There's Probably No God Part 2

...There, you should feel good now.



After reading Part 1 of this blog, one would notice that the Canadian Free Thought Association urges the masses to believe "There's probably no god. Stop worrying and enjoy your life." I contend that this isn't just about the debate of the existence of God or not. This is about feeling good.



Getting a free pass for something feels good. For instance, I was skiing with my kids and because of windy conditions on the mountain, several portions of the mountain were closed. The resort issued "snow checks" or "free passes" to come and ski again due to adverse conditions. It felt good.



Getting off the hook from something feels good to. Getting pulled over for speeding and the authority with the badge gives you just the warning, you breathe a sigh of relief. You were just let off the hook. You feel good.



I contend that much of atheism proposes a 'no limits' lifestyle. There is no right or wrong or moral code, nor can there be for the essence of right or wrong or morality is up to the individual. There can also be no absolutes. Everything is contingent upon the will and whim of the individual.



Atheism says there are no absolutes...and says so with absolute surety! I'm not even sure how that can be possible.

The right to do what one wants, to pursue one's desires to produce maximum pleasure in life is at the heart of the "there is probably no god. Stop worrying and enjoy your life" philosophy. Selfish ambition, decadence, narcisism and self-gratification are the driving forces of life. Where does this lead? What road does this take a person down?

For some reason, the atheist or agnostic thinks people feel bad about things because of a belief in God. Guilt. Regret. Whatever you may call it, they think it's devestating. I hold that while a belief in God may proudce those things, and even should do so, it's not all bad. For if guilt or regret can lead to change, and change leads to a new start and way of life for someone, how can that be bad?

A person with a heart to be concerned about the needs of others, a willingness to help someone and a selfless appreciation of others can produce a lot of good in the world. What would happen if people, instead of living according to a self-centered/self-gratification lifestyle, lived according to the teachings of Jesus Christ on loving your neighbor, being concerned about other people and doing unto others as we would have them do unto us?

After Katrina hit New Orleans, it was the God-believers that were there first. The president asked the nation to pray. Church groups from all different denominations sent aid and even went and helped themselves, giving their own time and resources. I'm not saying atheists weren't there helping, I'm saying that there was and is something about a belief in God that is far more demonstrable than what atheism has ever produced. This is for a reason.

The real heart of atheism is humanism.

Yes, man wants to be the boss. He wants to be master of his destiny. He wants to be accountable to no one. He wants to call the shots. We're pretty high and might for a species that, like all others, ends up in a hole in the ground. The human that is not beholden to the dictates of a God can do anything he wants with impunity.

"If God is not, everything is permitted."

Fyodor Dostoyevsky


Humanism/atheism produced communism (Stalin, Lenin).

Humanism/atheism has, out of self-interest and exultation, anhiliated millions of innocent people (Hitler, Mao Zedong).

Humanism/atheism has watch millions starve to death.


Conversely...


Belief in God produced Mother Teresa who served for decades in Calcutta helping the poor, the orphaned.

Belief in God feeds, clothes and educates thousands of kids in Haiti through people like George DeTellis at New Missions (http://www.newmissions.org/).

Belief in God brings the prostitute and drug addict off the streets of Los Angeles, California through places like the LA Dream Center and introduces them to a brand new start in life.


Yes there are atheists that have not killed and yes there are believers in God that have done little for the cause of Christ. In the grand scheme of things however, one would have to admit that far more than atheism, a belief in God has the propensity to produce far more virtue in life.


To summarize, the atheist/agnostic/humanist doesn't want to be held accountable from a God or a higher power for anything they do in this life. Doesn't make them a bad neighbor. Doesn't make them a mass murderer either. It does make them at odds with what many people hold as the truth, and that being that they believe that God does exist and does play an active role in our universe. Because that God exists, they, one day, will be accountable for what they did do with their lives.

So you have a short version of what I think about atheism/agnosticism/humanism. Another question, however, comes to my mind. Does God believe in the atheist? What exactly does Christianity teach about the non-belief in the existence of God? What exactly does Christianity teach and compel it's followers to do?


Lots to discuss.
Worth a look.

