ENLIGHTENMENT???

I was asked recently where my rants have gone. Well, girls, here's one for you! >:}

You know what makes me laugh? 

People who say that Christians are "mindless", and Christianity as a whole is run by idiots, and idiots flock to the Christian religion because it suits their simple minds. 

Please. How much more ridiculous can you get? 

Let's look into this for a moment, shall we? I've read these sorts of comments about Christians - we are, to much of the world,  

"Mindless" (That's a big one - like a catchphrase. Hilarious.)

"Unenlightened"

"Irrational"

"Thoughtless"

"Illogical"

"Unreasoning" 

"Run by emotions and fairy tales" 

And the list goes on, but those are enough for now. 

The first question to all those unsubstantiated descriptions, is how would they know? Have they met every Christian, ever? You know what I hate? Assumption. But that's another rant entirely. (Don't worry - it's coming. Oh my, yes.)

Second, how could they possibly know everything about the "Christian religion" in order to make such judgments? I was surfing the website of a former atheist-turned-theist, and you would not believe the comments from the regular visitors. They called this man all manner of names (none good), but all had the same underlying message: Good luck in la-la-land, with the godidiots and the deathcult...etc. etc. 

Seriously. They think they're not a religion? (Again, a different post entirely...probably a rant, too.) They were all repeating one anothers' sentiments - yeah, that's thinking! That's rationalizing! No, sorry - that's conformity and mob-anger. That's being run by emotions. 

When an atheist finds God, why do other atheists care? Is that not evidence that they consider themselves a group *coughreligioncough*? It made them angry! And they say Christians are the ones run by their emotions! 

Is Christianity a rational religion? YES. I know that I came to where I am now through a whole lot of thinking. I'm the sort who can't accept something unless I've thought about it a great deal.

Do Christians throw their minds out of the window at their conversion? NO. If they did, I wouldn't be a Christian. I have to think in order to live. You want to go ahead and tell me I'm brainwashed into knowing no better? You go ahead and try me. I'll respond right back with the fact that you've brainwashed yourself into thinking believing in God means you're mindless. 

Don't get me wrong - there are Christians who do, in a sense, "throw their minds out". There are those who say thought is dangerous - feel the presence of the Lord and sing Kum By Ya! These I want to slap upside the head! Fools! God gave us our minds! We're to use them to the praise of His glorious grace! Smarten up! 

And the other side of the coin is the Christians who focus so much on thought that it becomes an idol. No. You've gone to far! Not this either! Stoicism is not the answer any more that wishy-washy-sentimentalism! Arg! Find the balance in Christ!! 

Anyone who thinks he can separate emotion from thought is deluding himself. We're emotional beings. Anyone not "run by their emotions" is a robot that needs to be dissected so we can grasp the technology within. (I'd like a robot. It could do my work for me.) 

Seriously. Thinking is a means to an end. This world glorifies the "deep thinkers". Well, what are they thinking so deeply about? Does any of it matter? Are they REALLY thinking at all? Or are we so caught up in the idea that they are smart that anything they talk or write about is considered the wisest thing since, like, ever? (I totally want to kick everyone in the pants right now. Get back. No, further, my legs are long.) 

I could sit here all day and tell you what I "think". But, as I said, we don't stop with thinking. Either we apply things, or reject them as useless. Everything we think about has to have some meaning, or it's garbage that our brain doesn't keep for very long. 

So, is there any meaning in what Christians think? 

(Afterthought: I'm speaking to no one in particular here): 

Tell me: is the Christian religion disprovable? Is religion the only cause of suffering in the world? Can you support your answers? 

Don't give me generalized statements about the wickedness of past Christians. We're all wicked. Christians are the ones who know it. I cry for the mistakes people make, but that doesn't mean I'm going to reject the only God there is - the only One Who could save me. 

