Foolish Thinking
Apprehension was probably the word that described my emotions as I anticipated my volunteer job at the Snowball Music Festival. I was unsure about the kids that I would encounter and how they would act, however I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised. Most of them were nice and polite even if it was because they were high on a drug called ecstasy, which makes them mellow and non-combative.
The young adults were not causing me problems, but one of the volunteers did give me grief. As is often the case with me, the conversation with him turned to faith. While on break inside trying to stay warm, the man told me that he attended a particular church in the Valley and since I was unfamiliar with it I proceeded to ask about the beliefs of the church. My new acquaintance began a dissertation about how many of our churches divide but that his unites everyone, no matter what their background, ethnicity, beliefs, etc. He also informed me that his church took the best from all major religions and formed it into whatever they wanted it to be.
Confused, I continued asking questions, including how do you know what to take from each religion and was told that you take the part that makes you feel good inside. Well as much as I want all Christian churches to be united, I’m just not sure I can buy into the theology that we can pick and choose what we want to believe just because it makes us feel good.
If the Bible only had in it the parts that make us comfortable, we would have no need for a Savior, because only sinners need to be saved. Jesus would have died for nothing if we could possibly earn our way to heaven. But the volunteer informed me that he didn’t believe in heaven…oh there might be one somewhere, but it was not necessary because we have heaven here on this earth. Whoa…you are telling me that I am living in heaven right now? Then why is there pain, suffering, illness, death, depression, hardship and hurt to name just a few. He also did not believe in hell.
The man then began to enlighten me about the Bible and told me that the Bible had been written by Shakespeare. This was a new one to me, but he insisted that it was true because he had seen it on the History Channel. He said that the Bible had too much unity between themes and substance that it had to have been written by one person. Well it was written by One God through many men I retorted. He was not fazed by that thought, but was on to the next thing he had learned from watching TV.
This man did not care to listen to anything I had to say, because he had made up his own religion. I was saddened more by him than any of the lost children I had encountered that evening. Satan, the master deceiver had fooled him into thinking that he was his own god.
Romans 1:28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
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