Discipleship and The Privatization of Religion
A Reflection on Mark 1:14-20.
Tag: Secularism (Page 1 of 2)
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
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
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.
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.
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.
This is my first Periscope post as part of my weekly blog posts at greg.garda.com. Just click on the link of the picture below to view the video.
[First Periscope Post] From Unbelief to Belief
Courtesy of Terry Hancock from Flickr.com
In this post I briefly give my testimony on why I went from unbelief in God to belief in Him. I touch on one major intellectual struggle I had: Why is there so many accomplished intelligent people in different disciplines from science to philosophy to social sciences who believe in God with great confidence. In fact, their disciplines often lead them to conclude that it is more reasonable to hold that God does indeed exist.
In my last video blog post, What God Is Not, I addressed a major categorical mistake that new atheists (Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens…etc.) make when describing God. I don’t want to dwell on something I already spoke about, so if you’d like the context for this blog post you’re welcome to view the video here.
Today I wish to direct you to three sections in the Bible that clarify how Christians (and Jews) actually understand God’s nature. Let’s get going.
Courtesy of Joshua Earle from Unsplash.com
Check out my new blog update. This is my first blog video titled “What God is Not.”
I learned today that it’s not easy to shoot a quality video. Much respect to those who do this on a regular basis. Forgive me for the focus part way through. Cheers!
When I was an undergrad student I was surprised at how many of my professors proudly wore their atheist badges with great pride. With great enthusiasm some even preached personal atheist manifestos with evangelical fervor.
Prior to my acceptance of Christianity I had been convinced that to believe in God is to sacrifice intellect. In other words, if I wanted to be smart (or appear smart) I had to dismiss belief in God as superstition. God has no place in serious academia. Ironically, I soon came to realize how non-intellectual this position is.
Here are THREE REASONS why Christianity can encourage your intellect.
Courtesy of Demletrich Baker from Flickr.com