Faith: What atheists & Christians share

Dear atheists, not all Christians are judgmental -- dear Christians, atheists aren’t the enemy. It is April Fools' day and too many Christians will go on Social media today spouting that “April Fools' Day is the holiday for atheists.” I’m guessing there might be some banter going both ways for today’s “holiday.” Christians are called to a higher standard though.

Sadly, not all people who believe in Jesus act like Jesus and the critical ones are not great representatives of Christianity. Just because you believe Jesus is real doesn't make you a “believer,” especially when you misbehave acting like you are soooo much better than everyone else. You look desperate and it makes many atheists whom you put down look morally superior too.

The amazing existence of cognition & our conscious, the overabundance of our intelligence which exceeds far beyond the need to hunt/gather/reproduce, the information-rich sequencing of DNA, the “Goldilocks” positioning of our planet to the sun and our sun’s own Goldilocks position in our galaxy, and our galaxy being the right type to even allow life, these facts and others add up to more than an inexplicable cosmic coincidence to me -- something a random non-intelligent material universe alone cannot explain. On the other hand, why does God allow what He allows to go on here on earth and how exactly do you explain the idea of a God who has always existed, who can just speak the universe into existence, and who can be everywhere at every moment?

What’s the problem? A god who can be fully explained or totally understood wouldn't be much of a god to worship. Also, to say the universe simply sprang into existence, unguided, not only denies the first law of thermodynamics it’s an unsatisfactory answer as well. I get why there are doubts & doubters.

We all believe despite having doubts. To say we don’t believe in God isn’t to say we have no beliefs or we do not place our faith in anything. We either trust in the supernatural or the natural. Both the natural and the supernatural take a leap of faith, make no mistake about it.

We all believe in something, even the skeptic believes in their personal ability to discern facts from fables. The humanist, for example, believes in our autonomy, claiming mankind is the highest power for good in the universe. The Christian believes there’s eternally more to reality than what can be tested with our five senses, while the atheist believes there’s no need for & no such thing as “God.” Those poor souls known as agnostics really suffer -- they want to believe something but they can’t seem to find enough evidence one way or the other to believe in anything.

I have solid answers justifying my faith in God, ones that are way better than Darwinism for example, but if I’m not willing to admit I might be wrong about the whole idea of God, how can I expect an atheist to consider they might be wrong as well? Both camps seem to be lacking humility and an openness to alternate ideas. Maybe we are too busy talking over each other and not spending enough time listening to each other?

We are all doing our best to figure out this glorious experience called life and its complex mysteries, those who claim to believe in God and those who disbelieve in God. The world would be a better place if we stopped demonizing each other and we trusted each other’s motives in regards to matters of faith, both believers and nonbelievers. I trust logic & truth will prevail and I trust people when they say they are sincerely searching for answers -- it is foolish to live otherwise.

Originally published 4/1/22 Times News:

Should Christians carry firearms?

Created in God’s image, human life is necessarily precious. Death is irreversible — taking a life is a serious matter, under any circumstance. Should Christians carry firearms, owning guns not just for sport but for self-defense as well?

I asked a couple of friends in law enforcement about this topic. A former Kingsport police officer said, “In terms of gun ownership and use: There is no moral superiority to being a victim. Were we not called to protect the weak? If you believe so yet feel using firearms is immoral, what arbitrary standard are we using to determine what means are acceptable to use to defend the innocent? Certainly all reasonable means to avoid confrontation should be exercised; discretion is the better part of valor. But to suggest faith requires we not prepare to defend ourselves and others would be like not buying groceries to prove that God will provide (when he’s already provided you access to grocery stores and currency to make the purchase).”

A current Kingpsort policeman said, “Self-defense may actually be one of the greatest examples of human love. Jesus said, ‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends’ (John 15:14). When protecting one’s family or neighbor, a Christian is risking his/her life for the sake of others. I think this applies to police and military as well. And when Jesus said, ‘And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.’ I think that can be applied today too. If Jesus was here today, he might say sell your watch and buy a gun. Also, I think Jesus’ command to ‘turn the other cheek’ has to do with our response to personal slights and offenses, not self-defense. Some situations may call for self-defense, but not retaliation.”

What about turning the other cheek? “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” Many assume turning the other cheek means never defending ourselves, remaining passive in the face of any threat — i.e., actions protecting ourselves resulting in their harm is sinful. Jesus actually teaches that turning for another slap requires them to slap you properly. They either backhanded your right cheek or slapped you with their left hand. Historically, their left hand was “unclean,” you weren’t allowed to touch people with your left hand back then; backhanding was undignified as well. Jesus is saying, “Treat me like an equal” during conflict.

