Christianity Begs to Differ

Spirituality Column #248
August 9, 2011
Current in Carmel - Westfield - Noblesville – Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

Christianity Begs to Differ
By Bob Walters

“The things said most confidently by advanced persons to crowded audiences are generally those quite opposite to the fact; it is actually our truisms that are untrue.”
– G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

In the spheres of modern religion, morality, politics, education, science – quick, name some more spheres – I can’t think of a more frighteningly accurate assessment or warning about mass-marketed “truth” than this nugget Christian essayist Gilbert K. Chesterton wrote in 1908.

And by “modern” we mean in the philosophical, intellectual sense which – over the past 500 years or so – has come to mean “intelligence invented by man” (e.g. secular humanism, faith in man) as opposed to “intelligence that emanates from the Creator” (e.g. religion, faith in God).

This is relevant in today’s Christian conversation because “modern” culture has overtaken most of civilization’s greatest institutions thereby narrowing the influence of Christian truth. The modern culture of education, the media, “intellectual elites,” most governments (including ours), and even distressingly many churches – all insist that man not only is on at least an even plane with God, but that to be politically correct man must be “one” with everything around him, such as the universe, the planet, animals, the trees, the weather, each other … whatever.

The fact is we are not one. Even God is not One but a society, the Trinity. Our love, creativity, rebellion, decisions, industry, loyalties, talents and freedom all prove that it’s the differences in the universe that animate God’s plan, not the similarities.

Where modern thought identifies patterns and sameness, it frequently and mistakenly imputes “truth” where none exists. Here’s an example: “The religions of the earth differ in rites and forms, but they are the same in what they teach.”

Observes Chesterton, “It is false; it is the opposite of the fact. The religions of the earth do not greatly differ in rites and forms; they do differ greatly in what they teach … they are alike in everything except the fact that they don’t say the same thing.”

Chesterton uses the massive differences of Christianity and Buddhism – the external, creative “otherness” of the Christian God vs. the inward, quiet “oneness” of the Buddha – to make his case. His larger point though is that it is easier and more “modern” simply to say “they are the same” than to deeply consider why they are not.

“Go along to get along” was not the teaching of Christ.

Orthodoxy clearly explains why Christ makes a difference, not just to Chesterton, but to all Creation. God’s truth – Jesus Christ – is a truism we can trust.

Walters (www.believerbob.blogspot.com, email rlwcom@aol.com) celebrates our differences while marveling at God’s cohesiveness. Next: Chesterton explains his faith.

I'm Just Not That into God, Lent Part 1

Spirituality Column #226
March 8, 2011
Current in Carmel - Westfield - Noblesville – Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

Lenten Series 2011
I’m Just Not That into God, Part 1
By Bob Walters

We are conditioned by our culture to believe that God – especially the person of Jesus Christ – is merely one of life’s extracurricular activities, not the full-time source and center of our humanity and life itself.

There is doubt. God is OK but organized religion is a pain. Yeah I suppose there is a God but until He proves to me he or she exists I’m looking out for No. 1. When I sincerely tried to pray, I got no answer. What’s God ever done for me?

There is reason. Survival depends on my ability to reason, to choose and to judge right and wrong. I’m supposed to deny my powers of reason and “believe” in a God I can’t see? Who allowed his own son to be killed? Who needs a father like that?

There is precedent. I’m free, aren’t I? Don’t Bible-thump me with that Jesus nonsense. Arose from the dead? Loves sinners? Forgives even the stuff I’ve done? C’mon. I’m too smart for that. I know things. And don’t mix faith with public schooling. It’s my God-given right to have church and state separated!

“God-given?” Alas.

Truth is, people generally accept the existence of God. Survey after survey pegs “atheist” as identifying only four percent or so of the US population. Not that God tracks his ratings, He’s there whether we believe in Him or not. But our culture of media and personal esteem makes it far too appealing and easy for us to seek reality elsewhere.

I did that for about 30 years.

I never thought God didn’t exist. Nor did I think Jesus, the Bible and the church were all that important. Just a bunch of old characters, old stories, old thinking. Jesus was a good man, the Bible has lots of good advice … but, the center of all life?

I just wasn’t that into God.

Thing is, I realize now, I wanted to BE God. As I grew to understand that the job was already taken, Jesus – our human-divine connection with God – suddenly became very important.

Lent, the church season of Christ’s passion and sacrifice, begins tomorrow and ends at Easter. Traditionally, many Christians give up something for Lent.

To take the critical step of putting Christ in the center of our lives and recalibrating / downsizing popular culture, let’s give up trying to be God.

That job’s taken, and it’s a full-time gig.

Walters (email rlwcom@aol.com) will look at non-believers through Lent, urging believers not to give up on them.

Big City, Big God Problem

Spirituality Column #32
June 19, 2007
Current In Carmel (IN) newspaper

Big City, Big God Problem?
By Bob Walters

The Economist, that staid yet cutting edge British magazine of business and trends worldwide, reported last month that 50 percent of human beings now live in big cities.

In 1800, the number was 3 percent; in 1900, 13 percent.

This shift toward cities will affect how Christian missionaries will fulfill Christ’s “Great Commission” (Romans 28:19-20) to “baptize … and teach all the world” about the love of Jesus. The thing is, no one is sure exactly how to do that.

History teaches us it is difficult to evangelize cities.

The Economist article notes that cities originally were organized around farming, commerce, transportation, water, security and, significantly, a religion or temple. Yet considering a list of cities in the Bible – Babylon, Ninevah, Tyre, Sodom, Gomorrah – makes me think God isn’t much of a fan of big cities.

The article says that today cities are organized around and nurture secular culture. In the megacities – think New York, Tokyo, Mexico City, New Delhi, Sao Paulo, etc. – religion’s influence has all but disappeared. The organizing community expression is culture, not God.

It occurs to me that culture, in this sense, is the culture that provides enjoyment – the arts, museums, urbane pleasures, 150 cable channels, broadband and the like. Bigger cities equals bigger culture equals bigger enjoyment.

The Christian religion would call that kind of big culture “temptation.”

A Christian’s hope and faith, a Christian’s joy, is in the Lord; in working our faith and being involved in it; in personally engaging and endeavoring to produce spiritual fruit.

This rush toward cities, even in the poorest cultures where urban squalor is preferable to rural hopelessness, shows that people simply banding together – whether for richer or for poorer – has little to do with producing spiritual fruit.

To figure out how to evangelize megacities, it will take a greater power than us.

Hey, now there’s a thought …

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), a Carmel resident, doesn’t think having more people standing on busy street corners shouting about Jesus is the answer.