Christlike Disagreement With Others

What is love? (baby don't hurt me)

It's amazing how I try to stay out of political conversation, but boy, how the flesh is weak. It feels impossible to stay away from emoting about political positions regarding what the Left or the Right are doing.

Quite often I have to remind myself what agape love is:

Patient

Kind

Does not envy

Does not boast

Not proud

It does not dishonor others

It is not self-seeking

It is not easily angered

It keeps no record of wrongs

Agape love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Agape never fails.

How does one remain objective and not lose one's cool?

Honestly, if I figure it out I'll let you know. Everyone carries with them certain biases. Everyone is biased. To overcome bias a person needs to rise above it, and take a 10,000 foot view at the issue. This is one of those "WWJD" sorts of things. Jesus Christ, liberal to the religious elite of the day, and conservative to the Greco-Roman culture of the day, in His infinite wisdom and compassion, never got caught up on the outward appearance of the person. Rather he looked at the heart. Sectarianism was easily as strong back in 1st century CE as it is today, perhaps even worse. Often when someone sought to trap Him with a fallacy statement/question, Jesus knew the underlying intent, and addressed them accordingly in love. Sometimes those loving responses were a bit sharp, but never were they done in hatred. Sometimes, in order to correct in love, discipline needs to hurt a little.

It is this Christlike wisdom we ought to seek, that we become imitators of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 John 2:6)

Failure to stay consistent

Desiring to be objective I'll stand up and admit to my failure here. No I won't cast the first stone, for I am not without sin. Although I am a Christian believer, I am still a sinner, and every day I need a savior. This is not to say that I fear losing my salvation. Although Jesus lives within me I still live in this body of flesh. Spiritual maturity is a transformative process, conducted through the renewing of one's mind (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18). One does not mature from childhood into adulthood at the flipping of a switch. Only through proper nutrition, regular activity, proper instruction, and experience do we make that progression. This is true physically, intellectually, and spiritually.

Is it possible to maintain Christian principles on agape love, yet be involved politically?

I'd like to think there's a harmony. If focused properly through the lens of the Bible it is possible. Paul instructs the Philippians "...make my joy complete by being like-minded (united with Christ, full of tenderness and compassion, having comfort from Christ's agape love), having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves" Philippians 2:2-3. Let whatever our responses are be focused through this lens. Do not respond in anger, but rather with a calm and rational mind. Be aware of your own bias, and contemplate perhaps it may pollute your perspective.

Typically I refrain from name calling or attacking the opponent's character. However I know I am not innocent of this sin. What is right would be for me to reconcile with this individual, presenting my apology in humility. Perhaps I'll update this blog after I have done this.

Conclusion

When the Apostle Paul instructs us to live lives worthy of the Gospel (Philippians 1:27, Ephesians 4:1), he's actually telling us something significant. Zeal for one's cause, passion for principles, pride in one's concept of purity and pedigree, Paul attests, for the spiritually mature, these things are all garbage. In light of gaining Christ and being found in Him, of not being self-righteous, but rather possessing the righteousness of God through faith, the spiritually mature considers all these other things loss.

Objectively speaking, let us go forth in this light.

My Heart Hurts This Morning

My God.....there are no words.

My heart hurts for Las Vegas this morning. It's hard to find words to say. In case you're living in a cave and haven't seen the news a madman in Las Vegas Nevada on October 1st opened fire on a crowd killing tens of people.

Trying to see some sort of rationale

A person almost wants it to be ISIS (which at this point in time looks ridiculously unlikely). For all intents and purposes this man did not fit the demographic. Perhaps it's evidence of "white privilege", but there's no reason why any law enforcement agency would suspect him. There's a part of me that thinks it would feel better if this man were a radical Muslim. My brain could more easily process that. But the fact that he had the profile of your typical salt-of-the-earth individual makes it so much more painful in my eyes. You hear about young white men going insane, such as is the case with the Aurora Colorado mass shooting. But this is a man who by all rights could be my dad. He had no criminal history. No apparent motive. As of yet there is no determined vendetta. It simply makes no sense.

The Temptations we face

It's very tempting, being this disconnected from things, to want to somehow turn around and make it be about myself. It's difficult to not look at this, and irrationally make myself out to be some form of victim. However to do so would be a great injustice to those who are truly affected by this monstrous calamity. 

The other temptation is to turn this political. By this I mean on both sides of the spectrum. I get it. This isn't simply a case of a gun getting into the hands of a likely madman. As of this point in time there's no known reason for him taking this action. There are no known links to terrorism. On this side of the shroud there is no reason for this to occur. Some will say this is the result of too many guns. Others will say this is the result of too few.

While I will not participate in the politicizing of this event, I will say that I don't believe it's merely guns that are the problem. There is a larger issue at play here. I would argue it's a spiritual one. Regardless the the problem, it's important that we as a nation not simply treat the symptoms. We need to cure the disease. Those who would premeditate violence among peace will find a way to do so, with or without guns. Mass shootings are the symptom.

Where do we go from here?

