"...if God be infinitely wise, He cannot sport with the understandings of his creatures. A wise teacher discovers his wisdom in adapting himself to the capacities of his pupils, not in perplexing them with what is unintelligible, not in distressing them with apparent contradictions, not in filling them with a skeptical distrust of their own powers. An infinitely wise teacher, who knows the precise extent of our minds and the best method of enlightening them, will surpass all other instructors in bringing down truth to our apprehension, and in showing its loveliness and harmony. We ought, indeed, to expect occasional obscurity in such a book as the Bible, which was written for past and future ages as well as for the present. But God's wisdom is a pledge that whatever is necessary for us, and necessary for salvation is revealed too plainly to be mistaken, and too consistently to be questioned, by a sound and upright mind. It is not the mark of wisdom to use an unintelligible phraseology, to communicate what is above our capacities, to confuse and unsettle the intellect by appearances of contradictions. We honor our Heavenly Teacher too much to ascribe to him such a revelation. A revelation is a gift of light. It cannot thicken our darkness and multiply our perplexities."
(William Ellery Channing, 1819)
Christian Atheist
(strong language warning) A book excerpt this month in Christianity today from "the Christian Atheist" (by Craig Groeschel) revealed that the author's lack of faith yields a lack of actions, in other words, He believes like a Christian and acts like an Atheist.
I'd like to offer an alternate definition of the Christian Atheist: With the proliferation of Post-Modernism, and Plural-Relativism, Christians are intimately acquainted with concepts such as the law of non-contradiction, and false causality (whether they understand those terms or not). While a Christian will argue until he's blue in the face, that simply because you don't believe in God, doesn't mean God doesn't exist; the converse is rarely articulated well - "Believing in God doesn't make him exist either."
Both arguments are similarly feeble and misguided, and point to a kind of Theology (quite prevalent) that was best summarized by George Carlin:
Something is very fucked up, and religion is at the heart of it. The central story of the universe stems from a rebellion. God doesn't save people from a lake of fire for believing in him, and he doesn't damn you for spending the night with that person you had the hots for. God is concerned with a simple detail of the universe; with whom is your allegiance. He doesn't have one perfect path for you to walk down that is obscured, and the truth is, you may not be quite sure there even is a God; but do you care what this God might think of you? or do you want to run the show? If you saw a glimpse would you follow after, to find out more, or do you already know better, and cling to your institutions, and religion?
The rhetorical question is of course; with whom is your allegiance? It is entirely possible to be a Christian Atheist in a second sense, to doubt the very existence of God, as an Atheist, and yet place your allegiance in that same direction.
I'd like to offer an alternate definition of the Christian Atheist: With the proliferation of Post-Modernism, and Plural-Relativism, Christians are intimately acquainted with concepts such as the law of non-contradiction, and false causality (whether they understand those terms or not). While a Christian will argue until he's blue in the face, that simply because you don't believe in God, doesn't mean God doesn't exist; the converse is rarely articulated well - "Believing in God doesn't make him exist either."
Both arguments are similarly feeble and misguided, and point to a kind of Theology (quite prevalent) that was best summarized by George Carlin:
Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time! But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! ...
But I want you to know something, this is sincere, I want you to know, when it comes to believing in God, I really tried. I really, really tried. I tried to believe that there is a God, who created each of us in His own image and likeness, loves us very much, and keeps a close eye on things. I really tried to believe that, but I gotta tell you, the longer you live, the more you look around, the more you realize, something is fucked up.
Something is very fucked up, and religion is at the heart of it. The central story of the universe stems from a rebellion. God doesn't save people from a lake of fire for believing in him, and he doesn't damn you for spending the night with that person you had the hots for. God is concerned with a simple detail of the universe; with whom is your allegiance. He doesn't have one perfect path for you to walk down that is obscured, and the truth is, you may not be quite sure there even is a God; but do you care what this God might think of you? or do you want to run the show? If you saw a glimpse would you follow after, to find out more, or do you already know better, and cling to your institutions, and religion?
The rhetorical question is of course; with whom is your allegiance? It is entirely possible to be a Christian Atheist in a second sense, to doubt the very existence of God, as an Atheist, and yet place your allegiance in that same direction.
A certain economics
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.
The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.
In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.
If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.
Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.
They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;
the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.
The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;
but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
Wait for the LORD and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.
But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.
The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.
In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.
If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.
Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.
They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;
the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.
The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;
but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
Wait for the LORD and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.
But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
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