2014 by Andy Oxley.
Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised but there seems to be more and more anti-Christian feeling around these days.
I often hear disparaging remarks, even on some of my favourite TV programmes, about the Bible or faith in general. These usually take the form of derision about recorded miracles or Biblical stories. Of course some well-known scientific figures have set themselves above any form of faith, espousing atheism as something desirable.
Some may say the wider Church has only itself to blame, having been a poor witness. There are never ending scandals involving priests and child abuse, ministers proving corrupt in various ways and so on. Whilst this is true, the immense impact for good of Christianity in the world is usually ignored. A huge majority of the faithful go largely un-noticed.
None of this is new of course. The Romans tried to hush up the resurrection immediately after it happened, with little real success. Unscrupulous people have been attaching themselves to the Church ever since, with self motivations as varied as can be imagined. The Church has been persecuted with zeal and enthusiasm ever since. If you doubt that we are in a spiritual battle, perhaps you might think again?
I have been wondering what all the above has done to my faith; that's the thinking behind this article (see, there is some). I'm sure I'm not alone that over the years my faith has taken a big battering. I listen to all the gainsayers - and how can one help it as they are SO vocal? I cringe when various scandals involving Christians are revealed. I stoop under the battering of personal life events. The list of negatives is long.
I still believe though! I believe in the authenticity of the Bible, I not only believe in God, but in Jesus as His son and I believe in all the Biblical miracles and all the Biblical stories. I believe God created the whole THANG (thang is what young people say, innit?) Yes, I believe the whole shebang, and I don't care what anyone thinks about that, either. I have considered the negatives and the alternatives (hard not to, when they are rammed down one’s throat) but I still believe. Possibly I’m a bit thick?
Perhaps us Christians should learn to apologise for our obvious stupidity in holding onto belief in stuff which is patently daft. I have started to practice an apologetic look in the mirror, it's a sort of sideways look with downward pointing eyes and a slight stoop. I'm getting quite good at it but it's not genuine - probably because I don't feel apologetic about my faith. I'm actually rather proud of it, and even more proud of the person on which it is grounded. I call Him my father. Sorry, I really am (not).
Maybe Christians should begin a defence of our beliefs and faith. We could gather long lists of historical evidence, scientific theory, miraculous events, biographies of Christians, etc, to 'prove' we are not so stupid after all. But you know, speaking for myself, I really can't be bothered. I've got this (obviously distorted) view that my faith does not need to be defended. It's more than capable of defending itself.
If anyone needs to duck under the barricades of their defences it's actually the folk who choose not to believe. If you consider the energy and tirelessness with which some of them pursue their unbelief, it does seem very like defensive behaviour, after all. Why bother defending yourself against something or someone who does not exist? Surely that's daft.
As for me, I believe as above. All of it, too.
I often hear disparaging remarks, even on some of my favourite TV programmes, about the Bible or faith in general. These usually take the form of derision about recorded miracles or Biblical stories. Of course some well-known scientific figures have set themselves above any form of faith, espousing atheism as something desirable.
Some may say the wider Church has only itself to blame, having been a poor witness. There are never ending scandals involving priests and child abuse, ministers proving corrupt in various ways and so on. Whilst this is true, the immense impact for good of Christianity in the world is usually ignored. A huge majority of the faithful go largely un-noticed.
None of this is new of course. The Romans tried to hush up the resurrection immediately after it happened, with little real success. Unscrupulous people have been attaching themselves to the Church ever since, with self motivations as varied as can be imagined. The Church has been persecuted with zeal and enthusiasm ever since. If you doubt that we are in a spiritual battle, perhaps you might think again?
I have been wondering what all the above has done to my faith; that's the thinking behind this article (see, there is some). I'm sure I'm not alone that over the years my faith has taken a big battering. I listen to all the gainsayers - and how can one help it as they are SO vocal? I cringe when various scandals involving Christians are revealed. I stoop under the battering of personal life events. The list of negatives is long.
I still believe though! I believe in the authenticity of the Bible, I not only believe in God, but in Jesus as His son and I believe in all the Biblical miracles and all the Biblical stories. I believe God created the whole THANG (thang is what young people say, innit?) Yes, I believe the whole shebang, and I don't care what anyone thinks about that, either. I have considered the negatives and the alternatives (hard not to, when they are rammed down one’s throat) but I still believe. Possibly I’m a bit thick?
Perhaps us Christians should learn to apologise for our obvious stupidity in holding onto belief in stuff which is patently daft. I have started to practice an apologetic look in the mirror, it's a sort of sideways look with downward pointing eyes and a slight stoop. I'm getting quite good at it but it's not genuine - probably because I don't feel apologetic about my faith. I'm actually rather proud of it, and even more proud of the person on which it is grounded. I call Him my father. Sorry, I really am (not).
Maybe Christians should begin a defence of our beliefs and faith. We could gather long lists of historical evidence, scientific theory, miraculous events, biographies of Christians, etc, to 'prove' we are not so stupid after all. But you know, speaking for myself, I really can't be bothered. I've got this (obviously distorted) view that my faith does not need to be defended. It's more than capable of defending itself.
If anyone needs to duck under the barricades of their defences it's actually the folk who choose not to believe. If you consider the energy and tirelessness with which some of them pursue their unbelief, it does seem very like defensive behaviour, after all. Why bother defending yourself against something or someone who does not exist? Surely that's daft.
As for me, I believe as above. All of it, too.
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