Humans have a natural psychological tendency to see design in natural things. Our brain takes a short-cut: if we see a tiger, we don't waste time analyzing its neural impulses; we assume it's designed to eat us. Our ability to find patterns in the world is unparalleled; it's the reason why, in spite of the fact that I am small and weak and hairless, I can type this message to you at all. Unfortunately, it also leads us astray, making us find patterns in what may be a purely random universe.
You are certainly right that it can taint our objectivity, and that's a danger we all must seek to avoid. We must recognize also, however, that there are many such tendencies that can lead to error in the opposite direction. At the route of all humans is an undeniable source of pride and independence that says, “I’m in charge of my life.” Though it would take some time to cite them properly, I have read many atheist scientists as saying “I don’t believe that God exists because I’m afraid that He does.” Living in NJ, it is easy to see thousands of examples of how people always long to deny God simply so that they are not held accountable to a higher authority. In fact, all other religions offer ultimate control over your life to you. If you make it to the end of this email, I’ll explain more on that, but there’s no use denying that no one can be trusted with objectivity even in scientific research. We look to prove what we wish to be true (whether in the way we do research or the way we interpret results).
Saturday, December 8, 2007
"Christianity is good, but truth is subjective" ~John Doe
Hello John Doe,
Thanks so much for writing. I really enjoyed the message you wrote, and I love to talk about this subject. I've answered your statements in turn (your comments in blue), and I would dearly appreciate your feedback. I hope you find my responses entertaining, if not enlightening. I am certainly not qualified to answer for Christianity, God or the Bible as a whole, but think of me as someone making the same journey of discovery as you and just here to compare notes from the paths I've travelled with yours...
Every human being has a universal right to his or her own supernatural beliefs. I will not attempt to disprove your message, but instead give insight as to why it does not work for my own life.
That is very respectful, and I appreciate where you're coming from.
The human brain has an incredible need to structure and organize information coming from the world. The question "Is there really a god?" really boils down to "why are we here?" An uncountable number of beliefs and religions spawned from this very question. People need to answer this question for themselves, based on what is right for them.
While I agree that humanity likes to categorize and define, and I agree that we're all imprinted with a strong desire to find out "why we are here" and what purpose there is to life, I'd like you to clarify this idea of "what is right for them". What do you think makes an answer right for one person and not for another?
Once you believe something fully, in faith, it becomes truth, and it is truth. Truth is subjective to the individual. What is true for one person may not be true for another. God does exist; he will exist as long as people believe in him. People will find an answer to the eternal question if that is what he or she is set out to do. "You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you." (Jeremiah 29: 13-14)
I'm afraid the statement "Truth is subjective to the individual" especially the implying "all truth" is impossible. Since the statement itself is one of truth, in order for it to be true, it would have to be subjective itself and not always true (click here for more info or visit www.rzim.com). In philosophy, this is known as a "self-defeating" statement. By it's own definition, it cannot be so.
Even moreso, if something is true to those who believe it, I believe that God is real and that those who reject Him are REALLY going to Hell (not because I or even God wants that to happen). If you are right, Christianity is true for those who believe it. But Christianity says that there is only one truth. In other words, if you are right then you are wrong. My grandfather claims to believe in relativism, and my mother asked him "so, you believe that I will go to Heaven when I die because that's what I believe, and that you will go to nothing because that's what you believe?" He admitted, "No, I don't think you'll go to heaven" thus admitting that he doesn't in fact ascribe to relativism or subjective truth. I pose the same question to you.
In my own life, I spent my childhood years in the church, and I still respect the institution for what it does. Community outreach programs are fantastic for the world. The saying "what goes around comes around" is true on a global scale. The world is like a messy bedroom. People throw dirty laundry everywhere and then wonder where the stench is coming from. As John Donne writes in 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' that "No man is an Island, entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main." We're all stuck on this rock together, and our actions will undoubtedly affect other humans. The institution of the church understands better than any other.
