There have been a lot of questions going through my mind. And I am beginning to wonder what the purpose behind asking them has been. When one trains, it’s completely pointless to have a difficult workout and then never again return to the gym. Should I be mentally floundering, I recognize the fact that I will need to immediately correct the poor train of thought and get back to a healthy state of mind.
Recently, I have been questioning the type of love the Creator of the universe must have for us created beings, and whether or not we will be punished to eternal damnation for living our lives the way we were raised to. I call it the “Jesus problem” because this is what most spiritual discrepancies can be traced to in religious debates. “No man comes to the Father except through me” has been grossly [mis]interpreted over the last 2,000 years. Were I standing there at that moment, I would have asked “Jesus – can you clarify? Does this mean you are the gatekeeper or the key to the gate?” Unfortunately, I was not able to ask these questions at the time the words were spoken.
Let’s start with the Church of Christ christian denomination. In their doctrine, they believe salvation is critically dependent upon one’s decision to be baptized; If you are driving to your baptism and are killed in a car accident, mid trip, they believe you are damned to hell. There’s no way to butter this up and make it easier to read. That’s what they believe.
If you take those individuals and ask them about the salvation of somebody who has never been baptized, let alone heard the name of Jesus, and been raised as a devout Hindu, what do you think they would say?
Back to the Jesus problem — what about the years prior to His existence? See, it’s many of His quotes that people use to back up their narrow views on faith; turning the eternal security of human beings into an elitist “Who’s Who” club. However, what about before He walked the earth? A good friend of mine was chastened by a charismatic christian that she was bound for Hell, simply because she was Jewish — and a devout Orthodox Jew, at that! What about Abraham? Joseph? King David? Mary and Joseph?
Let’s continue to widen the circle. Prior to the birth of the Christ, what about Hindus? American Indians? Eskimos? Aristotle? Plato? Socrates?
Let’s pretend, for a moment, that it’s true those who don’t profess the name of Christ as their savior are going to Hell. These individuals could have avoided this statement because they A.) Didn’t believe it to be true B.) Were raised with a different belief C.) Never had the opportunity to hear the story of Christ; the ‘island man’ example. If it’s true, then it would have been better for these people to have never been born, since their eternal existence is destined to be an eternal realm of torture, suffering, and punishment from a God they never had the opportunity to be introduced to.
This is where my criticism of Christianity comes to a sharp point; many Christians will be the first to tell you that ‘their god’ (caps intentional) is not just loving, but IS love. If this is the case, why are almost all elements of Christianity positioned in a non-loving manner that is simply written off as “tough love” rather than real love?
I’ll finish with this conclusion.
I’ve been asking a lot of questions that have been very hard for me to even put breath behind. However, These questions have been wholly consistent with my desire to see the pure, undiluted, and objective truth that exists in our life. I would not want to be fed a lie, not spread this lie to others.
Perhaps it’s not proper to post these questions in such a public place as the internet. However, the purpose behind publishing them in this very exposed manner is because I personally feel not enough people are transparent and honest about who they are, what they are experiencing in life, and where they are going. I shudder to think that I’ll turn into the “fine” individual who proclaims that everything in life is “fine” when asked.
One thing that I do manage very well is balancing these issues with the flow of ‘real life’. I make appropriate time to think and ponder difficult subjects, while also maintaining a very healthy lifestyle. I work hard, enjoy my social life, love my family, exercise regularly, and maintain strong aspirations and goals, while working hard to achieve them.
It’s free thought, such as these blogs, that exercise the mind. An exercised mind is the sharpest tool you can ever possess. It will solve problems, create new opportunities, gain quality friends, and ultimately grant you the full experience behind life. This doesn’t mean every day will be rosy and simple. It means the days that are good can be deeply appreciated and cherished. It puts depth and meaning behind success, accomplishment, and human achievement.
We humans are so beautiful, it overwhelms me. We have so much potential, ability, and possibilities in this life. We have created tunnels through mountains, reached high into the air with skyscrapers, explore science and value education. And yet, we are so very far from even realizing a fraction of the potential we have. If I were the Creator, I would find it hard to not look at the created and be slightly proud of what they had accomplished, while deeply hoping they would take it one step further and continue to probe their potential.
No Comments