If our premise is that the Bible forbids drastic defensive measures therefore I won’t shoot the bad guy, because if I kill him I will go to hell, we have placed more value on preserving our soul than protecting our family who God has entrusted to our care. Similarly, most people do not give a 10% tithe at church, but if you are willing to give 100% of what you have in your possession to a demanding thief, what does that tell us? Allowing evil people to harm you/your loved ones is not only cowardly, it is a poor stewardship plan.

Your family needs you. As a Christian, which is more responsible, protecting yourself and your loved ones or allowing wicked people to wreak havoc? How virtuous is it sparing a dangerous attacker from their own risked consequences in the face of an imminent threat?

Christianity is about love and peace or it’s nothing at all. We are to love as we have been loved, to forgive as we have been forgiven, we are called to imitate Jesus. Does this mean we allow evil people to rape our children or kill us — is it loving to idly stand by while thugs violently abuse our loved ones?

If you do not like guns, don’t own one, but let’s not twist the Scriptures to say that using guns for self-defense is sinful. It seems like a sick perversion of Scripture to teach that we should sit by idly watching harm befall our loved ones — it seems like your heart is more wicked than the rapist or the killer if you’re willing to sacrifice your family’s safety on the altar of self-righteousness.

I rarely leave our house unarmed, and I sleep with a .45 on my nightstand. Based on my understanding of the Bible I have concluded that carrying a firearm is actually virtuous and appropriate.

Christians do not carry guns to commit crimes or to promote violence, we carry our firearms to safely provide for and to protect those God has entrusted to our care.

Published originally in the Kingsport Times News:Click here to read original version

Is Joe Rogan an unlikely ally for the Church?

I know people are in a tizzy over a couple of Rogan's podcasts with two doctors and their divergent views on Covid, but more interesting to me was Rogan's interview with Peterson.

Everyone seems to be losing their minds over Joe Rogan’s interview of Dr. Jordan Peterson. Most people either have complete disdain for Rogan or the deepest admiration, and the same thing goes for Peterson — lately, social media is flooded with both. Like them or not, Rogan is one of the most influential entertainers of our day, and Peterson is arguably one of the most influential intellectuals of the day. So I was pleasantly surprised by one of their topics during their 4 hour and 13 minute interview.

We easily ignore the wackadoodle street corner preacher rambling on through his bullhorn, but if Rogan and Peterson weren’t so wildly popular I doubt this particular episode (No. 1769) would have garnered so much attention.

Remember, Spotify has handsomely rewarded Rogan for his popularity with a $100 million contract.

Watching this episode I noticed how a lethargic Rogan was slouched forward with huge bags under his eyes, looking like a high school wrestling coach who drank watered down coffee after a weekend at regionals. Peterson carried himself with pained looks, forced smiles and utilized “jazz hands’’ too often. Fidgeting around he looked like he wanted Rogan’s acceptance and approval more than Rogan wanted to give it. Actually, Rogan gave the impression he didn’t even want to be there — if you’ve seen his podcast before you’d agree it wasn’t spectacular. It was a rather lackluster performance on Rogan’s part.

The major critique by Rogan’s and Peterson’s naysayers is the massive amount of alleged “misinformation” being bantered about during their interview. Notice, their critics aren’t insisting that Rogan and Peterson are lying; it’s “misinformation.”

Why misinformation? Why is that the word of choice these days for people we don’t trust or disagree with?

You can’t go around and claim that there is no such thing as absolute truth or that truth can’t be known, or claim the truth is a social construct, etc., and also say that Rogan and Peterson are pedaling false information that isn’t true. You can’t complain about bending the truth if you diligently deny the existence of truth that corresponds to reality. Therefore you employ the phrase “misinformation.”

This is the result when culture tries to emasculate truth. How is this significant for us?

Jesus claimed He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. God’s word is true. God’s people believe truth to be a vital part of the Christian belief system, and truth has been under attack for over a generation. Do you see now why cultural talking heads can’t say people like Peterson or Rogan are liars or are offering false information. It has to be couched cryptically in the meaningless phrase “misinformation.”

Peterson and Rogan had several “sacred cows” they wanted to turn into gourmet burgers, which I could take or leave, but the greatest reason I’m excited about this interview is that Peterson brings up the Bible with an audience of tens of millions of people listening in. Raising the topic of the Bible like this opens up wonderful opportunities for believers to talk about our faith.

Remember these are two of the most influential voices in today’s culture sitting down for an informal interview with tens of millions of people paying attention to their conversation, and Peterson defends the veracity of the Bible! It’s an amazing event, opening many opportunities for us to elaborate on the truth of the Bible, and point people to Jesus.

