I have a problem. A flaw in my belief system. A niggle of contradictory thought that worries me. You see, I believe in God. But I don’t believe that other people need to.
I find it frustrating when I hear Christians speak about how obviously our atheist and agnostic brothers and sisters need faith; when we speak of a ‘God-shaped hole’. Where is it, I ask? Why do they need Him, I wonder? Most of the non-Christian people I know are happy. They have problems, sure. But then again, so do I, and I believe in God. They have everything they need, and want. They are not lonely or miserable. They are not finding it difficult to unearth inner strength. They do not sit around pondering on the purpose of their lives. They are far too busy living their lives. If I told them they needed God, I’m sure their reaction would be much the same as mine. ‘Why?’ As Jim Watson, the co-discoverer of DNA once said “You can say ‘Gee, your life must be pretty bleak if you don’t think there’s a purpose’. But I’m anticipating a good lunch.”
A good lunch, you may argue, is not what life is about. A good lunch is not all there is to the day. This is true. But when you are pretty secure in the fact that you will have a good lunch, a good dinner and a good sleep- is there much that God is good for? How about an eternity in heaven, I hear the purist cry? What about the curse of Hell? Do they not fear the darkness of death; the unknown at the end? I mean, I’m happy to accept the ‘Get out of Jail Free’ card, but if that’s all that Church is about I think we could pull in more people by cutting out the boring stuff and having better advertising. What about an incentive scheme- sit through 10 sermons in a row and get a closer seat to the Almighty?
Surely to goodness, there’s something more to offer than that. I mean, I’m not even sure we can guarantee good seats, can we?
Don’t get me wrong. I believe in God for a reason. I know I do. But have we got to be so darn patronising about it? None of us are perfect. But even that pacifying cliché causes my blood pressure to rise. It’s perfectly clear we are not perfect. Does spelling it out make Christ more appealing?
Perhaps it is not God that causes my bemusement. Perhaps it is not His Holiness who I feel can be dismissed. Maybe our friends can live with or without Him. Perhaps it is just us I would prefer they ignored. And that dreaded placed that begins with a ‘C’.
4 comments:
- At 11:31 PM Anonymous said...
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Becks, most of what you said in this post is the exact problem I have been having with my faith for a couple of years now. Sometimes I think we can descend into trying to advertise Christianity by saying how much of a difference it makes to our lives. It doesn't tally with my experiences of life. I don't think my faith means that I have a fuller life than my non-christian friends. Having said that, I have never not been a Christian so I can't really make that comparison. How do you compare one persons experience with anothers?
Additionally, I wanted to say that I am probably one of those 'purist' people you talked about. I have always felt that the main reason for sharing my faith is because of what happens after 'this world'. However, I hear what you are saying about the get out of jail free card thing. I don't really see it like that though. Its certainly not about 'earning' our way into heaven by going to church enough times each year. Its about grace. We have been offered a gift - eternal life to be spent with God, its about whether we accept a gift not about earning a place.
I have thought long and hard (I really mean that - long and hard! - I can't tell you how much I need you to believe me that I really mean what I say - ha ha! - sorry everyone else - private joke!)about this stuff, and one thing I have realised is that whilst we live in a culture where people don't need any additions to their lives - they have enough and are satisfied, there are others that don't. We live in an unequal world where so much seems unfair. The beauty of heaven is the equality I believe will be there. We wont be lacking in anything and will all truly be satisfied. We might think we don't need God, but none of us know how to really help those who are always left without in this world. The point I am trying to make here is that its less about what we need in the here and now and more about the future hope we have.
Lastly, I also personally feel quite strongly about how easily we make the Christian message be about ourselves and not about God. Ultimately, when people become Christians surely it is because they believe in God - in who He is, not what He has to offer. The foundation of my faith is upon my beleifs in who God is, not how that may or may not give me the things I want or the satisfaction I seek.
So, in conclusion (at last I hear you say), I want my friends to beome Christians and feel very passionately about that because:
1. God is worthy of their worship and their faith and trust in Him. I want to see God's name being glorified more and more, and I don't like seeing people rejecting the God that I love and adore.
2. Because there is a hope so sure, a promise so secure, that even though I live in a seemingly 'needless' society, there is hope in a future where all will feel that satisfaction and true contentment, because of God, not stuff.
3. Because however much I think I have more problems than many of my non-christian friends, I can't deny that God occupies a place in my heart and is always there. I can't get away from Him however much I try sometimes, and whilst I don't know any different so its hard for me to judge, I can't imagine that resolution of my 'problems' will ever be as good as that feeling. My friends may have everything they think they need and want, but do they have that - that deep sense of love and companionship that is constantly always there, and the security that comes from that. The knowledge that they are safe in His hands for ever and ever? They may not think they need that, but that is most likely because they don't know how good it feels. Having had it, it is something I know I could never give up. I want that for them. I may have problems, but there is something out there much bigger than my problems, and that make the things that I find satisfying (or not) in this world shrink in comparison to that ever present love of my life. Basically God is not just another addition to an already full life - He is the fullness of life and none of the other stuff is anywhere near as good as Him.
Lord, You are more precious than Silver,
Lord you are more costly than Gold,
Lord you are, more beautiful than diamonds,
And nothing I desire compares with you. - At 8:08 AM Becks said...
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thank you Kirsty! I really do believe you! ha ha! But seriously, thanks. I was gonna post another post to say sorry about this one! I was having a bad day, you can probably tell. You are right - the difference on the outside in comparing the lives of non-christian and christian people is nothing, but if I didnt think believing in God meant something, why would i do it? I want my friends to feel unconditionally loved too. I think my issue is maybe more with whether our church shows that than whether our God does it? does that make sense? I didnt mean to sound so vehement about the 'purist' thing. An eternity with the Creator is something to look forward to- but like you said, I dont want it to be like an excuse. Well heaven is there so we dont have to bother about things here...the 'inevitability' clause. Thank you for thinking about it and for letting me know what you think. Its too easy to get stuck in a rut of negative thinking - its nice when someone makes you see things differently! xxx
- At 11:41 AM Anonymous said...
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Hey, don't worry, I think you had some very very valid points, and actually, the reason I commented was becuase as I read it I was thinking, yes - someone really gets my issues with this. I find it so hard to define and you did it perfectly for me. And it helped me too, because someone else putting my own thoughts in a decent form for me, helped me to work through them a bit better. I felt closer to God last night whilst writing that comment than I have in ages because it really made me stop and think about why I believe and why I care so much about others believing. It was just so helpful for me so thank you!
- At 2:36 PM Liz said...
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I'm reading The Life You Always Wanted at the moment and it's a pretty good book, an easy read to be honest. One of the challenges the Christians face is living in the way God created us to live - a Spiritual Life, not one with our 'spituality added on or worn like a badge...or dare I say it, a uniform!
John Ortberg relates a story where a guy asks him - How will people know that we are different, our church uses drama and contemporary songs and people are used to that stuff in their own lives. Christains are supposed to be different, more loving, more gentle and everyone knows that, but we are not like that, so don't we have to do something to show we are different?'
In other words, if we can't be holy, shouldn't we at least be wierd?
How about we just BE like Jesus - that'll show 'em, and we get to live a life worth living into the bargain!
