If you have read my book, The Complete Chondro, you are already familiar with an important facet of my life – passion. I not only enjoy being passionate about the important things in my life, I also need to be so. I thrive when I am passionate, and without this essential ingredient I can quickly lose interest in something.
You might be surprised to learn that passion is not exactly the same thing as excitement or enthusiasm. Although I might define passion as “excitement combined with commitment”, the word actually means something different, and has a very meaningful origin. The dictionary gives us insight into this, and states that passion refers to “the suffering of Christ between the Last Supper and his crucifixion.” In fact, an early use of the word was “Passion Play,” the name given to theatrical events depicting the death and resurrection of Christ.
This more sacred use of the term was brought to the forefront of American thought with the release of Mel Gibson’s film, “The Passion of The Christ” in February of 2004. The film has sparked controversy in the U.S. and abroad, and has caused many people to examine some important issues in their lives. The role of religion in society has also gained prominence on talk shows and in news articles.
My web site is dedicated to spreading the passion for green tree pythons. And while my faith in God has always been an important and driving force in my life, I have never made a habit of forcing my views on anybody. I have, at times, given a vigorous defense of Christianity on Internet discussion forums. This has always been in response to comments made by others, and I feel that if they open the door, I have just as much a right to walk through it as anybody does. But such discussions usually break down in arguments and accomplish little.
I have decided to publish this page on my web site for a couple of reasons. The most important one is my conviction that more than ever, the message of Christ’s Passion needs to be told and understood. I also want to provide some information, and maybe some answers, for those who find themselves searching for truth but are uncomfortable with traditional church settings or the same old answers. It is my hope that the thoughts on this page will be received as real help for real people. I understand that not everybody wishes to enter into such a discussion, and I respect that.
If you have no interest in spiritual things, then you may wish to skip this page and spend your time on other parts of this web site. That is ok, and I will hope that we can still be chondro-friends. If you have even a mild desire to learn more, or want to know about why I am the person I am today, then you may find the material presented here to be thought provoking and even challenging. And to those who are truly hungry for something that they can’t quite put their finger on, the message of Christ can be life-changing. It was and continues to be for me.
Most of what follows will be in question and answer format. This is not only because Q&A is an easy way to discuss a particular topic, but also it blends well with my teaching and writing style. And, there are many questions about religion and Christianity that demand truthful and insightful answers. I have endeavored to ask the kinds of hard questions that many 'unchurched' people ask, and have provided the kind of honest answers that I would like someone to give me if I were asking. You won’t find any watered down, politically correct jargon here, but neither will you find hate speech or fanaticism.
The statements made here are not being presented for debate, so please don’t contact me with arguments. Those who wish to express opposing views may do so on their own web sites. Christianity is based on love and forgiveness, but it also contains absolutes and makes some dogmatic statements. I’m not the Author of these absolutes, but they must be articulated in any honest communication about the God who calls Himself, “The First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Each of us is free to believe them, or to not believe them. However, we are not free to argue that they don’t mean what they plainly do! So, without further fanfare or introduction, may I present to you… Jesus,The Christ.
I was raised a devout catholic, and was an altar boy and sang in the choir. I appreciate the foundation of belief in God that Catholicism gave me. Yet, in my mid teens I began to question whether performing certain rituals (attending Mass, going to confession, etc.) was really all that was needed to be “right” with God. Further, I wanted to know God, not simply know about Him.
This search ultimately led me to study the bible on my own (something I didn't do as a young Catholic), where I discovered that not only could a person know God, but also that God wants me to know Him and has made the way for this to happen. I made a personal commitment to become a Christian and to seek this knowledge of God through bible study and prayer. This proved to be a life changing decision, and I am quite literally not the same person today that I would have been, had I not made this decision.
Eventually, I found it difficult to reconcile what I learned from the bible with much of the Catholic doctrine I had been taught, and I decided to leave Catholicism. That was 1977. Today, I consider myself to simply be a Christian. I am not a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, or any other designated denomination, although I do share points of belief with all these Christian groups. I belong to a local church that welcomes anyone who wishes to come. Along the way of my spiritual journey, I discovered that I have an ability to teach complex things to others in a clear and understandable way, and I have been teaching the bible for over 20 years. I am not perfect, and make mistakes, and occasionally I say and do things that I am not proud of. But I am still learning and developing as a Christian, which is a lifelong task. Jesus Christ has definitely changed my life.