When was the last time you heard any celebrity or culturally influential person bring up the Bible with a positive light? Therefore I was captivated when Peterson highlighted the absolute significance of the Bible’s influence on all of today’s literature and how we think about life and truth.

Peterson described how the Bible is the foundational and fundamental document for all of Western civilization. He accurately elaborated on how the Bible isn’t simply a single book like the Book of John but a library, a collection of books. Peterson directed and redirected the conversation to point out and clarify that he defended the Bible, affirming the Bible as the source of wisdom and truth — this type of approval and endorsement of the Bible and truth is unheard of in our postmodern relativistic culture. It’s no wonder people are ripping Peterson to shreds and exerting such efforts to discredit him.

These recent attacks on Rogan’s podcast really come down to who controls the flow and the content of the information that’s disseminated. It’s a power play. Why should this be on our radar? How we disseminate information is at stake.

Critics who would like to silence Rogan or Peterson usually end up being silenced or discredited shortly, and rightly so. Not because either Rogan or Peterson is an absolute expert in his field, but these are two of the most influential voices who are rare because they believe there is truth and people should be able to say what they think is true. They are rare because they are defending the right to truth in a world that has tried its best to jettison truth for far too long.

The church needs defenders of truth now more than ever. Without truth, it’s hard to say all roads don’t lead to Rome, or that what Jesus claimed about this life and the next is true for all people.

Originally published in the Kingsport Times News:

https://www.timesnews.net/news/faith/the-church-needs-defenders-of-truth/article_6c90abe6-6f04-11ec-8433-4f16d7fe28b5.html 

Can you afford the high-price of fitting in? The real cost of peer pressure

Peer pressure. Remember how we used to warn our children about its dangers or how we’d scold them for caving to peer pressure? Just look at us now.

The ugly truth is, peer pressure is pervasive. Actually, most churches aren’t free from its entanglements either. For example, while churches certainly depend on your generosity, passing an offering plate during the worship service sure feels like peer pressure. This is benign compared to what else is going on these days.

Consider the depths to which peer pressure has influenced us over the past few years: Which comedians you can/cannot laugh at. Which musicians you can/cannot listen to. Which actors and actresses are/are not acceptable. Which candidate you should/shouldn’t vote for. Which scientists you can/cannot challenge/question.

We are seeing too many people stigmatized simply because they disagree with whatever is culturally acceptable for the day, while others who are grasping for power are forbidding discussions over several vital contemporary topics. If this goes on much further, I literally see book burnings in our future.

The problem with caving to peer pressure is that we begin to parrot positions we actually distrust or disagree with. Like the old saying, “All it takes for evil to win is for good people to do nothing,” we find ourselves complicit in perpetuating deception. We are allowing dishonesty to rule the day if we comply with positions we never actually agreed with. This seems to break one of the Ten Commandments, something about “Thou shalt not lie ...”

Truth, facts, rational/logical thinking, these all go by the wayside whenever we allow peer pressure and groupthink to rule over us. We are allowing the loudest voices to steamroll over our better judgments. Somehow, a minority has been allowed to amplify their message, and in order to experience unity or gain acceptance, many of us have complied with ideas that deep down inside we disagree with.

Why? Many of us are scared. We are afraid to offend. We are afraid of conflict. We are afraid to rock the boat. Most of all, we fear retribution. This isn’t how we were meant to live.

We are to live courageously. “Do not fear” is the most repeated phrase in the Bible — it’s recorded at least 365 times in Scripture. How does peer pressure work? Mainly though fear. Fear of being left out. Fear of humiliation. Fear of rejection. Therefore, whenever fear is the driving factor, as believers we ought to be suspicious, take notice, and be cautious. This is especially true when fear is what’s driving the peer pressure itself.

It is unhealthy to shame and bully people into submission. Guilt, shame and embarrassment are horrible motivators. Action based on the goal of avoiding the judgmental misgivings of others is what textbook manipulation looks like, but that’s how peer pressure operates.

What is on the line, presently? For starters we are in danger of arrested development — no one grows or matures in an echo chamber. Also, many of our freedoms — the freedom of expression, the freedom to choose for ourselves and our freedom to express our individual identities — are all at risk.

Worst of all, we are at risk of losing our integrity.

Dear friends, we serve a mighty God. Let us start this New Year with integrity and may we live courageously.

  Published in the Kingsport Times-News: https://www.timesnews.net/news/faith/peer-pressure-is-pervasive-even-in-churches/article_89816122-5916-11ec-8dc2-1bc4e50fadcd.html

When we are hurt by the church

 

For everyone who has ever been disappointed by, discouraged or disillusioned by church, I am sorry you were wounded by the very people who were supposed to represent Jesus. It is shameful and unacceptable. There are no excuses for churches hurting those entrusted to their care. Hang with me for a moment while I unpack the ugly side of church, but there is hope.

