As my little black Bible sits on my desk I cannot help but think of the complexities that lie within it. When I was a child, I was taught the Bible stories, growing older I listen to the sermons, lectures and devotionals. The words and stories of the bible have surrounded me for all my life and for this I am thankful (I think). However, this book has also caused me a great deal of pain! Its words have been the tool of division within my family, the teachings the center of heated debate and for this reason I fear the words of this book.
I hold a certain amount of reservation when reading the scriptures. How are we to read the words of Paul, Peter, Moses, David and many others? As I read more about history, some things begin to click. Yet, the study of history only opens my eyes to the reality that I don’t know crap! Just when you think that a particular road is coming to a close, I discover a bunch of other things that I don’t know. It is all very overwhelming but at the same time I love it.
There is fear within me, a good fear, one that pushes me to continually seek understanding. This desire stems from seeing and hearing the message of Jesus distorted in so many ways, that I hardly know what to think. More importantly, I have seen the hurt that good intentioned laymen have inflected upon those outside their theological/doctoral or moral views. I do not want to be the cause of another person turning from Jesus because of the Church.
Is there a better way? Or is this what happens when you decided to believe something that clams to be the truth?
Note: The “something” is NOT the bible, rather Jesus Christ
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Aristotle... I think he was on to something!
“Aristotle held that there are three forms of happiness. The first form of happiness is a life of pleasure and enjoyment. The second form of happiness is a life as a free and responsible citizen. The third form of happiness is a life as thinking and philosopher. Aristotle then emphasized that all three criteria must be present at the same time for man to find happiness and fulfillment. He rejected all forms of imbalance. Had he lived today he might have said that a person who only develops his body lives a life that is just as unbalanced as someone who only uses his head. Both extremes are an expression of a warped way of life.” Sophie’s World
Guilty as charged. As I reflect on the past few months of this semester here at school, the truth in Aristotle’s statement is profound. I often find myself on one side of the extremist spectrum or the other. Sometimes, my focus is personal pleasure, other times it is fraudulent intellectualism; other times I thrive on emotional stimulation while other times I attempt a rational understanding of life. Not to mention that in the midst of all theses things I often neglect social responsibilities. Awwww life, it’s a trip!
I know that nobody reads this blog at the moment, but there is some great conversation going on over at liquidthinking.org so you should check it out.
Guilty as charged. As I reflect on the past few months of this semester here at school, the truth in Aristotle’s statement is profound. I often find myself on one side of the extremist spectrum or the other. Sometimes, my focus is personal pleasure, other times it is fraudulent intellectualism; other times I thrive on emotional stimulation while other times I attempt a rational understanding of life. Not to mention that in the midst of all theses things I often neglect social responsibilities. Awwww life, it’s a trip!
I know that nobody reads this blog at the moment, but there is some great conversation going on over at liquidthinking.org so you should check it out.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
What if Jesus did not rise from the dead?
Over the past week or so I have been thinking about this question. I have been living a bit too much in my head. I desire to understand my faith from a none emotional perspective, but rather from a rational point of view.
How does the divinity of Jesus affect who I am, what I believe and the way in which I should live?
If Jesus was not divine and therefore did not rise from the dead, then he is at best a good teacher and another example of how we ought to live. We might put him in a list with Gandhi and other people who have lived extraordinary lives.
In the first century there are records of other rabies who clamed messiahship and who most likely had a number of disciples. But, ultimately they died and their followers dispersed. (I must confess that my knowledge of this is limited to a few books primarily “A Brief Introduction of the New Testament”) Why did anyone take the time to record the life and teachings of Jesus? I find it interesting to look at the volume of literature that is recorded about this Teacher from Nazareth. If Jesus’ disciples did not see Jesus after he was executed and yet they still devoted the remainder of their lives to his cause, I would say they were loony. Those men were either seriously brainwashed or believed in something that was real and ultimately worth dying for.
Are these the only men/women to die for something they believed in? No. Will they be the last? Doubtful. But, I think there is a difference between Jesus’ disciples and other martyrs. The disciples were starting something new; they were not scared into following Jesus or pressured by a religious group or the government. The followers of Jesus believed in something radical and I believe that thing was the risen Christ Jesus.
How does the divinity of Jesus affect who I am, what I believe and the way in which I should live?
If Jesus was not divine and therefore did not rise from the dead, then he is at best a good teacher and another example of how we ought to live. We might put him in a list with Gandhi and other people who have lived extraordinary lives.
In the first century there are records of other rabies who clamed messiahship and who most likely had a number of disciples. But, ultimately they died and their followers dispersed. (I must confess that my knowledge of this is limited to a few books primarily “A Brief Introduction of the New Testament”) Why did anyone take the time to record the life and teachings of Jesus? I find it interesting to look at the volume of literature that is recorded about this Teacher from Nazareth. If Jesus’ disciples did not see Jesus after he was executed and yet they still devoted the remainder of their lives to his cause, I would say they were loony. Those men were either seriously brainwashed or believed in something that was real and ultimately worth dying for.
Are these the only men/women to die for something they believed in? No. Will they be the last? Doubtful. But, I think there is a difference between Jesus’ disciples and other martyrs. The disciples were starting something new; they were not scared into following Jesus or pressured by a religious group or the government. The followers of Jesus believed in something radical and I believe that thing was the risen Christ Jesus.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
the road ahead
I have a few things in store!
- Spending some time with my brother in Spain this summer
- Studying in Zaragoza, Spain for the 06/07 school year
- Studying Spanish
- Taking on new adventures in my life.
The coming year is going to be an interesting one. I feel a bit scared, but mostly excited. At the moment I am trying to make the most out of my time here at Oklahoma State.
I could try and recount where I have been, but I would rather just write about where I am now.
Faith.
For the past year I have been in an interesting stage with my personal faith. There have been times where I feel confident, other times weak and full of doubt. One of my friends once told me that "if I can't question God and find him to be true, then I don't want to follow him at all". After hearing this, I felt pleased. My questions should not be feared, but rather embraced, and that is what I decided to do.
I am still in the midst of searching and I often feel like I am in the midst of a maze. Much of my searching has become an intellectual pursuit to understand Jesus and his role in my life in the world. One of the most frustrating this is the lack of feeling within my life. In some ways, I feel like my heart is dying and that is not a good thing.
Is this progress?
Faith.
For the past year I have been in an interesting stage with my personal faith. There have been times where I feel confident, other times weak and full of doubt. One of my friends once told me that "if I can't question God and find him to be true, then I don't want to follow him at all". After hearing this, I felt pleased. My questions should not be feared, but rather embraced, and that is what I decided to do.
I am still in the midst of searching and I often feel like I am in the midst of a maze. Much of my searching has become an intellectual pursuit to understand Jesus and his role in my life in the world. One of the most frustrating this is the lack of feeling within my life. In some ways, I feel like my heart is dying and that is not a good thing.
Is this progress?
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