Defense

I had a conversation about God with my drinking buddies, and found the entire affair extremely exhausting. At least it was with a group of friends who, aren't dumb, to say the least. Nothing's more tiring than being forced to argue with a fool.

Being the only Christian at the table is an obligation to defend Christianity, and God. I find God much easier to defend than Christianity, which no thanks to its over-enthusiastic and often misguided followers, has a reputation a zillion times worse than, say, mine.

I understand the need for Christians to evangelize, especially to their loved ones. We taste the joy and relief in finding God, in walking with Him, and we want our family and friends to experience the same benefits. It's a life transforming moment; surrendering one's mind, heart, and soul to God, believing that He knows best, and being enveloped by His love.

And then there's the friend who sees you doing things that he thinks are an utter waste of time. It's also in your interest that he tries to dissuades you from your faith with the usual arguments like evolution, how Christianity is nothing but a mash-up of pagan religions, how the bible's written by man ... the list goes on.

It's an argument that can never be convincingly won by either side. He who doesn't experience God will never know God. It's not something you can logically quantify. Heck, I'm of the opinion that even Evolution requires several leaps of faith.

Perhaps that's why the apostle Paul in his finite but significant wisdom suggests that believers not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship has light with darkness? On the other hand, the term "unequally yoked" need not refer specially to relationships, but might convincingly be argued to apply to friendship as well. But if you don't befriend the unbelievers how do you reach out to them? So does one maintain a wary fellowship with them? It doesn't add up. Many things don't.

Jesus said to love thy God your Lord with all your heart, your soul and your mind. And to love your neighbour as thyself. That's enough. Everything else will come naturally. Tongues, confessions to priests, deliverance, being overwhelmed by the power of the Holy Ghost, healing, and the whole works are .. immaterial, and points of needless contention.

Believe that Man sinned and fell short of the glory of God. Believe that God sent Jesus to die in our place, and that the only way to God is through belief in this truth. Love God. Love your neighbours. Ignore everything else, defend nothing else. Even the concept of the Trinity is unimportant to me. To what material extent does it matter whether God, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are at once seperate and the same? As Angela would put it, it's immaterial.

Me being called on to defend my faith is akin to getting me to expound on the virtues of alcohol abstinence, but I will do it.

Because I believe. I know my life's a stellar example of debauchery instead of a bright and salty testimonial for God. Yes, I have said it. So don't call me a hypocrite; anything but that.

I saw this on a girl's facebook profile though, and it's actually pretty good:

"A girl's heart must be hidden deeply within God, such that a Man must find God to find her heart."


----------------
Now playing: Philips, Craig, and Dean - When God Ran
via FoxyTunes