Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).Strange ... very strange. How does one connect "joy" and "various trials"? Paul seemed to think in a similar way when he wrote:
For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake (Phil. 1:29).Granted? What's up with that, Paul? You're talking as if it is a wonderful thing to be able to suffer for Christ's sake. That seems odd in our thinking. Perhaps, though, if we examined it carefully we might find that it's not so far out.
In a recent interview, John McCain spoke of his time in the prison camp in Hanoi during the Vietnam Conflict. Of that time he said, "It was then that I learned to really love my country." He was patriotic before that, but having lost the freedoms that he loved, he found a deep and abiding love for his country in those prison camps. He would not have found that love if he had not endured that suffering.
Many parents, upon being told that the child in the womb is likely a Down's Syndrome baby, seriously consider abortion. Ask any parent, however, who has had the hardship and joy of raising such a child if they would change their minds. I suspect that an overwhelming percentage would shout, "No!" They speak in glowing terms of the joy and love that they experienced in interacting with that child. They would never have wished it on any child or any parent, but neither would they trade it for anything.
The truth, it seems, is that the most growth, the most maturing, the most valuable lessons in life occur when we are most stressed. In times of comfort we don't grow much. It is in times of need and pain and travail that we seem to thrive, to grow, to move forward. As a simple example, when I learned tennis, I didn't really improve unless I played against people far better than me. I lost, but I learned.
No one wishes for suffering. No one looks forward to tough times. We don't ask for them or hope for them. We should keep in mind, however, that God promises suffering to those whom He loves, and that He will use these times for our improvement. In your tough times, then, see if you can learn to consider it all joy, knowing that God will use it for your best. And if you lack wisdom ... but you can read the next few verses of James 1 to find out what to do then.
5 comments:
hi there stan, i am invading your turf, so to speak. if you remember me , we had a debate of some sort on paul's blog. by the way, i have added your blog in my christian blogroll.
regarding this post, i think it is not so much a mystery why those people who suffer most tend to be more religious. this is a classical case of stockholm syndrome. this is alos the same psychology that applies to those who get attached to fraternities in spite of the violent initiation rites. this psychological state is also observable in battered wives. i do not agree that we really improve because of suffering. suffering, in general, only reinforces psychological defects.
i know of a five-year old child who was gang-raped and stabbed many times by a group of drug addicts. what was the purpose of her suffering? has she improved because she suffered? where was god when she was being raped?
well, are you choosing to ignore the elephant in the room?
Of course I remember you, homar.
A couple of points. First, I don't write primarily to atheists when I write on my blog. I write primarily to believers. Now, when a scientist publishes a paper, he/she will write it to fellow scientists. People who aren't familiar with his/her discipline likely won't much understand his/her paper. That doesn't make it wrong; it wasn't written to them. So people who believe as I do would understand what I wrote and benefit. You likely wouldn't.
Second, when we talked I tried to make helpful suggestions, not debate. "Here's something you may not know, and you might benefit from considering it." That kind of thing. I believe that if you understood life from the position I've determined to be true, you would be better off. Now, consider the intent of your side. You would like to tell me that I am mistaken in thinking that there is purpose in life, that there can be value in pain and that there can be hope despite the difficulties in life. Your side would have to insist, "Nope, sorry, there is no hope, no purpose, no reason to think that anything good can come out of any of it." How will we be benefited if your view is right? How will you have helped us? What are you offering to replace our joy and pleasure in life?
Most atheists, it seems, have decided that the only way one can become a theist is to jettison one's brain and simply leap into stupidity. I would be naive to ignore the fact that some people believe in God simply because they're told to or they grew up that way or it just makes them feel better. On the other hand, I think you would be naive to hold to your position as a total truth because I know people -- I am one -- who believe that there is a God because it is a logical conclusion and because the evidence points that way. Not everyone who is a theist is a blind fool who can't reason. If you think they are, you'll be surprised.
well, i guess you are right in some points. however, please do not be misled into thinking that all atheists have negative attitudes towards life. my intent is really not to force you to see things the way i do. i simply want you to critically examine your faith beyond the confines of mere beliefs.
yes, i do know that some of the best intellects are religious people. however, i do not think religiosiy and intelligence has strong correlation. believing is an emotional process and not rational.
homar,
First, I do NOT believe that most atheists have no morals or that they have negative views on life. What I DO believe is that those who have morals and positive outlooks are misguided -- inconsistent. They cannot provide a rational explanation, based on their beliefs, for morality or a positive outlook on life.
As for the "best intellects are religious people", I would never suggest that religiosity and intelligence are tied together. You do hold, unerringly, apparently, that the only way a person can believe in God is to do so without reason or logic. That is, in your mind, even an intelligent religious person comes to his religion emotionally, not rationally. That's quite a position to take on your part.
Trust me, homar. I HAVE examined (and, at one point, rejected) my religious beliefs. The ones of which I am now thoroughly convinced I am convinced by EVIDENCE and logic, not emotion and irrationality. I hope that you, too, will examine your beliefs regarding "no God" and try to come to some RATIONAL conclusions regarding any sort of morality or meaning in life.
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