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Here are the contents of my pockets, in case you want to know:
1. A wallet. This is a useful thing to have for carrying money, a driver's liscense and credit cards. The only thing is, I have none of those.
2. A guitar pick. This is much more useful, because when I pick up my guitar I don't have to search for an hour before I can actually play it. Although usually the pick ends up magically in my wallet, making it harder than ever to find it.
3. A pocket knife. Always good to have, in case I get lost in the wilderness and have to kill a bear.
4. Coins. How else do you make a big decision?
5. Holes. These aren't technically in my pocket, but lots of coins seem to end up going through these tedious spots of emptiness.
And that's all. I think the tag (completely useless) is pretty accurate today.
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Mitchell
Friday, January 18, 2008
Question Number 2
Today, I will do my best to answer the second question. If God is a loving god, why does He send people to Hell?
Don't worry, I'll be quoting C.S. Lewis again. There are really only two kinds of Christian authors: the kind that quotes C.S. Lewis to further prove his point, and the kind that quotes C.S. Lewis because his point is really just a rephrasing of the one made by Lewis. I'm not going to tell you which one I am.
So, on to the answer.
This question is frequently asked, but often it's asked in the wrong way. See, there are two big problems with the phrase "why does God send people to Hell?" First of all, the problem is with the word "people." This word is too neutral. When people hear the word "people," a crowd of blank-faced folks without personality or life fills the mind. They aren't necessarily good, but certainly not bad. "People," we think, do not deserve to go to Hell.
Right there is the problem. Yes, right there. I'm pointing at the screen, but I guess you can't see that, can you? So let me fill in the question with some adjectives.
"Why would a loving God send evil, hateful, lustful, selfish and mean people to Hell?" Hmmm. . . And in case you think I'm being too harsh, read the book of Romans. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Okay, now for the next problem. This is the word "send." God does not "send" anyone to Hell.
As C.S. Lewis said (I told you it would come), "in the end, there are only two kinds of people. The ones who say to God, 'thy will be done,' and the ones to which God says 'thy will be done.' "*
Again, the root of the problem is in free will. God isn't sending anyone to Hell--they go willingly. It's a simple choice: God, or no God.
So, here is the final draft of Question Number 2: "How could a loving God let evil, hateful, lustful selfish and mean people choose to go to Hell?"
It really takes all the power out of that question, doesn't it? Mark Twain once said "Humor and frogs can both be dissected, but both die in the process." The same is true of most atheistic questions.
So, here's my theistic question for you: have you chosen God or no God? Or, more specifically, has Jesus covered your sins, or have you rejected His sacrifice?
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Mitchell
*I don't know which book he wrote this in (maybe Miracles), and yes, I paraphrased.
Don't worry, I'll be quoting C.S. Lewis again. There are really only two kinds of Christian authors: the kind that quotes C.S. Lewis to further prove his point, and the kind that quotes C.S. Lewis because his point is really just a rephrasing of the one made by Lewis. I'm not going to tell you which one I am.
So, on to the answer.
This question is frequently asked, but often it's asked in the wrong way. See, there are two big problems with the phrase "why does God send people to Hell?" First of all, the problem is with the word "people." This word is too neutral. When people hear the word "people," a crowd of blank-faced folks without personality or life fills the mind. They aren't necessarily good, but certainly not bad. "People," we think, do not deserve to go to Hell.
Right there is the problem. Yes, right there. I'm pointing at the screen, but I guess you can't see that, can you? So let me fill in the question with some adjectives.
"Why would a loving God send evil, hateful, lustful, selfish and mean people to Hell?" Hmmm. . . And in case you think I'm being too harsh, read the book of Romans. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Okay, now for the next problem. This is the word "send." God does not "send" anyone to Hell.
As C.S. Lewis said (I told you it would come), "in the end, there are only two kinds of people. The ones who say to God, 'thy will be done,' and the ones to which God says 'thy will be done.' "*
Again, the root of the problem is in free will. God isn't sending anyone to Hell--they go willingly. It's a simple choice: God, or no God.
So, here is the final draft of Question Number 2: "How could a loving God let evil, hateful, lustful selfish and mean people choose to go to Hell?"
