Tag: Life (Page 1 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

August 5, 2016 / Greg Garda

July 12, 2016 / Greg Garda

July 6, 2016 / Greg Garda

Who Are You? How To Recognize Your Identity

Death, Where is Your Sting? Why Assisted Suicide is Anything But Compassionate

June 11, 2016 / Greg Garda

Since being exposed to the reality suffering on my first visit to the slums of Rio de Janeiro and serving the homeless and drug addicted in Toronto I have learned one important lesson: We can’t start to understand people’s suffering until we enter into it with them.

In the past two years two instances of suffering stand out in my life. The death of Jennine’s (my wife) grandmother and Jennine giving birth to our baby. Accompanying people in their suffering has taught me an important lesson about compassion and human dignity.

Courtesy of Unsplash.com by Ryan Moreno

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

Did Jesus Really Die on the Cross?

April 2, 2016 / Greg Garda

Last week before Good Friday I was scrolling through my social media feeds. As I was scrolling down an image caught my intention. In the photo there was a statue of Jesus Crucified with blood dripping down his face and limbs. Beside the statue was a man posing mocking what the statue represented.

Initially I was offended, but as quickly as the feeling of offence came it dissipated even faster. Why be offended? Afterall, it’s explicitly written in the Bible that Jesus was mocked, humiliated and died a death reserved for the greatest of criminals in ancient Rome. If it happened then, it will today.

My confidence as a Christian convert from atheism comes from two things: First, my real life changing experience of Jesus Christ in my life and in those Christians whom I met as an atheist. Second, the overwhelming evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. In this moment I would like to focus on the latter; the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. I will discuss two popular objections often brought up by skeptics and atheists. Due to length required to give this objection respect I will focus on one of two objections against the Resurrection. My next post will focus on a second.

Courtesy of Simoen Muller from unsplash.com

Objection 1: Jesus didn’t really die on the cross.

A common objection proposed by skeptics is that Jesus didn’t die on the cross. Jesus survived the crucifixion, rescued by his followers and continued to live until his natural death. One Indian scholar I read even suggests that Jesus went as far as India where eventually he died a natural death. When examining the historical and archaeological evidence I’m afraid this argument would not be given the light of the day in a modern courtroom. Let’s explore ancient crucifixion.

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.

A World That Forgot How to Love

March 5, 2016 / Greg Garda

“I love you, you love me we’re together a happy family.” As I’m sure you know, these are the popular lyrics of the childhood friendly purple dinosaur, Barney.

As a child when I first saw Barney singing this song as he danced away with children my own age around him I felt very weird about watching it. There was something wrong with the lyrics (never mind a grown man in a purple dinosaur costume dancing). As a five year old I couldn’t put a finger on what was bothering me about it. But one thing I did know was whatever “love” Barney was singing about wasn’t real love.

In hindsight, this love was very superficial. It totally ignored the reality of authentic love. The ugly side of it that requires real sacrifice, perseverance, and faith. It didn’t give me hope a child. I couldn’t relate it to my experience.

God is Love?

It seems it’s this “Barney type of love” is what our culture chases. One that is ultimately rooted in comfort with no sense perseverance or sacrifice. And if I may say, a love that is delusional.

Courtesy of Mayur Gala from Unsplash.com