Science and Jesus (6): The Infantile Brainwashed Christians

Have you ever heard the comment ‘Westernised people follow Christianity; Middle Eastern people follow Islam or Judaism and Easternised people follow Buddhism or Hinduism’? Ex-Oxford Professor Richard Dawkins attributes a belief in god to upbringing and culture, and after a careful examination of the scientific evidence, any rational person will ‘leave the infantile and primitive beliefs of a creator god’. What do you think about this claim?

Brainwashed or something more amazing?

Oxford Ph.D, Dr. Olivera Petrovich is a researcher in Psychology, who recently completed a study on children and the relation of Psychology and a belief in god. Dr. Petrovich travelled to Japan, which is a culture that frowns upon the belief in a creator god, to engage in this study. Remarkably, she found that children who were not taught about a creator god actually held the view that the world had been created by god, which is in absolute opposition to the spiritual beliefs of the culture.

Science in partnership with the Bible?

The Apostle Paul states in his letter to the Romans (a book in the Bible) that every human has a conceptual belief in God, which is evidenced through the creation i.e. the Universe (Romans 1:19-20), which is totally consistent with Dr Petrovich’s research findings. Hold on a minute, then, why do we have atheists and even more profoundly, why do we have people who believe in different gods? Why don’t we all believe in the same god?

In Romans, the Apostle Paul adds that even though we have this inherent notion of God built into us, we have a sin condition (we are born not knowing or understanding the one true God because of our rebellion) and therefore either suppress the truth about God and / or follow false gods or simply hold a view that a god does not exist (Romans 1:21-23; Romans 3:11-12). Yes, but how can the Christians claim that they have it all right then? What about Islam or Buddhism?

God revealed himself

The bible claims that God came to earth 2000 years ago as the man Jesus of Nazareth. He lived a normal human life like you and I, except for sin, but at the same time was completely God and his mission was simply to pay for the sins of the world. Therefore those who trust in Jesus will have eternal life.

Jesus came on a mission to rescue lost rebels, not because he was bored in heaven but rather because unless God revealed himself to us, we would never find God (John 1:1-3, 14; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 1:15, 19-20; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Peter 1:1). So, to conclude, are you searching for life’s great answers? Do you want to know God? Look no further, for today I want to offer you an invitation to meet him in Jesus. Why not pick up God’s manifesto – the bible and get to know him for yourself. A great place to start is the Gospel of Luke.

If this has impacted you and you would like to reach me to ask a question, email vintagejc@hotmail.com  

Resource Review: Mere Christianity

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From the author who brought you The Chronicles of Narnia comes this insightful book about the philosophy of Christianity and life. C.S. Lewis was adamant atheist, who in his travels came to believe that Jesus is Lord.

This hugely popular international bestseller is being repackaged and rebranded as the leading title in the C S Lewis Signature Classics range.

One of the most popular and beloved introductions to the concept of faith ever written, Mere Christianity has sold millions of copies worldwide. The timeless questions of spirituality which Lewis raises will have resonance with a new generation of readers.

Mere Christianity brings together Lewis's legendary broadcast talks of the war years, talks in which he set out simply to 'explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times.' Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations, C.S. Lewis provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith. This scintillating collection confirms C.S. Lewis's reputation as one of the leading writers and thinkers of our age.

"He has quite a unique power for making theology an attractive, exciting and fascinating quest."
Times Literary Supplement

"Lewis seeks in Mere Christianity to help us see religion with fresh eyes, as a radical faith whose adherents might be likened to an underground group gathering in a war zone, a place where evil seems to have the upper hand, to hear messages of hope from the other side." Kathleen Norris

Paperback, 256 pages
Price: Approx. $18.95 (Koorong)
Price: Approx. $8.95 (Amazon – see link above)

Chronicles of Narnia: More to the Story

I have converted. Not between beliefs, but from being a non-reader to a reader. I would never read for enjoyment or pleasure. My eyes would become heavy and my concentration would drift elsewhere.

However, recently there has been a series that I literally cannot put down. I find myself staying up, very awake and focused on a wonderful novel. It all started when I listened to the audio CD of the Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Once I listened to that I got myself a copy of the books. Then the rest is history.

So far, the books absolutely captivate me. I feel taken to another world. C. S Lewis is a master with the pen. The books are allegory to the Christian life. Aslan is Jesus, Narnia is one of his kingdoms and the Children are humans like us. Lewis has an amazing insight into the love and character of God so naturally you fall in love and respect of Aslan.

The book holds many messages that the reader learns from the characters journeys. For example, in The Silver Chair, a girl called Pole is given four signs to remember and follow to lead her in a quest. She balked at the first sign out of fear. She stuffs up another sign by being distracted by the thought of comforts in a Giants castle. I find myself thinking; how is fear stopping me from following Jesus commands? How is comfort distracting me from my purpose?

What is interesting is the C. S. Lewis was an Oxford Scholar whom was a bitter atheist. However, interactions with people like J. R. R. Tolkein help Lewis to see that Jesus was Lord. Lewis was transformed from a Godless man to a great Christian leader for is generation and beyond.

The books are thin, only about 190pages each. They are great for reading to your children. It is a creative way of instilling Christ's values into them. They are also available in an audio format to listen to in the car. Apparently I’m not the first to like them.Wikipedia reckons that 100million copies have been sold!

Am I Good Enough?

A lot of people feel like they’re not good enough to go to Heaven. It’s a pretty daunting thought, and can leave you feeling insecure, unsure and can make things like death seem really scary. As Christians, we have assurances given to us by God in the Bible that show us that we don’t need to be insecure about Heaven and whether or not we will be going there. Lets take a look at some of those assurances.

