Page 66 - Scrimshaw1979-80

page4 Scrimshaw February 14, 1980 Perspectives of Christianity Jerry Proffitt Mr. Cleveland's article of January entitled A Philosophical Perspective 17 of Christianity begins by informing us that "the Jast intellectual criticism of Christianity occured during the enlight. ment," and since a perspective of this sort is "long, long overdue," God be praised Communicating with God _with this long needed philosphical the world that Mr. Cleveland is supplying treatise. Our overlooked has unfortunately residence self-proclaimed philosopher-In. a few philosophical works written since the Dear Everybody - death. trying to run your life apart from Him. Tell enlightment; for example, Religion and [ arn, responding to Dave Cleveland's He promises that He will raise up those Him that you want Him to be Morality by J.C. Smith, The Anti-Christ by article on his philosophical view of who believe in Him when they die. He Lord-master of your life. Ask Jesus to Nietzsche, The Two Sources of Morality Christianity. He raised many questions, gives us many blessings here on earth, too. take you back, and be your King. Be honest and Religion by Bergson, System of some of which were valid. I can't reply to The most important one is that He gives us with Him. If you're scared, tell Him. He Positive Policy by Compte, Truth is them all in this space, but I can tell you a personal relationship with the One who loves you, remember? Subjectivity by Kierkegaard, Varieties of what God has done in my life, what. we have sinned against-the God of the Religious Experience, and, The Will to TeU Then Christianity is to me, and why I think that Universe. In the Bible, in the book of John somebody. confess that He is Lord. If you Believe by William James, Ethics Without Tell me. Tell anybody. Jesus Christ is the only way to go. (1:12) it says: "Yet to all who received God by Kai Neilson, Critique of Hagel's I have problems. I hurt people Him (Jesus), who believed in His name, know anybody else who believes in Jesus, Philosophy of Right by Karl Marx, God tell them. It will be some of the best news sometimes, and I'm very selfish He gave the right to become children of they will ever hear. and Protestant sometimes. While I'm busy doing "my own - God ... " and Evil by H.J. McClosky, of Capitalism by the Spirit and Ethic thing," I run over someone else's rights .Yes, you can be a child of God. A child of -wben you believe in Jesus, something Weber, to name but avery, very small you. You might inside Sometimes I'm downright sickening. If God! Think of it! All we have to do is amazing happens or you might not. But you handful. One may notice that these writers feel something, you could see some of the things that go on receive Him-to believe in His name. How have changed. II Corinthians 5: 17 are not necessarily supportive of in my mind, you would agree with me. do we do that? Many people were asking Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a Christianity; in comparison with Mr. How would you like it if everything you the apostles, "How can we be saved'? What new creation; the old has gone, the new Cleveland's "review," some are more thought and daydreamed about were shall we do to be saved'?" Here's what the shown on a big movie screen'? I'd leave apostles said-the ones who knew Jesus has come! I sympathetic than he, some less, but they be a going for them that he You are a new creation! It might town. best: good idea to thank the God of the Un.verse all have something an idea of what they are completely lacks: What would you say to me right now'? Acts 2:38 - Peter replied, "Repent and be for the gift He has given you. And He gives talking about. Some religions would tell me that I'm not baptized, every one of you, in the name of you much more. Romans 6:23 - "".the gift Mr. Cleveland tells us that "the ad- really bad at all, and there's no problerri. Jesus Christ so that your sins may be of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our vocates of Christianity still consider But I can't live with that-sooner or later forgiven. And you will receive the gift of Lord." Jesus also says, "And surely I will themselves unbeaten. 'l But who exactly my pretending will catch up with me. the Holy Spirit." be with you always, to the very end of the are the "advocates" of Christianity'? Do Some would say that sooner or later, I Acts 3:19 - "Repent then, and turn to God, age." (Matthew 28:20) And back in Acts Martin Luther and Anita Bryant both would work my way toward being good. so that your sins..may be wiped out (wiped 2:30 - " ...you will receive the gift of the belong to this category'? How about But I've been trying for 20 years, and I out! I), that times of refreshing may come Holy Spirit. " Augustine, Dostoyevsky and Father have yet to become good on my own. from the Lord ... " It's a great thing to be able to admit that Hugh? Perhaps S1. Paul, or Larry Flynt'? Christianity, or rather Jesus Christ, lets Acts 10:43 - "All the prophets testify about -cyou've me be honest; He understands. He does not Him that everyone who believes in Him really done wrong stuff against :'~e:~~t I~s s::;t t~:t ~~. w~I~~e;~~~ F compromise His standards, for He is receives forgiveness of sins through His God, and at the same time to know that understands the history of religious perfectly good and can't stand my wrong- name." God forgives you for doing it because His thought as a Single ongoing battle between doing and wrong-thinking. But He loves Acts 13:38, 39· "Therefore, my brothers, n own Son died for you. You can't get con- Christian and non-Christian forces in me and He is honest with me. It's like He want you to know that through Jesus the ceited, because you don't deserve this says, "Yes, Allen, you've done plenty forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. salvation. And obedience to His commands ;ehiC:o~~:~e~~~ ~:jO~e~~:st~~ n~:~ Rc wrong, and you must be punished for your Through Him everyone who believes is , is possible because you see all He has done Coryou sin. But I Jove you so much that I will justified from everything you could not be questions in his "critique," and actually suffer the punishment that you deserve." justified from by the law of Moses." I still have problems. I still do wrong believes that he has, in one lucid swoop, And He did! Isn't that amazing'? I think it Acts 15:11 - "We believe it is through the things. But Jesus is here to pick me up, toppled the pillars and altars of the Is. grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, forgive me, and