I recently read an article in the Telegraph about Nobel Prize-winning Potuguese author, Jose Saramago. Apparently he had created quite a stir by saying that we all would be different and better as people if it weren't for the bible, denouncing it as a "handbook of bad morals." While I totally disagree, I can sort of understand where he's coming from, because over the centuries people have used the Bible to endorse almost every kind of evil behavior imaginable: slavery, male dominated societies, antisemitism, war, killing of native peoples and hating homosexuals for example. Yet it has also inspired countless others to start schools, universities, hospitals, charities, clothe and feed the poor, care for the sick, bring justice for the oppressed, and bring freedom, peace and love to the world. So what are we to do with the Bible?
The Bible never refers to itself as the word of God. It couldn't since the Bible is a collection of 66 or 72 books compiled in 382 AD. In fact the words that some Christians use to describe the Bible ( infallible, inerrant, absolute) it never once uses of itself. Even if every single word is divinely perfect, people cannot agree on what it is that God is actually saying and still have the ability to make it say what they want it to. Many want the Bible to be an answer book with exact details for every question we may have; or a rule book that makes objectively clear what behaviors are right or wrong for all time, in all places and amoung all cultures. But the problem is, to “Just do what the Bible says” is a far too simplistic and ignorant approach. It must be wrestled with, questioned with humility and understood in the context of the time, place and the reason it was written.
The Bible is true and to be trusted, but as Brian McLaren says “We need to reclaim the Bible as a narrative. The Bible is a story, and just because it recounts (by standards of accuracy acceptable to its original audience) what happened, that doesn't mean it tells what should always happen or even what should have happened.” Reading the Bible as a narrative helps us see the ongoing story of God at work in a violent, sinful world, calling people beginning with Abraham into a new way of life.
To read the Bible for what it is, is to realise that it is inspired by God to benefit us in the most important way possible: helping us relate to God and to benefit others, so that we can play our part in God’s ongoing mission on the earth. It is certain that God speaks to us through the Bible, and it is the most valuable resource we have in forming a relationship with Him. It is a treasure above all others not because it is perfect but because it leads us to the real "word of God" which is Jesus.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
2 lists
Last month I was privileged enough to get to hear my all time favorite author speak while he was in Australia. I was most challenged by a story he told centering around his experience at a Christian youth camp. He had asked the kids to tell him all the issues their friends were most concerned about and their response was things like: Climate change, extinction of species, aids, terrorism, world food shortage, etc. He then asked them to tell him all the major issues their church was focused on. They said things like: How and when the world was going to end, style of worship, electric guitars and drums in church, speaking in tongues, ordination of women, getting people to come to church, money etc. Ever since, he has been greatly troubled with the fact that the second list has absolutely nothing to do with the first. His point to the audience was “How is this possible when the mandate given to those who follow God was to be a blessing to all nations? Surely if Jesus was here today He would have something to say about the things that most concern the people of the world.”
He went on to show us the 4 major crises in the world at the moment:
1.The crisis of the PLANET – We live unsustainably and are destroying the earth as a result;
2.The crisis of POVERTY – The small percentage of those who have the resources are getting richer, while the majority who have nothing are getting poorer;
3.The crisis of PEACE – Tensions are mounting between the “have's” and “have not's” resulting in increasing conflict around the world;
4.The crisis of PURPOSE – Instead of actively resolving the above crises, the worlds main religions are actually making them worse.
President JFK once said, “We have the means to end world poverty...all we lack is the will.” Religion has let us down in this regard because instead of painting an incredibly compelling and beautiful picture of the way life was meant to be, it has become distracted and consumed with pursuing selfish things which has only added to the worlds problems.
