The Vital Question

Perhaps this post should be titled “Why I am not an atheist,” since there is a personal element involved. But it is titled the way it is because the question of God’s existence is one that everyone should ask themselves at some point during their lives.    

For the answer to the question of whether there is a God raises myriad other questions. If there is a God, then the obvious question arises – what (if anything) does He want of us? If there is no God, then right and wrong are illusions, so why can't human beings act as they will? 
Morality, life choices, afterlife - all of these important issues stem from God's existence or non-existence. 

(For what it is worth, I proved God’s existence definitively and brilliantly. But I digress.)

I was born and raised as a theist, but considered atheism for years. Intellectually, certain problems – especially the difficulty of reconciling God’s omniscience and omnipotence in the face of people going to Hell – bothered me about theism. And at many points of my life, I would have preferred the void of atheism to the definiteness of a God. A world without God, moral law, and an afterlife would have been far more appealing and comforting to a young man whose life was, shall we say, not exactly a paragon of moral virtue.

It’s not as if being an atheist is a hardship in America. Atheists win the praise of practically every “sophisticated” writer in America, and receive the unskillfully directed scorn of a few noisy Christians in return. Yes, they see the occasional statue or billboard. But they don’t have to drag their butts to church or have pesky moral rules about things like sex. They also have the satisfaction of believing that on earth, there is no higher being than humanity.

Theism, of course, has its advantages as well: the comforts of an afterlife, the assurance that suffering happens for a reason, the explanation for a lot of insanity that happens in the world. But the vital question does not ask which system is more comforting; false comfort or pride does no good to anyone.

I believe in God for 2 main reasons (and many smaller ones). The first is a modified version of St. Thomas’ 5 ways. All causes must have a first cause. If one accepts the Big Bang theory, explaining what caused the Big Bang is impossible without a God; a speck of unimaginable density doesn't suddenly explode without reason. 

The other definitive proof of God’s existence (for me) is the existence of miracles. Some miracles can be explained away by scientific means. But there are numerous miracles (Fatima comes to mind) which are impossible to explain using the scientific method; 9-year-old children don't just suddenly accurately predict extreme meteorological phenomena.  

The Corporal Works of Mercy (Part 7)

7. Bury the Dead

"... and if I saw any of my nation dead, or cast around the walls of Nineveh, I buried him." (Tobit 1:17)
The last of the corporal works of mercy is, on some level, the most logical of them. There is little direct tangible benefit towards visiting a prisoner or welcoming a stranger. But dead bodies smell bad after a couple days, rotting and spreading disease. It only makes sense to get corpses into the ground and out of the way as soon as possible.

But this corporal work of mercy is not only logical; it is merciful as well. For we could just dump bodies in the ground, and solve our problem of disease control with far less pomp and ceremony.  
But burying the dead is an act of honor, symbolizing the return of a Christian's temple of the Holy Spirit to God. Through Christian burial, we celebrate the life of an individual and his (presumed) return to God.

This work of mercy also reveals to us our dependence on others. For we are merely “dust, and to dust we shall return.” (Genesis 3:19) We are granted the opportunity to become participants in this process through our fulfillment of this corporal work of mercy.

Simply picking up a shovel is of course not the only method of fulfilling this corporal work of mercy. By graciously participating in funerals and honoring the memory of good Christians, we can fulfill this work of mercy. And when our time to go to God comes, other Christians will do the same for us.  

The Corporal Works of Mercy (Part 6)

6.      Visit the prisoner.

“He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives…” (Luke 4:18)

Thinking about this work of mercy was the impetus that spurred me to plan this whole series on the Corporal Works of Mercy. (I was watching The Green Mile at the time, and was struck by the sorrowful solitude of the prisoners, and those living in the nursing home.)

Ostensibly, “visit the prisoner” is another easy-to-interpret work of mercy. We are asked to go to jails to visit those locked up in prison for crimes – an unpleasant and mildly distasteful task, perhaps, but an easy one. After all, prisons aren't going anywhere.