There's Probably No God Part 1

"There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

This is the add that will most likely be seen plastered to the sides of city buses in Calgary, Alberta. The same add is in Toronto, London and Madrid. This statement was met with criticism from the Calgary Catholic Bishop. He said that the best date to launch such a campaign would be April Fool's Day. Obviously, this is going to be a hot button. The Free Thought Association of Canada has opened a can of worms on this one. Christians oppose this idea. I won't get into whether they should or should not because we do, in fact, live in a free country with the freedom of speech. We usually don't like it when people aren't saying what we want them to say. That's natural. I do, however, want to look at the very words that the Free Thought Association of Canada actually do say.

The statement, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." evokes a few sentiments that I think are worthwhile to look at.

1. Probably.

The word probably means "in all liklihood" or "presumabley". It is a word that definitely leaves room for error. It is based upon presumption and not evidence. Presume means "To take for granted that something is true or factual". This is in direct contrast with the word "true" which means, "factual". This idea of "there is probably no god is usually based upon no or a lack of evidence.

So you have a statement that is, in it's own beginning, saying it's not necessarily true, but should be believed as true, with no evidence to support it. The people who say "probably no god" should not be classified as atheists, as atheism proclaims that there is no god, while agnosticism proclaims that there is no knowledge of a god. The Free Thought Association of Canada can't even come out and say for sure that there is no god. Where's the guts?

The Free Thought Association people are, as a co-worker of mine suggests, "chicken atheists" at best.

2. No God.

This conversation can go on for infinity, that is if infinity exists since we humans are not infinite. So, for the purposes of our finite conversation on the topic of the existence of God, think about these things (and please take the time to research them if anyone lacks understanding)...

- DNA and RNA. How do we get DNA? From RNA. Where does RNA come from? It is made by DNA!

- Brownian movement. It's really cool.

- Stars. Okay, so attempts to explain our earth as being formed by no god are accepted by many, but how do other things in the universe just get there?

- Where did the substance to make Earth come from? Seriously, where did the first particles to make "stuff" come from? You just can't get something from nothing. It's a universal fact.

- The Theory of Evolution. Where are the missing links of species? If evolution is still happening, there must be evidence of it taking place. There simply has to be. Whether global warming is happening or not, the theory of evolution should simply allow the strongest of the species to adapt and survive so what's the worry anyway right?

3. Stop worrying.


The Free Thought people are really patronizing the population they speak to by saying this. They are minimizing people's real worries and elevating themselves as the authority by which their worries will be removed. They are saying in essence, "you are worrying about the possibility of God not being pleased with what you are doing. We're going to fix that by saying there is probably no god anyway." Linking worrying to the thought of the existence of a god does not seem rational. I know people that worry about money. They worry about their kids. They worry about whether or not their marriages will survive. They worry about keeping their house in this particularly declining economic environment. They worry about whether they'll have a job tomorrow. They worry if the chemo is going to work, and if it doesn't, who will take care of the kids? I have never met anyone who stays up all night worrying that God exists or not.

4. Stop worrying.

The proponents of the "no god" agenda use fear to manipulate their audience, yes, just like corrupt church leadership did in the Middle ages. Fear, guilt and superstition were used to make people fearful of doing or not doing certain things to propagate the church's agenda. That agenda, many times, was for the selfish ambition of the corrupt leadership. The atheist/agnostic position plays on the supposed or real fear of many and gives them a feel good pill that lets them off the proverbial providential hook. If it wasn't for the supposed fear of some people who believe in God, this particular position of "stop worrying about it" wouldn't be valid. The very act of using the "no god, stop worrying" is equal to the "God is watching, be afraid" mentality. Both are based upon perceptions that seem, to the adherent of those philosophies, to be true. But are they?

5. Enjoy your life.

It is very elitist, in my opinion, to simply say to someone, if you believe there is no god like "I" do, you will be free of worry and will enjoy your life. It is equally repulsive to me that someone can say that because a person believes in God, they will be full of worry and therefore not enjoy life. That is what they are saying when they write "there is probably no god, so stop worrying and enjoy your life. What else can it really mean? Empirically one would have to admit that because of their belief in God, millions of people enjoy their life. Likewise, there are probably (in other words I don't have evidence but I presume that it could be the case) people that are afraid that, if there is a God, this God may not be pleased with them for whatever reason and therefore, may be worried about that. I want to thank the atheists for taking care of their problem. They have solved it beyond a shadow of a doubt and now, the world can be joyful. Or is the problem actually solved?