We need to understand that Jesus didn't come to start a new religion, but to tell a very different story about how this life was supposed to work. The simple reality is that the message of Jesus really is as relevant and needed today as it has ever been and it speaks straight to the heart of all 4 crises. Jesus transforms hearts and minds and so deals with the core issues of pride, greed, consumerism, materialism, selfishness, and evil...not by condemning us, but by appealing to who we were meant to be and calling us into a higher place where we have the opportunity to join Jesus' revolution of love to the ends of the earth. This leads people not to do what is best for themselves but what is best for everyone. This is the hope for the world
He went on to show us the 4 major crises in the world at the moment:
1.The crisis of the PLANET – We live unsustainably and are destroying the earth as a result;
2.The crisis of POVERTY – The small percentage of those who have the resources are getting richer, while the majority who have nothing are getting poorer;
3.The crisis of PEACE – Tensions are mounting between the “have's” and “have not's” resulting in increasing conflict around the world;
4.The crisis of PURPOSE – Instead of actively resolving the above crises, the worlds main religions are actually making them worse.
President JFK once said, “We have the means to end world poverty...all we lack is the will.” Religion has let us down in this regard because instead of painting an incredibly compelling and beautiful picture of the way life was meant to be, it has become distracted and consumed with pursuing selfish things which has only added to the worlds problems.
We need to understand that Jesus didn't come to start a new religion, but to tell a very different story about how this life was supposed to work. The simple reality is that the message of Jesus really is as relevant and needed today as it has ever been and it speaks straight to the heart of all 4 crises. Jesus transforms hearts and minds and so deals with the core issues of pride, greed, consumerism, materialism, selfishness, and evil...not by condemning us, but by appealing to who we were meant to be and calling us into a higher place where we have the opportunity to join Jesus' revolution of love to the ends of the earth. This leads people not to do what is best for themselves but what is best for everyone. This is the hope for the world
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
God v science
At some stage most young people will have to face the issue of what to do with God when the theory of evolution is presented in high school . Has science ended the need for Christianity? Are we now so smart that we can answer all life's questions out of our science text book? Is religion for dummies? - These all become very real questions
It seems that most people approach the subject just like the state of Origin – you can go for the Cockroaches, or the Cain Toads, but not both. If you believe in science, then that rules out God and if you believe in God, then scientific understanding is seen as some kind of evil.
Are these really the only 2 options available to us? a) The world was made by God in 6 literal days, 6000 years ago and God created all life just as we know it today. or b) The universe originated from a cosmic “Big Bang” billions of years ago, and all life forms have slowly evolved from a single cell, by nothing more than chance and survival of the fittest.
Both extremes seem somehow empty. To look at the wonder, complexity, and beauty of all that is around us and then conclude that it is a giant, random coincidence surely is beyond all logic. It seems equally as bizarre to read the start of the Bible as though it was a science textbook, and to assume it is giving us the precise time and date of the origins of the universe. The bible is true and to be trusted, but it's primary goal is not to inform us of biology, physics or astronomy. The bible must be read for what it is, not made into something it was never intended to be or do. Genesis tells us “Who” and “Why”, not “How”and “When.”
There must be a middle ground that acknowledges and understands God to be the creator and sustainer of all that science can discover. Science could never disprove God and in fact every new discovery simply proves how amazing He is.
Psalm 19:1 says
“The heavens declare the glory of God,
The skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Surely science and faith must work hand in hand. We should definitely cheer on scientists to find out as much as they can and tell us all that they know, but we should also allow an understanding of God to answer the questions of purpose and meaning that is forever beyond the realm of science. Science and faith both present aspects of the truth and so should dance with one another instead of fighting. Both are hopelessly incomplete without the other. Albert Einstein once said “ Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”. To believe in God does not mean you have to cut out your brain and feed it to the dog! God is not threatened by scientists, nor should Christians be.
It seems that most people approach the subject just like the state of Origin – you can go for the Cockroaches, or the Cain Toads, but not both. If you believe in science, then that rules out God and if you believe in God, then scientific understanding is seen as some kind of evil.