It really takes all the power out of that question, doesn't it? Mark Twain once said "Humor and frogs can both be dissected, but both die in the process." The same is true of most atheistic questions.
So, here's my theistic question for you: have you chosen God or no God? Or, more specifically, has Jesus covered your sins, or have you rejected His sacrifice?
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Mitchell
*I don't know which book he wrote this in (maybe Miracles), and yes, I paraphrased.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Jesus Loves Me
This has nothing to do with the quartet of questions that I asked myself a few days ago. I just heard a song today, and I wanted to share it with all the three or four people reading this.
It goes like this:
Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak but He is strong
I know this isn't a new song, and I also know that everyone who's ever been to Sunday School has heard it before. But recently, I came to a realization that greatly fascinates and enthralls me. It is commonly said that God loves us. Look at verses such as John 3:16 and Romans 8:38-39. Jesus loves me.
But until recently, I didn't realize how deeply He loves his people. I'm not sure how this thought came to me, but this was the thought: God would still love me if I cursed His name. God would still love me if I went around the world telling as many people that God doesn't exist.
Think about it: what if someone starting saying that you don't exist, just because he/she doesn't like you? That person would be hard to love.
Jesus loves me, and Jesus loves you. That's your inspirational message for today.
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Mitchell
It goes like this:
Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak but He is strong
I know this isn't a new song, and I also know that everyone who's ever been to Sunday School has heard it before. But recently, I came to a realization that greatly fascinates and enthralls me. It is commonly said that God loves us. Look at verses such as John 3:16 and Romans 8:38-39. Jesus loves me.
But until recently, I didn't realize how deeply He loves his people. I'm not sure how this thought came to me, but this was the thought: God would still love me if I cursed His name. God would still love me if I went around the world telling as many people that God doesn't exist.
Think about it: what if someone starting saying that you don't exist, just because he/she doesn't like you? That person would be hard to love.
Jesus loves me, and Jesus loves you. That's your inspirational message for today.
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Mitchell
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Question Number 1
Today I will try to answer the first question, which is why God's people seem to have so many problems. It seems like it should be the immoral people that have the problems, but like I said in my previous post: life doesn't fit the blueprints.
First of all, the pain that Christians experience comes in two varieties. The first is pretty simple. It's called "discipline."
Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent.
This is Jesus speaking to the church at Laodicea. He chastens--disciplines--the ones that He loves. So that covers a part of it. God doesn't discipline those who aren't His children. They don't experience pain, although ultimately it won't be a painful experience.
C.S. Lewis pointed out* that to a puppy, discipline is a terrible thing, and therefore the master who is disciplining him must be cruel and terrible. But years later, this dog will be much better-off than the wild one that never received any discipline at all.
But surely this doesn't cover everything. What about the people who are actually doing well, morally? A master doesn't punish a good dog, right? So there must be a different kind of suffering that is not instigated by God.
There is.
Think about this question with me, for a moment. When is driving the most frustrating? Is it while you're on the highway, cruising along at seventy--or eighty-five, if you're inclined to break the law--or stuck in heavy traffic? Driving on an empty road doesn't require much thought. It's when other vehicles are around that you have to use your brain.
So?
Driving is harder with other people around. So is writing. I was doing well, and then a large amount of people walked into the room, and I can't seem to keep my train of thought. Business is harder when competition comes in. Socializing alone is easier when other people are around, and this is one of the hardest things imaginable.
Life is not excluded from this list. It would be incalculably easier to be the only person on Earth. Of course, it would also be a lot lonelier.
The point is, other people cause the most pain in life. Whether because your friend dies or because your friend stabs you in the back, people cause you pain far more than God. After all, it was people who smashed planes into the World Trade Center, and it's people--not God--who go around starting wars.
This has sort of led us in a circle, because the next logical question is really the one I started with. Why does God allow pain? although it's become, Why does God allow people to cause pain to each other?
Followed through to the end, what would it mean that God doesn't let us cause pain to each other? It would mean that we have no free will. Free will means that we can do whatever we want, no matter how stupid it is or how much it might hurt someone. For God to be constantly preventing people from shooting each other and treating their neighbor as they don't want to be treated, He would take away a huge chunk of our options.
