Answering
Attacks On Your Beliefs
It
surprised me how unprepared I was to find so many people adamantly opposed to
religious beliefs and skeptical of a relationship between me and God. They view
the times I know I’ve felt God’s hand in my life as superstitious nonsense or a
biological chemical in the brain that predisposes people to need a higher power
or authority.
Some
even believe aliens had a hand in our biology. I wonder why alien’s influencing
human development is easier to believe than a higher power. Maybe because they
find the idea of an alien, though obviously beyond our knowledge, still subject
to the physical laws that govern us and therefore comforting.
Faith
Versus Defensiveness
Trying
to fight, ridicule, or even reason with unbelief is a losing battle. The only
answer I’ve found to work is to truly listen to and consider the other person’s
point of view, calmly state your point of view and why you find it valid, and
agree to disagree. You cannot nor should you attempt to force beliefs on
anyone. I love a different take on the Serenity Prayer that asks God to grant
the courage to change the person who can be changed and the wisdom to know that
the only person you can change is yourself.
I
find people who are most adamant in requiring a strict adherence to every
detail of the religion they follow the ones with the least faith. Any question
or challenge to their beliefs frightens and angers them, maybe because any
crack in their belief system makes the whole house crumble. That’s not faith,
that’s superstition. Faith is flexible and can grow and change as one learns.
Personally, I think it’s a mistake to ever become complacent and stop seeking
knowledge.
Living
Faith
The
primary way to get people to listen to you is to live the beliefs you espouse.
Hypocrisy is the quickest way to lose the respect and ear of those you want to
reach. I know people of other faiths with a relationship to God and don’t
believe Christianity is the only means by which to attain this. In studying
other religions, however, I find the teachings of Jesus most pertinent to the
way I hope to conduct my life. Paul’s teachings are another matter and something
to discuss in another post.
Anyone
have any interest in discussing other beliefs and religions?
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