If you are a Christian, when you read this, how do you feel? Do you get upset? Angry? Defensive? Does it make you anxious? Does it, even for just a moment, make you question your faith or wonder if what you believe is really as crazy as this description makes it sound? Can you feel emotions in you rising up? Interesting how that happens isn’t it?
If you are an Atheist, when you read this, how do you feel? Do you have the same intensity of emotions, anxieties, or defensiveness? Do you immediately want to begin to make a case for the rationality of atheism over-and-against Christianity (or any other religion)? Can you feel emotions in you rising up? Interesting how that happens isn’t it?
Everyone is telling the story of reality through assumptions based on faith. Everyone. Christian as well as Atheist. What that means is no one has the upper-hand as if one is based purely in science and the other is based on some mystical voodoo. Science, when pushed, has to concede that it, too, is based on faith assumptions.
What is important to me is whether or not there is honesty in regards to this reality. Whether it be from Christians or Atheists, who is willing to admit the variable of faith? Who is willing to say, “I believe what I do because of these faith assumptions”? On either side you have voices that want to proclaim that there is no faith about it. It is “truth” (or “science” or “facts” or “evidences”) and anyone who sees it differently is _________ fill in the blank (e.g., stupid, insane, a fool, ridiculous, etc.).
I believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the one and only Living God who created and sustains all things. I believe that he came to the earth and inaugurated the Kingdom of God, that he was crucified, that he was buried, and that three days later he was raised from the dead. And now I believe that he sits at the right hand of God and will one day return to the earth to make all things new.
I believe this based on some rational evidences and proofs. But ultimately, I believe this because I have encountered and experienced the resurrected Lord Jesus and have chosen to accept it based on faith. And now my invitation is for others to stand where I stand; to see what I see; to experience what I experience, and see if this same faith takes hold in their own heart and mind.