Honestly, I've got nothing. It's days like this I don't blame atheists for their point of view. After all how can any type of an omnipotent intelligent mind willingly allow something like this to happen? If I, in my limited mortal wisdom, possessed the foreknowledge and capability I would have prevented this disaster.

This is the part where I'm supposed to have some sort of a witty philosophical remark. Probably follow that up with a Bible verse. Probably throw in some stock background artwork including a dove with some sun rays shining through the clouds.

However, this morning I have nothing. I have no wisdom. I have no comfort to offer. My heart aches for the victims and the loved ones in this massacre. It is my prayer that our government will work together, bipartisan, and please try to restore some sanity in our society.

Maybe on a different day I would try to offer some kind of insight, or some type of rationalization to help make sense of all this. Perhaps in the days to come I would have such a thought. However now I just sit in disbelief. Perhaps we're not meant to know the answers, or the reasons why things occur. It is my prayer that there will be healing in this land and that the forces that would seek to divide us will not succeed.

Final Thought 

If you're reading this, know this is a terrible day. Know that I, being a believer in Jesus Christ and His infinite power, knowledge, goodness, and wisdom, do not myself claim to know any of the answers. If you, the reader, are a person of faith, whether in Jesus or something else, rather than simply talking about "thoughts and prayers", rather seek to pray for inspiration in how you may be the answer to prayer for someone in need. Give blood. Donate money. Give clothing and food to the needy. The Bible is very clear in this, that true faith is evident through positive deeds. 

Be the answer to some else's prayer.

Objective Christian: A Definition

Objective Christianity, and the typical reactions to it...

You would be hard-pressed to find someone without an opinion or reaction to someone claiming to be a Christian. You'll find people who are happy to hear it, others who respond negatively. Even more so when I use the term Objective Christian I receive numerous questions about it. Half the time they aren't even questions. I often get comments like "Objective Christian? More like 'Subjective Christian'" and "That's an oxymoron."

What an interesting phenomenon. Without knowing me personally or having heard or read a single viewpoint of mine, people find ways of accusing me of numerous things. People usually assume to be Christian means to be closed-minded. To such people my typical response is "ask me anything, and find out how subjective I really am."  

I almost never get any takers.

What is an Objective Christian?

Let me come right out of the gate on this one. Yes, this is a title I created. The reader should know that this is not a title of what I am, but rather a title of what I seek to become. Perfection is a moving target, and one I am far from achieving. 

Let's break it down.

What is a Christian?

In this day and age when a person states she or he is a Christian, what thought immediately comes to your mind? For many in the west it triggers a knee jerk reflex of someone who displays intolerance and bigotry toward others. For many it incites feelings of bitterness and discomfort. No doubt that during the so called "Christian age" there have been innumerable dark moments in history. The objective thinker acknowledges this fact, and makes no attempt to diminish the impact it has had.

An anecdote

When I was in my senior year of high school I studied abroad in New Zealand. I could write volumes about how life-changing it was. Among the many experiences I had, one that stands out the most to me was when I was part of a conversation with a Maori girl in my school. Now 20 years later I vividly remember the statement she made. She was talking about how Europeans had made Aotearoa (the indigenous people's name for New Zealand) a bad place, particularly for her people. However the way she said it was "And then those CHRISTIANS came and messed it all up". 

She certainly carried very strong emotions through her heritage on the subject matter. I remember when she said it I was so taken back that I sat there speechless. Christians? Christians did this?

However, how accurate is this definition of Christianity? 

Are the followers of Jesus inherently hate-filled and bigoted? Whether you believe the man to be mythical or historic (most scholars agree there was a historic Yeshua bén Yosef), mortal or divine, there are a number of teachings ascribed to him. These teachings speak of being God's light in the world, like a city on a hill. They speak of being the salt of the earth. They speak of those who are makers of peace, who are known by their meekness, who mourn and are poor in spirit, that they are all to be considered blessed. He spoke of unconditional forgiveness to those who oppress you. He spoke of turning the other cheek, and if being forced to walk a mile, gladly walk two. The Bible speaks of being imitators of Christ, and not conforming to the pattern of this world. Jesus spoke out against violent revolution, while his disciples spoke of not waging warfare the way the world does.

When examining this Christian orthodoxy through proper exegesis, how well do those puzzle pieces fit together with the aforementioned stereotype? At no point does one find a statement attributed to Jesus that condones violence, oppression, malice, or malevolence. Furthermore his apostles, those who carried the faith on after his resurrection and ascension, according to scripture, preached the same. While they may draw some sharp lines in the sand at no point do they condone hatred of bigotry.

So then, what actually is a Christian?

Stated simply a true Christian is one who confesses with her mouth that Jesus is Lord, and that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9). A true Christian is one who confesses his sins in repentance, and who received Christ's forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). A true Christian is one who has been spiritually born again (John 3:3-7).

A true Christian is one who loves the Lord with his whole being, and who loves others as himself (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:37-40). A true Christian is someone who seeks to be an imitator of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 5:1-2). A true Christian is someone who displays evidence of their faith not through hollow speech and idle Facebook posts, but rather through action and loving service to others, taking care of those in need (James 1:27). True Christians put others' needs before their own, knowing nothing of selfishness or conceit (Philippians 2:3-4). True Christians are known for their love (John 13:34-35). They are known by the spiritual fruit they naturally produce (Galatians 5:22-23).