"Jesus Christ!" Some use the expression as an angry curse word. (Ever wonder why nobody ever uses Budda or Mohammad as a curse word?) Others think that Jesus Christ is a man’s first and last name. Looking up Jesus in the phone book? Search under "C" for "Christ, Jesus." The fact is, Christ is a title, much like “President” or “Prime Minister” are titles. The most accurate way to say the name is “Jesus, The Christ”. (This is why the Mel Gibson movie is called “The Passion of The Christ”.
What does the title “Christ” mean? It comes from the Greek word christos, meaning “The anointed one”. In biblical terminology, the anointing refers literally to oil that is used as part of ceremony, and figuratively to the presence or power of God given to an individual. The Jewish nation had been promised a savior (or redeemer) from ancient days, and they were on the lookout for this “Christ” or “Messiah”. Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be The Christ, God’s own son. (More on this claim later.) God Himself states in the bible that He has made Jesus to be “both Lord and Christ”
- both are titles that were conferred on him - as a result of him fulfilling his mission. They mean literally “ruler of all” and “the anointed one”, respectively.
The Roman culture nicknamed the followers of Jesus and the early church Christians, mostly in ridicule. The term literally means “little christs” and is used to signify those who believe or adhere to the teachings of Jesus as expressed in the bible.
Today, most people think that “Christian” means anything from “civilized” to “good or moral”. As an example, America is called “a Christian nation” in the media, although American culture as a whole deviated from the teachings of Jesus a long time ago. Most Americans consider themselves Christians when asked, and are offended at the suggestion that they are not. Such people probably think that being identified as a non-Christian makes them sound unkind or immoral, but the simple truth is that God looks at all men as either believers, or non-believers.
To sum up, being a Christian means that a person has made a decision to become one, based on accepting the teachings of the whole bible and submitting one’s life to God. It means having a relationship with God, one based on His terms. Being good, moral person, or having any other desirable character trait, does not make a person a Christian. Being born as a citizen of a “Christian” country doesn’t make a person a Christian either.
I can’t be. This reply may shock some church members, and momentarily confuse most people. Let me hasten to add that this is not a statement of doubt, but one of raw honesty. If you are looking for proof of spiritual things, you will probably be disappointed. I can’t prove that the bible is the infallible Word of God, and neither can anybody else. I can’t prove that God exists. However, I can be convinced! This is what God calls “Faith”. Becoming convinced about the things of God, based on personal searching and studying the evidence, is called “believing” and is the product of faith.
Faith is not stupidly and blindly accepting anything that a man or group teaches. You won’t find the term “blind faith” in the bible, and in fact that term is an oxymoron. Faith is seeing with the eyes of the human spirit and believing with the heart, rather than seeing and believing with the natural eyes and the mind. Requiring “proof” of spiritual things is actually a rather low level of learning and often does no good even when present. Jesus “proved” his anointing by healing thousands of sick people, yet many still refused to believe. This is because the mind is a very fickle thing, and can be deceived easily, and changed quickly. Christians don’t believe the bible with their mind, they believe with their heart. This is not a word game, but two very different ways to approach what we “see” and believe.
Here is a very simple yet effective illustration. You are very thirsty and approach a soda vending machine. You have never used the machine before, and you can’t see the soda that you “believe” to be inside. You can’t prove the soda is there, or that it will come out when you drop in your coins. However, you have faith that it will. Why? Because the evidence says that it will, and you feel you can trust the provider, Pepsi-Cola. You then “prove” your belief to be valid only if you put in your money. In the same way, yet on a much deeper and profound level, you “prove” God and the bible to yourself by investing your life.
Through many years of seeing the evidence and proving in my own life that the bible is God’s Word, I have become convinced that it is just that. I believe.
Here is another shocking statement: Christianity is not a religion. “Are you nuts, Maxwell?”, someone might ask. For the record, God did not send Jesus to this planet to start another religion! There are two “R” words that help to explain the difference between Christianity and religion: Ritual, and Relationship.
Religion is man-made, and is based on creed and ritual (ceremony) in an attempt to please God or to curry His favor. Religion is what man makes up out of his own mind about God. Religion is responsible for the majority of fighting and wars in the world today, and also for the plethora of divisions and splinter groups in the Christian church world today. Most church denominations were originally started as a protest over some religious argument. Religion divides, and the bible tells us that God loves unity among His people.
