tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310981.post6334358611399796314..comments2024-03-04T07:45:15.155-07:00Comments on Hackman's Musings: The Cost of Faith?Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12494823779999456396noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310981.post-60587870170237456802011-02-24T06:33:24.003-07:002011-02-24T06:33:24.003-07:00Andy, thanks for sharing this. I finally got aroun...Andy, thanks for sharing this. I finally got around to watching and reading. I have recently been having my own crisis of faith and to my surprise, the guy on the right actually strengthened it. I think the guy on the left just has a vendetta for all Christians, but perhaps that is unfair since I've only seen his face for a few minutes. Anyway, this statement you made is part of my crisis:<br />"In the end, the caller from the video is afraid. He is afraid when he sees a Christian abandon his faith. He fears that it could happen to him. He fears that listening to anything outside the echo chamber could taint him. He could stop believing. Then the God he "loves" will reject him and torture him for eternity." Also like the guy on the right I've had to question the lack of evidence available realizing at the same time that there IS evidence of God all around. The clincher is that evidence is not the same as proof! And lack of evidence is not proof either! It is impossible to prove the existence or non-existence of God unless he reveals himself. When will that happen? Apparently it's been any minute now for the past 2 millennia. As a child I truly believed that it would happen in my lifetime, probably before I turned 30. Well, I am still alive. Now as the Bible is rewritten over and over again by my "better understanding" I have come to understand that I have no idea what is real. I now see it as a bunch of papers and documents written by well-meaning people inspired by God in the same way that movies are inspired by actual events then gathered and sifted by other well meaning-people and handed down to us and somehow through that process it is supposed to be exactly what God wanted it to say... without error. In the end I do believe in God. I don't believe any person myself included has any idea what or who he/she/ze really is, but we all know our image is the right one.Diana Dinh-Andrushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101671416811799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310981.post-85303954518033211382011-02-21T09:22:46.341-07:002011-02-21T09:22:46.341-07:00You have brought the word to light once again (FEA...You have brought the word to light once again (FEAR). It is hard to understand how the word drives such a large percentage of the Christian world; laiety and leadership alike. Thanks for expanding on this topic.Don Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310981.post-90549663228851367462011-02-19T01:15:02.706-07:002011-02-19T01:15:02.706-07:00I actually feel very sorry for people like the cal...I actually feel very sorry for people like the caller in the video. How sad it must be to live in such a narrow, isolated world. Every interaction with a non-Christian is considered an attack on their faith. I cannot tell you how many times in the past 5 years or so when I've worked with such isolated Christian, they are surprised at how "nice" I am. While I don't consider myself a saint (far from it), I try my best to be a nice person. In my experience, most people do the same, regardless of religion. How terrible to live in such fear.<br /><br />Yes, part of me is completely incredulous at how they can believe such illogical things. At times, the absurdity can even be funny. Yet, again, my main emotion is pity. There is so much more to life than Christianity. The diversity of people and ideas in this world has taught me more about myself than any church did. They purposely separate themselves from that world. <br /><br />I guess I also see a little of myself in them. Although I was discouraged from associating with kids who did not come from a good Christian family, I was "rebellious". Actually, my best friend in elementary school was Catholic (a big no-no). We are still good friends to this day. But it does not escape me that I could have easily gone down a different path and ended up as one of those isolated Christians. It was, and still is, a scary thought.Sammyhttp://scientificuniversalist.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310981.post-58215631459893885962011-02-18T20:52:33.920-07:002011-02-18T20:52:33.920-07:00Very well written Andrew. I cannot count the time...Very well written Andrew. I cannot count the times that I have been told by someone who is devout that they can't read what I write or know what I believe because they want to still like me. We have had the same response with our children. There have been some who have limited their children's contact with our children because they may tear down the faith they built in their children.<br /><br />I have also been told that they would pray for me or that they will do my "temple work" after I am dead and they are only concerned for my salvation. Unfortunately they fail to realize that line of thought does not serve for me it only serves them. As a result I often find myself int eh "Bad Cop" role when it comes to matters of faith.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08142060911229450235noreply@blogger.com