I appreciate your respect for the church. Scripture tells us that God loves all people and in fact that God is Love. It even says that a Christian who fails to love his brother (anyone) is not actually a Christian (1 John 4:20). However, CS Lewis makes a good point that Christianity is not about being helpful primarily. He says "Christianity claims to give an account of facts - to tell you what the real universe is like… If Christianity is untrue, then no honest man will want to believe it, however helpful it mioght be: if it is true, every honest man will want to believe it, even if it gives him no help at all… Here is a door behind which, according to some people, the secret of the universe is waiting for you. Either that's true, or it isn't. And if it isn't, then what the door really conceals is simply the greatest fraud, the most colossal 'sell' on record. Isn't it obviously the job of every man (that is a man and not a rabbit) to try to find out which, and then to devote his full energies either to serving this tremendous secret or to exposing and destroying this gigantic humbug? Faced with such and issue, can you really remain wholly absorbed in your own blessed 'moral development'?"
Unfortunately, there are some beliefs that just do not work for me. One is that there is a single correct way of thinking, one way in and one way out.
I'd like to hear your opinions on why this doesn't work. For me, it makes sense that if someone created us, they would want us to know and have a relationship with him, not just come up with whatever we want and have nothing to do with him. The idea of "whatever you feel like is fine" only works if there in fact is no God at all. Besides, everything else in life works the same. You can't expect to keep a job if you break your employers rules no matter how hard your own beliefs differ. And, unlike in Bugs Bunny, the force of gravity doesn't cease to make you fall just because you don't believe in it.
My personal truths are different in some areas. To me, the conclusion cannot be drawn that because something is very complex, it means it had to be created by God. If medieval knights saw a commercial airline jet, they would attribute it in some way to a vehicle of a supernatural being.
That's true, complexity alone doesn't prove God's existence. It is, however, a strong piece of evidence. As you say, if knights saw an airplane, they'd think it was created by God and they'd be wrong (at least not directly). However, they would be correct to identify it as designed by someone. Complexity may not prove God Himself, but I believe it does necessitate a designer.
The Earth is a near perfect place for life to exist. What are the odds that out of billions of galaxies that just one star may have a planet, say, about 93million miles from the sun? Chances are there are a few.
It's true that chances are good that there are a few other planets with the right distance from a star, but that is only one of several dozen specific requirements that must be met in order for life to be possible. The chances of all of these being met in one planet are astronomically against. The number of galaxies in space doesn't come anywhere even close to providing the number of planets it would take to produce even one by chance (I don't have a source to quote off-hand, but if you're interested, I believe I can find it again).
On the subject of biology, I believe there are holes in both evolution and creation. Not enough is known about evolution to trace back to the very first living organism. In my personal belief, I believe neither is completely true, and without sufficient evidence, leave it at that.
I don't disagree with you about evolution and creation not having enough knowledge to prove either way. I believe there will never be enough evidence to produce 100% certainty, at least until judgment day. If there were, and God could be totally proven, then we'd have no choice but to believe in Him, no need for faith and no free will.
God pursues those who pursue him, and those who need him, will follow him.
Please elaborate on "those who need him, will follow him." Do you mean what Marx and Nietsche meant that people believe in God because they want there to be someone there taking care of them, or did you mean something else? I would respond to that, but I don't want to waste your time if that's not what you meant.
In conclusion, I believe that God is real for those who believe in him, and has had a greater impact on the world than any other ideal. True subjectivity means there is more than more answer to the question, and it varies for each person. In my own believe, since no conclusion can be drawn, I will leave it at that and take life as it comes.
So, you have not drawn a conclusion for yourself. But, just because you don't know what the answer is, does not mean there is no single answer. Does it not strike you that to "take life as it comes" is just to ignore an issue that you really don't have settled for yourself? I may be wrong in what I believe, but I am actively seeking the truth. I don't ever want to shut out possibilities without considering them, because I may find out after it's too late that there was something vitally true that I was too lazy to investigate.
One final question for you. If you believe that truth is relative, then you must also believe that morality is subjective. If that is true, how can you claim anything to be unfair or unjust? How can you say that the murder of innocent children or a stranger punching you in the nose is wrong?
Again, I hope this helps in some way, and I'd love to hear your response. I hope to hear from you soon, and continue this path of mutual discovery!