Do you have solid evidence that God does not exist? Then shut up. You're being run by your faith in the fact that He doesn't exist. I'm sick of hearing it. You're fooling yourself into thinking you have the thoughtful, mindful facts and we don't. That's ignorant and arrogant. The fact that so many people have to mock Christianity proves to me that they're threatened by it. Why? Could it possibly be because they know deep down that God is real? Hmmmmmmm. 

Do you have solid evidence that neither hell nor heaven exist? That Jesus is not the Saviour of the world? That there was no virgin birth? Then, again, zip it. 

Every human being is living by faith in something. We all live for a reason - for ourselves or for God. That's the simplest way I can put it. 

I know the truth and I'm going to continue to proclaim it. I'm going to continue to think about God's Word and what He tells me therein. I'm going to reason about the character I'm supposed to have, and the traits I am to put on or off. 

~

The best thing for Christians to do in light of the accusation that we don't think, is to think. Don't believe "that guy over there", no matter how great he is - find out for yourself. God will open your eyes, if you seek His answers with a willing heart. Don't leave it to others to do your thinking for you - unless, of course, you want to leave it to me, because I know everything. ;)

*I thought this post-in-progress would suit nicely after the one above. They kind of go together. 

Thinking For Yourself - Through Scripture

Freedom of thought is something everyone takes for granted. We talk about how we're "allowed" to think a certain way, to decide certain things for ourselves - we have freedom, man! The Canadian Charter of Rights states that we have freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression. 

But what does this autonomy really mean? More specifically, what does it mean to Christians? 

Are Christians supposed to have freedom of thought, as the world knows it? Does the Bible not talk about having every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)?

All through the Bible you'll find examples of men and women who did not, in fact, think for themselves - they threw themselves upon God's will and His mercy, casting their cares upon Him. They were not looking for autonomy - they did not want to "be their own man". They wanted to be God's man. (Among others, and in no particular order, Abel, Noah, Abraham, 

Moses, Samuel, David, Deborah, Elijah, Mary (all of them :) ), Matthew, Paul, Peter, and Stephen)

Have we lost that? Does this generation of Christians push away from God, saying "I can handle myself, Lord - just be there when the big problems come, okay?" Do we really rely on God for everything? 

Proverbs 14:15 - "The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps."

You know, I often find myself going forward without giving thought to what it really means to go forward. Every moment is a moment that counts. Do we think about that? Do we consider consequences of our actions, our words? Yes, we do - but usually afterward. Leap first, look later, right? (At least, for me.)

We're supposed to give thought to our steps - I take this to mean, the path of life we walk. Everything we do in our life, speaking, living...writing...should be thought through. We think too little. 

Psalm 94:10-11 - "He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge - the LORD - knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath." 

First of all, read that verse again. Second, look at what it says - God teaches us knowledge, and God knows that our thoughts are but a breath. Knowledge from God is the only knowledge that matters.

Think about a breath. What goes in is helpful to us, right? We breath in, and live. Knowledge from God is the air that goes into us. What do we breath out? The air expelled from our body is no use to us. What comes out of us - the thoughts of man - is worthless to us. 

We should think thoughts of God, not of man. 

The first thing to do is say "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!" (Ps.139:23) We need to know where we're at in order to change. Have you ever prayed that God would reveal your secret sins? That He would show you just how corrupt you are? 

I'm too stupid to know how often I sin. The Bible says that God feels indignation every single day. That's because of me. 

How can we think thoughts from God? Well, where are the thoughts from God recorded? Go back to Scripture:

Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

The more we dig deep into the Word of God, the more we will see our own thoughts and intentions - and want to change them. God doesn't leave us in our own thoughts. He wants us to reform our minds. He provides the way to do that. 

1 Corinthians 14:20 - "Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature." 

What is mature thinking? 

1Peter 4:12 - "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God." 

Mature thinking is Christ's thinking. Living for the will of God. That's mature. Going our own way and deciding for ourselves is immature. Standing up on our own two feet - well, we're not really standing. We're in a free-fall, and we cover our eyes and deny it.  

So, by all means, think - through Scripture. 

Fin.