Hello again,
I can't deny that life as a Christian is pretty full on, study, worship and prayer take up quite a large part of my daily and weekly life, I can't begin to explain the hours and hours I spend contemplating my faith and future life as a Priest in the Church of England. One of the many of the things I have learnt over the last few years is how people respond to my vocation. I would describe it as a calling from God, as would many faithful Christians however I am sure some people may accuse me of just wanting to add another extreme to my adventurous trawl through life. Many people think it quite incredible that I get through the first 37 years of my life, displaying no real hunger or desire for faith, and then suddenly find the love of Jesus and become nothing short of a religious nut case to the point of following the path to wearing a long black dress and rather large crucifix. Others, namely atheists have very eloquently described it as 'A load of bollocks' and enjoyed greatly taking the mickey out of me and ridiculing my belief offering up nothing short of insults and generally being offensive.
This is not always the case, occasionally someone wants to actually get into a debate, about the existence of God, and do so in a respectful and thoughtful way. I try and engage likewise.
But this is not really a blog about criticizing atheists or debating the matter, more a blog of following the teaching of Jesus, when he said, 'Love thy neighbour as thyself, there is no other commandment greater than this'. However it is rather difficult to love someone that is so strongly against the thing that you believe in the most.
I also very much see why Atheists are Atheists. Matters such as, was the world made in seven days? Noah and his Arc and all them animals, The Virgin Birth and people living to long and rather unbelievable ages, and so on. I understand all that, but through learning and understanding I realize these matters are not as simple as Atheists would like to make them. Okay some honest questions, Do I believe the world was made in seven days? Answer No !
Does that make me an Atheist?
Answer No !
Do I believe Jesus was the Son of God?
Answer, Yes!
Does that make me a Christian?
Answer No!
But I build my faith on experience, understanding, reading, and watching the world.
I understand that The Bible warns of persecution, I read the the deep, dry, denseness of the Bible and I am confused, I read the stories of miracles and I believe, Do Atheists not believe in miracles?
I understand the teaching of Jesus, and I believe it, the value of love, the importance of morality, to try and do good things, although I fail frequently, but also to understand that when I do fail, It's okay.
By observing failed relationships, infidelity, children not experiencing the love of a parent, drug abuse, racism, debt, greed, materialism, cruelness of tongue, jealousy, anger to name just a few reminds of the alternate pathway to following Christianity.
I,m not saying Atheists are all these above, and I am not saying all Christians aren't all the above, but the following Jesus as the way and the truth, helps me more than I can ever express in one of my blogs.
The most powerful conversion of St Paul is also an event that sustains me and keeps hopeful. Paul refuted Christ he simply did not believe, and then on the road to Damascus he converted he became a follower of Jesus and went on to be the most significant of all the early Christians. And his conversion convinces me that any single person who wants to find the love of Jesus Christ can. He will forgive you for all your sins, no matter how minor or significant that may be.
I do believe God loves Atheists, I am trying to love Atheists and if Jesus is for losers, than I am a loser !
I can't deny that life as a Christian is pretty full on, study, worship and prayer take up quite a large part of my daily and weekly life, I can't begin to explain the hours and hours I spend contemplating my faith and future life as a Priest in the Church of England. One of the many of the things I have learnt over the last few years is how people respond to my vocation. I would describe it as a calling from God, as would many faithful Christians however I am sure some people may accuse me of just wanting to add another extreme to my adventurous trawl through life. Many people think it quite incredible that I get through the first 37 years of my life, displaying no real hunger or desire for faith, and then suddenly find the love of Jesus and become nothing short of a religious nut case to the point of following the path to wearing a long black dress and rather large crucifix. Others, namely atheists have very eloquently described it as 'A load of bollocks' and enjoyed greatly taking the mickey out of me and ridiculing my belief offering up nothing short of insults and generally being offensive.
This is not always the case, occasionally someone wants to actually get into a debate, about the existence of God, and do so in a respectful and thoughtful way. I try and engage likewise.
But this is not really a blog about criticizing atheists or debating the matter, more a blog of following the teaching of Jesus, when he said, 'Love thy neighbour as thyself, there is no other commandment greater than this'. However it is rather difficult to love someone that is so strongly against the thing that you believe in the most.
I also very much see why Atheists are Atheists. Matters such as, was the world made in seven days? Noah and his Arc and all them animals, The Virgin Birth and people living to long and rather unbelievable ages, and so on. I understand all that, but through learning and understanding I realize these matters are not as simple as Atheists would like to make them. Okay some honest questions, Do I believe the world was made in seven days? Answer No !
Does that make me an Atheist?
Answer No !
Do I believe Jesus was the Son of God?
Answer, Yes!
Does that make me a Christian?
Answer No!
I quite like the irony of the above advertisement, but more importantly, I find the Atheist argument that it's all scientific, one of the most profound reinforcements of my Faith. So we have existed for thousands and thousands of years, And our world has developed scientifically beyond all imagination, and still the the proof of how we came to be does not exist just as Atheists would argue the proof of God also has not been proved and therefore doesn't exist.
I understand that The Bible warns of persecution, I read the the deep, dry, denseness of the Bible and I am confused, I read the stories of miracles and I believe, Do Atheists not believe in miracles?
I understand the teaching of Jesus, and I believe it, the value of love, the importance of morality, to try and do good things, although I fail frequently, but also to understand that when I do fail, It's okay.
By observing failed relationships, infidelity, children not experiencing the love of a parent, drug abuse, racism, debt, greed, materialism, cruelness of tongue, jealousy, anger to name just a few reminds of the alternate pathway to following Christianity.
I,m not saying Atheists are all these above, and I am not saying all Christians aren't all the above, but the following Jesus as the way and the truth, helps me more than I can ever express in one of my blogs.
The most powerful conversion of St Paul is also an event that sustains me and keeps hopeful. Paul refuted Christ he simply did not believe, and then on the road to Damascus he converted he became a follower of Jesus and went on to be the most significant of all the early Christians. And his conversion convinces me that any single person who wants to find the love of Jesus Christ can. He will forgive you for all your sins, no matter how minor or significant that may be.
I do believe God loves Atheists, I am trying to love Atheists and if Jesus is for losers, than I am a loser !
May God kindle in us the fire of love.
Alextheanglican.
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