Wednesday 14 April 2010
a goal to inspire
How define what excites and inspires me most? Questions about God and the meaning of life are the biggest that can be asked. But the busyness of the normal run of life can hinder a full exploration and expression of them. Of course life itself can give insight into profounder truths, for instance I recall someone close saying at the birth of their first child, that it gave him a new appreciation of the wonder of the fatherhood of God. But the sense of a gulf to be crossed, a problem to be solved, can give a mission in life, and for me that gulf is this: on the one hand, the gospel contains purportedly the most radical and potentially life-changing truth anywhere to be found, and on the other, explicitly at least, our society is largely indifferent to it. That sense of gulf compels me to explore and seek to understand, and to communicate what I discover in creative ways. It feels like a worthy goal, a big enough ambition.
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4 comments:
Questions about god and the meaning of life are not however linked together.
Why is society indifferent? I guess because more and more folk see their faith as useless, or see no reason to believe?
Daily, we see christians wrapped in scandal - from David Cameron telling lies in Debates to the pope covering up child abuse, so, you guys come across as nothing special. I also think people are more ready to judge hypocrites than "normal" folk who just screw up. So, in a way, you create a problem for yourselves.
Why should you worry about spreading a message (that no one want s any way)? Cant you leave that up to your god?
Also, do you think that most people actually care about the meaning of life and god?
I keep saying this, but god need to turn up to provide some evidence.
How good would the evidence have to be to convince you that god wants you to kill someone? I hope it would be a lot more concrete than vague appeals to mystery and "heart"
To me, there is a biological "meaning" to life and a meaning that I can chose for myself - and god is nowhere to be seen in either.
I forgot to ask, what difference would god actually make for me? (remember, I was a believer before you answer that question)
Just tuned in : have funnily enough been thinking about the same sort of things today.
How can you explain the gospel when people hear the gospel in terms of what they already understand.
When you tell someone something they only understand it through what they already know.
who was it at school who used to shout "repent!" "repent!" at the top of his voice in mockery of evangelism ?
I have just finished listening to a radio 4 program about the oxford movement: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p003c19j
They seem to have mixed a focus on the sacraments and the eucharist with a focus on a mission to the poor. Whether it was right or wrong - they really seem to have got their message out.
trust you are well
r.
thanks rob, and billy (belatedly! - will check out your points again before writing my next...)
and thanks for r4 link rob i listen to this station a fair bit has to be said.. mind you still catching up with science progs in i player (bbc and c4).
hope ur well too, will drop you a line soon
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