Not Believing Correctly

There are a lot of people out there who don't believe as I do - and that's perfectly okay - because I didn't use to believe as I do either.

With all the political banter going on in the media about the supposedly "big issues" in society there are a lot of people re-evaluating what they believe.

POLITICAL “BELIEFS”

For reference purposes, here is what the media and political campaigns are focused on as the "big issues":

1. Abortion (or should I say "Right to Life, Right to Choose," in order to be politically correct and not offend anyone?)

2. Same Sex Marriage (to avoid the cliché "Gay" - which is TRULY an overworked expression and has become somewhat derogatory in my opinion - in many ways, a kind of 21st Century "N" word....)

3. Energy Conservation and Alternate Sources of Fuel (another politically correct way of describing a situation where we step around the issue of wrestling control of the world's economy out of the hands of massive greedy conglomerates.)

Are these really the "big issues"? I think it's good that people are questioning their beliefs, and it might be good to question beliefs about the "issues."

RELIGIOUS “BELIEFS”

Much of the debate over the “big issues” is driven by religious beliefs and disagreements about them amongst the different groups.

Unfortunately, as I listen to call in shows, read the letters and words of those who claim to be Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jew, Muslim etc. I can't help but notice that the beliefs that they espouse as belonging to their particular brand of religion are often incorrect and founded more on custom than on the actual teachings of their respective faiths.

As a case in point, I heard a podcast yesterday by a renowned Christian apologist discussing one of the “dangerous” teachings of the New Age movement  - that God is inside each of us and therefore we are gods (small "g").

Actually, this apologist is quite mistaken about this teaching being New Age - it's actually foundational to Christianity as well!!!

The Church Fathers of the early centuries taught authoritatively that the process of salvation entailed the restoration of our divine nature - Divinization - in Greek the term is "Theosis."

St. Athanasius of Alexandria, (4th Century), one of the framers of the Nicene Creed, and defenders of the doctrine of the Trinity - expressed it well when he said:

"The Son of God became man, that we might become God"

The Apostle Peter wrote in II Peter 1:4 that we have become “. . . partakers of divine nature."

I think what the Apologist was actually referring to was the teaching of Pantheism, which, although taught by many New Age teachers, actually originates in Hinduism - "God is All" - i.e. God is everything. This presupposes that God is not separate from his creation but that he IS his creation.

Ironically, this teaching is rarely understood as being that much different from "Panentheism" - "God is IN all things." There is a significant difference - but I'd guess most people aren't really clear on this.

I like to ask this question of Protestant fundamentalists, to get them thinking:

If, in the beginning of time, God alone existed, what raw material did he use to create everything if not part of himself?

The honest answer almost always leads to the idea that God IS in everything.

"In him we live and move and have our being" is how the Apostle Paul described God's presence in reality. (Acts 17)

Anyway, I find that there is a tremendous ignorance about what most religions actually teach, compared to what most people BELIEVE that they teach. That's why it's a very good thing to question your beliefs - dig deeper into them and be confident in what you believe.

For those who claim to not believe in God, or religion, I'd challenge them to be sure about what it is they don't believe in; make absolutely sure that they're not believing in the right religion.

In other words, investigate what a religion specifically teaches so that your unbelief is grounded in true comparison.

As far as the "big issues" - those who are classified as being "on the right" on the moral issues - especially those claiming a Christian perspective, should bear in mind that God historically judged the liars, the greedy and the self-righteous much more harshly than he did the murderers and the sexually immoral.

Check it out:

King David; Adulterer and Conspirator to Murder

• Was forgiven and called "a man after God's own heart." 
  

The Prophet Moses; Angry murderer

•  Was forgiven and became the greatest Prophet of Israel

Ananias and Sapphira; Early Church members - Greedy self-seeking liars

• Were struck dead...................
  

 Makes you think doesn't it???

Now I'm not necessarily defending those who have so called "liberal" views about Pro-Choice, Same-Sex Marriage and the Economy, but I am suggesting that those of you who claim to be religious, may want to reconsider your views of condemnation toward those you disagree with, and also reconsider how close you want to stand to an Oil Company Executive!!!