So, here are numerous random questions that have been circulating in my mind recently. Feel free to let me know if you have answers, or even if you too have questioned some of these things.
1. What is pro-life? What is pro-choice? Is this REALLY all about abortion or is it possible that being 'pro-life' should actually mean being Pro-LIFE in all its forms?
2. Why are people of faith so excited about the death penalty?
3. People seem to know when they are about to die, even when there are no physical symptoms. (This is specific to the elderly.) How do they know that?
4. What is it like to have dementia?
5. Is heaven really all about golden streets and mansions? Really?
6. What is heaven? What is hell? Do they exist in the way people of faith think they do?
7. Does a 'conversion prayer' really mean anything? Is asking 'Jesus into your heart' really what anything is about?
8. Is there anyone on the earth who still cares who James Dobson is voting for??? (He needs to stick with child psychology and give the rest up. My humble opinion, and I'm not really sorry.)
9. There are people in the world who have never heard of Christ. Or Scripture. Why are people of faith so sure that these people won't be 'saved' (whatever 'saved' means)?
10. Is medical technology helpful or harmful in the overall scheme of life?
11. Is war ever the answer?
12. Is this country actually better than the others? What is freedom? Do we actually have it?
13. Does it really matter what the government decides 'marriage' is? Seriously - they are the government. We are the church. The two are different, government and church disagree on many things.
14. In the same vein, why isn't marriage for people of faith a whole separate thing from the legal, government process? They should really be different. This would solve a whole host of issues. I'm not convinced the church should be in the 'marrying' business.
15. Will it ever stop raining?
16. Should the church be institutional? Are programs the answer?
17. Why don't people of faith talk about the Spirit? Are we so out of touch that we have forgotten that God lives IN us?
And, in other news, I am almost 1/4 of a century old. I don't know why, but this seems wierd to me. 25 doesn't seem old, I am just nowhere near where I expected to be at this age. I'm not sure what I expected, but in seminary, in debt, still not knowing what to do with my life really wasn't on the top of my list...
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2 comments:
Hey girl...sounds like you're doing a lot of thinking :) I'd like to use your list for a potential, future youth discussion. I love your honesty to just say what a lot of people think, but wouldn't utter out loud, for fear of judgement.
So, I have no answers to most of your questions, because that would imply I have certain knowledge on these things...but I can offer another humble opinion...
I think heaven means being fully united with God. I have no idea about the gates and such...honestly, that doesn't appeal to me. I'd rather see trees, flowers, and stars. But, I'm sure there's many things I haven't even dreamed of in heaven too. Mainly, I want to see God.
I think technology that extends life is not always good. What good is an extension of days if they are in misery?
I think "pro-life" and "pro-choice" are just political terms. I think God's idea of life is different and life is good because God has created it. I think when humans tamper with God's stuff, though, things get messed up.
So ironic that you mention the stuff on marriage...I was thinking the same things a couple weeks ago when I took my "Ministry with Families" class on NP campus. I was pondering why - when church and state are separate - does the union of a man and wife, which God ordained, become a legal issue? I think many things have been confused over the past 2,000 years when state/religon used to be one, and then they tried to separate the two.
Anyway, I pray God is providing you peace where you are at as He continues to shape you in His image!
Love ya Alaina!
Cheri
1. What is pro-life? What is pro-choice?
It's really more about defending the rights of those who are unable to defend their rights (ie. murder of pre-born babies) or the right for a woman to choose to not take responsibility for the life inside her. That's how I see it anyway.
Abortion should never be THE issue we vote on; yet, because of the number of babies murdered, it can't be an issue we ignore, either.
2. Why are people of faith so excited about the death penalty?
Right--if we were pro-life, it does need to reach into all areas of life. Even how we treat God's creation (though I also believe He gave us permission to eat meat).
3. People seem to know when they are about to die, even when there are no physical symptoms. (This is specific to the elderly.) How do they know that?
I have a theory that babies are much more in tune with the spiritual realm than adults. Maybe as we near the end, this connection returns.
4. What is it like to have dementia?
I often wondered with Beth's Dad's brain injury, what was going on in his head--it was clearly more than he could communicate. For that matter, what goes on in the head's of infants?
5. Is heaven really all about golden streets and mansions? Really?
No, but God was trying to give a metaphorical image to show how wonderful Heaven is (and how terrible Hell is).
6. What is heaven? What is hell? Do they exist in the way people of faith think they do?
No, of course they don't. Heaven is complete union with God. Hell is complete separation from Him. We have no concept of that.
7. Does a 'conversion prayer' really mean anything? Is asking 'Jesus into your heart' really what anything is about?
Yes it does. And no, it's not. There is something in saying the words (even if they're not our own)--"every mouth shall confess." It's about the journey of discipleship. And sometimes, the prayer or the asking is part of that. But not always. And it doesn't need to be.
8. Is there anyone on the earth who still cares who James Dobson is voting for??? (He needs to stick with child psychology and give the rest up. My humble opinion, and I'm not really sorry.)
Yes. There are people who do care. But God still loves them.
9. There are people in the world who have never heard of Christ. Or Scripture. Why are people of faith so sure that these people won't be 'saved' (whatever 'saved' means)?
All I know is that Jesus is the way, but He also sits in the judgment seat. So, I just spread the message as best I can & not worry too much about what I can't do.
10. Is medical technology helpful or harmful in the overall scheme of life?
Yes. Just like any other technology. Helpful and harmful.
11. Is war ever the answer?
I'm afraid I have to say yes. It's seldom the answer, but since God led the Israelites into the Promised Land with the mandate to fully destroy the enemy, I believe that war is the answer sometimes. But that raises even worse questions, now, doesn't it?
12. Is this country actually better than the others? What is freedom? Do we actually have it?
No, it's not. Freedom isn't what most people think it is. It's not a right to do whatever you want. It's a responsibility to choose to do what's right.
13. Does it really matter what the government decides 'marriage' is? Seriously - they are the government. We are the church. The two are different, government and church disagree on many things.
And there will be many more things we disagree about.
14. In the same vein, why isn't marriage for people of faith a whole separate thing from the legal, government process? They should really be different. This would solve a whole host of issues. I'm not convinced the church should be in the 'marrying' business.
I actually think the church should be more concerned about marrying that it actually is (especially in keeping couples together). There's the "civil union" side of marriage that the government recognizes (should the government be concerned with who is living together and in what manner?), and there's the "spiritual union" side of marriage which should be done before God and receive the blessing of His people.
15. Will it ever stop raining?
Hmm. Will there be rain in the New Jerusalem? Or will the earth be restored to the mists springing up from the ground?
16. Should the church be institutional? Are programs the answer?
No, they're not the answer. Love is always the answer. But sometimes we only know how to do that through programs.
17. Why don't people of faith talk about the Spirit? Are we so out of touch that we have forgotten that God lives IN us?
Yes. We have forgotten. And living in the Spirit is the remedy to so much of our problems.
And, in other news, I am almost 1/4 of a century old. I don't know why, but this seems wierd to me. 25 doesn't seem old, I am just nowhere near where I expected to be at this age. I'm not sure what I expected, but in seminary, in debt, still not knowing what to do with my life really wasn't on the top of my list...
I just turned 33. The same age Jesus was when He accomplished all He needed to accomplish on this earth. And I've accomplished very little. It's sobering.
And so, as you see, I have a lot of thoughts, but no answers. I think sometimes we needed to be more concerned with asking questions than seeking answers.
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