Your friend,
~Jeff
Thanks so much for writing. I really enjoyed the message you wrote, and I love to talk about this subject. I've answered your statements in turn (your comments in blue), and I would dearly appreciate your feedback. I hope you find my responses entertaining, if not enlightening. I am certainly not qualified to answer for Christianity, God or the Bible as a whole, but think of me as someone making the same journey of discovery as you and just here to compare notes from the paths I've travelled with yours...
Every human being has a universal right to his or her own supernatural beliefs. I will not attempt to disprove your message, but instead give insight as to why it does not work for my own life.
That is very respectful, and I appreciate where you're coming from.
The human brain has an incredible need to structure and organize information coming from the world. The question "Is there really a god?" really boils down to "why are we here?" An uncountable number of beliefs and religions spawned from this very question. People need to answer this question for themselves, based on what is right for them.
While I agree that humanity likes to categorize and define, and I agree that we're all imprinted with a strong desire to find out "why we are here" and what purpose there is to life, I'd like you to clarify this idea of "what is right for them". What do you think makes an answer right for one person and not for another?
Once you believe something fully, in faith, it becomes truth, and it is truth. Truth is subjective to the individual. What is true for one person may not be true for another. God does exist; he will exist as long as people believe in him. People will find an answer to the eternal question if that is what he or she is set out to do. "You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you." (Jeremiah 29: 13-14)
I'm afraid the statement "Truth is subjective to the individual" especially the implying "all truth" is impossible. Since the statement itself is one of truth, in order for it to be true, it would have to be subjective itself and not always true (click here for more info or visit www.rzim.com). In philosophy, this is known as a "self-defeating" statement. By it's own definition, it cannot be so.
Even moreso, if something is true to those who believe it, I believe that God is real and that those who reject Him are REALLY going to Hell (not because I or even God wants that to happen). If you are right, Christianity is true for those who believe it. But Christianity says that there is only one truth. In other words, if you are right then you are wrong. My grandfather claims to believe in relativism, and my mother asked him "so, you believe that I will go to Heaven when I die because that's what I believe, and that you will go to nothing because that's what you believe?" He admitted, "No, I don't think you'll go to heaven" thus admitting that he doesn't in fact ascribe to relativism or subjective truth. I pose the same question to you.
In my own life, I spent my childhood years in the church, and I still respect the institution for what it does. Community outreach programs are fantastic for the world. The saying "what goes around comes around" is true on a global scale. The world is like a messy bedroom. People throw dirty laundry everywhere and then wonder where the stench is coming from. As John Donne writes in 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' that "No man is an Island, entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main." We're all stuck on this rock together, and our actions will undoubtedly affect other humans. The institution of the church understands better than any other.
I appreciate your respect for the church. Scripture tells us that God loves all people and in fact that God is Love. It even says that a Christian who fails to love his brother (anyone) is not actually a Christian (1 John 4:20). However, CS Lewis makes a good point that Christianity is not about being helpful primarily. He says "Christianity claims to give an account of facts - to tell you what the real universe is like… If Christianity is untrue, then no honest man will want to believe it, however helpful it mioght be: if it is true, every honest man will want to believe it, even if it gives him no help at all… Here is a door behind which, according to some people, the secret of the universe is waiting for you. Either that's true, or it isn't. And if it isn't, then what the door really conceals is simply the greatest fraud, the most colossal 'sell' on record. Isn't it obviously the job of every man (that is a man and not a rabbit) to try to find out which, and then to devote his full energies either to serving this tremendous secret or to exposing and destroying this gigantic humbug? Faced with such and issue, can you really remain wholly absorbed in your own blessed 'moral development'?"
Unfortunately, there are some beliefs that just do not work for me. One is that there is a single correct way of thinking, one way in and one way out.
I'd like to hear your opinions on why this doesn't work. For me, it makes sense that if someone created us, they would want us to know and have a relationship with him, not just come up with whatever we want and have nothing to do with him. The idea of "whatever you feel like is fine" only works if there in fact is no God at all. Besides, everything else in life works the same. You can't expect to keep a job if you break your employers rules no matter how hard your own beliefs differ. And, unlike in Bugs Bunny, the force of gravity doesn't cease to make you fall just because you don't believe in it.
