E*****m
发帖数: 25615 | 1 這篇基督徒寫的文章，基督徒朋友們可以看看。
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/why-aren%E2%80%99t-m
“God’s alright when he isn’t making bears eat children, you know?”
I didn’t. But this was just one of the arguments that would be lobbed at me
by my new atheist friend, Tyler.
Tyler used to believe in God. Though I didn’t know him at the time, his
theology degree and sleeve of artfully ambiguous Christian tattoos suggest
he took the whole thing pretty seriously, so when we began discussing his
recent de-conversion, I paid attention.
We considered the aforementioned story from 2 Kings. Elisha curses a group
of boys for calling him “baldy,” so the Lord sends bears to maul a few
dozen kids. After debating how feasibly the story could be implemented in a
Rogaine commercial, I conceded that it seemed a bit harsh.
IS THIS INTELLECTUAL APPROACH TO CHRISTIANITY A FAITH KILLER?
We talked about how a loving God could allow the immense suffering in the
world, discussed Balaam and his talking donkey, and crunched some numbers on
the six-day creation.
As Christians, it’s easy to view this approach of picking apart Scripture
and doctrine as cynical and unhelpful. For many of us, our experiences with
God are enough to cultivate genuine belief. For others, the thought of
accepting something as true without being certain of it’s intellectual
credibility seems absurd.
But is this intellectual approach to Christianity a faith killer?
The University of Rochester recently published a review of decades of
research demonstrating that “religious people are less intelligent than non
-believers.” A summation of 63 studies on the subject, the Rochester report
cannot be dismissed by the religious community. We must recognize as an
objective fact that people with higher IQs are turning to atheism.
Atheist author Richard Dawkins points out that, according to a survey of the
National Academy of Scientists, only 7 percent of American scientists
believe in a personal God.
So why aren’t more of our best and brightest minds believers?
It’s a complex question, but I have two theories. First, there is an
incredible bias against theism within higher education. In 2009, Dr. Brent
Slife published a study of this “pervasive, implicit bias,” and
demonstrated ways that the anti-God mentality is a systemic part of academia.
The result of this bias is that the most intelligent people (since they are
likely to attend college and grad school) are exposed to tremendous negative
pressure from both mentors and peers regarding their beliefs.
Secondly, I believe the present Church culture in America is unfriendly to
intellectual scrutiny.
I have experienced firsthand the judgmental glares of church ladies who didn
’t take kindly to me polluting their potluck fellowships with tough
theological questions. Once the conversation gets messier than the Sloppy
Joes, it’s time to wrap it up with the catch-all “His ways are higher than
our ways,” or “If we knew everything we wouldn’t need God now, would we?”
This has to stop.
We must stop pretending that Christianity doesn’t make any claims beyond
our personal experiences with God. The it’s-not-a-religion-it’s-a-
relationship rhetoric sells short what Christianity is—a series of
significant truth claims.
Yes, if accepted as true, these claims are simply the jumping off point for
a profoundly intimate relationship with a powerful, loving creator. But when
we discourage members of the body of Christ from challenging the status quo
or even the fundamentals of our faith, we limit their own discovery of
truth. By testing the claims of Christianity, we substantiate them in our
own hearts.
If what we believe about God is true, no genuine discovery can ever
contradict it. If we are to bolster the perception of Christianity in an
increasingly secular world, we must welcome the skeptics, and we must be
willing to answer their questions. We can be confident that the same God
whom skeptics are trying to disprove designed the minds that seek to
disprove him.
Still, the atheist seeking a dialogue is not the biggest issue here.
A fact we must face with American atheists (since their growth has been
primarily in the last two decades) is that most of them were raised in
Christian, or at least theist homes. Thus, these disproportionately
intelligent people are rejecting Christianity based on their experience
within the Christian community.
What attitude do we have toward other Christians who question the
fundamentals of the faith? Typically, we tend to view them as less solid in
their walk or unconnected to God. This mindset is incredibly damaging.
IF OUR BELIEF IN GOD IS ROOTED SOLELY IN THE SHALLOW SOIL OF HUMAN EMOTIONS,
THIS SHALLOWNESS WILL BE EVIDENT IN THE FRUIT THAT OUR FAITH PRODUCES.
Christ’s call to have a childlike faith has been bastardized to a point
that encourages blind acceptance of whatever we happen to have been told. So
let’s examine the reality of this calling. I believe the faith of children
carries with it two significant qualities. The first is that kids are
remarkably uncynical. The skepticism that plagues our generation is a
learned trait, one that desperately needs unlearning.
Secondly, they are annoyingly inquisitive. An inquisitive mind asks why the
sky is blue. It asks why the grass is green. It asks why Arrested
Development got cancelled but George Lopez still has a successful career.
There are some things we will never know, and that should drive us crazy.
The Berean Jews were commended in Acts because they “examined the
Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of
them believed.” How far we have come from church leadership that commends
those who question their teachings!
As followers of Christ, we must not only make the Church a place that is
open to the questions of others, we must ask tough questions ourselves. Our
faith should be based on what we are certain of, not just on how we feel. If
our belief in God is rooted solely in the shallow soil of human emotions,
this shallowness will be evident in the fruit that our faith produces.