But a simplistic interpretation of this work of mercy, like a simplistic interpretation of the other works, is faulty. A closer look at this corporal work of mercy poses some uncomfortable questions for Christians.

Obviously, this work of mercy does not command Christians to endanger themselves by finding the most violent criminal offenders and heedlessly embracing them. The corporal works of mercy are not a command to engage in danger-seeking. 

But it does call us Christians to examine our own attitudes towards prisoners. For many of us scorn criminals, deeming them as perpetually unworthy of the presence of law-abiding citizens. They did wrong, and they should be punished. And so we lock them up, forget about them, and shun them forever.

But redemption is possible, even for the worst of us (believe me, I know) – and it is a lot easier to achieve with the assistance of others. This work of mercy, examined closely, reminds us that all of us are capable of great evil. The saying “there but for the grace of God” comes to mind – we could just as easily be in the shoes of those we shun, if not for God's mercy. God came to redeem all men, not merely those who have not broken secular laws. 

The definition of prisoner also needs to be examined, since criminals are not the only prisoners. Many old people find themselves locked in the prison of nursing homes, with few people who visit them. Nursing homes may be comparatively comfortable prisons, but they are still just as inescapable to those who inhabit them, except through death. The homeless on the streets are also in prisons, locked in a sort of self-imposed inverse prison (oftentimes of their own making) of freedom from possessions and home.

Christ set us free; this work of mercy helps us to pass on that freedom to others.

The Corporal Works of Mercy (Part 5)

5.      Visit the Sick

This corporal work of mercy, like the others, seems deceptively easy. Go to a hospital, visit a sick relative, work of mercy fulfilled.

But Christianity demands full devotion to Christ, which requires more than mere rote fulfillment of the letter of the laws of God. St. Francis of Assisi famously ministered to a leper with his own hands, despite his aversion to the terrible disease. This type of total devotion to the letter and spirit of the spiritual works of mercy is required of us as Christians - overcoming our squeamishness to give fully of ourselves to others.

As with the other works of mercy, fulfillment of this requirement requires more than grudging adherence to the letter of the law. Visiting hospitals or friends suffering from illness is merely the first and barest requirement of this corporal work of mercy. 

For there are many sick in this day and age who are not found in hospitals. The hospitalized, of course, need care and support from their fellow man - and not merely doctors and nurses who devote their lives to curing illness. But there are many types of physical sickness: the blind and the broken, the deaf and the dumb, the leper and the lame. There are individuals suffering from chronic and debilitating illnesses such as arthritis. There are those confined to their home who need care and human interaction.

And sickness is not confined to the realm of the physical - mental illness is a scourge of many in this vale of tears. There are enough men and women suffering from chemical imbalances of the brain – men and women who shun others (and a few of whom snap in the face of madness). These people need love, not the shunning that many so-called Christians launch in their direction.

Then there are those in continuous danger of sickness – those exposed to illness daily through their work, those living in conditions not conducive to good health, those who overwork themselves. They also must be assisted.

The methods of assisting these men and women may be simple. The sick coworker who receives a heartfelt get well card – he or she is a recipient of this work of mercy. The simple act of cooking for someone in pain or ill - this is an act of mercy.

Most of us in the busy first world, hindered by our ties to our cares, can devote comparatively little of our time to serving the sick. But we can spend a few minutes visiting others, even those we barely know. And we can do little things to serve others. Little acts, as long as they are done in a spirit of charity, are often the greatest help to others.

In Defense of Taylor Swift?

I have a confession to make: I grudgingly admire Taylor Swift. I know it’s popular to bash famous artists because of their absurd popularity, but I just can’t bring myself to take obligatory potshots at her for the sake of coolness.

