Okay, not really. But if I told you I wanted to talk about Secularism and the Myth of Neutrality, would you have opened this post?
NOPE!!!!
And why would you?
I mean really.
I was on the way home during my now famous and too much talked about trip to Atlanta when the radio station I was listening to suddenly announced an introduction to a man that I had never heard of. The words were so big and the introduction so convoluted that I actually thought it was some sort of strange Christian version of a Saturday Night Live skit. I kept listening, to see what the heck it was. So this nice man, Ravi Zacharias, started talking, and I was mesmerized.
Now he's a well known apologist, evangelist and theologian. It will come as no surprise to you that I am none of the three of those. I also had no idea who he was. About 80% of his message went right over my head, but I was most of the time worrying terribly about where exactly I-20 was and whether or not I was going to hit a deer during the horrible downpour I was driving through. Let's not excuse it too much, though. I'm not very well versed in apologetics, but I do love to learn about stuff.
So anyway, basically, if I can break it down to an embarrassingly simply level of understanding, for myself, of course, what this Mr. Zacharias was saying:
1. We are created to worship. By our Creator, of course. It was all designed to help us find Him. And what we fill ourselves with so much of the time is not Him. But we try, with any sort of religion. Mostly he was speaking of the unsaved-how we will worship any other sort of created deity. That's basically how the other religions started. All born out of this desire intrinsically to worship.
2. If we, as a country, society or a culture, allow Christianity to slip through our fingers, our world will not remain neutral. Meaning, if we remove our Christianity, something will replace it. Some other religion. Because we were created to worship. Something else WILL replace Christianity.
3. There are religions aware of this already. And they are waiting, in the wings, for the fall of Christianity in this country, so that they may step in.
It freaked my self out. I got that panicky feeling I get when I feel like there's too much I should be doing RIGHT NOW. That time is wasting. Like I have to get out there and make sure we don't lose this battle. BUT HOW?
Ugh.
So after this message, my head spun all the way home. I then asked one of my friends, who at this point has to remain nameless because said friend's ego is getting out of control, about this Ravi guy. I was really hoping that he was some quack and I could just ignore all that he had said. (Granted, the Holy Spirit was already letting me know it was legit, but I was hoping I was wrong.) My theologian friend assured me he was legit. *sigh*
So, you know, I don't know. Ever since I went to that stupid Secret Church, I have been reminded that what we are battling is bigger than we can even comprehend. And this little sermon by Ravi Zacharias further drove that home for me.
It's serious, and I am begging God to show me my place in it all. How it is possible to just go about our every day life, knowing that there is so much we need to do, as quickly as possible. Yet, how and how and how? Oh me.
One thing that I KNOW I can and need to do is pray desperately for those who are in the battle, fighting so bravely already. I can pray, and walk in obedience. And be aware. It's scary to be aware, but I think now, more than ever, it's a sin not to be aware. So let us all be.
Oh, and if you are at all interested, here is the link to the nice man I am speaking of: I am sure I am the only person in a 5 mile radius that hasn't heard of him, but I'm getting used to being the last one to the party, as my sweet friend Martha used to say.
http://www.rzim.org/USA/Resources/Listen/LetMyPeopleThink.aspx?archive=1
NOPE!!!!
And why would you?
I mean really.
I was on the way home during my now famous and too much talked about trip to Atlanta when the radio station I was listening to suddenly announced an introduction to a man that I had never heard of. The words were so big and the introduction so convoluted that I actually thought it was some sort of strange Christian version of a Saturday Night Live skit. I kept listening, to see what the heck it was. So this nice man, Ravi Zacharias, started talking, and I was mesmerized.
Now he's a well known apologist, evangelist and theologian. It will come as no surprise to you that I am none of the three of those. I also had no idea who he was. About 80% of his message went right over my head, but I was most of the time worrying terribly about where exactly I-20 was and whether or not I was going to hit a deer during the horrible downpour I was driving through. Let's not excuse it too much, though. I'm not very well versed in apologetics, but I do love to learn about stuff.
So anyway, basically, if I can break it down to an embarrassingly simply level of understanding, for myself, of course, what this Mr. Zacharias was saying:
1. We are created to worship. By our Creator, of course. It was all designed to help us find Him. And what we fill ourselves with so much of the time is not Him. But we try, with any sort of religion. Mostly he was speaking of the unsaved-how we will worship any other sort of created deity. That's basically how the other religions started. All born out of this desire intrinsically to worship.
2. If we, as a country, society or a culture, allow Christianity to slip through our fingers, our world will not remain neutral. Meaning, if we remove our Christianity, something will replace it. Some other religion. Because we were created to worship. Something else WILL replace Christianity.
3. There are religions aware of this already. And they are waiting, in the wings, for the fall of Christianity in this country, so that they may step in.
It freaked my self out. I got that panicky feeling I get when I feel like there's too much I should be doing RIGHT NOW. That time is wasting. Like I have to get out there and make sure we don't lose this battle. BUT HOW?
Ugh.
So after this message, my head spun all the way home. I then asked one of my friends, who at this point has to remain nameless because said friend's ego is getting out of control, about this Ravi guy. I was really hoping that he was some quack and I could just ignore all that he had said. (Granted, the Holy Spirit was already letting me know it was legit, but I was hoping I was wrong.) My theologian friend assured me he was legit. *sigh*
So, you know, I don't know. Ever since I went to that stupid Secret Church, I have been reminded that what we are battling is bigger than we can even comprehend. And this little sermon by Ravi Zacharias further drove that home for me.
It's serious, and I am begging God to show me my place in it all. How it is possible to just go about our every day life, knowing that there is so much we need to do, as quickly as possible. Yet, how and how and how? Oh me.
One thing that I KNOW I can and need to do is pray desperately for those who are in the battle, fighting so bravely already. I can pray, and walk in obedience. And be aware. It's scary to be aware, but I think now, more than ever, it's a sin not to be aware. So let us all be.
Oh, and if you are at all interested, here is the link to the nice man I am speaking of: I am sure I am the only person in a 5 mile radius that hasn't heard of him, but I'm getting used to being the last one to the party, as my sweet friend Martha used to say.
http://www.rzim.org/USA/Resources/Listen/LetMyPeopleThink.aspx?archive=1
2 comments:
There is that word intentional again- you didn't actually say it, but I heard it. :)
i'm so glad you are in the 21st apologetics century now. ;-) seriously though, he is amazing, and that is a whole lot of great stuff to think on. i'm sad so many believers want to ignore how real the battle is for our souls and how much spiritual forces are involved in our every day lives. we may not know exactly the extent of it all now, but the Bible is very clear. our country especially needs to wake up. lots more to pray on...
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