The first thing to consider is that no one is good enough to go to Heaven. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That doesn’t sound like much of an assurance, but lets think it through. If no one can be good enough to earn his or her way into Heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9) then our salvation (and therefore out way into Heaven) has to come from something else. So, if we don’t earn our salvation by being good, then where does it come from? Well, this one is pretty easy to answer. Let’s look at the Bible.

Jonah 2:9 says “But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD." This verse is taken from a prayer Jonah prayed while he was inside the fish (see the book of Jonah if you don’t already know the story). Notice what the end of the verse says? “Salvation comes from the Lord.” Alright that’s all well and good, but that’s just one verse and Jonah was inside a fish at the time, maybe he was just looking to be saved from his unpleasant situation. Let’s look further.

In Acts 4:10-12 we find another reference to God, and more specifically Jesus being the way to salvation:

“10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.’
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by
which we must be saved."

Notice verse 10 talks about the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, then further down, verse 12 says that there is no other name that we can be saved by (keep in mind that being saved is what allows us to go to Heaven). Jesus comments on this also, in John 14:6 we find “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

So now we’ve established that 1) No one is good enough to get himself or herself into Heaven and 2) Jesus is our way to Heaven. Our next question is what are we supposed to do about this? If Jesus is our way into Heaven, what do we have to do? Is there anything we should be doing? Lets go back to the Bible.

Romans 10 has several interesting things to say, particularly in verses 9-13:

9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture
says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

But hang on, doesn’t that look like it’s by our own actions (confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts) that’s what’s getting us our salvation here? But that doesn’t add up with what we read in Ephesians earlier. So what’s going on here? Lets jump on over to 1 Corinthians 12 for an answer. 1 Corinthians 12:3 says “Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.” That seems to clear that issue up, although you might be thinking “But I can say that, and I’m not a Christian. What’s up with that?” Well, words can be empty. Just because you say something doesn’t mean it’s true. You can lie about anything to anyone, even yourself. Except that God is still going to know whether or not you are telling the truth, whether or not you’re really believing in your heart, and that’s something only you and God will know.

Now, I’m not saying that because our actions don’t impact on our salvation we can go ahead and do whatever we like and then clear it up with Jesus later. This is another issue that should be addressed separately (but check out 1 Corinthians 10 23-31 and 1 Corinthians 6:12-18 as a place to get started). But what I hope you can see is that our actions aren’t what earn us our place in Heaven. That comes from the work of the Spirit in us that allows us to believe (1 Corinthians 12:3).

In summary, our actions aren’t what save us (Ephesians 2:9-10), our salvation comes from Jesus (Jonah 2:9, Acts 4:10-12) and what we are required to do is confess that Jesus is Lord, and to truly believe this in our hearts through the work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 10:9). Salvation is what gets us into Heaven.

All verses are taken from the New International Version (NIV)

Life (6): Who wants their tab paid?

You’re out with your best mate – you both order a beer and something to eat. The night draws to a close and your mate realises that he or she doesn’t have any money left – what do you do? Do you (A) tell him to get in the kitchen and start cleaning, (B) Run, or (C) Pay the bill for him?

Without a doubt, one of the most Aussie things to do is pick up someone else’s bill at the pub or restaurant. I have 9 years of pub attendance experience, 4 months in England and absolutely picking up the bill sets us apart as a bill paying nation. Think about, you’re out with your mates and family at a nice restaurant and everyone is having a great time reminiscing about the third test. Each person orders a delicious meal, a few drinks and a dessert. The night draws to an end, and rather than splitting the bill, your buddy stands up and says, “This ones on me, I’ve got this one”. It’s awesome when someone does that hey? Real Aussie blokes aren’t about hugs and kisses, pinches on the butt, or even back waxes and hair styles, but rather, us Aussie men are about picking up someone else’s bill!

Christians believe that the bible is about God who created the universe to be in relationship with him. It explains that we have all rebelled against him and do our own thing rather then what he wants. When we do things like lie, cheat, steal, not do something we should do or do the right thing out of the wrong motive we work up a bill, which we owe to God. The bible says that the payment for our bill is death and eternal separation from God.

What we need is someone to come and pay our bill for us. That’s right, we need a real Aussie bloke. So, God came to earth 2000 years ago – you might know him – his name was Jesus. His mission was to pay our bill. That’s right; Jesus was a good Aussie bill paying bloke! He didn’t have long flowing hair and a nice waxed back; he was a bloke! The bible says that Jesus lived a perfect life – he never rebelled against his Father. He was arrested, tortured and eventually, crucified – basically they executed him. Three days later Jesus was resurrected and he is now reigning in heaven as the king. The bible says that whoever believes in Jesus death and resurrection will have eternal life – because Jesus has paid the bill for those who trust him. When you let him into your life, he starts working things out and fixing you up so you can live for the King. Christians aren’t claiming to be really good people who get to go to heaven because we are good, but we are people who have had our bills paid for by Jesus.

For our sake God made Jesus to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become part of God’s family (2 Corinthians 5:21)

So, if you sit there now with your bill starring you in the face, why not give it to Jesus to pay.

Resource Review: The Daily Audio Bible

If you are anything like me, reading foreign books is a rather difficult task, particularly if you have no prior knowledge of the text. So, do you want to know Jesus but you aren't an  avidreader? Well I have some great news for you. The Daily Audio Bible is an excellent resource, which offers daily bible readings in an audio format so you can listen to them on you IPod, IPhone or any other electronic device that plays MP3's. Below is a short clip detailing some of the great resources available at the Daily Audio Bible:



To access the many resources available at the Daily Audio Bible, please CLICK HERE