- Many local Christians are Anti-Immigration and anti-welfare--refusing to share our bountiful resources here in the United States--I know that our system is not perfect, but it seems to me The Bible tells us to share and to not discriminate. James Chapter 2 talks much of our responsibility to the poor as Christians. I'm afraid that when we close in on what we have and keep it to ourselves not only does it cut us off from each other, but it cuts us off from God, for where believers dwell in community of all types we find God.
- Homophobia--I have so many problems with this....by condemning someone's behavior you automatically turn them away from the Church. I do not believe that being gay is a sin, but even if you do believe that it is a sin being discriminatory to someone who is gay is completely wrong. We are all sinners; they simply have the unfortunate curse of their "sin" being more public. We all have jealousy, most of us where not virgins when we entered the covenant for marriage, we covet what we don't have, we've lied, the list continues. In being human our nature is sinful, yet through the grace of God we are forgiven. Why is it, then, that humans, sinners, should be the ones to judge which sin is better or worse? I guess, in a way, isn't this judgement also a sin?
- Mission work and evangelism--I don't understand why doing good has to be dependent on converting non-believers to Christians. Why can't we just do good things for people and thus model what it is to be a Christian without pushing it on people? If they see glory in our beliefs, then we can be there to help guide them along. I can't come to terms with only giving food to people after they've sat through the Bible School message. Just be good to them. In addition, it hurts me to see Christians condemning other religions, when there is so much beauty and wisdom to be found in other religions that also recognize a supreme and good higher power. We should learn from these faiths, rather than condemn what we either do not know or do not understand due to our own ignorance. We don't have to embrace them, but we should at least honor them as another expression of faith. Through modelling this, maybe we could have more harmony in the world.
- Stewardship of the Earth--I don't understand why so many Christians feel that the Earth can be used and misused and that what they are doing doesn't hurt the Earth. I was once told that if you believe in Global Warming, you support the anti-Christ! That statement doesn't even make sense. How are the two concepts even connected? Why is it anti-Christian to support scientific understanding of changes in our atmosphere? In a way, I almost think it's a sin to not recycle and try to conserve our resources. As the Lord teaches us that our body is a temple and should be treated as such...isn't the Earth the Lord's temple and shouldn't it also be honored in the same way? Look around at all the beauty and resources we have on Earth...Aren't these direct gifts from God? Aren't we called to be stewards of all that he blesses us with? Wouldn't this make sense for us love and honor God's Earth in the same loving way we honor him?
- These things lead me to the common belief that Jesus's death gives us a free ticket to heaven. I don't believe that faith alone wins us the grace of God. I believe that is only part. I also believe that we must strive to be good people. God calls us to be like Him....we fail, yes, but we should always strive. I also believe that people who strive for goodness in the world, but may lack faith, will have a chance to know God, even if it's not in this lifetime. I don't believe that most of the world is condemned to a fire-y eternity, simply because they were not born Christian or believe in God a different way.
I don't know how to come to terms with my beliefs. All I know is that I believe in a good God--a God that leads science, understanding, wisdom, and even curiosity. I don't believe I'm a bad person by questioning. I feel that in a way I'm being lead by God to do more research, to find more commonalities, to find an inner peace between the influence God has on my intelligent brain and my compassionate hungry-for-faith heart.
I would just pray that I as I move through this exploration of faith, the people I love would give the me the grace to undertake this personal journey on my own terms and a love me now matter how I come out, as I love them just the same.
My next blog will be something much lighter--possibly I'll write about writing or maybe my exploits in baking.
Hey, Tracy,
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd chime in as this seems to connect to one of our conversations last week. (Note: any responses given are from a recovering sinner and are subject to correction and clarification).
Let's start one at a time, shall we?
First, it is a good thing that you want to include so many things in your faith, after all the world was created as good. However, there are things contrary to the faith, and a circle however large you wish to draw it, must close off some things. If one wishes to add everything to Christianity, then one has ceased to be a Christian, one becomes...I don't know a Pan-theist, I suppose.
2) Yes, many Christians are closed off in their sense of giving, but Evangelicals as a group give more than any other group. Americans, as a nation, give more (privately) than any other nation. Still...we could do better. Not wanting to contribute to an imperfect system like welfare doesn't necessarily make one anti-poor, nor does wanting people to follow the laws of naturalization make one anti-immigrant. Of course, you'll find jerks, but dig deeper with some of these people who offer opinions different from your own. You'll find plenty of nuance.
3) Two things: Too many Christians have been unkind to those struggling with same-sex attraction and the most vocal homosexual activists are not interested in traditional tolerance, they want their behavior to be seen as normative and good (sometimes even superior to heterosex). This cannot happen, not if one wants to take what the Bible and the early church teaches. There are no easy answers to this problem except (those of us who believe homosexual behavior is a sin) to love those who struggle, to support them, to not condemn them when they fall, and to not move the line on orthodoxy.
4)Who withholds help contigent upon a teaching or something like that?
5)Read Wendell Berry's essay "The Gift of Good Land" and Cal DeWitt's book Earth-Wise.
6)I believe you are right that we will find Pagans, Muslims, Hindus, and atheists among the Church Triumphant at the end of time (though they will no longer be Pagan, Muslim, etc.) Catholics and the Orthodox teach that it is possible that Hell will be empty (except for Satan and his unrepentant angelic followers). But we must also contrast that belief with Jesus' statements about the narrow gate and the broad way as well as parable about people rejecting the Kingdom of God, e.g. the banquet for the king's son (Mt. 22:1-14 & Lk 14:15-24), the seeds sown (Mt. 13). The idea is present in the Gospel.
So, I certainly don't live all this out, but I try. The key, for me anyway as a former Protestant, is to look in to what the early church taught and did. I've found that too many Protestants are simply being good Americans in picking and choosing from Christianity about which they follow.
Thank you...especially for the scripture references. As I forge a new path, a path that is really trying to find a way to fit into a more Christian world-view after drifting pretty far away, I find that I need to experience the word of God personally in order for it to make sense to me. Maybe I'm selfish or an idealistic optimist, but I want everyone I love to be included in salvation despite their beliefs. I will explore your suggestions.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I appreciate about you, Scot, as you appeal to the intelligent side of Christianity. You don't just give out blanket statements about faith. That's huge for me....I need to reconcile my intelligent curiosity and skepticism with what it truly means to be a Christian.
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