I, for one am not going to put my head in the sand and ignore centuries of history. There were, and still are, things done in the name of Christ that had and have no place in Christianity. Because a pope or a king or a priest or a minister or any other person past or present simply says that they are a follower of Christ and therefore excercises the authority to simply do things that are in opposition to the teachings of Christian scripture, does not in any way, shape or form make them Christian. My atheist and agostic friends, please understand this. I am not going to suppose that the abuse of power of some probably made you less than able to see the truth of Christianity, but if that is the case, I can understand. I would hope that those who embrace atheism or it's half brother, agnosticism, would be equally able to hear a Christian perspective as well.

In closing, I'd like to sum up what the slogan in the opening says in my own words...

We have no evidence or facts to back up what we believe, but, we're going to believe that there is no god. In fact, because we have the audacity to think that your life isn't enjoyable, and your belief in a god has produced fear and worry in your life, we want you to believe like us, with no evidence. Now you can stop worrying. There, you should feel good now...

"Love"?

I was surfing the net and checking out some sites lately and came across a blog. The blog was from a pastor on a multi-staff church. The writer of the blog was sharing some great ways to love people and was sharing of one way in particular. Here's what he said, and I quote...

"One way we seek to love at (church) is through technology. Technology is simply a tool we offer to God to help us love others."

The context of this statement was the explanation of the use of computers at church kiosks to garnish personal information from visitors and attendees. He went on to say how it's a great way to stay in touch with and keep track of prospects and people that are in some way connected to the church.

Should this notion of love be accepted as loving or biblical?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Jesus Christ

Jesus' form of loving people appears to be drastically different from what others may seem to think. While love can be packaged by some to mean gathering data, Jesus simply told us to treat people in the same manner we would want to be treated.


Love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus Christ


Today my neighbor knocked on my door during our family dinner. It was minus 30 degrees Celsius (really cold!) and he needed a ride to do an errand. He presently has no car and his other buddy could not assist him. My response was to simply explain to my wife what he needed, excused myself and simply took him to where he needed to go.

I could have had him go to my computer and fill out his information, address, hobbies etc. and then get back to him later. No, I accepted the interuption as an opportunity to show love.

This is a new commandment that I give you, that you love one another.

Jesus Christ

So as our dear commrade in ministry writes about love, let not one of us forget what love really is by paying attention to what Jesus Christ himself said. Are computers wrong? Absolutely not. Can they serve a purpose? Absolutely yes. Is technology and its use what Jesus intended for us to employ to love people? I am not at all convinced at that.

The nitty gritty love that Christians are to abound in is the type that is face to face. It's the kind that causes interuptions to one's personal agenda. It's the kind that pulls a twenty out of your own pocket and helps someone out right then and there. Love causes us to hold our tongue when we want to "rip someone a new one." It is love that constrains the saints to be patient with the abbrasive people that come into contact with us on a daily basis. Simply put, love isn't some sterile, isolated, impersonal act. Let's just not be confused that's all.

Assistance in administration and tools for management are necessary organizationally. Love, well, that's just something that us people just ought to do.

Keep loving.

Salad Bar Christianity

Over the last several years I have been increasingly alarmed at the "pick and choose" approach to Christianity. In other words, I've seen a trend in people adhering to the teachings of the Bible that they like and choosing to ignore the teachings that they don't like. You know, it's kind of like going to a salad bar.

George Barna has a recent article on his web site (www.barna.org) which backs up this trend with his latest research.

I encourage you to give it a read at http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrowPreview&BarnaUpdateID=324 to see for yourself.

Simply cut and paste this link and it will take you there. If not, go to www.barna.org and you'll find it.

Godspeed.

We've Never Done It That Way Before

It is my opinion, after months and years of observation, that many people in North America who are responsible for teaching and preaching the Bible to congregations, do so to perpetuate their own thoughts, teachings, preferences and traditions. This isn't necessarily always intentional but it still happens. Look at any Christian TV program and see for yourself. But it doesn't stop there.