Christianity, on the other hand, is about Relationship. Relationship means knowing someone, not just knowing about them. I know my wife, because I have a relationship with her that spans over 25 years. In the same way, Christianity is about knowing God. Christianity approaches knowing God on God’s terms. Religion approaches knowing God on man’s terms. This last point is very important to understand, and answers a whole lot of questions if you will take the time to really understand what it means. We must come to God on His terms, not ours. This single issue explains why many people refuse to talk about God.
One undeniable aspect of approaching God on His terms is accepting His terms. God says, “Worship no other god but me, and have no false gods in place of me." Jesus said, “I am the only way, I have the only Truth, I alone offer eternal life. No man comes to God accept through me.” I did not say these things, God did. I, like you, can choose to accept or reject them. We are not free to change the meaning or to claim that these absolute statements don’t mean what they clearly say. One of the biggest hurdles to truly knowing God is laying down our human insistence on coming to God the way we want to.
There is a lot of silly talk about God having many names and many different expressions through many religions. That is religion and man talking. That is the opposite of what God says.
Someone reading this may become angry, and accuse me of calling what they believe to be false. I am not writing any of this to undermine anything that anybody else may believe. I have friends that are Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist. I am not trying to persuade anybody to change what he or she believes. I am answering a common question, asked by many, based on what God says in the bible. I have come to be convinced that the God of the bible is the one, true, living God that He claims to be. If you have a bible in your house, His statements about this are right in there, clear as day. Each one of us must be convinced in our own hearts, and be willing to place our eternal destiny in the balance.
Actually, you will be hard pressed to find anybody who strongly believes in something that doesn’t sound like he or she “knows it all”. Many Muslims and Jews, as an example, are every bit as vocal and dogmatic about elements of what they believe as many Christians are. I have heard the well-know radio talk show host, Dr. Laura, make some incredibly dogmatic statements about Judaism. This is her right. However, there is such a strong anti-Christian influence in much of American culture and media today that Christians get the lion’s share (no pun intended) of bad press about being “closed mined, know-it-all, right-wing fanatics”. If you don’t believe this, ask yourself when was the last time you heard the mainstream media call Alec Baldwin or Tim Robbins “left-wing extremists”. Yet, these two well-known actors and many more like them are highly vocal, liberal “know-it-alls” who's arrogance exceeds most Christians by a wide margin. The anti Christian vitriol spewed out by Ted Turner of Turner Broadcasting (and owner of CNN) makes most Christian opinion pale by comparison. Yet, when was the last time you heard Katy Couric call Ted Turner a "closed minded, opinionated activist"? There are a lot of highly opinionated know-it-alls in the mainstream media and Hollywood that should really alarm you, if you are concerned about know-it-all Christians.
The fact is, Christians are mostly called to task for simply sticking to what the bible says. As has been pointed out, accepting the bible as written is the foundation for being a Christian. Mel Gibson stated in a 2004 interview with Diane Sawyer on the ABC news program Primetime Thursday, “If people think they have a problem with me or my movie (The Passion of The Christ), they really just have a problem with the gospel." In other words, when it comes to Christians, everybody loves to “shoot the messenger”. Virtually everything in the Gibson movie can be found in the bible in most homes, and yet the world erupts when a man makes a movie. Why aren’t all these people tearing the offensive parts out of their copy of the bible? The fact is, all Gibson did was show you what was already there in plain view. That is all I am doing here.
What is ironic and a bit funny is that most Christians, myself included, definitely do not think we know everything. We have many questions, and admittedly there are parts of the bible that are difficult to understand completely. The bible tells us that God’s ways are beyond full understanding in this life.
The bible is available to us in many languages, including several excellent English translations. (The original manuscripts of the old and new testaments were written in Hebrew and Greek, respectively.) If someone is speaking in a language that is foreign to me, I need an interpreter so I can understand. The bible is not in a foreign language. There is no need to interpret the bible, because we can already read what it says. God expects us to believe the bible, not interpret it.
There are some parts of the bible that require research and are open to several possible conclusions. However, these parts are few when compared to the entire volume, yet many excuse their need to accept any of it because there are differing “interpretations”. Most of the bible is very plain and easy to understand. Taking the position that scripture is all just individual interpretation is willful ignorance. The message of the gospel is, at face value, offensive to human pride. We make it difficult when we attempt to explain away the simplicity in order to excuse ourselves from being accountable to God. “Love God with all your strength and might”, and, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” are pretty clear. Jesus said that the entire book hinges on these two unambiguous principles.
