Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian
From: pgaughan@nmsu.edu
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Taking God Seriously
Message-ID: <Oct.11.05.05.32.1989.15812@athos.rutgers.edu>
Date: 11 Oct 89 09:05:34 GMT
Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu
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Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu


Here is a (definitely not original) idea to consider.

I think we as a society (individuals can examine themselves...) do not
really take God seriously.  I read poll results recently that said
that most Americans believe in God, but most do not attend any
religious body nor do they read the scriptures regularly.  The idea is
that God is just the "man upstairs".  He understands our mistakes
and even laughs about them.  Sin isn't so bad as long as you keep it
to a reasonable level.  These are many of the impressions I get from
some people I know.  If anyone in the audience feels this way, let me
make it clear that I believe this attitude is wrong and will win you
no mercy in the day of judgement.

This attitude is of course not new.  The Israelites had to be reminded
over and over and over that God was not just like any of the idols of
the land.  He is not a man that He might be deceived.  His thoughts
are not like the thoughts of men which can be anticipated.  He is the
Almighty who is worthy of nothing less that pure, humble worship and
obedience. 

Is the "christian" religious community immune to this attitude?  I
think not.  How do we justify the incredible diversity of doctrines
that are preached in the name of Christ?  For almost every doctrine
there is another one taught somewhere that opposes it.  Is God pleased
with this?  Haven't men's teachings begun to overshadow the scriptures
as sources of authority? 

Patrick Gaughan
pgaughan@nmsu.edu 

[The obvious answer is: No, God is not pleased with man's multitude of
interpretations.  However sometimes I wonder.  There are a number of
fairly obvious steps God could take if he wanted a single, unambiguous
viewpoint in the Church.  So from time to time I find it interesting
to consider the possibility that for some reason God finds it
acceptable, or maybe even useful, to have a diversity of ideas.
C.S.Lewis suggests in the Screwtape Letters (after making the
appropriate reversal of viewpoints) that it provides an excellent
opportunity for Christians to practice charity and forbearance.  If
there were a single church with a single authoritative doctrine, it
would be very easy to confuse the institution and its doctrine with
God.  (Indeed there seems to be evidence that this happened to some
extendt in the Church as it was before the Reformation.  I've often
thought of the Reformation as being a judgement on our pride, much as
the scattering of mankind after the Tower of Babel.  Of course the
current situation has its own characteristic dangers as well.)  --clh]