In October 2021, I moderated a lively discussion on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. As we waited to return home at the departure gate at the Austin, Texas, airport, a passenger on our flight posted a shocking T that read “Jesus Confesses Sin” (except without the asterisk). He strutted around wearing a shirt.
oh. The profane message caused a quiet buzz among the passengers. Eventually, a flight attendant called the man and convinced him to turn his shirt inside out before letting him on the plane. I was grateful that the man didn't raise his fist, because he was clearly a troubled soul.
I strongly reject the message on the guy's shirt, and I was glad I wasn't sitting next to him.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. But some Christians have the most miserable attitude. As I called on the name of Christ, I wondered who had hurt this person. After all, it was the most pious people who used political pressure to have Jesus murdered, and it was the apostle Judas, one of the first Christians, who fatally betrayed the Son of God. Human nature does not change. Why should we expect better from Christians today?
Frederick Douglass, a former slave turned abolitionist, said: “I recognize that there is as great a difference as can be made between the Christianity of this country and the Christianity of Christ.'' I myself cannot help but recognize my own flawed nature. . My sharp tongue and temper sometimes make me a terrible ambassador for Christ.
Indeed, there is a big difference between human-run religions and their relationship with God. A sacred relationship with God is not a religion. Mathematically represented: lowercase religion ≠ Uppercase relationship.
In our society today, especially young people, they are moving away from the system. Trust is collapsing in all areas, including government, schools, medicine, and religion. Having been deeply abused by very religious people and being an agnostic for almost 12 years, I realized that if there is a God, he is probably an asshole who allowed this to happen to me, or is he just indifferent? , or maybe someone who was actively hurting her. Because people do horrible things using his name.
But the truth is, evil deeds done in the name of God are like a Gucci knockoff wallet with a big fake “G” on it. It's obviously fake and a flimsy imitation.
According to Pew Research, far more Americans (55%) say religion has little influence than believe religion is a force for negative influence (20%). There is. In November 2021, in the wake of the scourge of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed millions and devastated the global economy, Professor Pew said he believes it has shaken Americans' faith in God. I also discovered that there is no. Pew reported that 80% of Americans say most of the world's suffering comes from humans, not God. Only 14% of American adults say they sometimes think that the suffering in the world is a sign that there is no God.
When I was walking in the dark as a bitter agnostic, I was out of sync with most Americans. My suffering mainly comes from other humans. My father and other family members, myself, indifferent and sometimes toxic church leaders, toxic coworkers, and toxic dating partners. Instead of seeking help from God, I turned away from the very source that could have healed me.
Unfortunately I'm not alone.
A record number of young people are turning away from God, the very life force that provides eternal hope. And it's killing us. Women who attend religious services at least once a week are 68% less likely to die from a “death of despair” such as suicide, drug overdose, or alcohol poisoning. Men are 33% less likely, according to a 2020 study led by the Harvard School of Public Health. A research report released by the National Bureau of Economic Research in January 2023 found that states with significant declines in religious attendance were correlated with sharp increases in deaths from despair, and vice versa. It turned out.
Through my conversion, I learned that God can handle all of our anger, rage, sadness, and fear. God is greater than any question we have about evil deeds done in His name. So it's good to ask questions. It is good to scrutinize the actions of Christians and people of all religions.
President Ronald Reagan said: I think the real question we need to answer is, are we on God's side? ” That is a question I will continue to ask for the rest of my life.
I understand the need to shine a bright searchlight on America's sins and not ignore or hide them and their impact on generations. But sin is not the end of the story. The pursuit of salvation and “more perfect union” gives me hope for the future. We are a nation that has broken a generational curse, and while we cannot change human nature, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, we can bend the arc of the universe in the direction of justice. You can.
God is not about controlling us. He gave us free will. In Matthew 23:37 Jesus said: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often have I gathered your children together as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings? ” And ye will not! ”
God wants us to have peace of mind and gather under His protection, but He does not force us to do so. It is a process that we must be willing to initiate, but God helps us every day if we humbly ask for help.
This essay is adapted from Chapter 17 with permission. “Camper's Prophecy: A Journey of Healing and Forgiveness”Published by Hachette Book Group.