God's word still remains hidden to so many people.

At the end of 2008 I was re-introduced to God's word. This book, called the Bible, that I grew up reading, that I went to college to study verse by verse, even spent fifteen years studying it to teach to others on a weekly basis, yes this book, I was re-introuduced to in a whole new and eye-opening way. I now use an entirely different process to study and understand God's word. I think everyone else should do this too. Let's begin with the common way.

A person, usually the minister or teacher, reads a book on church growth, leadership or some other inspirational content (doesn't really matter what it is). A quote or concept is recognized and it catches the attention of the teacher. Incidently, the concept is supported by a Bible verse or two (maybe!). Subsequently, the teacher that is "studying" for a sermon or teaching uses the verses and spring boards into all kinds of points to support his concept, theme or teaching. Sometimes it's the opposite where the Bible is being read first and then other materials are used to substantiate what the Scripture says. Presto. The Bible has been taught. Right? Hold on a minute.

This form isn't necessarily evil. There is some good that can come of it. I participated in this form of study many times as professional clergy. It was modeled to me and it is very common. It's all I really knew for some time. The problem is that there is such a great danger of a few things. 1. It is very easy to simply make up what you want the Bible to be saying. 2. It is easy to miss much or all of what the Bible is really saying. 3. It is entirely possible to teach something that is absolutely false doctrine. There's plenty of that going on today.

This leaves our churches biblically illiterate and impotent. It's evident all around us.

I only scratched the surface. I shortchanged myself, and probably the people I was preaching to and teaching by not utilizing another form of study of God's word.
Using other authors' materials, commentaries and other helps can help us widen our understanding of something perhaps, but only after the work of studying God's word by ourselves and unpacking what the scriptures say are done first.

How do you "unpack" God's word and understand it? Well, that's what I'm committed to. Not only understanding it myself, but helping others know how to read, know and understand it as well. I'm in this process now going on about fourteen weeks. We call it "Word Ministry". My teachers have been amazing. God's word is coming more alive to me than ever before.

P.S. Is the teaching you're sitting under need to go a bit deeper into God's word? Do this little test. It doesn't mean your teacher is not prepared at all. It may mean that they are using the old common method. Ask yourself if some of these red flags are present...

1. Are there lots of quotes from books outside of the Bible (again, not evil but must be careful)?
2. Is there a catchy title and a few points that all seem to fit nicely together?
3. Are there random Bible verses that are all seemingly connected to the point of the teaching?
4. Is the theme of the message being taught simply not found in the Bible?
5. Can you take the same message and teach it in Haiti, the slums of Mexico or impoverished parts of North America?
6. Are the points of the teaching actually found in the text of the verses being taught OR are the points surmised and taken from the collective proofs of other random verses?

Don't let anyone convince you to settle for a "we've never done it that way before" mentality. There's more in that Bible of yours. Go find it!

Go deeper!

If you would like to know more about "word ministry" email me at escapetheflames@hotmail.com and we can begin to dialogue about the process and perhaps find someone in your area that is committed to it and maybe help you even more. Perhaps, if I can boil it down to put into words on a web page, I can attempt to explain it. Really though, it is such an organic process, and done very well in groups, it is better taught in person. It literally takes hours and hours, perhaps days and weeks to study a passage of scripture thoroughly. No shortcuts.

The Why Question

Recently, in my previous post, I shared the heart-wrenching stories of several people that I personally knew that just simply died...all in a two week period. A young father in Florida, a mother of teenagers in Massachusetts, an infant baby boy in Alberta. On the heels of this was another heart-wrenching story of a three or four year old boy that we know that has a heart that beats at about 20 beats per minute. Sometimes at night it even stops beating! This lad now needs a pace maker.

It's these situations that these people had, you had, perhaps we all at one time had, where we asked God "Why?" Sometimes we crumble into a heap of desperation. Sometimes we may shake our fist in anger and scream the grand question "Why God? Why?"

Why do the young die? Why are people victimized? Why do people starve? Why do people murder? Why do natural disasters happen? Why doesn't God do something? You can fill in your own question of "why" and join the list.

