From: Jan de Koning (jan@dekoning.ca)
Date: Wed Mar 19 2003 - 14:58:22 EST
At 08:06 PM 18/03/2003 -0700, Jim Armstrong wrote:
>I'm sorry, but I have a bit of a problem with this response. I'll state at
>the outset that what follows is my perspective, and it's under
>construction in this area.
>
>I know some of these folks. My sense is that people abandon Christianity
>for one of two reasons: it has just somehow become irrelevant to them, or
>it has become aversive to them (something bad happened, or the expression
>of Christianity they are associated with no longer reflects their sense of
>what Jesus was/is and did/does).
>
>With respect to the latter, there are in our time undeniably strident
>Christian voices whose very public utterings are uninformed in some
>respects (e.g., science) and/or whose speech and actions are inconsistent
>with emulation of the one whose name their bear. Sadly, these voices
>contribute materially to the definition of a stereotype of Christianity
>that is unattractive, and in the worst case aversive to many - Christian
>and non-Christian alike. They also unfortunately also define to some
>extent what is off-limits to discuss freely in the church environment, and
>even what can be spoken from the pulpit. When people find themselves
>feeling that the Christ they know in their hearts and the freedoms he
>brings are reflected with insufficient fidelity in their particular
>church, some folks just express their discontent with their feet.
True enough. However, even when preachers are untrue to God's Word in
creation, that in itself does not give a loss of faith. Also, personally I
would look for another community of faith where I could state my belief
freely without being subjected to constant criticism and even
discipline. Of course, after stating my own faith, for example in a
creation in which God used evolution, and still uses evolution.
>The life and teachings of Jesus were certainly in part to move our frame
>of reference from law to principal, modeled for us (to help us "get it"!)
>in the life and actions of Jesus. We find a lot of things to do in the
>cause of Christ, but I am reminded of a New Testament passage that reads,
>"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
>Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye
>have done it unto me." In the Old Testament, "He hath shewed thee, O man,
>what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly,
>and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Alas we seem to put a
>lot of energy into other stuff - with the best of intentions - but
>achieving a less than optimal expression of Christ's residual presence -
>and mission - on this small planet.
>
True. However, scientists of all kinds are God's creatures as well. Many
of them know God's creation better than many preachers. Consequently, I
would go to where I could worship and confess my faith in Christ's death
for me, without being constantly harassed about how I see God speaking in
nature, (usually done by people who have no idea where they are talking about.)
Jan de Koning
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