I guess you can still blame it on God--Why did He give us free will, then?--but life wouldn't be worth much if we couldn't actually do anything. And free will doesn't just create pain. It also creates ample opportunity for kindness, mercy and generosity.
So make sure to use your free will wisely, and I'll use mine to go eat dinner.
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Hungry Mitchell
*In, "The Problem of Pain," I think.
First of all, the pain that Christians experience comes in two varieties. The first is pretty simple. It's called "discipline."
Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent.
This is Jesus speaking to the church at Laodicea. He chastens--disciplines--the ones that He loves. So that covers a part of it. God doesn't discipline those who aren't His children. They don't experience pain, although ultimately it won't be a painful experience.
C.S. Lewis pointed out* that to a puppy, discipline is a terrible thing, and therefore the master who is disciplining him must be cruel and terrible. But years later, this dog will be much better-off than the wild one that never received any discipline at all.
But surely this doesn't cover everything. What about the people who are actually doing well, morally? A master doesn't punish a good dog, right? So there must be a different kind of suffering that is not instigated by God.
There is.
Think about this question with me, for a moment. When is driving the most frustrating? Is it while you're on the highway, cruising along at seventy--or eighty-five, if you're inclined to break the law--or stuck in heavy traffic? Driving on an empty road doesn't require much thought. It's when other vehicles are around that you have to use your brain.
So?
Driving is harder with other people around. So is writing. I was doing well, and then a large amount of people walked into the room, and I can't seem to keep my train of thought. Business is harder when competition comes in. Socializing alone is easier when other people are around, and this is one of the hardest things imaginable.
Life is not excluded from this list. It would be incalculably easier to be the only person on Earth. Of course, it would also be a lot lonelier.
The point is, other people cause the most pain in life. Whether because your friend dies or because your friend stabs you in the back, people cause you pain far more than God. After all, it was people who smashed planes into the World Trade Center, and it's people--not God--who go around starting wars.
This has sort of led us in a circle, because the next logical question is really the one I started with. Why does God allow pain? although it's become, Why does God allow people to cause pain to each other?
Followed through to the end, what would it mean that God doesn't let us cause pain to each other? It would mean that we have no free will. Free will means that we can do whatever we want, no matter how stupid it is or how much it might hurt someone. For God to be constantly preventing people from shooting each other and treating their neighbor as they don't want to be treated, He would take away a huge chunk of our options.
I guess you can still blame it on God--Why did He give us free will, then?--but life wouldn't be worth much if we couldn't actually do anything. And free will doesn't just create pain. It also creates ample opportunity for kindness, mercy and generosity.
So make sure to use your free will wisely, and I'll use mine to go eat dinner.
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Hungry Mitchell
*In, "The Problem of Pain," I think.
Friday, January 11, 2008
inconsistent
Life is inconsistent sometimes. Well, not totally. To be inconsistent, one part of it would have to conflict with some other part--for example, one day George Washington is dead and gone, and the next he's sitting on your couch watching TV. It is, however, inconsistent with its design. It's the kind of inconsistency you would find when the blueprints show a room as 279' by 612' (yes, I know how enormous that would be), and yet its 2' by 4'. I'm not exaggerating--the world is nothing like its blueprints.
Here's what I mean: the Bible states that the first will be last (Matthew 19:30). It also says that the humble--the inconspicuous and the small--will rule the world (Matthew 5:5). This isn't how the world works. It didn't work that way 2000 years ago, either. Jesus knew that when he said these things.
One story from the Gospel of Mark especially fascinates me. In chapter 12, verses 41-44, it describes a widow going to the temple and dropping two copper coins into the collection box. This is the equivalent of someone going to church today and putting a single penny into the offering plate.
All around her, the rich and powerful are dropping massive amounts of money into this box, proudly displaying to the world just how rich they are. Most likely, they're watching this little widow give the most useless gift imaginable (except for one copper coin, I guess).
Then Jesus says a thing that is so-often repeated that its oddity is nearly forgotten. He calls his disciples around him and says, (v. 43-44) "I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed--all she had to live on."
Wait a second. . .she gave a penny, and Mr. Zechariah Rich-Man just put in a million dollars. She gave the most?