You may have heard preachers and teachers share that personal and corporate tragedies are all part of the sovereignty of God's working among mankind. I'm not saying that they aren't. I am just not going to give a pat answer and move away from people's pain at this point. We may not want to hear that our suffering has anything to do with God's sovereign plan but it might. Even more frustrating is the fact that even though our suffering may be part of God's plan, he may not be inclined to share with us what that plan is at any given time.

The example of Job is a great way to look at human suffering in relation to God's plan for any given individual for it teaches us many lessons. Perserverance, longsuffering, faithfulness, God's restorative grace etc. But what we often overlook is the "why" question in the book of Job.

God never answered Job's "why" question. He may not answer mine or yours.

Look in Job chapter 1 verses nine through twelve where God is almost bragging on Job's perfect uprightness...

9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."


We know the bits and pieces of the story. Sickness, loss of all material possessions, the loss of the lives of his children and even his own wife urged him to curse God and die in light of all the aftermath.

I mean think about it. He lost everything in life based on what looks like a "double-dog-dare you" from Satan. So God allowed it.

Forget the friends of Job who came to "comfort" him in his state of despair. Forget the fact that bad things sometimes happen to good people. This is the worst season of Job's life. It's worse than most of us have ever lived through. What was Job's response?

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Job didn't say that God did him wrong, even though God is personally responsible for it all. Unbelievable! Perhaps you don't think God is responsible? Look at Job 2...

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

There you have it. God admitted that he was responsible. He ruined Job for no reason. Or was there a reason? Lots of people will try to tell us, explain to us, teach and preach to us the reason. The fact of the matter is, although there are lots of life lessons to be gleaned from Job's story of tragedy to triumph, the one thing we really don't know is "why".

So keep believing, keep walking and when life's stuff happens to you, don't be surprised if you don't always have the "why" question answered. Just keep going. Just "because".

Living With Death

The words that are to follow this introduction are deep feelings of mine but I must admit that they pale in comparison to those who have been directly affected by tragedy, namely, the death of a family member. It has been the tragic events of others connected to me that have spawned these words. It has been the death of three that have provoked much thought, introspection and prayers to God.

Within eight days three people that were connected to my family in one way or another passed from this life. The first was thirty five year old Benji. He was one of the first people I met when I moved to Massachusetts. The youngest of eight brothers and sisters, vibrant, charming and full of life, he inexplicably collapsed and died putting his son in his car seat in Florida. A couple of days later "baby Jacob" as our kids referred to him as, lost his fight for life in a Calgary, Alberta hospital. Our family and many others in our church family prayed for him daily. His heart condition did not get better. He died. Just a couple of days after that, my good friend Rose from Massachusetts emailed me the news that a lady named Kim had lost her battle with her disease. Her kids were in my youth group. My wife taught her children. Three deaths. Eight days.

When I got the news that Kim had passed away, I was overcome with emotion. Not that I was a close friend to all of these, no, the miles and years had separated us. However as tears flowed down my cheeks I left my office for the sheer fact that so much death in such a short amount of time had cut my heart wide open. I couldn't hold it in.

So many things were going through my mind, all of which were disturbing on some levels. Why does a man in his mid thirties just collapse and die? What will those kids do without their mom? Why do 18 month old babies die? Then there is the BIG question that my daughter asked. Maybe God didn't hear us when we prayed. Now that haunted me.

When we heard all of this news my wife said, "you can't have life without death". She was making the statement not as a teaching moment, but as an observation. In this life we will have troubles, sorrows and difficulty. Jesus pointed that out to us. Living with death has to be about hope. We do not sorrow as those who do not have hope. We hope that we will see our loved ones again in the resurrection. We hope that the pain goes away eventually. We hope that we can learn from our difficult circumstances. Yes, even death can teach us things. It teaches us that our days are numbered. It teaches us that we are mortal. Death teaches us the value of life and the value of the living. Death teaches that all of us will be touched by it's cold hand eventually in life. Death reminds us that what we know and experience will end and most of it is meaningless. Death conjures thoughts of standing before God.

So I walk away from this sorrowful situation a hurting but hoping human. I realize that "precious in the sight of the Lord is the perishing of his saints." I hurt in myself and for those I know who experienced the tragic loss. I hope one day to see them again.

O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"

I Corinthians 15:55