My personal truths are different in some areas. To me, the conclusion cannot be drawn that because something is very complex, it means it had to be created by God. If medieval knights saw a commercial airline jet, they would attribute it in some way to a vehicle of a supernatural being.
That's true, complexity alone doesn't prove God's existence. It is, however, a strong piece of evidence. As you say, if knights saw an airplane, they'd think it was created by God and they'd be wrong (at least not directly). However, they would be correct to identify it as designed by someone. Complexity may not prove God Himself, but I believe it does necessitate a designer.
The Earth is a near perfect place for life to exist. What are the odds that out of billions of galaxies that just one star may have a planet, say, about 93million miles from the sun? Chances are there are a few.
It's true that chances are good that there are a few other planets with the right distance from a star, but that is only one of several dozen specific requirements that must be met in order for life to be possible. The chances of all of these being met in one planet are astronomically against. The number of galaxies in space doesn't come anywhere even close to providing the number of planets it would take to produce even one by chance (I don't have a source to quote off-hand, but if you're interested, I believe I can find it again).
On the subject of biology, I believe there are holes in both evolution and creation. Not enough is known about evolution to trace back to the very first living organism. In my personal belief, I believe neither is completely true, and without sufficient evidence, leave it at that.
I don't disagree with you about evolution and creation not having enough knowledge to prove either way. I believe there will never be enough evidence to produce 100% certainty, at least until judgment day. If there were, and God could be totally proven, then we'd have no choice but to believe in Him, no need for faith and no free will.
God pursues those who pursue him, and those who need him, will follow him.
Please elaborate on "those who need him, will follow him." Do you mean what Marx and Nietsche meant that people believe in God because they want there to be someone there taking care of them, or did you mean something else? I would respond to that, but I don't want to waste your time if that's not what you meant.
In conclusion, I believe that God is real for those who believe in him, and has had a greater impact on the world than any other ideal. True subjectivity means there is more than more answer to the question, and it varies for each person. In my own believe, since no conclusion can be drawn, I will leave it at that and take life as it comes.
So, you have not drawn a conclusion for yourself. But, just because you don't know what the answer is, does not mean there is no single answer. Does it not strike you that to "take life as it comes" is just to ignore an issue that you really don't have settled for yourself? I may be wrong in what I believe, but I am actively seeking the truth. I don't ever want to shut out possibilities without considering them, because I may find out after it's too late that there was something vitally true that I was too lazy to investigate.
One final question for you. If you believe that truth is relative, then you must also believe that morality is subjective. If that is true, how can you claim anything to be unfair or unjust? How can you say that the murder of innocent children or a stranger punching you in the nose is wrong?
Again, I hope this helps in some way, and I'd love to hear your response. I hope to hear from you soon, and continue this path of mutual discovery!
Your friend,
~Jeff
"Paul wasn't an Apostle of Jesus. He was an enemy" ~Mumuni
You are right that as Saul, he was not an apostle, but an enemy of Christ and His followers. However, in Acts 22, Paul gives the testimony of how he went from enemy to apostle because of God's divine intervention. Since that time, Paul signed his letters "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God" (Ephesians 1:1) and Peter himself (the disciple Jesus entitled "the rock on which I will build my church") says to listen to Paul who was given wisdom by God and equates Pauls writings with the rest of God-breathed scripture (2 Peter 3:15-17). Paul as well as all of the disciples and many others died painful deaths because the believed Jesus was and is God. Though some people may be willing to die for what they believe to be true and may be mistaken, no one would die for what they know to be false and made up themselves.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to give me feedback or ask any other questions. If any of this has had an impact on your view of God or Jesus, please read this article with an open heart and let me know if there's anything more I can do to help you.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to give me feedback or ask any other questions. If any of this has had an impact on your view of God or Jesus, please read this article with an open heart and let me know if there's anything more I can do to help you.
"Was Jesus God?" ~Mumuni
Was Jesus God or god?
The Christian claim is that Jesus is God (not just a god), an equal part of the trinity (Father, Son and Spirit).