Are these really the only 2 options available to us? a) The world was made by God in 6 literal days, 6000 years ago and God created all life just as we know it today. or b) The universe originated from a cosmic “Big Bang” billions of years ago, and all life forms have slowly evolved from a single cell, by nothing more than chance and survival of the fittest.
Both extremes seem somehow empty. To look at the wonder, complexity, and beauty of all that is around us and then conclude that it is a giant, random coincidence surely is beyond all logic. It seems equally as bizarre to read the start of the Bible as though it was a science textbook, and to assume it is giving us the precise time and date of the origins of the universe. The bible is true and to be trusted, but it's primary goal is not to inform us of biology, physics or astronomy. The bible must be read for what it is, not made into something it was never intended to be or do. Genesis tells us “Who” and “Why”, not “How”and “When.”
There must be a middle ground that acknowledges and understands God to be the creator and sustainer of all that science can discover. Science could never disprove God and in fact every new discovery simply proves how amazing He is.
Psalm 19:1 says
“The heavens declare the glory of God,
The skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Surely science and faith must work hand in hand. We should definitely cheer on scientists to find out as much as they can and tell us all that they know, but we should also allow an understanding of God to answer the questions of purpose and meaning that is forever beyond the realm of science. Science and faith both present aspects of the truth and so should dance with one another instead of fighting. Both are hopelessly incomplete without the other. Albert Einstein once said “ Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”. To believe in God does not mean you have to cut out your brain and feed it to the dog! God is not threatened by scientists, nor should Christians be.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Prayer
“Dear 8 pounds 6 ounces... new born infant Jesus,don't even know a word yet....Help me Jesus! Help me Jewish God! Help me Allah! AAAAAHHH! Help me Tom Cruise!...Help me Oprah Winfrey!”
Just like Ricky Bobby in the movie 'Talladega nights', people have all sorts of weird ideas about prayer. I once offered to pray for my friend’s bad back and was quite surprised when he stopped me, fearing that one day he may need a favor from God and so didn't want to “use it up” on something trivial like a sore back.
So what is prayer and why do we do it? Does it work, or does it just make us feel better about ourselves? Some people seem to treat God like a fairy godmother – “Please God make my life perfect, fix everyone around me so that no one is in any kind of pain or has any problems and make my footy team win.” Others seem to treat prayer like a trip to the dentist – they only think about it when they’re in pain, otherwise it is the furthest thing from their mind. But surely there is more to prayer than this?
The obvious question – “Does prayer work?” may actually be the wrong place to start. That question sort of assumes that prayer is its own separate thing and has nothing to do with a relationship with God i.e. I'm going to pray for something and then God is obligated to do it because I'm doing “the prayer thing.”
I bet you don't ask president Obama for anything, even though he is the most powerful man in the world, yet I'm sure his kids ask him for things all the time (and they get what they ask for!) Prayer then is all about relationship. God wants to be involved in your life, in the good and the bad, just like a loving father. He wants you to ask and He wants to answer your prayer.
I have this friend who tells me stories every time we are together of God doing miraculous things in her life and answering her prayers. In direct contrast, I also know plenty of others who complain that God ignores them. So why would God answer one friend's prayers, but not the others? I'm sure it’s the same as the Obama thing, prayer is no science but it has to be about the relationship my friend has with God. She wants to follow God and she actually listens to what he says. She has given God the right to direct her life and welcomes him doing just that! When she prays for things, it is a natural part of her relationship with God.
God is not an impersonal force to be harnessed and manipulated for our own ends. Nor is he a genie in a bottle. Prayer is not about secret formulas or making sure you say the right words, it is conversation that comes from the heart of those who trust God with their very lives.
Just like Ricky Bobby in the movie 'Talladega nights', people have all sorts of weird ideas about prayer. I once offered to pray for my friend’s bad back and was quite surprised when he stopped me, fearing that one day he may need a favor from God and so didn't want to “use it up” on something trivial like a sore back.