No, my forbearance isn’t just because she is pretty, although she is attractive. (No, she’s not my physical type, but a man can still admire an attractive woman who isn’t his type). I don’t admire her because she is a great crafter of songs, although she is indeed a skilled crafter of catchy lyrics. Not because she has a good voice – I won’t delve into that thorny question. Not even because everyone else seems to hate her for her popularity, awakening my inner contrarian.

Unlike a whole host of other artists (that this blogger shall not name), Swift projects an image that is not completely toxic. Yes, I know about her, shall we say, awful choice in boyfriends, and decry her peculiar obsession with breakup songs.

But at least she has one at a time! And in a world where performers put their descent into depravity on display, there is something to be said for an artist who doesn’t induce a gag reflex every time she strains her voice for three minutes. (I know this image is largely based in illusion; I know her relationships have this annoying habit of ending in disaster. But in this crazy-quilt world, even the pretense of sanity is better than outright psychosis.)

This illusion of wholesomeness doesn’t mean that her lyrics are also wholesome – they aren’t. For her songs incessantly promote a foolish conception of “love.” Half of her music pushes the standard “happily ever after” nonsense that the wonderful world of modern entertainment has made its hallmark. The other half of her music is composed of complaints about relationships gone sour.

But say what you will about their message, her songs are very well-crafted, and fun to listen to. (Some in my family - including an editor of this blog - will disagree.) And that, at least, is the embodiment of the self-inflicted problem the modern Christian faces. Those orchestrating our cultural decline craft terrible messages into attractive packages for public consumption. Christians come up with confused messages and present those messages in forms that are painful to listen to.

Given the choice between well-crafted art with a terrible message and bad art with a semi-palatable message, most people (myself included) will choose candy-coated toxicity every time. And a confused woman like Taylor who croons well-crafted lyrics is far better than bands which play the tripe that constitutes Christian “music” – or should I say auditory torture noises. At least her falsity is far more true to life than that of "Christian" artists. 

Reflections from 10,000 Feet

I came home yesterday from a tour of the Great White North by airplane. Thankfully, it wasn't snowing, so there were no problems or delays. Deo Gratias!

I don’t have much experience flying, and it was my first late night flight. Since I had a window seat, I spent most of my time staring out the window and looking down.

The world looks very different from 10,000 feet. The pattern of lights during the night is absolutely gorgeous from the air. (I took pictures on my cell phone, but my cell phone camera is garbage, and my technological prowess is even worse, so sharing is out. You’ll just have to trust me - or go flying yourself.)

You realize very quickly how small people are high in the air. People are completely unrecognizable from a mile or two up. Cars can’t be seen from that height (and I have very good vision). All that you can see in the night is stationary lights. Small clusters of lights for towns, huge clusters for cities. Lights, lights everywhere. And this pattern of lights is strangely beautiful and comforting. It displays the extent of man's presence on earth. It is also symbolic of man's weakness - his smallness in the grand scheme of things. We are merely a small part of a very large world. 

God commanded His creations to "fill the earth and subdue it." (Gen 1:28) And the proliferation of lights shows that man, for all his imperfections and failures, has fulfilled this command.

Protestant Church Buzzword Bingo

With help from my family, I invented Protestant Church Buzzword Bingo! It's a perfect game for those long and dreadfully boring car trips.
The rules are simple. Most Protestant Churches have some variation of certain key buzzwords (i.e., Scripture, Gospel). On a long driving trip, look for Protestant churches that have such buzzwords in their title, and cross them off on a bingo sheet when you find them. First player to cross off five in a row wins!
Here's a card to get you started...

Lutheran	Baptist	Methodist	Congregation	Third
Truth/True	Messiah	Second	Scripture/Bible	Calvary
Presbyterian	Shepherd	FREE SPACE	Water/Waters	Savior
First	Peace	Lighthouse	Jerusalem	Gospel
Spirit	Living	Communion	Tabernacle	Community

You can also do a Catholic version with the names of saints.
Readers, have a blessed end of the Christmas season and a very happy 2013!