dead and it only took dying to figure it out. You can't gloat any way cuz like I said, you're dead. You can look at it like I wasted my life. Fine, I lived my life to a set of standards. I tried to leave this world a better place and found comfort in the others that shared my beliefs and all that jazz. But, let's take a look as to what's on the other side of that coin, shall we? If I'm right , then you're screwed.
"Well, if God is real, then all I have to do is ask for forgiveness and I'll still get to go to heaven." Holy crap, let's pretend for a second that God is not retarded. Since there is a God that created the whole universe and understand the complexities of making life, planets and stuff that he wouldn't have thought all this through, just so some jerk off could find a loop hole in the system and make God look like a giant d'bag.
"How do explain all the bad things that happen in life? Why doesn't God step in and do something about it?" ...Why don't you do something about it? I'm sick of people using this line. This life is packed full of free will-ie goodness. You, like everyone else has a choice. There are good things in life as well as bad. Sometimes it needs to be chalked up a learning experience, a gift, or a loss. regardless of what happens in life, you have the choice to change and over come your circumstances. Plus, good can come out of any situation.
"What about the golden rule, how do you explain the people outside of abortion clinics with those awful signs? Same situation with Christians at gay pride rallies." If you believe that all Christians are like this, then all Muslims are in Al Queda. For the record, i don't believe all Muslims are in Al Queda. It's unfair to compare one group with a bunch of extremists. Don't compare me to some extremist groups of Christians who exploit the Bible to express personal beliefs and spew hate. Most of us live by Jesus' example. Love everyone, no questions asked. Hate the sin, not the sinner.
"What about Biblical conspiracies, hypocrisy's, and possible missing chapters?" Who cares? If a chocolate cake was missing a slice, would that make it any less of a chocolate cake? If the bible is missing chapters it probably doesn't matter. All the important parts are still there. If a chapter was missing out of harry potter or any other story, chances are you'd be able to figure out what's going on... why would the bible be different? I get the gist of the story. The beginning talks about God and everything leading up to the birth of Jesus. He sent his son in the middle of the story who died for us so we can go to heaven. God wins the fight at the end. All you have to do is say the sinners prayer. You don't have to be the guy in the chuck e. cheese outfit to figure this out.
"I believe in God, I don't believe in hell though..." (reaching for the advil) To say you believe absolutely in something, such as God. If he tells you there's a hell, then there's a hell. He talks about it, his son talks about it. I don't understand the problem here. Do you think the whole devil/Lucifer/dark prince talk is just filler to make the Bible a darn good read? It's there. If you don't believe me, you're always welcome to go, we'll wait here.
"what makes you think you're religion is the best?" Now here is a good question. 90% of the whole worldly population believes in some sort of God. We can safely assume that we're not all looking off each other's papers because there are different versions of all major religions. If you're another religion, that's fine. Hope you change your mind, if you have questions, come see me, I'll help out. However, Religion is an awful term. I have faith. I like to think I have a relationship with God. I think if people had these two things it'd solve a lot of problems.
I'm actually stopping here for now.
When did it become hip to bash Christianity? I hate this stereotype that Christians are bleeding heart hypocrites that are viewed as idiots for their beliefs.
Ironically, I feel the same about the people who throw rocks at my beliefs. Sure it's easy to join the band wagon and poke holes in anyone's beliefs. However, before you mock me, maybe you should stand up for what you believe in.
If you're an atheist, good for you. You either don't believe in God or you believe that we evolved from a lesser being according to science and what science has proven. You say something along the lines of, Religion is man made and fallible. Science can be proved. Science proves all things. Yeah? First of all, science is another one of those "man made" things. And according to that, that means it can be argued and proven wrong. For those of you that say, "no it can't." I say, look at how science offers theory's, then adds, changes or discards those theory's. And that's what most of science has to offer... theory's. By the way, evolution can be proved just as much as God is real according to the "scientific method." So, I'd like to take the time to negate science as a leg to stand on, in an argument against my beliefs.
Also, for those of you, who just think that there is no God. Cool, I don't mind arguing this point. If there is no God, then fine, you win. Nothing happens when you die and this life was a giant coincidental waste of time... whoop-ey. From your point of view, you were right. but you're dead and it only took dying to figure it out. You can't gloat any way cuz like I said, you're dead. You can look at it like I wasted my life. Fine, I lived my life to a set of standards. I tried to leave this world a better place and found comfort in the others that shared my beliefs and all that jazz. But, let's take a look as to what's on the other side of that coin, shall we? If I'm right , then you're screwed.
"Well, if God is real, then all I have to do is ask for forgiveness and I'll still get to go to heaven." Holy crap, let's pretend for a second that God is not retarded. Since there is a God that created the whole universe and understand the complexities of making life, planets and stuff that he wouldn't have thought all this through, just so some jerk off could find a loop hole in the system and make God look like a giant d'bag.
"How do explain all the bad things that happen in life? Why doesn't God step in and do something about it?" ...Why don't you do something about it? I'm sick of people using this line. This life is packed full of free will-ie goodness. You, like everyone else has a choice. There are good things in life as well as bad. Sometimes it needs to be chalked up a learning experience, a gift, or a loss. regardless of what happens in life, you have the choice to change and over come your circumstances. Plus, good can come out of any situation.
"What about the golden rule, how do you explain the people outside of abortion clinics with those awful signs? Same situation with Christians at gay pride rallies." If you believe that all Christians are like this, then all Muslims are in Al Queda. For the record, i don't believe all Muslims are in Al Queda. It's unfair to compare one group with a bunch of extremists. Don't compare me to some extremist groups of Christians who exploit the Bible to express personal beliefs and spew hate. Most of us live by Jesus' example. Love everyone, no questions asked. Hate the sin, not the sinner.
"What about Biblical conspiracies, hypocrisy's, and possible missing chapters?" Who cares? If a chocolate cake was missing a slice, would that make it any less of a chocolate cake? If the bible is missing chapters it probably doesn't matter. All the important parts are still there. If a chapter was missing out of harry potter or any other story, chances are you'd be able to figure out what's going on... why would the bible be different? I get the gist of the story. The beginning talks about God and everything leading up to the birth of Jesus. He sent his son in the middle of the story who died for us so we can go to heaven. God wins the fight at the end. All you have to do is say the sinners prayer. You don't have to be the guy in the chuck e. cheese outfit to figure this out.
"I believe in God, I don't believe in hell though..." (reaching for the advil) To say you believe absolutely in something, such as God. If he tells you there's a hell, then there's a hell. He talks about it, his son talks about it. I don't understand the problem here. Do you think the whole devil/Lucifer/dark prince talk is just filler to make the Bible a darn good read? It's there. If you don't believe me, you're always welcome to go, we'll wait here.
"what makes you think you're religion is the best?" Now here is a good question. 90% of the whole worldly population believes in some sort of God. We can safely assume that we're not all looking off each other's papers because there are different versions of all major religions. If you're another religion, that's fine. Hope you change your mind, if you have questions, come see me, I'll help out. However, Religion is an awful term. I have faith. I like to think I have a relationship with God. I think if people had these two things it'd solve a lot of problems.
I'm actually stopping here for now.
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