Although I know absolutely nothing about economics, I found this video absolutely hilarious! Hope you enjoy.
(Michael Mount told me about it last night, and I saw Jeff Proctor post it on Facebook... The word is out!)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Faith, Doubt, and Wrestling
I recently answered a blog about this on "The Jesus Creed," Scot McKnight's blog on beliefnet. But I was wondering your thoughts.
The blog concerned a letter from "Jacob," a 23-year-old struggling with his faith. Although he has been a Christian for 8 years, he finds himself questioning the very tenets of his belief. (You can find this blog here.)
How do you understand doubt? I think most of us would argue that doubt is not the absence of faith, but rather the necessary by-product of faith growing and changing. When we encounter something new or questionable, it must cause us to examine our faith. For instance...
Socrates argued "The unexamined life isn't worth living." I would argue that unexamined faith isn't worth having. Paul puts it this way: "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face." (1 Cor. 13:9-12).
Indeed, the people of Israel constantly had to wrestle with these questions (and others.) The very name, Israel, denotes "One who wrestles with God." Our lives should be the same.
So, the question remains: How do you understand doubt? Is doubt a bad thing? How does doubt help you grow?
The blog concerned a letter from "Jacob," a 23-year-old struggling with his faith. Although he has been a Christian for 8 years, he finds himself questioning the very tenets of his belief. (You can find this blog here.)
How do you understand doubt? I think most of us would argue that doubt is not the absence of faith, but rather the necessary by-product of faith growing and changing. When we encounter something new or questionable, it must cause us to examine our faith. For instance...
- The earthquake in Haiti leaves us with questions of theodicy. If God is good, then why do people suffer? Pat Robertson argues that the earthquake was the result of God's judgment on the Haitian people (and their 18th century pact with the devil.) But are the answers so easy? Maybe it is judgment; maybe it is just the way the world works. Chaos won't be reigned in until God returns and sets things right. (By the way, look to tomorrow's blog for more information on Haiti.)
- The suffering of children
- Miracles in the Bible vs. a Scientific Worldview
- Building friendships with those of other religions
- Etc.
Socrates argued "The unexamined life isn't worth living." I would argue that unexamined faith isn't worth having. Paul puts it this way: "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face." (1 Cor. 13:9-12).
Indeed, the people of Israel constantly had to wrestle with these questions (and others.) The very name, Israel, denotes "One who wrestles with God." Our lives should be the same.
So, the question remains: How do you understand doubt? Is doubt a bad thing? How does doubt help you grow?
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