Re: Think about it.


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Posted by I Wonder on September 10, 2013 at 03:07:06

In Reply to: Re: Think about it. posted by consider the source on September 07, 2013 at 20:28:28:

I didn't mean to imply that science is under assault. What's being brought into question is are the purely materialistic assumptions about human consciousness and the nature of reality that some of the sciences have adopted.

I don't believe that one religion or belief system or faith relationship has all the answers for everyone at all times. I have found many answers from studying Buddhist philosophy and practice. I completely understand why someone would not believe in any sort of deity. There is a part of me that is very much like Thomas--Until I see the nail prints and touch the wounds myself, I refuse to believe.

I was a little stunned by the traditional language I used to state my faith in my earlier post. Because I am not a literalist, I am sometimes accused of not being a true or real Christian. I find it sad that so many people define Christianity in terms of such a narrow view. I openly claim a relationship with Jesus Christ to let folks know there are as many approaches to encountering Jesus as there are people on the planet. I believe God meets each of us where we're at and that Jesus has something for everyone, even people who are convinced he's just a mythological character from the bronze age.

I generally prefer to talk with nonbelievers about my faith, rather than other believers. Too often, other Christians aren't interested or they want to tell me why I'm wrong about this or that doctrine or interpretation of scripture. Nonbelievers usually have a more open mind.

So, let's assume Jesus is a myth. What truths can I find in his good news as a 21st century doubting Thomas trained in scientific method? I recently had the experience of touching the Lord's wounds--metaphorically, of course. Someone I care for shared with me about his spiritual brokenness through addiction--a wound common to humanity--and he asked that his festering wound be transformed by God's healing grace. If Jesus were not human, he would have had no wounds. He was like my friend and myself in that regard--mortally wounded. If Jesus were no more than a mere human, he might not have said, "Blessed are those who do not see, yet believe."

Although I could not see Him, I chose to believe His Spirit was present in the sharing and prayers that went on between myself and my friend. I say "chose to believe" because in that act of blind faith, I become a co-creator of reality. I believe there's more to consciousness than a simple firing of neurons.




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