I’ve been looking through my old journal the past couple days, and I stumbled across something that one of my friends told me a while back: (I think I was frustrated with the religious depts at college campuses at the time)
“Intellectualism rations God off with these terms like ‘all-powerful’, ‘omnipotent’, ‘omniscient’, ‘omnipresent’, ‘all-good’…but then still thinks of Him as like us, or maybe just a little stronger-but always contradicting Himself. More than that they don’t even believe that He actually exists. He’s just an idea out there that we really can’t get our little minds around, so we write Him off. They also think because He’s ‘all-powerful’ and ‘all-good’, He must be a dictator- keeping His little caged in evil-free world with robots who will worship Him. But the true definition of worship is a heart filled with wonder and affection voluntarily offered, not forced. No human could have come up with such a compelling drama as this we are a part of. Human beings turning from God in the beginning in perfect relationship and perfect condition, and then God in His infinite wisdom, winning back the affections of the human race without ever violating their free-will. The ability to choose who and how you worship places the value on that worship. God is a massive lover and He is after other lovers.. those who will peer through the darkened cloudy skies of this fallen time and space and still offer up their weak hearts of love. This is what captures Him forever. This is the longing of His heart- This is the dignity of Love… then Christ becomes more than just a religious bridge builder between God and man.. we then see Him as the most passionate lover who ever walked the Earth.. even fighting unto the death for the love of those who killed Him, His enemies… Who does that?? Sheer beauty.
“Whom Having not seen, you love…” 1 Peter 1:8
I wouldn’t necessarily title it “intellectualism” because some people will probably think you’re anti-intellectual, which I know you are not.
I’m sure your class is a “humanities” class. I have had several of those… the only benefit of that type of class is that it takes you out of your mindset, and puts you into the shoes of a regular person, or the type of person that is being analyzed, and observe from that perspective to get a greater understanding of why they do this and that, and think this and that.
The downside, is you usually get someone who thinks of God as an idea, or that He is real, but there are many ways to get to heaven. (or not just through Christianity.
Great post, Erin!
“The ability to choose who and how you worship places the value on that worship.” – that’s an awesome line! I’m stealing it…
Wondeful post Ernie, just wonderful. (I wrote that with a proper English accent of course)