Tag: Christianity (Page 2 of 3)

A Reason to Live? How Euthanasia Has Erased Hope and Purpose.

November 19, 2016 / Greg Garda

What comes to mind when you think of “mercy.”

Mercy, like many other human virtues, cannot be comprehended without an objective moral law which gives objective meaning to mercy. Therefore, it follows that moral law must have a moral law giver.

The problem in our aggressively, and dare I say, ideologically secular society is that the moral “law giver” has has become the human person. As a result we have seen misguided and erroneous approach to mercy. An approach that has a seeming obsession with death. The latest example being an aggressive push for “assisted suicide.”

Courtesy of Unsplash.com by Matthew Henry

By What Authority? Determining the Objectivity of Secular Values.

October 28, 2016 / Greg Garda

I remember visiting a person and discussing the moral implications of abortion. My interlocutor held the position that abortion ought to be legal because a child is not considered to be living until the child is outside the mother’s womb.

So I proceeded to ask who has the authority to decide when a human person is to be considered a human person. Thinking for a moment he responded by saying it’s simply the secular law. “So, who is the lawgiver or law creator then? And by what authority does the lawgiver decide that a law is objectively just?” I asked. He responded “It just is?” What an odd answer.

The Crux of the Matter

I wish to discuss 2 questions in brief:

What is secularity?
Are secular values objectively always true and what is the standard by which we decide if they’re true?

Let’s start with the first question.

Coutesy of Unsplash.com by Claire Anderson

What do “Rules” and Commandments Have to do with Faith in Jesus?

October 3, 2016 / Greg Garda

As a former atheist I believed three things about having faith in God.

First, I believed that God was no different from childhood wishful fantasies such as the Tooth Fairy or Santa Clause. I also believed that God was a “god of the gaps”; an explanation for natural phenomena that is yet to be explained by science. Ancient mythical gods fall into this category along with the plethora of gods recognized in classical Hinduism.

Second, I believed that if God did turn out to be real he’s a real jerk. He always seemed to be in competition for my happiness. To me it seemed that God put up a bunch of rules/commandments that kept me from experiencing freedom. You know which “rules” I’m referring to: No sex before marriage; Even after I get married I have to be “open to life.” It seemed to me there were really two options:

a) have a million kids or…

b) abstain from sexual intimacy.

And perhaps the worst “rule” to abide by was being forced to sit through an agonizing hour of church every Sunday. “What a party pooper!” so I thought.

Courtesy of Unsplash.com by Liane Metzier

The Challenge of Living a Life of Joy and Vulnerability

September 23, 2016 / Greg Garda

It’s been at least two months since I posted. I don’t know about you, but for me it’s really easy to go on autopilot and go through the motions of everyday life trying to reach my goals. I’m sure you’re familiar with the term “tunnel vision.”

Courtesy of Unsplash.com by Nathan Anderson

I often found myself so focused on writing or recording a weekly blog post, achieving my objectives for work, or completing my next personal project that I completely miss-out on reflecting on some important questions. So I took a step back to reflect.

I would like to share with you one big question that I often wrestle with. How do I live a life that is filled with joy and at the same time live in solidarity with the poor and suffering?

July 23, 2016 / Greg Garda

July 12, 2016 / Greg Garda

Why Doesn’t God Always Stop Suffering?

May 14, 2016 / Greg Garda

If God is all powerful and all good why doesn’t he intervene to stop suffering? This is a question on the mind of many in the developed West.

“Better than I deserve!”

On a daily basis I come across several people in my job. When I greet them I typically ask, “How are you doing?” or “How is your day so far?” The typical response I get is, “Busy!” followed by a string of negative things. Even things that seem to be positive and self imposed such as taking children to recreational activities, seem to be infused with negativity and suffering.

I contrast this with my experience in working in developing countries and with the homeless. The first favela I entered on a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I encountered a young woman who was paralyzed from the neck down. She had no wheel chair or any effective means of transportation. I remember walking into a room where she laid on a sleeping cot placed on the ground. She smiled, laughed, told jokes and was so thankful to be alive with her family. She may never know this, but she was the first to force me to question what it means to be fully alive.

Courtesy of Flickr.com by mclolumnasana

Conquering Suffering: 3 Things I Learned From Witnessing Pain

April 28, 2016 / Greg Garda

When loved ones, close friends, or someone we admire dies we experience great sadness. For me, when someone close to me dies, initially a heavy burden of sadness weighs on my heart. But it is not long before the sadness is overwhelmed by peace.

This might seem inappropriate or even deranged, but allow me to share three reasons that suffering has taught me about authentic peace.

Courtesy of Amit Kujur from Flickr.com

Is Our Faith in Vain? How Can We Know That Jesus Rose From the Dead

April 12, 2016 / Greg Garda

Everything OR Nothing

The resurrection of Jesus is the climax of the Christian faith. Everything hinges on this one historical event. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead then our faith is vain. The Apostle Paul admits this in the Bible: “…and if Christ has not been raised; then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” (1 Cor 14:14). Paul is seemingly inviting people to examine for themselves the evidence for the resurrection. He wouldn’t have done this if he wasn’t 100% sure of it.

On the other hand, if Jesus did rise from the dead. Then he is truly the Son of God; he is the embodiment of Truth.

Courtesy of Good Free Photos from Unsplash.com

So let’s accept Paul’s invitation and explore one of the most convincing pieces of evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. I invite you (believer or not) to dive into the evidence I present. If you don’t like the evidence feel free to present evidence to the contrary, but don’t run from the evidence.

The End of Reason

March 19, 2016 / Greg Garda

Walking Among Counterfeits

Numerous times I have had the experience of walking through a distinct mall in Lima, Peru called “Polvos Rosados.” Essentially it’s a giant dome with hundreds of vendors selling counterfeit versions of popular products. Counterfeits of expensive luxury brand watches, counterfeits of clothing brands such as American Eagle, Adidas, and Giorgio Armani, and occasionally the questionably acquired latest electronic gadget such as IPads, MacBooks, and smartphones.

To notice the difference between a counterfeit and an original when it comes to some of the products it would take a professional. For instance the luxury watches (Omega, Rolex…etc). Several vendors will carry similar, if the not the exact same counterfeits, but each vendor will insist that their fake is a more realistic fake than the one being sold around the corner.

Courtesy of Roy from flickr.com

Counterfeiting Truth

It seems that in the West (Canada, U.S., and Most of Europe) we live in an era where we are being sold several versions of counterfeit morality. Each insisting that their moral reasoning is more true than the other. Insisting that their fake is less fake than the next person’s.