Message from a Non believer
This post is from comments on annother blog I frequent: Bob Carder - The Planter from a non believer. I am posting his comments and my response. I would love to hear from more like him who are honest and upfront.
David said:
Hi, I'm a non-believer, so I hope you don't mind if the "world" intrudes into your Christian sphere a little.In recent years, I have re-newed my interest in spiritual matters, including the Christian faith. First impression: From my experiences interacting with Christians in blogs like this, there is no such thing as radical transformation. Christians have no deeper understanding of life. They are not spirituality more advanced/mature than other people. Christianity merely appears to be a source of deep emotional comfort - but Christians have no clear answer to controlling emotions and developing healthy emotional lives.Second impression: Christians are not really interested in talking to the world about their message. Sure, they will reply to questions occasionally, but few will take the time to really engage in meaningful dialogue with non-Christians. Christians seem to be more interested in re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic, or desparately trying to stop the collapse of their faith in the Western world.Third impression: I've also looked at other faiths, especially Buddhism. What I found surprising, was that Buddhists are interested in engaging with the world, have very practical strategies for developing better lives, personally and socially, have a clear, analytical and relational philosophy. All this without the "Jesus saves" gobbledy-gook proffered by Christianity.
Carls Response:
David,
I appreciate your candidness, the church needs to hear from more people such as yourself. I for one am listening and would love to hear more. If I may address some of your comments:Christianinty has become the icon of American History, and as such many have claimed Christianity as their heritage. Church attendance has for many become the act of claiming their heritage without the substance of Christ. Likewise if Christianity has become the icon of American History then the Bible has become the icon of Christianity, and as such the Bible can be found in over 90% of the homes in America (usually dust covered and unread). The church has taken the life found in the Bible and reduced it to spiritual truths of ages past, and God has been reduced to the God who did instead of the God who does and is doing.The Bible does infact contain the answers to your questions regarding developing healthy emotions. You see once we remove the icon status and once again begin to see the Bible as the inspired, living word of God it can and does transform lives, emotions, marraiges... etc.For many the idea of talking to the world about the Christian message is reduced to sharing their American Heritage: "well I'm a Christian" but the backbone, the crux of real Christianity goes much deeper than that, unfortunatly many simply only embrace it as the past rather than the now.Many of us have no desire to try to stop the collapse of that kind of faith because some of us believe that that kind of faith must collapse in order for the living faith in our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed in the lives of those living in a powerless rote of tradition they call faith.I prefer to not run around with all the Jesus saves gobbledy gook, I would rather live that Jesus Saved and transformed my life and you can live victorious today too... victoriously in your emotions, your marraige, your finances, all your life wholly. And I would love the oppertunity to share with you how.The Bible is full of practical strategies for developing better lives and it differes from buddhism in that it is found in a relationship, not in a set of behaviors.Thank you for sharing with us please come and share more, or as the scripture says "come let us reason together"
So anybody want to share their hearts on these issues? Post a comment!
David said:
Hi, I'm a non-believer, so I hope you don't mind if the "world" intrudes into your Christian sphere a little.In recent years, I have re-newed my interest in spiritual matters, including the Christian faith. First impression: From my experiences interacting with Christians in blogs like this, there is no such thing as radical transformation. Christians have no deeper understanding of life. They are not spirituality more advanced/mature than other people. Christianity merely appears to be a source of deep emotional comfort - but Christians have no clear answer to controlling emotions and developing healthy emotional lives.Second impression: Christians are not really interested in talking to the world about their message. Sure, they will reply to questions occasionally, but few will take the time to really engage in meaningful dialogue with non-Christians. Christians seem to be more interested in re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic, or desparately trying to stop the collapse of their faith in the Western world.Third impression: I've also looked at other faiths, especially Buddhism. What I found surprising, was that Buddhists are interested in engaging with the world, have very practical strategies for developing better lives, personally and socially, have a clear, analytical and relational philosophy. All this without the "Jesus saves" gobbledy-gook proffered by Christianity.
Carls Response:
David,
I appreciate your candidness, the church needs to hear from more people such as yourself. I for one am listening and would love to hear more. If I may address some of your comments:Christianinty has become the icon of American History, and as such many have claimed Christianity as their heritage. Church attendance has for many become the act of claiming their heritage without the substance of Christ. Likewise if Christianity has become the icon of American History then the Bible has become the icon of Christianity, and as such the Bible can be found in over 90% of the homes in America (usually dust covered and unread). The church has taken the life found in the Bible and reduced it to spiritual truths of ages past, and God has been reduced to the God who did instead of the God who does and is doing.The Bible does infact contain the answers to your questions regarding developing healthy emotions. You see once we remove the icon status and once again begin to see the Bible as the inspired, living word of God it can and does transform lives, emotions, marraiges... etc.For many the idea of talking to the world about the Christian message is reduced to sharing their American Heritage: "well I'm a Christian" but the backbone, the crux of real Christianity goes much deeper than that, unfortunatly many simply only embrace it as the past rather than the now.Many of us have no desire to try to stop the collapse of that kind of faith because some of us believe that that kind of faith must collapse in order for the living faith in our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed in the lives of those living in a powerless rote of tradition they call faith.I prefer to not run around with all the Jesus saves gobbledy gook, I would rather live that Jesus Saved and transformed my life and you can live victorious today too... victoriously in your emotions, your marraige, your finances, all your life wholly. And I would love the oppertunity to share with you how.The Bible is full of practical strategies for developing better lives and it differes from buddhism in that it is found in a relationship, not in a set of behaviors.Thank you for sharing with us please come and share more, or as the scripture says "come let us reason together"
So anybody want to share their hearts on these issues? Post a comment!
posted by Carl at 8:58 PM
3 Comments:
Carl, the response couldn't be more fitting. Thank you!
Carl while I'm still reflecting on this guy I have found him only willing to spread intellectual atheist propaganda.
I find that He is really searching but trying to undermine our faith in the One Savior, Jesus!
I confronted Him perhaps too hard, but really, I have not the time to try convincing the unconvinceable. If you want to dialogue with Him come back and try drawing Him over.
Bob, While I sensed that as well, his words here resonated with me in a couple of ways:
1) the church often is really good at spewing forth words and never listening, therefor most outside the "walls" of the church simply do not speak, or listen. This man did speak and to me that is worth my listen.
2) the condition of the world is as he describes in his first line about his renewed interest in spiritual things. we live in a modern day Ephasus and we should do well to realize it and understand how to present Christ to a spiritually hungry generation searching for the myth in the now! after all, the mythical is in a sense seeing with our hearts rather than with our eyes. it is the reason Paul prayed for the Ephesians hearts to be enlightened (eyes of the heart) it is the reason Jesus spoke in storys and parables, He wasnt speaking to the mind, He was speaking to the heart
I will talk more of this in my next post!
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