Then who ruled the world while Jesus was in the womb?
The trinity is a tricky concept. So tricky, in fact, that it is beyond human reason to fully understand while bound to mortality and rooted in time (eternity is similarly beyond us to fully grasp). However, the best I have been able to explain it is to say that the Father, Son and Spirit are three distinct beings but one God at the same time. Some scriptures that depict this concept are:
Genesis 1:26 where God says "let US make man in OUR image" using plural words for describing Himself, but a singular word for "image".
Mark 1:9-11 where all three members of the trinity are present in separate forms.
The term "trinity" is not found in the Bible explicitly, the term was coined in one of the first church councels in the 1st or 2nd century BC, but is clearly demonstrated in Jesus' command to baptize people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). It was recognized as complete blasphemy to baptize someone in the name of anyone but God.
Where did Jesus claim to be God?
Jesus never says the phrase "I am God" in the scriptures to my knowledge, but he does very clearly claim to be God on several occassions. My favorite is Mark 2:5-12, where he forgives the paralytic of his sins and is accused of blasphemy because "who can forgive sins but God alone?" Jesus then demonstrates his Godly authority by healing the man. In John 5:18, people are ready to kill Jesus because he was "making himself equal to God."
For more on this, check out this this article.
Where did Jesus say "worship me"?
Jesus never told people to worship him. In fact, He said not to glorify Him, but to give all glory to the Father who sent Him. It is likewise inappropriate to pray to or worship the Holy Spirit. The point is that each aspect of God has a different purpose:
God the Father created us and receives our prayers and all glory
God the Son showed us how to live and died to redeem our relationship with the Father by paying the price for sin
God the Spirit lives inside us, giving us understanding of the scriptures, convicting us of sin, and urging us to become more like Jesus
"Where Adam and Eve the 1st Humans on Earth?" ~Johnnie
Hello Johnnie,
The short answer is: "Yes!" Genesis 2 is an account of God creating the earth and Adam and Eve. Tell me though, why do you ask? If you have doubts that God could create the world from two people, or other aspects of the beginning of humanity, I can go into further detail. I just don't want to give you a speech without knowing what question you really are asking.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to give me feedback or ask any other questions. If this has had an impact on your view of God or Jesus, please read this article with an open heart and let me know if there's anything more I can do to help you.
Take care, and may God bless your life, that you may be a blessing to others!
The short answer is: "Yes!" Genesis 2 is an account of God creating the earth and Adam and Eve. Tell me though, why do you ask? If you have doubts that God could create the world from two people, or other aspects of the beginning of humanity, I can go into further detail. I just don't want to give you a speech without knowing what question you really are asking.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to give me feedback or ask any other questions. If this has had an impact on your view of God or Jesus, please read this article with an open heart and let me know if there's anything more I can do to help you.
Take care, and may God bless your life, that you may be a blessing to others!
"Who was Cain's wife?" ~Ralph
If there were only 4 people on earth, who was Cain's wife?
This is an intriguing question, but certainly not a barrier to faith in God.
There's a really neat article on this if you follow the link below, but the short answer is that Cain would have married another of Adam's descendants. according to Genesis 5:4, Adam lived at least 930 years and had other sons and daughters. Some historians say that he had as many as 56 kids. If you consider 14-20 years per generation (since women became mothers very early until recent years) the number of possible descendents Adam would have had in his own lifetime would be staggering. The Bible doesn't say when Cain killed Able, or how many children Adam had at the time. We don't even know whether Able was the second born, though he was probably the second son at least.
It seems to me that this issue is not the source of your doubts, but just fuel to the fire. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like your true struggle is with the goodness of God. We cannot fully understand God, but we do get some pretty good clues as to why God allows us to suffer on earth. Check out this Everystudent article and a follow-up conversation I had with someone.
For further evidence of God's existence, surf the EveryStudent website, particularly the articles at this page this page.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to give me feedback or ask any other questions. If any of this has had an impact on your view of God or Jesus, please read this article with an open heart and let me know if there's anything more I can do to help you.
This is an intriguing question, but certainly not a barrier to faith in God.
