This morning at our Garden gathering is the “doubt forum.” The idea is that we all bring our doubts and questions, throw them on the table and discuss them. Should be interesting.
I find myself, as I have many conversations with folks on various topics of doubt, in total agreement. It is simply amazing to me how the “church” has done so much to distort the message of Jesus that many questions and problems with the faith are actually problems, not with Jesus, but with the corrupted version of the church.
It’s interesting to look over the history of the 20th century and see the transition away from religious culture. Tim Keller pointed out that if you divide the 20th century into three categories you’ll see that the first part was very religious. A good citizen was a good church-going man. One was looked down upon for having no religion. Then comes the second portion of the 20th century which is highlighted by John Lennon’s,
Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for todayImagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
The second part of the 20th century freed us from religion. Unlike their parents, this generation began to view religion as a very bad thing which oppresses people. Religion was dead and never to be revived.
The interesting turn of events, however, was that as the 20th century came to a close people began to rethink spirituality. Maybe there is something more than what we see? The whole ’spiritual but not religious’ movement began and we began asking new questions and seeking new (or re-newed) understandings. Today, nearly a decade into the 21st Century, we live in a world hard to spiritually pinpoint and define.
On one hand are a large amount of agnostics, the spiritual-but-not-religious types who believe in something out there but certainly won’t begin to define that something. On the other hand, however, are the Richard Dawkinses who despise agnostic belief as worse than one with religion; the hardcore atheist who believes the world must finally wake up and fully evolve into the reality that there is no God. On the hand (three hands), are those in our modern era who are discovering new religions which have strict moral or ethical codes and strong belief systems in search of a sense of belonging and identity – whether it be Islam, Judaism, Kabala, Christian Science, Buddhism, etc.
What a great era in which to live! I believe that the way forward is through dialogue. There are so many messages out there touting evey belief system and every way of life that our best prophetic voice is one of conversation. Listening and learning. And somehow, in the midst of it all, as Paul did in Athens, begin to explore the wonder that maybe Christ is in someway the fulfillment of all our searching.
