"Neither wholly a believer nor wholly a skeptic, I've always been a fellow who falls in the middle of this one. I value democracy as a co-operative where compromise keeps the peace by enabling each of us to believe what we will, according to our own conscience while settling our political and economic differences by common sense. There's a moving verse in the Hebrew Bible: "Come now, and let us reason together." But there is also a moving verse in the Christian New Testament: "I believe. Help Thou my Unbelief." Most of us ride the seesaw of faith and reason. Yes, it's an ancient conflict, a long-running argument, but with all the fear, violence, and intolerance that grip our times, we have to come to terms with the fact that it must be reason and faith, not reason versus faith. Otherwise, we would tear our society apart as Europe so often did — and may do yet again."Paul Mittleman is a lucky chap who works for Stussy and blogs on Honeyee.com... I love the blogs at Honeyee.com, especially Paul's and the mighty Hiroshi Fujiwara's...
Anyway, I thought Paul's current post (quoted above) is an interesting commentary on faith and reason in today's world... and is worth checking out. In it he references the PEN American Centre (who I'll check out later) and their take on crossing the faith/reason divide.
((link))
UPDATE
I think Paul's opinion is interesting because it demonstrates a perspective that is, in my opinion, not discussed enough. We assume that everything is black and white... but I see hope in his comments because it shows a desire to understand more. I want people to be discussing faith... wrestling with it... asking questions... debating the meaning and significance... instead of following blindly the kind of theology that actively encourages a separatist agenda.
We are ALL the whosoever!
Technorati Tags: faith
8 comments:
Hi Headphonaught,
I am curious as to how you can be neither wholly a believer nor wholly a skeptic.
If you are Born Again and have received The Holy Spirit you can be only one thing; a True Believer or a whole believer to use your terminology. If you are not Born Again then in turn you can be one of two things, someone The Father is calling to His Son - a disciple or someone who is really just a secular person with a general interest in the Christian Faith.
If you are Born Again The Lord will give you the Faith, all the Faith you will need. All you have to do is excercise it or use it so that your Faith is accompanied by works, for Faith without works is dead.
I hope this helps.
y2t
Thanks for your concern... I would suggest you read the whole article in which you will see I am quoting a blog post.
I am a Christian... A follower of Jesus... A baptised believer who has chosen to worship in the Salvation Army. I am fully committed to His work... spiritually... physically... mentally... engaged in the extension of His kingdom.
I am grateful for your concern... Please stick around... Hang out in the nanolog community and enjoy all God's creation.
It did help... Hope this clears things up
Shalom
T
Thank you for your reply.
One question I have always wanted to ask Salvationists is this.
Do you do your good works in order to be saved and/or maintain your salvation or because you are already saved?
y2t
My friend... I don't not pretend to speak for all Salvationists but I do good works because I am saved... It is an outpouring of my love for God's creation and an acknowledgement that I am a sinner saved by grace.
Good works do not save you... Only Jesus does. Good works are an outward demonstration of His love at work within your life. Nothing more...nothing less.
Love God. Love your neighbour.
You will find our Founder to be of a similar mind.
Here's one back at you... What do you do in your community to show, not tell, God's love? What actions do you do for Jesus?
Thank you again for your reply and the information.
What do I do for my fellow man?
I teach The Truth to those who are willing to listen, but I don't do 'good works' because of the welfare state and the systems we have here in the Britain that I generally call "Nationalised Charity" or enforced giving. I also believe that The Lord gave us no instruction to 'change this world' for the Devil is the god of it and it is his world. The Lord Jesus Christ will be changing this world when He returns to rule it with a rod of iron. He also said that the poor will always be with you so the best thing we can do for the poor is not join them.
Furthermore, this in turn means that the widows and orphans are cared for by our social services. The age of true charity died in Britain when socialists and communists took over in the 1950's. I also believe that The Lord always leads us to do what He wants and when He wants it done. At this moment in time for me, it's teaching.
Speaking of teaching, may I just pick up on one thing you said.
You said I am a sinner saved by Grace.
Scripture clearly states that Born Again sons of God are not sinners, they are perfect in God's sight even though they sin. The Lord Jesus Christ took all our sins to the cross - yesterday's, today's and tomorrow's sins. This means you are not a sinner, you are a son of God who sins. (This is a very different arrangement) Sins The Father God does not see because of what His Son did for us, combined with the indwelling of Holy Spirit.
He who loves another hath fulfilled The Law. If we fulfil The Law by loving others then we must be perfect, for fulfillment of The Law is perfection.
I do hope this helps.
y2t
You teach?!?
I don't feel taught by you... I feel harassed! You have been downright rude to me... on my blog... in the name of the Jesus we both love and share.
Teaching like this is not enough. Our Founder fed people before he preached to them. He sorted them out physically before he helped them to sort themselves out spiritually. Think about it.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'Matthew 25:35-40 (New International Version)
Where does it say here "you taught me"?
The poor are our responsibility... this isn't some "communist" agenda - it is scriptural... and it isn't solely the Governments either.
Oh and please don't misquote scripture by using "poor will be with you" - this is true - they will always be with us... but the point of the verse was because Jesus would not be with the disciples physically forever.
I hope to goodness you never become poor in these terms.
As for being a sinner saved by grace... I tend to highlight the "by grace" part because I am here... doing this... in His grace alone.
I know who I am and where I have been... and I love others unreservedly because of this - yourself included.
However, even though I love you... I have to ask you to please end this now.
I put people before principles... and that is something you just don't get.
End of.
I have not been rude to you, if you have interpreted it that way then that is not my fault.
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:35-40
This remark of The Lord is dealing with us loving our Brothers in Christ who are in need and in prison not the world in general. He says brothers of mine If we are not Born Again, then we are not His brothers.
Personally, I do not know any Christian brothers because I have been driven away from 'churches' due to their non-gospel and religion. I certainly don't know of any in prison.
Now, of course this will all change as the end times draw near and persecution of True Believers increases and that will be the time when we must look after those brothers who are needy and in prison.
I will not bother you again, but I do hope this lightens your heavy yoke.
y2t
"I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I"VE made it
When it's ALL ABOUT YOU, ALL ABOUT YOU JESUS."
This song says it all. We need to clear away all the rubbish in our lives. Our lives need to be stripped bare,... all of our opinions and prejudices thrown out the window.
The Lord COMMANDED us to love one another, not the selected few and certainly not solely to those who are saved. We are all God's creation, he gives us all a chance to be forgiven by his amazing grace. So then in return, we MUST also give everyone a chance. We are all created equal.
We get caught up in such trivial things sometimes. All this does is cloud out the real thing that we should have our total focus on....Jesus. We will never be perfect. We forever let Him down because we are fallen people. Even though I am a daughter of God, I am not perfect, I am a sinner and thank God I am able to claim his wonderful grace. But someday, the Lord will make me perfect in His sight.
Here's another song that I love
"Only by grace can we enter
Only by grace can we stand
Not by our human endeavor
But by the blood of the Lamb
Into Your presence You call us
Call us to come
Into Your presence You draw us
And now by Your grace we come
Lord, if You mark our transgressions
Who would stand?
But thanks to Your grace
We are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb
Only by grace can we enter
And now by Your grace we come"
When all is stripped away.......all we need is Jesus. Stay close to Him and He'll stay close to you.
olly
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