I can imagine what the disciples must have said to their teacher. "Do you need a drink, Jesus?" "Are you talking about that widow?"
I'm not saying that Jesus was wrong, but here's what I am saying. Life doesn't fit the blueprints. This widow didn't give the most money, although on a percentage scale she was certainly the highest. But what happened when she went home? She had nothing left. As pessimistic as this sounds, my guess is that she didn't do real well. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from giving 100%, that's just how it typically works.
"So? That isn't the point of the story!" I know this. The thing is, I can't get over the fact that God doesn't seem to bless the people who do the most for Him. Why not? Why? Why why why?
I'm going to close with a list of "whys sort of about suffering," which will be answered in entirety. . .someday. Maybe.
Uno: Why do God's people have to suffer, and the devil's seem to have everything they want?
Dos: If God is so loving, why does He send people to Hell?
Tres: Why did God allow sin in the first place?
quatro cuattro kwatro Four: Why doesn't God just destroy the universe and start over?
Goodbye, valiant reader (and sorry if I wasted your time),
Mitchell
Here's what I mean: the Bible states that the first will be last (Matthew 19:30). It also says that the humble--the inconspicuous and the small--will rule the world (Matthew 5:5). This isn't how the world works. It didn't work that way 2000 years ago, either. Jesus knew that when he said these things.
One story from the Gospel of Mark especially fascinates me. In chapter 12, verses 41-44, it describes a widow going to the temple and dropping two copper coins into the collection box. This is the equivalent of someone going to church today and putting a single penny into the offering plate.
All around her, the rich and powerful are dropping massive amounts of money into this box, proudly displaying to the world just how rich they are. Most likely, they're watching this little widow give the most useless gift imaginable (except for one copper coin, I guess).
Then Jesus says a thing that is so-often repeated that its oddity is nearly forgotten. He calls his disciples around him and says, (v. 43-44) "I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed--all she had to live on."
Wait a second. . .she gave a penny, and Mr. Zechariah Rich-Man just put in a million dollars. She gave the most?
I can imagine what the disciples must have said to their teacher. "Do you need a drink, Jesus?" "Are you talking about that widow?"
I'm not saying that Jesus was wrong, but here's what I am saying. Life doesn't fit the blueprints. This widow didn't give the most money, although on a percentage scale she was certainly the highest. But what happened when she went home? She had nothing left. As pessimistic as this sounds, my guess is that she didn't do real well. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from giving 100%, that's just how it typically works.
"So? That isn't the point of the story!" I know this. The thing is, I can't get over the fact that God doesn't seem to bless the people who do the most for Him. Why not? Why? Why why why?
I'm going to close with a list of "whys sort of about suffering," which will be answered in entirety. . .someday. Maybe.
Uno: Why do God's people have to suffer, and the devil's seem to have everything they want?
Dos: If God is so loving, why does He send people to Hell?
Tres: Why did God allow sin in the first place?
Goodbye, valiant reader (and sorry if I wasted your time),
Mitchell
Thursday, January 10, 2008
It's been a while since I blogged last. This isn't my fault; I haven't forgotten. But I've been moving, and have not had internet access until a few minutes ago. There were a lot of things that I wanted to say over the last few weeks (or however long it's been), but I've forgotten them all. Sorry.
I just want to let you know: I'm still alive, and my brain is still working.
Goodbye, valiant reader
Mitchell
I just want to let you know: I'm still alive, and my brain is still working.
Goodbye, valiant reader
Mitchell
Monday, December 24, 2007
conversation
Have you (the reader) ever been completely at a loss for something to say? Have you ever just been so astounded by something another person said or did that you couldn't think of words to say? Or seen something so incredible it completely stole your voice away? If so, I don't understand you at all.
Well, that isn't entirely true. One time I had such a bad sore throat that I couldn't speak above a whisper. That, however, is the extent of my wordlessness. No matter what is said to me, I can just about always come up with a reply. I don't always say that thing, and sometimes it doesn't make sense to anyone but me, but I always have something to say.
To another person, anyway. When talking to God, on the other hand, I usually have nothing to say. I can say things like "please give me perfect grades on my math test today," or, "please give me a new guitar," but that isn't really conversation. God doesn't want my requests to be the extent of our relations.