So what is prayer and why do we do it? Does it work, or does it just make us feel better about ourselves? Some people seem to treat God like a fairy godmother – “Please God make my life perfect, fix everyone around me so that no one is in any kind of pain or has any problems and make my footy team win.” Others seem to treat prayer like a trip to the dentist – they only think about it when they’re in pain, otherwise it is the furthest thing from their mind. But surely there is more to prayer than this?
The obvious question – “Does prayer work?” may actually be the wrong place to start. That question sort of assumes that prayer is its own separate thing and has nothing to do with a relationship with God i.e. I'm going to pray for something and then God is obligated to do it because I'm doing “the prayer thing.”
I bet you don't ask president Obama for anything, even though he is the most powerful man in the world, yet I'm sure his kids ask him for things all the time (and they get what they ask for!) Prayer then is all about relationship. God wants to be involved in your life, in the good and the bad, just like a loving father. He wants you to ask and He wants to answer your prayer.
I have this friend who tells me stories every time we are together of God doing miraculous things in her life and answering her prayers. In direct contrast, I also know plenty of others who complain that God ignores them. So why would God answer one friend's prayers, but not the others? I'm sure it’s the same as the Obama thing, prayer is no science but it has to be about the relationship my friend has with God. She wants to follow God and she actually listens to what he says. She has given God the right to direct her life and welcomes him doing just that! When she prays for things, it is a natural part of her relationship with God.
God is not an impersonal force to be harnessed and manipulated for our own ends. Nor is he a genie in a bottle. Prayer is not about secret formulas or making sure you say the right words, it is conversation that comes from the heart of those who trust God with their very lives.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Religion
I'm not sure if you've ever counted how many churches there are in town, but we have stacks. There's gotta be at least 15 and most, if not all of them have seen better days.
I recently read a book called Pagan Christianity, which rigorously examined every common practice within the modern day church, questioning their origin and how they became part of mainstream religious practice. The main point of the book is that most of what present day Christians do in church each Sunday, has its foundations not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals introduced into the church at different times in history. The idea of a weekly sermon, sitting passively in pews, identifying yourself as a Christian because you go to a Christian meeting, paid professionals, religious clothing, burning incense, any many more current traditions, all have questionable foundations that just can't be found in the bible.
In the not too distant past, it was highly inappropriate to question the institution. People did what they were told and accepted whatever came from the top down. Yet the world we live in today affords us the freedom to ask questions and not just swallow whatever we are fed. To stop and ask 'Why?' is one of the most powerful things someone can do. Therefore those of my generation must take this opportunity to ask questions of the validity of what we have inherited. It is not a sign of rebellion or disrespect; instead we are motivated by the thirst for what is real, authentic and trustworthy.
Karl Marx once said “Man is incurably religious” and I reckon he's probably right! I think people love the thought of a clearly defined set of requirements so they can tick the box and feel that God must accept them on the merit of what they've done. Yet people use their religion to justify themselves and their own behavior while condemning those who disagree or don't measure up to the same standards. Religion gives us man made laws, guilt, god in a box, restrictions on life and relationships, and hoops to jump through. It may be safe, comfortable and manageable, but it is not where God lives.
The apostle Paul once told the Jews that Jesus has truly set us free, therefore make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to religion. It interesting to see that while Jesus was on the earth, the only thing he attacked were religious systems of control as they actually keep people from finding God.
The Reality is that there is so much stuff within the Christian tradition that is seen as sacred that is actually a hindrance to people genuinely being connected to God. We need to take a fresh look at what it would be like to authentically relate with God - here, now, today.
I recently read a book called Pagan Christianity, which rigorously examined every common practice within the modern day church, questioning their origin and how they became part of mainstream religious practice. The main point of the book is that most of what present day Christians do in church each Sunday, has its foundations not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals introduced into the church at different times in history. The idea of a weekly sermon, sitting passively in pews, identifying yourself as a Christian because you go to a Christian meeting, paid professionals, religious clothing, burning incense, any many more current traditions, all have questionable foundations that just can't be found in the bible.