While these statements are not necessarily a checklist of what it is to be a believing Christian, they are evidences of one's salvation. Matthew 7:16-20 says that you will know believers by their fruit. In agriculture you'll know a crop is bad when its yield is bad. 

Let me put it this way: walking into a church doesn't make you a Christian any more than walking into a football game makes you a star quarterback. If I walk into a 5 star restaurant I don't magically become a world-class chef. There is something more that must take place, a life changing transformation. This is true for being a world-class chef. This is true for being a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. This is true for being a Christian. 

There are a great deal many in this world who have been deceived on this, misunderstanding what it is to be a Christian. There are many who believe we are oppressors who would dominate this world. There are many who believe it is little more than claiming to be something without showing evidence, that it is feeling like you hold membership in some corporate identification, or that it is only about attending religious services a few times a year. I testify that in both cases these are incorrect statements.
 

What is "Objective"?

In English the word "objective" is a homonym, possessing multiple and distinctly different meanings and origins. To be objective is to be impartial, impersonal, fact-based, and unhindered by personal bias. On the other hand to be objective is to have an intended goal to be pursued. Same word. Wholly different, yet faithfully complementary meanings. 

The two terms assembled. Does it really work?

Skeptics, please hold your knee jerk reactions until the ride has come to a compete stop.

It is here I challenge the reader to be open and objective, and willing to listen. They who have ears, let them hear. 

It is the perspective of this blog that, in fact, objectivity and Christian doctrine can exist in harmony. The objective is to show that faith and ideology can show fairness and impartiality to the rich diversity around us, to be scientifically minded, to be concerned about matters of environment, global warming, affordable access to healthcare, and to show unconditional compassion to all. Indeed not only are these fully possible, but I maintain they are all central to true biblical Christian doctrine I listed in the section "So then, what actually is a Christian?" above.
To be fair I fully recognize the burden of proof is entirely on me. Astrophysicist Carl Sagan popularized the statement "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." It is this presentation of evidence that drives Objective Christian.

Where do we go from here?

One of my all time personal favorite quotes is from Dr. Neil Degrasse Tyson who states "Science doesn't care what you believe." I broaden the statement to say the truth doesn't care what you believe. The objective truth doesn't care if you are a Democrat or Republican (replace these with the appropriate political parties for your nation if outside the USA). The objective truth doesn't care if you're male or female, black or white, straight or gay, etc.... Objective truth doesn't care if you think the world is flat. It doesn't care if you personally accept or reject Christian doctrine.
The objective thinker accepts that every human is guilty of bias. I openly accept that I carry with me certain bias, as does every single reader of these words. However it is the goal of the objective thinker to remove one's bias in these matters. It's to take a step back on every issue and ask open questions, and to seek a deeper understanding from a proverbial orbital perspective.

Final Thoughts: A Fair Warning!!

There is no topic that is safe. The reader should not assume that since I identify as a Christian, that my arguments will automatically sway in their favor. There are many who claim to be Christians who will find their beliefs challenged by this ministry. I will be forthcoming that I reject the aspects of Christianity that are blatantly man-made. I am a strict advocate of sola scriptura, relying solely on biblical canon for my statements on Christian theology. I will from time to time cite theologians, but at no time will I substitute their word for the concrete and unmovable word of scripture.

Likewise I will often put the claims in scripture under the microscope of science. I will warn the reader now that I am not necessarily a young earth creationist. I will argue many points that will challenge common theologies presented throughout history. No doubt some people may be angered by the things I have to say. Many will find it doesn't fit in with their dogma. To that I say "that's okay." I am fine with disagreement as long as it is disagreement in love. After all we are all mortal humans. We are all complicated and flawed. We all have our loves, our shortcomings, our passions, and our regrets. At no point will I ever claim to be perfect, nor will I ever claim my views are concrete fact. After all, I'm just a guy on the Internet with an opinion to share. 

To be an Objective Christian is to seek objective truth and perspective in the margin between faith and doubt. To be an Objective Christian is about asking the questions that need to be asked. I encourage you, the reader, to join me on this journey.

New Blog - Introduction

Welcome to the Objective Christian blog

I wanted to welcome everyone to my new blog. This is a place for honest and rational discussion. No doubt when people hear the title Objective Christian different meanings come to mind. I'll address that in a follow up post. For now just know that our focus here is on the balance between faith, reason, and objective fact. 

Is it possible to reconcile philosophy and idealism with empirical evidence-based arguments? 

That's what I am seeking to resolve. I believe the answer is yes. However we as a society seem to find it difficult or impossible to perform. We are either not capable of reconciliation, or we are unwilling. I argue it is the latter case.

Where do we go from here?

I openly welcome civilized discussion. Disagreement is welcomed, but respect is required. I warmly welcome the asking of questions. An ancient Hebrew proverb states "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17. Through respectful, civilized discussion we can work together and improve each others' minds.

Please join me in this journey my friends.