It's Time To Fight

As Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time for everything, "a time for war," and I think that we are entering into a time to fight.

Let me explain what I mean...

In today's society, everyone is incredibly concerned with peace, with not offending anyone, with being "politically correct," whether on a personal, public, business, or international level. It seems like that is all anyone cares about, and it is a big concern. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not a huge war advocate, despite what this post is gonna sound like, and I want there to be peace as much as anyone else. Afterall, God tells us in Romans 12:18 "If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone." However, I think there is something incredibly dangerous in pursuing peace above all else, especially the way so many in the world define peace.

As I said before, people in the world today are so incredibly easily offended that in order for us to "live at peace with everyone" we have to tiptoe around, keep all of our beliefs, convictions, opinions, thoughts, etc... to ourselves, and apologize profusely anytime something you say or do happens to upset someone else because they don't agree with it. We are living in an age of relativity where everything is right and valid except for the belief that not everything is right and valid. If you happen to disagree that every belief is correct then your belief is not only incorrect (which fundamentally makes no sense), but you are labeled as an ignorant bigot full of hate and detrimental to society and progress. This is a dangerous world to be living in, but what is even more dangerous is that so many people buy into it hook, line and sinker, and so many people who should be fighting it, are allowing themselves to be conformed to the patterns pf the world we live in.

A Fairytale Life

Fairytales, in some fashion, have been around in virtually every culture since the beginning of time. We are fascinated with them, with the fanciful elements, the larger than life events, the extra evil villains, the super passionate romances, basically all the stuff that makes a fairytale and fairytale. Often, fairytales end with a "Happily Ever After," but not always.

For some reason (which I am going to guess at here), people are obsessed with fairytales. We love (or hate) them, but so much of what we do is based on them. They are the subject of countless movies, books, television shows, songs, etc... Disney has built a massive worldwide company, and it is largely around fairytales of some form.

While fairytales can be fun, fanciful stories, inspiring the imagination, and, especially today, leaving us feeling all warm and fuzzy, there are a lot of people who have a negative outlook on fairytales because they portray an unrealistic view of life, of love. I have heard the argument that fairytales (and that concept of idealized life, idealized relationships) are detrimental because they instill unrealistic expectations within people that leave them depressed or constantly searching because life isn't actually the way it is in the fairytale. No man is a Prince in Shining Armor. No woman is the perfect Princess. Good and Evil are not always so clear cut. Best of Intentions do not always work out. There is rarely a "Happily Ever After."

Crazy Christians

Christians really are pretty crazy. The stuff they believe, and the stuff they do (if they truly live their beliefs) is really crazy. So let's start by defining "crazy."

"senseless; impractical; totally unsound"
"intensely enthusiastic; passionately excited"
"very enamored or infatuated"

I was thinking about it recently, and many aspects and truths of Christianity are seemingly crazy. I can understand why there are so many people who genuinely don't get it, and genuinely think that Christians are nuts. I mean, seriously, while Christianity is sound, and can be proven logically, a lot of the truths seem illogical and insane until they are experienced.

Chick-fil-A "Do you serve gay people?" "Ummm...no...we serve chicken."

If you have not heard about all the hoopla recently surrounding Chick-fil-A, where have you been? JK, but not really. It's a bit insane. There are huge protests and Chick-fil-A Appreciation events going on, and it's all over a single issue. Gay marriage. Now, regardless of where you stand on this issue, this whole thing is a bit insane if you ask me! Here is the quote that started it all:

“we’re inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage. And I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude that thinks we have the audacity to redefine what marriage is all about.”

"We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit,"

Cathay was making comments regarding his and his companies beliefs and foundations. They operate based on Biblical principles. He was also speaking his personal beliefs and convictions, and in fact nothing that he said was discriminatory. The man was answering questions, and his conviction and belief and honest answer is that he supports traditional, Biblical marriage. What's the problem with that?

A Shooting, a Shock & True Happiness

Last night an absolutely tragic thing occurred. During a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises a man busted into a theater in Aurora, CO, threw in a smoke bomb, a opened fire on those present. 12 people were killed, 38 were injured, this includes a 9 year old and a 3 month old.

Upon hearing of this event, my initial response was shock and sadness, with a feeling of "What is wrong with people? What is wrong with our world?" I just cannot understand how in the world someone could ever do that. How do you willingly inflict such terror, fear, and pain into the lives of anyone, much less those who have done nothing to you and are simply enjoying a movie.

I am sure that there are countless explanations, reasons that will be given about what drove James Holmes to go on a shooting spree. Possibly he was just psychotic, possibly he was having issues with finances or his job, maybe it was family, friend or relationship problems, maybe he was depressed, who knows. Whatever it was though, it doesn't make sense and it is completely tragic.

Here's the thing though, my reaction, and that of many people, is shock and horror. Why are we shocked? Why does it seem so out of the ordinary? I have been asking "What is wrong with people?" for years and years. It is constant that there is something on the news that displays the absolute depravity of the human nature. It think that is the point. Humanity is depraved. We are not naturally good. There is a seed of unexplainable evil within us, that all too often, people water and nurture until it blooms in some tragic event like this shooting, but then why are we shocked by it? I think it is because, while we all are evil from birth, this is a disease, a parasite on our very being.

We were not created evil. We we created to be perfect, in perfect relationship with the perfect God, but we messed that up. We contracted a contagion that infected everyone, continues to infect everyone, and takes that perfectly beautiful creation and morphs it into something ugly, something hideous. It affects our minds and our hearts and puts utter discontentment and hopelessness into our lives. It takes a perfect fulfilled existence and transforms it into, what Solomon describes as "meaningless" a "chasing after the wind."

When we are constantly searching for some sort of meaning, purpose, fulfillment, happiness and everything in life is temporary, fleeting, empty, meaningless that leaves us in a place where it doesn't matter what we do or who we help/hurt. Why not give in and let that seed of evil bloom within us? It doesn't matter anyway. Sadly, so many people are at this point in their lives. If something is wrong in their life, if there is pain in their life, or really, if they just feel like it, they have no reason not to sabotage and destroy themselves, through any number of methods, or others.

This is where the Truth comes in. I believe that everyone wants to be happy, and spend their lives pursing whatever makes them happy. We all long for happiness, fulfillment, purpose, meaning, etc... The Truth is that, while there are plenty of things in life that we find happiness in, the only true source of happiness and contentment is found in The Truth (Christ). In Him, one can have happiness, peace, joy, purpose, contentment, fulfillment, all of those things people are longing for, and once we have Him, everything else in life that gives us happiness is a bonus. It's like the syrup, coconut, cherry on top of your ice cream.

All we need, all we long for is found in Christ, and in Him we receive the cure to the soul rotting contagion that afflicts humanity. In Him we are able to be at peace, even if the world is falling apart around us.

Therefore, when I see stories, like this shooting. I am filled with shock and sadness over the incident, but also over the fact that this man was so overcome by the blooming seed of evil in his life that he allowed it to destroy him, and others, when there is a cure waiting to heal him. It makes me all that more aware of the urgent need to spread this cure, to combat the contagion, and to offer hope to the world in the face of despair.

If you currently are living without Christ. Please, I urge you to search for your happiness in Him. If you have accepted Him, I urge you to live like it, live like you have discovered the most precious treasure of ultimate happiness, and spread that to those around you!

To end with a Batman tie-in. Christ is "A hero. Not the hero we deserved but the hero we needed."

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -- Romans 5:8

"For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" -- Romans 5:10

"...Come and share your master’s happiness!'" -- Matthew 25:21