While I am a Christian, I thought this essay was one of the most TRUTHFUL and INSPIRING essays that I've ever heard.
Why?
Because it strips away all the excuses that christians use to "sin" (mistreat others) and doesn't offer them absolution of their "sins" by calling in that thing called grace and then believing that God has forgiven them just so that they can go back and "sin" all over again!
This essay says that we ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS and CAN'T USE GOD AS AN EXCUSE FOR OUR UNEXCUSABLE BEHAVIORS.
It makes us directly responsible for our thoughts and actions in the world - and that is how it should be.
It is probably one of the most God-affirming essays that I have ever seen.
Here is another interesting article. I think it somehow fits into this discussion:
http://www.statesman.com/search/content/life/stories/11/26interfaith.html
God can do many things, but he won't fix it all himself
Saturday, November 26, 2005
During one of his all-too-common, self-inflicted predicaments, Homer Simpson falls to his knees, looks heavenward, and cries out, "I'm not a religious man, but if you are really there, help me, Superman!"
I sometimes view God as a superhero. The one who will swoop down and save me from my own stupidity or someone else's cruelty or nature's onslaught. Maybe you do, too.
And why not? After all, the Bible is filled with stories of God saving his people from invading armies and nature's furies. Why not a little help in the big game, that grant proposal, the call from the medical clinic we are too scared to return?
For those of us who might be informed by the Jesus story, we try to resist the temptation to see God in this way or to call on God to act this way toward us. When Jesus asked God to take away the pain and suffering of the cross and God did not, perhaps that was God's way of saying that our theology might have to change.
God is not at my beck and call. God didn't bail out Jesus, so it's somewhat unreasonable to expect God to treat me any differently.
Of course, that doesn't stop me from asking. (I said it was a temptation to get God to do what I want. It's usually a very strong temptation.)
And here's the neat trick: If I can convince myself that God will help me out in any situation, I can blunder into any situation with the assurance that SuperGod is on the way. Mess up the environment? God will take care of it. Play fast and loose with facts and truth? God will make it all better.
But God isn't like that. God won't be misused, or abused, by human beings on the make.
Yes, God can make any situation better. There isn't any crucifixion so terrible that doesn't have a resurrection to match it. But the crucifixions do come, life's troubles do overwhelm and there is pain and hurt. (Sometimes even caused by people who think God is on their side.)
After a presentation, a university student once said to me, "I just want you to know: I don't believe in God." I replied, "Tell me more about this God you don't believe in. Maybe I don't believe in that kind of God either."
The Rev. Terrence Sherry is pastor at First Presbyterian Church, participants in Austin Area Interreligious Ministries. Learn more about them at aaimaustin.org.
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Thanks for this discussion.