There's a really neat article on this if you follow the link below, but the short answer is that Cain would have married another of Adam's descendants. according to Genesis 5:4, Adam lived at least 930 years and had other sons and daughters. Some historians say that he had as many as 56 kids. If you consider 14-20 years per generation (since women became mothers very early until recent years) the number of possible descendents Adam would have had in his own lifetime would be staggering. The Bible doesn't say when Cain killed Able, or how many children Adam had at the time. We don't even know whether Able was the second born, though he was probably the second son at least.
It seems to me that this issue is not the source of your doubts, but just fuel to the fire. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like your true struggle is with the goodness of God. We cannot fully understand God, but we do get some pretty good clues as to why God allows us to suffer on earth. Check out this Everystudent article and a follow-up conversation I had with someone.
For further evidence of God's existence, surf the EveryStudent website, particularly the articles at this page this page.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to give me feedback or ask any other questions. If any of this has had an impact on your view of God or Jesus, please read this article with an open heart and let me know if there's anything more I can do to help you.
"Why won't God give me what I ask?" ~Ralph
Doubting God
First, let me say that questioning the existence of God and the validity of the Bible is not shameful. Many Christians feel like they need to hide their feelings of doubt, because it means they're not being faithful to God, not being "good Christians" and that they'll be judged by their churchmates. Well, they may be judged, because Christians are sinful and silly sometimes, but doubt doesn't make you a rebel against God, I think He encourages us to investigate, question and struggle with the mysteries He's lain before us (Philippians 2:12). If God is the God of truth, then your search for truth will lead you to Him more strongly than ever in the end. I pasted links to some great articles about proof of God near the bottom of this email.
Why don't I get what I prayed for?
I have often thought about this confusing situation myself. It seems in one instance, that God promises to do whatever we ask Him (Matthew 17:20), but in others God clearly denies people their requests (2 Samuel 12:16-18, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9). I think a verse that helps clear this up is John 15:16. At first, it just looks like another example of Matthew 17:20, but there's a key detail Jesus explains here. He says "the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." A commentary I read said that "This is equivalent to saying on my account, or for my sake." Name in Bible culture means the entirety of who a person is, and includes their will and mission. Some translations say "whatever you ask in my will" which doesn't get the whole meaning, but is more helpful for this concept. In other words, when our hearts are truly aligned with God, we will ask for the things God wants to give us. It is a common error that praying to God is like writing a letter to Santa, and that He's there to give us everything we want. Though He does love us and wants to give us the desires of our hearts, it is we that were created for Him. Think of it more like approaching your king with a humble request. Though He's also your Father, He is still the King, and He must make the final decisions about what is right for us to have.
Why would God give me a stone, when I ask for bread? (Matthew 7:9)
This sounds more like a doubt about the character of God than of the existence of God. Still, you're not alone in your struggle! In fact, CS Lewis (the author of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) said that he disbelieved God for years because of the unfairness of life. In his books Mere Christianity and Surprised by Joy he explains that he came to realize that he couldn't call anything fair or unfair or even good or bad if God didn't exist.
You can also try googling "when God says no" and turn up a bunch of interesting resourcs. There's a great "Nooma" video on this subject called "Kickball". The basic point of this is that, like we know what's best for our children more than they do, God knows best what's best for us, and for the whole world. In addition to being way smarter than we are, God can see the big picture of everyone else's lives (how they intertwine) and all of history (how one event will lead to another). I don't know why God has chosen to say "no" or "not yet" to your request, I don't even know what your request is, but I know it's not because He doesn't love you (more likely it's because He does). Let me explain, or rather let CS Lewis explain...
I've often struggled with why God sometimes feels so absent in my life. Sometimes I can feel Him so clearly at work, and other times, no matter how hard I pray, I just feel like I'm talking to myself. I've wondered if it was my fault, if some sin or idol was getting in the way, and sometimes I think that is true. Other times, though, it seems like I'm really giving my best and getting nothing back. Oddly enough, I found some real encouragement from the words of a demon :). CS Lewis wrote a book called The Screwtape Letters which are from the perspective of one demon to another on how to best keep people away from God. In one letter, he talks about how people's spiritual feelings have ups and downs, and explains:
"He [God] will set them [people] off with communications of His presence which, though faint, seem great to them, with emotional sweetness, and easy conquest over temptation. But He never allows this state of affairs to last long. Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature [person] to stand up on its own legs—to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish. It is during such trough periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it [the person] is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be. Hence the prayers offered in the state of dryness are those which please Him best... He cannot "tempt" to virtue as we [demons] do to vice. He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles... Our cause [Satan's cause] is never more in danger, than when a human, no longer desiring, but intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys."
