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I recently took my motorcycle to Boise and back. On the way up to God's country, I got caught in Highway 99 traffic, in Sacramento, and went down at 50 mph, on a three lane off-ramp, during morning rush hour . . . . . . . and lived. In fact, folks helped me get my bike to vertical, checked me over for broken bones (there were none), and I was on my way. I am a believer. Here is what I believe about God's protection. I wrote this onto my Facebook a few days ago. ~ J Smithson, editor. 
I am thankful for God's protection, but here is my thinking on that: God protects us and is with us as a matter of life's course. I do not use the fact of God's protection as if it were my lucky rabbit foot. Like everyone reading this, God protects us ALL more from what never happened. than events such as my accident. Like all of God's creation, I am never outside his care and keeping. So, the end result of the accident, was expected (by me). I don't always wear clothing that protects me in such situations, but I did, that morning. "Luck" or God's function in my life? And if you all should wake up someday, and find that the Smithmeister was killed in an accident, well, just understand, that that, too, was expected (by me). I quit trying to figure out God's timing and reasons for doing what he does, a long long time ago, right after I discovered he knew more than I. I have never prayed for God to "come, honor your word and give to us what you have promised." Actually, that sort of prayer is almost blasphemy, but God understands what we are doing with such words, and ignores the arrogance of it all. We praise him with words that are sometimes contrary to his will and function, and he accepts even that sort of praise. There is no getting around the comforting fact that we are his children by grace, if you understand that "grace" truly is "unmerited, undeserved, and unrequited favor from the Creator." If my kids know and trust in their Dad, and they do, how much more can we trust in him who actually has power over all that we see? While death, for the most part, is a painful, ugly event, still, it is our only avenue for getting out of here, and, I might add, "for getting out of here alive."
Fantasy versus reason.
ReplyDelete"Fantasy" could be just as easily defined as believing that something evolved from absolutely nothing, or that matter and particulate motion ALWAYS existed, or that a man can say he is a woman, and "BAM," he is a she, or you can spend a nation into a debt crisis and pay no consequences, especially when you are using the funds our enemies, to "balance" the budget, or that your personal opinion on God is more important than mine, or that you your existential philosophy of life gives you a richer (fully) since of life than does mine, as rich as it is.
ReplyDeleteAs concerns the revelation that is Jesus Christ, it is your opinion versus mine. Of course, I believe in the fact of that revelation, but I cannot prove. It is one of my "postulates of life." In point of fact, Jesus Christ, as God manifest, he is my TOE (theory of everything). Without Him or some related "god" belief," here is no foundation for morality, no moral authority that exists outside the realm of personal opinion, no reason to adopt your life style over mine, no reason to accept the value of the "greater good." The Utopian Science of "origins," has no more science behind it, than does any philosophical alternative to the notion of divine (at some level) creation. In the end, ALL of us are left with our beliefs and opinions, me included. You are my brother, whether I like it or not, whether you agree or not. THAT is the Christian doctrine. Take it or leave it.
Pope Francis called right-wing Christian fundamentalism a sickness.
ReplyDeleteDuring a daily Mass last week, Pope Francis called ideological Christianity “an illness” that doesn’t serve Jesus Christ. Instead, it “frightens” people and pushes them away from religion.
It also divides people, makes them stupid and ignorant.
Pope Francis is neither an American nor is he one who understands and accepts the principles of the American Revolution. He confuses Christ's comments and charge to the church with national and world politics. A good guy, but hardly an authority on anything political, as relates to the United States. And a man (the Pope) for whom you have absolutely no regard except to use his comments to win an argument.
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