start me on the right path. Christian world for ever and evermore. in How did He suffer the punishment for just as they are." That's why Christianity is the only way for Mr. Cleveland's next folly involves his P my sins'? He was crucified by sinful men Acts 16:31 - "They replied 'Believe in the me, and I believe, for everyone. use of the word "faith." He condescends to AI like me and you---even the religious Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you Who could want anything short of a grant that "religious faith is essential to te leaders of the time. He died one of the most and your household.' " personal relationship with the God who human peace of mind," then asks why that made you'? It's the best thing in the world. painful deaths known to man. He could've Romans 10:9 - "That if you confess with Following Jesus is pretty tough ~~:~:~~~!:CJ:~i~~~~i~y:~~n~~n~; ~~ given up at any time and destroyed all of your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in sometimes, but it's worth it. I pray that semantic argument which sounds fu us, immediately sending us to hell. But He your heart that GOO raised Him from the everyone who reads this letter will con- reasonable, but is meaningless. His first in didn't! He stuck it out with greater love dead, you will be saved." use of "faith" means, basically, a belief in than any man could have. But even more So how do we repent'? How do we confess sider who Jesus is, what he has done for something in spite of a lack of empirical marvelous than that, He rose again! He that Jesus is Lord'? Look up 'repent' in the_ them, and give their life to Him. And if you evidence. This kind of faith occurs after it' H appeared to His.disciples and "gave many dictionary. It means to b'e sorry for your have any questions, please don't be afraid one has decided upon a religion or belief, th to ask. Thanks. convincing proofs that He was alive" (Acts wrong doings; to turn away from our old Love, and, (by its very definition) is not subject as 1:3), and showed that He had power over way of life. Tell God that you are sorry for Allen Kwiatkowski to logical analysis or reason. It is not valid r. Exploring the "problems' of Christianity surroundings "mysteriously." On the things just for the fun of it'? I seriously palace, but the yard is filled with mean Michael Grusby other hand, we can also make our presence doubt it. I believe that God has a purpose dogs which are just waiting to bite at you. tw Dave Cleveland, in his personal known by touching it, for the beetle does for everything, a purpose that is always in These dogs represent the sins we have wh viewpoint of the January 17 Scrimshaw, have a sense of touch; it may not realize a our best interests. Although we may not committed, and as you can see, prevent us has asked the Christian movements on human has touched it, but it nevertheless understand at the time, the uncontrollable from entering the palace. What then dowe campus to justify why Christianity should feels a stimulus. hardships that occur in our lives are there do'? We must find someone who knows the eXI be the religious faith people embrace. In the same manner God affects our for our strengthening, and not for our dogs, can quiet then, and then lead us into at Speaking as an individual, I hope to fill in lives. His being is far too complex lor our demise. the palace. This is Jesus. th some of the holes that Dave claims have understanding, and he is therefore able to The second type of evil, or sin, is-one Some then ask about the unbeliever who ste been punched out of the religion, as well as dart into and out of lives to direct our committed by man. As much as these sins is good all his life. Will he ever enter the th to shed some light on the benefits of being environment without us feeling _ his are disgraceful in the eyes of God, he still palace'? Well, we are all, by nature, sinful th a Christian. I by no means claim to possess presence. But God has also given man a allows us to be sinful, for God has granted at some time or another in our lives. 60 all of the answers. sense of "touch," and if he chooses to, he man free will. He did not want to create Therefore, there are always dogs in the One problem area which I would like to can communicate to us at any time. Ours puppets whose lives he could pre-deanne, yard and one who has not found Jesus 0' discuss is the existence of God. As Dave is not to question why, as the saying goes, but rather humans, to whom he gave the cannot enter the palace. And what of the th points out, some, in trying to prove ~is and more often than not, God has us accept ability to think and reason. He has given us believer who lives a most sinful and da existence, cop-out that God does not abide his existence on faith. Nevertheless, we the choice to either live our lives sinfully wicked life? If his sins are committed m by the physical laws as we know them, and can certainly see the "blocks" in our now and pay the consequences later, or, to purposely - only to fuHill his human desires ~~ thus cannot be explained. But I ask you, is path's in order to make our lives as good as the best of our human abilities, live a life of - and his repentance is not in earnest, his that so hard to accept? Let me give an possible. goodness and rightousness to later reap fate, along with everyone else's, will be re example. If a beetle is crawling along the Goodness brings me to another problem the benefits of heaven. floor and we put a block in its path, we which Dave brings 'up: "How can an all- One last trouble area I wish to respond to d~~~~~~~~~~~~~u~~t~~net~~ank all :~ have affected the beetle's environment good, all-wise, and all-powerful God allow is that of heaven. Because of our sinful those who have inspired me to write this. et without the insect even knowing it. Since the existence of evil'?" The answer to this nature, God, in his pureness, has trouble More importantly, Dave, I pray that this we are so much larger than the beetle, and is two-fold. The first part deals with the accepting us into his kingdom. The death has helped you, and everyone else reading en since it is not equipped of our bodies, we can to evil that exists beyond man's control, such of Jesus me Christ gives us a route to heaven. it, to open your eyes before the Lord and be with the ability realize I enter, exit, and change the beetle's really think that God allows such evil Imagine you wish to enter this beautiful invite him into your life. the presence Let once example. as crippling an give diseases again and the like. Do you