John Polkinghorne - In Quest of Truth

Religious belief can guide one in life or strengthen one at the approach of death, but unless it is true it can do neither of these things and so would amount to no more than an illusionary exercise in comforting fantasy.

Danger of the Certain

Doubt does not exist within the religion. Regardless that history shows a number of religions that eventually disappeared once their believers died, believers are certain they are right. Science questions everything devotees of religion question little if anything.

 

Stories in the bible such as how we came into existence do not match up with what is known. Biblical stories of the flood are little different than flood history of many civilizations and leave questions believers do not ask.

 

Christian religion teaches there is a loving God who will torture us for ever except for the intercession of Jesus, an innocent who had to be killed to let him intercede. One of the reasons the loving God will torture us for ever is if believers listen to a female teacher.

Calvin Coolidge

Leaving the presidency following five and a half years, Calvin Coolidge wrote:

"It is difficult for men in high office to avoid the malady of self-delusion. They are always surrounded by worshippers. They are constantly and for the most part sincerely assured of their greatness."

Did the founders of our country envision professional politicians? Did the early Christians envision professional preachers? Where does the Bible authorize a professional preacher to manage the church office; supervise the office staff; publish the weekly news letter and be the source of biblical knowledge for the congregation all paid for by contributions originally meant for the poor saints in Jerusalem? 

Martin Luther believed anything the Bible does not expressly prohibit, is permissible. Apparently the Church of Christ does too. 

At what point is the church no longer the church but just another man made organization?

Difficult Choice

If God is willing to prevent evil, but not able; he is not omnipotent.

If he is able, but not willing; he is malevolent.

If he is both able and willing; whence cometh evil?

If he is neither able nor willing; why call him God?  

 

---Epicurus

Education Not a Threat

I often hear folks caution students going off to college to not lose their faith. To some, education is a threat in that it brings to light new possibilities including the possibility the Bible does not say what they have been taught it says.

 

An advantage science has that the bible does not share is the thousands of scientists trying to prove it wrong. Science does not reward corroboration and the inability to disprove something lends credibility to it just may be true. Christians rarely challenge what the local congregation's spokesperson tells them the bible says.

 

Most Christians live in a cocoon where everyone is pretty much like the other. When we step outside the cocoon we occasionally see that reality is a bit different than what we believe. 

 

In classes I like to listen to those in the cocoon. Children have angels and that sort of thing. Did you know there is a market in the sex slave business for 4 to 7-year-old girls? Where are the angels? Where is God? On the other hand God will protect us.

 

Recently I read "A Train in Winter" by Caroline Moorehead.  It is the story of 230 women who were either part of the French resistance during the WWII German occupation of France or were in the wrong place at the wrong time; everyday people whose lives were turned into a Hell on earth. But I am sure it would not have happened if they had been Christians. Maybe they just did not pray enough.

 

Maybe "new" does not cause the youth to lose their faith but expand it? Research suggests they want to be more than an audience on Sundays.

 

 

Motivation

In the most recent House to House; Heart to Heart the cover article is "do you think you are the only ones going to Heaven?

Later, on page 5, there is All Things Considered; 4 Pictures of Faith. I am not aware the bible tells us their motivation but do you suppose Abraham, David, or Job was focused on being saved or going to Heaven or did Abraham just believe God, David had confidence, or did Job just have hope for a better tomorrow? They had a relationship with God much like with a friend. Do we have or even want a relationship with God or do we follow him only because we want something he has and if it were possible we want it with or without God? The author in one book I have read on the subject asked the question would we be happy in Heaven even if God was not there.  Since people argue that is not possible I ask the question would avoiding Hell be good enough for us. 

Last month when we attended the Church of Christ on Hilton Head Island it struck me like us church is assembling to hear a man talk. Was church to Abraham, David or Job assembling to hear a man talk? Are we just a group of rule-keepers and does that lead us to believe we are the only group keeping all the rules?

John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN



Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
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"I do not feel obliged to believe the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use"

Galileo Galilei, an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher

 

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