First, let me say that questioning the existence of God and the validity of the Bible is not shameful. Many Christians feel like they need to hide their feelings of doubt, because it means they're not being faithful to God, not being "good Christians" and that they'll be judged by their churchmates. Well, they may be judged, because Christians are sinful and silly sometimes, but doubt doesn't make you a rebel against God, I think He encourages us to investigate, question and struggle with the mysteries He's lain before us (Philippians 2:12). If God is the God of truth, then your search for truth will lead you to Him more strongly than ever in the end. I pasted links to some great articles about proof of God near the bottom of this email.
Why don't I get what I prayed for?
I have often thought about this confusing situation myself. It seems in one instance, that God promises to do whatever we ask Him (Matthew 17:20), but in others God clearly denies people their requests (2 Samuel 12:16-18, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9). I think a verse that helps clear this up is John 15:16. At first, it just looks like another example of Matthew 17:20, but there's a key detail Jesus explains here. He says "the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." A commentary I read said that "This is equivalent to saying on my account, or for my sake." Name in Bible culture means the entirety of who a person is, and includes their will and mission. Some translations say "whatever you ask in my will" which doesn't get the whole meaning, but is more helpful for this concept. In other words, when our hearts are truly aligned with God, we will ask for the things God wants to give us. It is a common error that praying to God is like writing a letter to Santa, and that He's there to give us everything we want. Though He does love us and wants to give us the desires of our hearts, it is we that were created for Him. Think of it more like approaching your king with a humble request. Though He's also your Father, He is still the King, and He must make the final decisions about what is right for us to have.
Why would God give me a stone, when I ask for bread? (Matthew 7:9)
This sounds more like a doubt about the character of God than of the existence of God. Still, you're not alone in your struggle! In fact, CS Lewis (the author of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) said that he disbelieved God for years because of the unfairness of life. In his books Mere Christianity and Surprised by Joy he explains that he came to realize that he couldn't call anything fair or unfair or even good or bad if God didn't exist.
You can also try googling "when God says no" and turn up a bunch of interesting resourcs. There's a great "Nooma" video on this subject called "Kickball". The basic point of this is that, like we know what's best for our children more than they do, God knows best what's best for us, and for the whole world. In addition to being way smarter than we are, God can see the big picture of everyone else's lives (how they intertwine) and all of history (how one event will lead to another). I don't know why God has chosen to say "no" or "not yet" to your request, I don't even know what your request is, but I know it's not because He doesn't love you (more likely it's because He does). Let me explain, or rather let CS Lewis explain...
I've often struggled with why God sometimes feels so absent in my life. Sometimes I can feel Him so clearly at work, and other times, no matter how hard I pray, I just feel like I'm talking to myself. I've wondered if it was my fault, if some sin or idol was getting in the way, and sometimes I think that is true. Other times, though, it seems like I'm really giving my best and getting nothing back. Oddly enough, I found some real encouragement from the words of a demon :). CS Lewis wrote a book called The Screwtape Letters which are from the perspective of one demon to another on how to best keep people away from God. In one letter, he talks about how people's spiritual feelings have ups and downs, and explains:
"He [God] will set them [people] off with communications of His presence which, though faint, seem great to them, with emotional sweetness, and easy conquest over temptation. But He never allows this state of affairs to last long. Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature [person] to stand up on its own legs—to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish. It is during such trough periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it [the person] is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be. Hence the prayers offered in the state of dryness are those which please Him best... He cannot "tempt" to virtue as we [demons] do to vice. He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles... Our cause [Satan's cause] is never more in danger, than when a human, no longer desiring, but intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)