In the not too distant past, it was highly inappropriate to question the institution. People did what they were told and accepted whatever came from the top down. Yet the world we live in today affords us the freedom to ask questions and not just swallow whatever we are fed. To stop and ask 'Why?' is one of the most powerful things someone can do. Therefore those of my generation must take this opportunity to ask questions of the validity of what we have inherited. It is not a sign of rebellion or disrespect; instead we are motivated by the thirst for what is real, authentic and trustworthy.
Karl Marx once said “Man is incurably religious” and I reckon he's probably right! I think people love the thought of a clearly defined set of requirements so they can tick the box and feel that God must accept them on the merit of what they've done. Yet people use their religion to justify themselves and their own behavior while condemning those who disagree or don't measure up to the same standards. Religion gives us man made laws, guilt, god in a box, restrictions on life and relationships, and hoops to jump through. It may be safe, comfortable and manageable, but it is not where God lives.
The apostle Paul once told the Jews that Jesus has truly set us free, therefore make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to religion. It interesting to see that while Jesus was on the earth, the only thing he attacked were religious systems of control as they actually keep people from finding God.
The Reality is that there is so much stuff within the Christian tradition that is seen as sacred that is actually a hindrance to people genuinely being connected to God. We need to take a fresh look at what it would be like to authentically relate with God - here, now, today.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Can you know God?
I recently stumbled across an article called "The Secret Life of Mother Teresa.". The story, in Time magazine of September 2007, based on letters between Teresa and her superiors tells of this beloved holy woman's 50-year crisis of faith. She revealed that for half a century she felt painfully distant and separated from God to the point of even doubting his existence. It is a startling contradiction that one of the great Christian icons of the past 100 years could feel so spiritually empty and totally isolated from the God she pointed countless others to. At one point she cried out to God: "If this be the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few of them."
To some, this makes her more of a saint because even in the midst of such pain and spiritual darkness she kept on faithfully doing the work of the Lord, while for many others her story proves that Christianity is a load of horse manure and that thinking about God is a waste of time.
If God is supposed to be so personal and loving, why didn't he make himself more known to one of his most devoted servants? If the most saintly person of our time can't connect with God, what does that mean for the rest of us? ? Is it even possible to know God or is He distant, abstract, and altogether unknowable?
I don't want to play judge on Mother T, but I think God was equally as devastated if not more so at their non-relationship. The point is that its not how He treats His friends at all, but it seems that in the midst of her fervent religious effort she sadly missed the friendship with God that is graciously and repeatedly offered each of us.
Relationship with God is not a formula. Religion sets us up for failure in this area because it says if you do this and this for long enough, then God must do this and this for you. It just doesn't work like that. His love, His presence, his nearness has nothing to do with performance. Even 60 years of your life given to helping the poor clearly still isn't enough to earn a place close to God.
The bottom line is that each one of us can know God, and as spiritual beings it is the only thing that will ever really satisfy us, yet no amount of religious activity or work can make God come near. Instead, when we abandon ourselves to God in a place of honesty and openness, desiring only to know Him and recognizing that even our best effort is never going to earn us any credit – in those moments it allows the God of love to become very real to us and it is the platform from which a real relationship is built.
To some, this makes her more of a saint because even in the midst of such pain and spiritual darkness she kept on faithfully doing the work of the Lord, while for many others her story proves that Christianity is a load of horse manure and that thinking about God is a waste of time.
If God is supposed to be so personal and loving, why didn't he make himself more known to one of his most devoted servants? If the most saintly person of our time can't connect with God, what does that mean for the rest of us? ? Is it even possible to know God or is He distant, abstract, and altogether unknowable?
