Jul 10, 2009
This isn’t an exciting, encouraging, or inspiring reason that I’m a Christian, but it is a reason.
When I can’t believe something about Christianity, I ask myself if I can believe the opposite?
I’m Christian because I answer No.
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Excellent post Abraham. Very C.S. Lewis-esque.
I second that Jonathan’s comment.
what a relief to find out I’m not the only one that feels like that sometimes…
This was the very thing that often kept Kellie and I as we struggled through the loss of Owen. We were tempted to abandon God in the midst of the pain, but if we left God to whom would we turn? As hard as it was to follow God in the midst of the pain, we could see that the other options were worse.
The alternatives are so ghastly.
Well said! I have thought along those lines for quite a while, but have never been able to say it so succinctly.
When I ask if I can believe in the opposite of the homophobia that infects Jesus Worship, the answer is yes.
How very cliché.
Ok – I’m confused. Who do you ask? Are you suggesting that does or doesn’t make them a Christian?
So true. I believe in Creation because the opposite is simply so unbelievable.
It is amazing what the Spirit will use to inspire some. May he bless you with fruit from this post.
Reminds me of this…
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor 1:18)
Exactly. After talking with an Athiest, I can’t help but ask myself if our culture has gotten better or worse since an Atheistic society has been on the rise. Quite obviously, apart from God and His goodness, man fails. Do good morals come apart from God? Nope. Thats “proof” enough for me.
Under 15% of our society labels itself “atheistic” — how exactly can our culture be atheistic if a majority of people believe in God?
Also are you suggesting that atheists are not moral? I know a number of atheists and unbelievers, and they are just as “moral” as my Christian friends — some more so.
I’m not sure the distinction you are making is “obvious” at all.
This reminds me of a statement that Mark Driscoll once made. During one sermon, he claimed that many atheists, agnostics and unbelievers do have some form of morality or moral compass. This proves that they do practice a form of religion, despite the fact that they often speak against religion.
I’m a little confused by this. For instance, if you have trouble believing Jonah really lived for a few days in a fish, you ask, “Can I really believe Jonah *didn’t* live in a fish?” And the answer you come up with is “no?”
The real question you are asking is…
Is the Bible true?
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. Jonah 1:17
Can you beleive the opposite?
Would the opposite be that Jonah swallowed the great fish?
http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/486-answering-the-fool
Regarding the Jesus Worship custom of insulting a person with whom you disagree, I try to practice the opposite.
Dawn, can you name anything “about Christianity” that can be questioned without thereby questioning whether or not the Bible is true?
Yes. There are legitimate theological disagreements where neither side is questioning the validity of the Bible. Infant baptism is one example. Questioning if Jonah really lived in a whale for three is answered by the book of Jonah.
Three days! If we are not going to get an edit feature I should at least read what I write before I post.
Abraham’s post seems to be addressing not issues of theological debate, but the struggle of doubting the Bible or tenets of Christianity.
I figured Abraham meant doubting something Biblical, like the resurrection, and comfort in being unable to imagine there not being a resurrection.
Wholey agreed. I have thought this often.
[...] concept (often violated in the comments) is to say what you like in 22 words or less. On Friday, he posted this: “This isn’t an exciting, encouraging, or inspiring reason that I’m a Christian, but it [...]
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
John 6:68-69
Must faith sit in this distance between doubt and disbelief…? Can we be certain or are we just increasingly disbelieving our doubts?
“Can we be certain or are we just increasingly disbelieving our doubts?”
amen. claiming to have certainty seems just stubborn and fearful.
I’m currently working on an open letter to MCTC (Minneapolis Community & Technical College) regarding this. I grew up with lots of Christian teaching, Christian parenting, church every Sunday… then I went to “experience” the world had to offer for five years and found it empty and miserable.
I attended MCTC for the last two years to begin some semblance of a “higher” education. After two years of standard post-modern public education (one as a Christian, one not), I have to say that what I was taught in my liberal arts education helped immensely to solidify my faith in Jesus Christ as the only salvation for myself, and the world. I have told friends since then, “Although I despised my time at MCTC, they have taught me one solid Truth: there is no alternative to Christianity.”
Thanks for posting this Abraham, and you’re right, it isn’t the best reason or the ultimate reason, but if one is to have an honest discussion about Christianity, Faith in miracles, New Birth, Depravity, Justification, etc… the other side must be given as much scrutiny as Christianity.
Presuppositional Apologetics, one of the most beautiful concepts in the world.