Here’s the sad reality: Evil gravitates toward good like a cancer latching onto its host. Churches can attract people to leadership positions who want to exercise power and control over other people, and typically these power-hungry people are individuals who feel absolutely powerless at home or at work. They line up to join church committees, they love long unproductive meetings, they become territorial, and they enjoy issuing orders for which they will neither commit to helping with nor funding themselves personally. These types of people have missed the value of transformation — they only know how to tally up “nickels and noses,” i.e., when it comes to “church” the contribution and attendance are all they care about.

Because of these power brokers, pastors and congregants alike have left their churches in droves — this possibly includes you as well. Statistics show that many ministers suffer intense burnout rates, and the average preacher will spend more time earning their seminary degrees than they ever will serving in church. Many, actually most, teenagers will become collateral damage, themselves fleeing from church as adults after a lifetime of listening to their grumbling parents struggle with the volunteer leaders in their local church. And, as you may have noticed, countless churches are closing their doors, shuttering their windows, and simply vanishing.

Why shouldn’t we simply give up on the idea of church, since there are so many problems within her walls? Not to mention, it seems like “celebrity pastors” are falling like dominoes to one scandal or another all too often. Why? Because the church isn’t limited by “four walls,” and it doesn’t have to be run like a business, driven by a consumer mentality, or feel like a major theater production.

Churches can focus on serving Jesus, and caring for His flock. When you get away from the bright stage lights and “organized Christianity” and attempt to follow the Bible instead of Robert’s Rule of Order, church becomes more organic, more wholesome. It becomes real. Will you still have problems? Certainly, since none of us are perfect, but considering the alternatives it’s worth it.

There will always be parasitical, argumentative, hypocritical powermongers attempting to leech off of the goodwill of believers, which neither nullifies the work Jesus sets before us nor does it excuse us from serving.

You can find a church (or plant one) that is focused on transforming lives through the power of the Cross, the moving of the Spirit, and through the enrichment of the Scriptures.

There are loving and welcoming, non-judgmental, life-changing churches focused on changing lives. They might not have a steeple on their roof. In fact they might not even have a building to their name to put a steeple on, but they have what matters — the heart of Jesus.

Originally published in the Kingsport Timesnews:

https://www.timesnews.net/news/faith/why-you-shouldnt-give-up-on-church/article_9ed03c8a-4307-11ec-936b-b33f3bfce420.html

Why it's best to just speak your mind

 

One of the biggest paradoxes ever is the excitement of the holidays along with the sadness that accompanies the holidays. The holidays can be joyful and festive, but this season can also be rough on all of us. Some of us will go to the cemetery and sweep leaves off of our loved ones’ headstones, wishing we had one more day to spend with them.

Maybe we will look around the table during this holiday season, missing loved ones who have moved away, passed away, or who simply have decided to stay away.

Seemingly, to make it rougher during the holidays, they say that we shouldn’t talk about “religion or politics” when we gather together to celebrate. If you can’t talk about subjects you’re faithful to or passionate about with people who share the same last name as you, perhaps these relationships were too fragile in the first place.

If you have to pretend you are something you are not to maintain any relationship, then I doubt there is much of a relationship worth maintaining. I am not advocating “stirring the pot” or purposely riling people up just to be irritating. I am saying, it’s time to be yourself.

So, to be clear, the holidays can be a gloomy time and yes family gatherings are ripe for conflict — but who wants to walk on eggshells their entire life?

Now is the season to celebrate faith and family, but if you can’t express yourself freely, within reason, you’ll not only resent your family, you’ll despise yourself for being a phony.

The same can be said of your relationships at church or work.

It’s a lose-lose situation to pretend to be someone who you are not. Biting your tongue only serves to suppress what you really think, believe or stand for. When you go against yourself long enough, you slowly erode your soul.

When we pretend to be someone we aren’t to simply gain the acceptance of others, they aren’t really accepting a true version of us. So we not only deceive those around us, we senselessly censor and suppress ourselves. This isn’t healthy. The end result is, not only won’t we like those we are trying to impress, we will eventually hate ourselves for carrying on the charade.

Jesus says in John, Chapter 8 that the devil is the father of lies. Why would we want to perpetuate a false persona to those around us? That’s the biggest lie ever told!

So perhaps the best gift that you can give yourself this holiday season is the permission to be yourself. It’s honest and true, and it’s the best you that you have to offer.