Once I wrote a song, and entitled it "At A Loss." The lyrics were as follows.
"I'm at a loss, I have no words to say."
I was trying to write a praise/worship song. Instead, I ended up with that one line. I realized that I didn't really have anything to say--I was just filling up time and paper.
Why is it hard to talk to God? That's a really easy question to answer. Let me write a list of reasons.
1. Because He is the ruler of the universe, and we're little insignificant specks.
2. Because we can't see Him, and have a hard time with what we can't see.
3. Because we have nothing in common with Him that we can talk about.
All of these barriers can be overcome, mostly because He is constantly overcoming them so that we can talk to Him easier. Even with all barriers overcome, though, it still remains difficult. Even overcome, the barriers remain.
So what do we talk to Him about? This is, in fact, another really easy question. Jesus showed us exactly what we can talk to Him about. Look in Matthew 6:9-13. This passage is commonly referred to as the Lord's Prayer, because it was prayed by our Lord Jesus.
6:9 Therefore pray in this way: Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
6:11 Give us this day our daily bread;
6:12 and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.
6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
So here's what you can talk to Him about (and here's another list):
1: Worship (vv. 9-10, 13b). God loves our praise, and it's surprisingly fulfilling to praise Him.
2: Confession (v. 12). Why bother to confess sins to God, since He already knows them all? Basically, because confessing a sin to God makes the sin far less powerful in your life. God can deal with it much more effectively once you have admitted to Him that you have the sin.
3: Requests (v. 11). No one needs help with this part. I do think it's interesting, however, that this is the shortest part of the prayer, and that praise is the largest chunk. It's important, when praying, to praise more than request. If there's a long list of requests, that just means there will be a lot of praise.
I hope that this has made a difference to someone besides myself. If it didn't, I apologize for wasting your time.
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Mitchell
Well, that isn't entirely true. One time I had such a bad sore throat that I couldn't speak above a whisper. That, however, is the extent of my wordlessness. No matter what is said to me, I can just about always come up with a reply. I don't always say that thing, and sometimes it doesn't make sense to anyone but me, but I always have something to say.
To another person, anyway. When talking to God, on the other hand, I usually have nothing to say. I can say things like "please give me perfect grades on my math test today," or, "please give me a new guitar," but that isn't really conversation. God doesn't want my requests to be the extent of our relations.
Once I wrote a song, and entitled it "At A Loss." The lyrics were as follows.
"I'm at a loss, I have no words to say."
I was trying to write a praise/worship song. Instead, I ended up with that one line. I realized that I didn't really have anything to say--I was just filling up time and paper.
Why is it hard to talk to God? That's a really easy question to answer. Let me write a list of reasons.
1. Because He is the ruler of the universe, and we're little insignificant specks.
2. Because we can't see Him, and have a hard time with what we can't see.
3. Because we have nothing in common with Him that we can talk about.
All of these barriers can be overcome, mostly because He is constantly overcoming them so that we can talk to Him easier. Even with all barriers overcome, though, it still remains difficult. Even overcome, the barriers remain.
So what do we talk to Him about? This is, in fact, another really easy question. Jesus showed us exactly what we can talk to Him about. Look in Matthew 6:9-13. This passage is commonly referred to as the Lord's Prayer, because it was prayed by our Lord Jesus.
6:9 Therefore pray in this way: Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
6:11 Give us this day our daily bread;
6:12 and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.
6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
So here's what you can talk to Him about (and here's another list):
1: Worship (vv. 9-10, 13b). God loves our praise, and it's surprisingly fulfilling to praise Him.
2: Confession (v. 12). Why bother to confess sins to God, since He already knows them all? Basically, because confessing a sin to God makes the sin far less powerful in your life. God can deal with it much more effectively once you have admitted to Him that you have the sin.
3: Requests (v. 11). No one needs help with this part. I do think it's interesting, however, that this is the shortest part of the prayer, and that praise is the largest chunk. It's important, when praying, to praise more than request. If there's a long list of requests, that just means there will be a lot of praise.
I hope that this has made a difference to someone besides myself. If it didn't, I apologize for wasting your time.
Goodbye, valiant reader,
Mitchell
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