I don't want to play judge on Mother T, but I think God was equally as devastated if not more so at their non-relationship. The point is that its not how He treats His friends at all, but it seems that in the midst of her fervent religious effort she sadly missed the friendship with God that is graciously and repeatedly offered each of us.
Relationship with God is not a formula. Religion sets us up for failure in this area because it says if you do this and this for long enough, then God must do this and this for you. It just doesn't work like that. His love, His presence, his nearness has nothing to do with performance. Even 60 years of your life given to helping the poor clearly still isn't enough to earn a place close to God.
The bottom line is that each one of us can know God, and as spiritual beings it is the only thing that will ever really satisfy us, yet no amount of religious activity or work can make God come near. Instead, when we abandon ourselves to God in a place of honesty and openness, desiring only to know Him and recognizing that even our best effort is never going to earn us any credit – in those moments it allows the God of love to become very real to us and it is the platform from which a real relationship is built.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Life is spiritual
For many years there was a scientific institute in Moscow where the brains of the great communist- leaders, scientists, artists – were preserved and analysed. The hope was that the secret of these great personalities would be found within the tissue of the brain. Yet even though the brain is an incredible piece of machinery, nothing of intellect, creativity, or character can be found inside it, and so the scientists search for the distinctions of greatness proved futile. If you had some rubber gloves, a sharp scalpel and a willing subject, think for a moment about exactly what part of the body you'd dissect in search for the essence of who they are. The eye, heart, brain and lungs are all vitally important yet they don't house our personality nor the things that truly set us apart as unique individuals. Is it possible that inside each one of us there is something entirely invisible and impossible to touch or feel, that at the same time is completely real, obvious and unquestionable ? Some may call it a soul, others a spirit and others still, life itself yet the common thread is we are more than just physical bodies, that much is sure.
Life is such a wonderful mystery. I don't know if you've ever stopped and pondered what life actually is. We know when life stops and starts but where exactly is this life contained within us and how can be be explained? We understand that if one of our vital organs stops or we run out of blood - that life stops. But these organs and the blood that supply them do not equal life itself. We are more than just the cells that make up our body. We are more than our ability to think and feel, run and jump, laugh and cry. We have this stuff inside us that separates from the animals and links us firmly back to God.
What if the life inside us was evidence of God himself? - The breath of God, the essence of God, the power of God? What if we were actually more connected to Him than we'd ever dared to believe, and nothing we could ever do could possibly change that. It is from Him that all life flows and though Him that all life is sustained and if it weren't for Him we would simply cease to exist. Life is spiritual. We are inextricably linked to the God who created us.
To those who are convinced that unless you can see it, feel it, touch it - it's just not real, what do you do with the thought that the essence of who we are as people cannot be pinned down to scientific rational? To maintain the idea of secular humanism by saying that I will only believe what I can see with my eyes and prove with my science text book, is a very narrow place to live that seems incredibly difficult to sustain.
Life is such a wonderful mystery. I don't know if you've ever stopped and pondered what life actually is. We know when life stops and starts but where exactly is this life contained within us and how can be be explained? We understand that if one of our vital organs stops or we run out of blood - that life stops. But these organs and the blood that supply them do not equal life itself. We are more than just the cells that make up our body. We are more than our ability to think and feel, run and jump, laugh and cry. We have this stuff inside us that separates from the animals and links us firmly back to God.
What if the life inside us was evidence of God himself? - The breath of God, the essence of God, the power of God? What if we were actually more connected to Him than we'd ever dared to believe, and nothing we could ever do could possibly change that. It is from Him that all life flows and though Him that all life is sustained and if it weren't for Him we would simply cease to exist. Life is spiritual. We are inextricably linked to the God who created us.
To those who are convinced that unless you can see it, feel it, touch it - it's just not real, what do you do with the thought that the essence of who we are as people cannot be pinned down to scientific rational? To maintain the idea of secular humanism by saying that I will only believe what I can see with my eyes and prove with my science text book, is a very narrow place to live that seems incredibly difficult to sustain.
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