Trust Jesus

Avoid Controversy

Avoid Controversy

Transcending Camps of Opinion

There are some issues that I seldom discuss, especially in the context of social media.  I find our current culture at large intolerant of nuanced opinions.  Anything less than unilateral agreement is labeled rather than understood.  Forgive my disgruntled comments.  I've grown weary of watching fruitless battles result in deeper encampments.  

I love truth, and I love people.  Understanding is a bridge between the two, and I can't build that bridge with labels.  Perhaps most disheartening is the knowledge that the greatest offenders in these wars of controversy are the least aware and most prideful.  

It is a frustrating thing to have an opinion that exists neither within nor between prominent camps. This is the lesser of two reasons why I haven't posted anything about recent SCOTUS rulings or battle colors associated with confederate states (save for comedic statements meant to lighten the mood at a very serious time).  I've avoided commenting, because there is no room anyone that doesn't fit in a "camp." And, Jesus doesn't fit into a camp, because He is King.  

Rational Belief

Rational Belief

Following Jesus should never involve a blind leap of faith.  

The idea that faith should be blind is false.  Due to an array of causes, some have falsely promoted an idea that religious belief somehow requires the suspension of logic.  The indication seems to be that religious matters are outside the scope of rational and scientific thought and are therefore false.  

First of all, the idea that matters of faith do not intersect science and rationality is a false premise leading to a false conclusion.  However, the idea that something is false simply because it cannot be tested scientifically is itself a false assumption.  It is akin to saying, “Since I have never seen a virus it doesn't exist.”  The limitation of knowledge is not an indication of existence beyond knowledge's limits.  

Without giving you the whole back story, much of this thinking came as a result of an array of philosophers who subscribed to Isaac Newton's view that the universe was a vast machine of cause and effect that could not be influenced by anything outside of itself.  This erroneously ruled out the miraculous work of God and led to a few of theology that puts the human subject at the center of knowledge, rather than viewing God as the source of knowledge about Himself.  This view led to many arguments against God's existence, as well as to a vast array of liberal theology that denies the essentials of faith listed in the last chapter.

Newton's mechanistic view of the universe has since been supplanted by Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, which aligns quite well with the Christ-centered worldview that sees God as the revealer of truth.  While the truth of God stands regardless of trends in the sciences, it is nice to see the realm of physics start to catch up a bit with what God has shown us in His Word.