Therefore, when you get together with your family and friends, talk about politics, talk about religion, share your true opinions on whatever subject comes up — don’t let anyone bully you or shame you into silence.

This holiday season, as you reminisce with your loved ones make sure you are there with them fully, but make sure it is actually the real you who is present. Not half of you, not part of you, not a fake version of what you think they want to see so they can accept you — be the real you. The reality is, if you can’t be true to yourself, you can’t be true to others.

Of course, you can already guess what the flip side of this coin is, can’t you? The same grace you hope to receive from those around you so that you can truly be yourself, you’ll need to extend to those around the table as well.

Originally published in the Kingsport TimesNews:

https://www.timesnews.net/news/faith/its-time-to-be-yourself/article_8db9df74-2a92-11ec-bdf7-bf3ee684f91c.html

The Solutions to your problems

Have you been dissatisfied with how your church has handled a particular problem or problem person, wondering to yourself why church politics failed to fix our problems? It’s because Satan is busier in the church boardroom than he is in the barroom.

I frequently hear from different people about the problems in their churches or from others about the problems with how poorly the city and county handle their responsibilities. My questions then become, how can you contribute to solving this problem you’re so troubled about, what’s the best solution, and how will you help out? Because if you’re passionate about a problem you see, it’s better to work toward being part of the solution than it is to gripe about it.

If you are waiting for your church leaders or your local politicians to make bad situations better, I feel sorry for you. Most of the people we are waiting for to make the desired improvements are more concerned with their position/office and with preserving their organization/institution than they are with whatever problems you worry about. If you are disappointed with the state of affairs you see, you probably have misplaced your faith and trust. I hate to break it to you, but most decisions are not made in “formal” meetings. They are decided in the “informal” meetings out in the parking lot before the meeting even happens.

What are some positive steps you can take toward resolving problems? You can draft up a plan, offer resources, put in the effort, and volunteer to work on it. This is as true for your church as it is for your city.

If you are upset with your neighborhood, ask a police officer what you can do to help make a difference and how you can make our city a better place. Or take a drive out to the old Sam’s Club and volunteer at the Second Harvest Food Bank. Or go talk to a school principal and offer to help tutor at-risk kids. There’s no lack of opportunities for you to make a positive difference.

Do you know what the difference is between being frustrated about a problem and simply grumbling about it? Most people like to criticize and fault-find a lot more than they like participating in the solution.

For example, it’s easy to sit in your armchair and take a potshot at the potholes on our roads, though you never hear a follow- up from those critics on how to best repair our roads. It’s the same thing when your church isn’t “growing.”

You don’t have to be special or smart to point out problems. Thanks to Facebook, we no longer have to submit a “letter to the editor” to air our contempt. It’s easy to hide bravely behind our keyboards and smartphones and lambaste those “in charge.” Social media has emboldened us, but the fact is, truly courageous people don’t have the time to be critical of others because they are too busy making a difference.

If you think you’re too weak and powerless to make a difference, then you see yourself as a victim. And let me tell you what, the world will eat you alive — in that case you’re better off keeping your opinion to yourself if you don’t think you can help fix it. All you are doing at that point is wasting a lot of emotional energy, and no one likes sour grapes. Like the old impolite saying goes, “put up or shut up...”

Maybe the deeper problem is we as people are addicted to complaining. Complaining isn’t a spiritual gift, it isn’t a sign of compassion, and it doesn’t indicate you care. Complaining all the time is evidence of a critical heart. Fault-finding is straight-up hypocrisy. It’s not insightful or profound to point out what’s wrong with the world without participating in the solution.

What if we as believers hounded lost souls about their need for Jesus with half as much zeal as we pestered people about COVID, masks and vaccines — whichever side of that debate you landed on. If your concern is legitimate, do something more productive than complaining. If God lays a burden on your heart, it’s not for the purpose of whining about it. Whether it’s the poor condition of our roads, the homeless, COVID, racism, inequality, drugs — whatever it is, no one wants to hear what the problem is without hearing your solutions. In other words: What are you doing to fix the problems besides complaining, worrying or blaming?

Watch your words and compliment more than you complain. Then and only then will people listen and begin to take you more seriously. Don’t complain about City Hall until you hitch up and haul your fair share of the burdens in our community.

Don’t wait around for your church leaders or your politicians to fix the problems that trouble you most. Take responsibility, roll up your sleeves and get to work — you’ll never need permission to do the right thing.

Originally published on Oct 15th 2021 in the Kingsport TimesNews:

https://www.timesnews.net/news/faith/stop-complaining-and-be-part-of-the-solution/article_b0edcef6-1700-11ec-a74f-9fd25d8fd231.html