How would you answer these questions?

I talked with yet another friend last night who asked me why I believe that God exists. I've always known that I believe that, but nobody has ever asked me why. He proceeded to ask even more difficult questions than I've already mentioned in yesterday's post. If God is real, why is there so much evil on this earth? Why are there so many diseases, why are people getting raped, why does a baby's mother have to die at birth? The answer I had right on the spot was that it's a result of people's sin -- but that answer doesn't really apply to diseases or the dying mother, if you think about it. Thankfully, my friend didn't point that out. He asked how I know that God talks to me, whether it's something I know in my mind or feel in my heart. I told him a little bit about all the many different ways God can communicate -- through the Holy Spirit, through other people, through sermons, through songs, and sometimes even audibly.

My friends' main point was this -- if people put as much faith in each other as they put in God, the world would be a much better place. Of course, my counter-argument that the world would be a much better place if people expected LESS from each other didn't fly too well with him. He thought it's a bleak perspective on the world -- and I can understand. After all, if all life feels like is that God is constantly letting you down, where else would you want to put your faith other than other people? And why WOULDN'T you be disappointed when those people are taken away? In my mind, of course, it doesn't make sense to trust people more than I trust God. God has never, ever let me down. People have -- but I didn't expect them not to, and even if I have, God was there to heal and to restore my broken heart or mind, and to fill me with His supernatural joy and peace. God doesn't let people down, that's just not His character. That's why God is God. But how can you explain that to a person who's been through a life of pretty much nothing but pain?

A point that I've heard from two different people already is that no matter what people believe, their religion is just something that is there to help them get through the day, and that's fine because it works for them. The point, of course, seems to be there to make the person talking feel like they're tougher than the rest because they know that God doesn't exist and are realists in their outlook on the world rather than idealists. A little ironic considering the desire for people to have more faith in one another... But nevertheless valid in justifying being stronger than everyone else.

I guess my post today has no point really. I'm just trying to analyze that conversation further and gain some perspective. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Useless Topics

And I'm back. (Again). To use the gift of writing that God has so graciously bestowed on me about six months ago. I've been away because I was dealing with a "hook" in my own life -- a relationship obstructing my communication with God. I am not going to hide or ignore that it happened, because I said I'll be honest about my walk with God on this blog. But I am not going to discuss this right now either because it's not time yet. The good news is I'm off the "hook" and back on track in my walk with God.

He, in His amazing love, is still using me, even though I mess up all the time. I currently have three ongoing conversations with different unbelievers about Jesus and Christianity, and it's been amazing. Those conversations are forcing me to really research and dig deeper into what I know about God, His word, and His ways. It's also forcing me to find out more about the many different types of movements and beliefs that influence people to think the way they do. The questions asked are quite difficult to answer for a person who has almost zero experience in personal evangelism and cannot foresee a thing (besides the fact that all people are very different and coming from different experiences and influences in life.)

For this very reason it annoys the crap out of me now when I end up in a circle of Christians and the topics of discussion are same old, same old... can we cut our hair? wear makeup? hold hands? wear jewelry? have tattoos? pierce our ears? how about our nose? is it permissible to talk about certain topics from the pulpit? is it a sin to drink alcohol? is it a sin to smoke? how short of a skirt is still appropriate?

HOW USELESS ARE THESE TOPICS?!?!

In conversations with unbelievers that I've had so far, none of them have ever asked what God thinks about any of those! The issues that come up are so much more vast and difficult to even think about, yet are the ones that stand in the way of people's lives being given to Christ. Is Jesus really God, or was He just a good man who taught good things to His disciples? If you kick your live-in boyfriend/girlfriend out of your house, isn't it a conflict of commandments? (thou shalt do unto others... vs. thou shalt not commit adultery); How can you believe in angels or demons if most of the perceived supernatural experiences can now be explained through natural physical phenomena? (i.e. hormonal dis balance, body/brain mis-coordination, etc.) Why should I believe that The Bible IS the word of God? What is the difference between denominations x, y, and z?

I really, REALLY wish that when we gather together as Christians we'd spend more time either worshipping God or discussing ways to answer the more difficult questions that are being raised in the real world, outside of the cozy "Christian" bubble that so many of us are used to. This is not meant as criticism either. It's more of an outcry because other than online, mostly at marshillchurch.org (oh, did I forget to mention the "is Internet from the devil?" and "is pastor Mark Driscoll legit?" discussion questions?), there is no other place to go to figure out what to say and how to answer the difficult questions that come up in conversations with non-Christians. (Reading The Bible for yourself being a given of course.)