"It is a fine thing to establish one's own religion in one's heart, not to be dependent on tradition and second-hand ideals.
Life will seem to you, later, not a lesser, but a greater thing."
--D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930)
Roll up your sleeves, and let's talk religion!
While coming home from a rehearsal this evening, I tuned my radio to the local Christian station. I heard two things which were thought-provoking. I offer them to my blog in the spirit of interest and self-reflection.
1. The owner of the station came on and gave an "editorial" over some confusion of some advertisments they'd been running, regarding a collection of ministers who have spoken out against "global warming", and wish to bring about change.
The owner went on clairify the station's position. He said that there was no proof that climate change was occuring, and that even if there were, it would probably be akin to Noah and the Flood (ie, God is responsible). It was vain to consider that the machines of humans could possibly do anything to alter the divine plan of long scale weather.
Furthermore, he stated that this entire point (if it exists at all) is secondary when we live in a world where the lives of "innocents" are being taken, or where the sanctity of marriage is under siege from "egalitarians". It was a greater concern that there was so much killing of "innocent life", by which I understand that he's not as concerned about non-innocent life. He then chastised the ministers in the ads, saying that their focus on this issue (climate change) at the expense of others was not in the spirit of Christ.
2. The show which followed this editorial began with a simple statement, that if a person wished to be accepted by Christ, they had only to say a simple prayer for acceptance and true belief. It was followed by an interview with a minister who holds that we cannot truely accept Jesus voluntarily, because any such decision would be always subject to doubt and situational pressure (conversion because of momentary belief, because of a girlfriend, etc.). He went on to state that any acceptence of Christ is merely illusiory, because all of that was decided before birth.
The argument on the place of free will in religion is always fascinating. This minister believes that all is ordained before life begins, because belief in Christ is perfect. People cannot truly chose perfect things. Perfect things (indeed, all things) only come from God, ergo God's will is our reality.
I think predestination is an extremely treacherous path to walk on. We have no say in the matter. Everything we do, everything we think, everything we feel is part of the Divine Script. Even evil comes from God. Not only comes from, but is designed to occur in certain people in specific ways.
I deplore this notion of God. For one thing, it takes the wonder out of human existence. Why bother to do anything? Everything you're doing is God's will; you can't avoid it. "What a piece of work is a man." Well, not really. Even worse, it means that certain "immoral" behaviors are unavoidable. Suddenly, nothing is a matter of choice. God makes certain people serial killers, wife beaters, drunk drivers, etc.
I much prefer the "parental" belief in God. God gives each person the tools and the right to choose how to live and what to make of it. People are then given the chance to oppose evil, to make their own decisions to abstain from behaviour they consider immoral. People are even free to believe in God, or in nothing, if they choose.
If not, then finding "good" people is nothing more than searching the shelves for the correct department. Saints who sacrifice themselves as martyrs are not special; they make no special choices or sacrifices, they are simply existing on their own assembly line.
Extremely depressing, if you ask me. Sorry, St. Vincent.
Good thing I don't believe in predestination.
--D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930)
Roll up your sleeves, and let's talk religion!
While coming home from a rehearsal this evening, I tuned my radio to the local Christian station. I heard two things which were thought-provoking. I offer them to my blog in the spirit of interest and self-reflection.
1. The owner of the station came on and gave an "editorial" over some confusion of some advertisments they'd been running, regarding a collection of ministers who have spoken out against "global warming", and wish to bring about change.
The owner went on clairify the station's position. He said that there was no proof that climate change was occuring, and that even if there were, it would probably be akin to Noah and the Flood (ie, God is responsible). It was vain to consider that the machines of humans could possibly do anything to alter the divine plan of long scale weather.
Furthermore, he stated that this entire point (if it exists at all) is secondary when we live in a world where the lives of "innocents" are being taken, or where the sanctity of marriage is under siege from "egalitarians". It was a greater concern that there was so much killing of "innocent life", by which I understand that he's not as concerned about non-innocent life. He then chastised the ministers in the ads, saying that their focus on this issue (climate change) at the expense of others was not in the spirit of Christ.
2. The show which followed this editorial began with a simple statement, that if a person wished to be accepted by Christ, they had only to say a simple prayer for acceptance and true belief. It was followed by an interview with a minister who holds that we cannot truely accept Jesus voluntarily, because any such decision would be always subject to doubt and situational pressure (conversion because of momentary belief, because of a girlfriend, etc.). He went on to state that any acceptence of Christ is merely illusiory, because all of that was decided before birth.
The argument on the place of free will in religion is always fascinating. This minister believes that all is ordained before life begins, because belief in Christ is perfect. People cannot truly chose perfect things. Perfect things (indeed, all things) only come from God, ergo God's will is our reality.
I think predestination is an extremely treacherous path to walk on. We have no say in the matter. Everything we do, everything we think, everything we feel is part of the Divine Script. Even evil comes from God. Not only comes from, but is designed to occur in certain people in specific ways.
I deplore this notion of God. For one thing, it takes the wonder out of human existence. Why bother to do anything? Everything you're doing is God's will; you can't avoid it. "What a piece of work is a man." Well, not really. Even worse, it means that certain "immoral" behaviors are unavoidable. Suddenly, nothing is a matter of choice. God makes certain people serial killers, wife beaters, drunk drivers, etc.
I much prefer the "parental" belief in God. God gives each person the tools and the right to choose how to live and what to make of it. People are then given the chance to oppose evil, to make their own decisions to abstain from behaviour they consider immoral. People are even free to believe in God, or in nothing, if they choose.
If not, then finding "good" people is nothing more than searching the shelves for the correct department. Saints who sacrifice themselves as martyrs are not special; they make no special choices or sacrifices, they are simply existing on their own assembly line.
Extremely depressing, if you ask me. Sorry, St. Vincent.
Good thing I don't believe in predestination.
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