We are not called to blind faith. We are called to let the Spirit “guide us
to all truth.” And when you know the truth, the truth will set you free. | C*******r
发帖数: 10345 | 2 这篇写得很好啊。现在很多教会根本就是“一本书教”，唯尊一本书，而且还是当教条
来读的。你不见他们那种东拉西扯，语录式的什么“查经”吗？其实和毛主席语录相差
也不大。 | o***1
发帖数: 592 | 3 关键是一般教会没有有水平的人来回答tough questions. 这里的教徒就是最好的证明。
【在 C*******r 的大作中提到】
: 这篇写得很好啊。现在很多教会根本就是“一本书教”，唯尊一本书，而且还是当教条
: 来读的。你不见他们那种东拉西扯，语录式的什么“查经”吗？其实和毛主席语录相差
: 也不大。
| E*****m
发帖数: 25615 | 4
明。
唉！
【在 o***1 的大作中提到】
: 关键是一般教会没有有水平的人来回答tough questions. 这里的教徒就是最好的证明。
| N*******8
发帖数: 1449 | 5 不错的文章. 谢谢分享.
特别喜欢下面这两句:
"Our faith should be based on what we are certain of, not just on how we
feel".
"We are not called to blind faith. We are called to let the Spirit “guide
us to all truth.” And when you know the truth, the truth will set you free.
" | E*****m
发帖数: 25615 | 6
free.
謝謝！
其實耶穌要的就是 blind faith.
耶穌對他說：「你因為看到了我才信嗎？那沒有看到就信的人，是蒙福的。」
【在 N*******8 的大作中提到】
: 不错的文章. 谢谢分享.
: 特别喜欢下面这两句:
: "Our faith should be based on what we are certain of, not just on how we
: feel".
: "We are not called to blind faith. We are called to let the Spirit “guide
: us to all truth.” And when you know the truth, the truth will set you free.
: "
| J*******g
发帖数: 8775 | 7 这是因为这个人认为他自己无法认知的就不存在。别人说的不可信，历史不可信。等等。
基督徒认为神存在。
free.
【在 N*******8 的大作中提到】
: 不错的文章. 谢谢分享.
: 特别喜欢下面这两句:
: "Our faith should be based on what we are certain of, not just on how we
: feel".
: "We are not called to blind faith. We are called to let the Spirit “guide
: us to all truth.” And when you know the truth, the truth will set you free.
: "
| J*******g
发帖数: 8775 | 8 基督徒的信仰是以圣经，犹太教，基督教的历史为基础的。而且信徒千年来有很多见证
。基督教的神学理论也是需要理性解释的。
基督教不是盲信。
【在 E*****m 的大作中提到】
:
: free.
: 謝謝！
: 其實耶穌要的就是 blind faith.
: 耶穌對他說：「你因為看到了我才信嗎？那沒有看到就信的人，是蒙福的。」
| N*******8
发帖数: 1449 | 9 他有认为他自己无法认知的就不存在吗? 我没看出这个意思呀.
我觉得他的意思是我们不但不要怕其他基督徒问问题, 我们自己也应该多问问题, 然后
在圣灵的引导下, 对基督教的真理有更深的理解. 我赞成这种观点.
等。
【在 J*******g 的大作中提到】
: 这是因为这个人认为他自己无法认知的就不存在。别人说的不可信，历史不可信。等等。
: 基督徒认为神存在。
:
: free.
| J*******g
发帖数: 8775 | 10 "Our faith should be based on what we are certain of, not just on how we
feel"
你怎么理解。
你认为这个"certain"是什么意思。
【在 N*******8 的大作中提到】
: 他有认为他自己无法认知的就不存在吗? 我没看出这个意思呀.
: 我觉得他的意思是我们不但不要怕其他基督徒问问题, 我们自己也应该多问问题, 然后
: 在圣灵的引导下, 对基督教的真理有更深的理解. 我赞成这种观点.
:
: 等。
| E*****m
发帖数: 25615 | 11
等。
真的不想批評你這個人，但是你的閱讀能力真的不行。 這篇是基督徒寫給基督徒看的，
發在基督教網站上， 你都讀成什麼去了？
【在 J*******g 的大作中提到】
: 这是因为这个人认为他自己无法认知的就不存在。别人说的不可信，历史不可信。等等。
: 基督徒认为神存在。
:
: free.
| J*******g
发帖数: 8775 | 12 他这句话基督徒说是一个意思，反基说是另一个。
的，
【在 E*****m 的大作中提到】
:
: 等。
: 真的不想批評你這個人，但是你的閱讀能力真的不行。 這篇是基督徒寫給基督徒看的，
: 發在基督教網站上， 你都讀成什麼去了？
| E*****m
发帖数: 25615 | 13
這裡只有你在說。
你都讀成什麼去了？ 你到底看懂這篇文章在講啥嗎？
很明顯你根本沒看懂就亂評論， 當然你是基督徒，不會認錯的。
【在 J*******g 的大作中提到】
: 他这句话基督徒说是一个意思，反基说是另一个。
:
: 的，
|
|