The bible is a vast document that covers many thousands of years, and has many parts. This is sort of like your car. A steering wheel and tires, you can understand. Catalytic converters and fuel injection is beyond most of us. You don’t refuse to drive your car because there are parts of it you don’t understand.
The main message of the bible is plain, especially the New Testament. It can be boiled down to these statements:
· God created the world and made man in His image, to have a relationship with him
· Man chose his own way and broke his relationship with God
· God sent his son Jesus as a blood sacrifice to “buy” man back
· All those who accept the sacrifice of Jesus “The Christ” are “purchased” back into God’s family tree
· As followers of Christ, God gives us the ability to lead changes lives that are no longer dictated by our own selfishness
· We now relate to God as our father, not as a rule giver or judge
That’s it! All the rest somehow points to these truths. Some of it is deep and rather symbolic, and some is poetic and beautiful. All of it goes together to show us what God is like, in the same way that the parts of your car work together so you can travel.
The bible is also full of straightforward statements. Many so-called contradictions can be traced to small errors in translation from the original Greek or Hebrew. We hold that the bible is the infallible Word of God, but no such claim can be made for the English translations, or any other language, for that matter. Still, these are small matters of opinion between translators and rarely impact an important principle one way or another.
Other contradictions can be traced to differing perspectives from different eyewitnesses. This is often seen when interviewing eyewitnesses to an accident or sporting event. Everybody sees things somewhat differently, and many times, all are correct in a certain context.
Nobody ever seems to comment on the fact that the bible is a beautifully integrated collection of 66 different books written over several thousand years, by over thirty different authors, many of whom were uneducated and did not know each other. Yet, it communicates a single theme and contains hundreds of cross-references to itself, and layer upon layer of types and shadows that all point to the same conclusion. Further, mathematicians have discovered complex and humanly impossible patterns and numerical codes within the ancient original texts that all flow together as one book. Again, many different authors wrote these, over long periods of time. Many of these were common people without much education. Why is it that critics never mention any of that when bringing up “contradictions”?
There isn’t a single textual conflict within the bible that diminishes in any way the central theme: God gave his son to buy you back. Those who insist on pointing out contradictions are simply trying to sidestep the bigger picture.
You are correct; the church is full of hypocrites. If avoiding hypocrites is important to you, then staying away from church is a good idea. Of course, sports stadiums, movie theatres, gas stations, grocery stores, swimming pools and gyms, and bars and clubs, are also full of hypocrites. So if you avoid God because some of his people are hypocrites, but participate in any of the other activities I mentioned, then it’s possible that you are a hypocrite!
Now don’t take offense. The fact is, we are all hypocrites to some degree, and Christians are no different. A hypocrite is someone who presents himself to be something he is not. Anybody who has ever gone out on a date has been a hypocrite! Why? Because we try our best to portray ourselves only in the most favorable light, while hiding our flaws. The word hypocrite comes from the Greek word for “actor."
There are two kinds of hypocrites: Those who attempt to look their best even when they know about character flaws within themselves; and corrupt, deceitful persons who knowingly deceive others for some personal gain. A classic recent example of the latter is Janet Jackson, who bared her breast during the Super bowl halftime show, and then issued a statement defending herself, claming that she ‘loves children and is ultimately motivated by what is best for them’. Churches have lots of the first kind of hypocrite, and occasionally one of the latter is exposed within the ranks of Christians. But as I have pointed out, life is full of both, and going to church does not automatically cleanse a person from his or her flaws. Sincere Christians are painfully aware of their shortcomings and are laboring to improve and change. Rejecting Christianity because of hypocrisy is without any real substance.
One of the basic tenets of biblical Christianity is that the world as we know it was created by the power of God. Since none of us were there at the time, we are left to speculate about how He may have accomplished this. One thing God seldom tells us is “how” or “why”. This is because He wants us to believe with the heart, not figure things out with the mind. If everything made sense to the human mind, then no faith would be required. There is biological and scientific evidence to support a creation model, and there are those who say the same thing about evolution. Both are actually faith-based theories about the origin of life, and neither can be proved conclusively. Both have elements that seem crazy.
However, I have not really answered the question. Consider this example: Suppose you were the Creator, and you created an underwater world that contained fish, yet you existed in a much greater, larger realm unknown to the fish. Consider how far beyond the imagination (and the experience) of the fish the rest of the world above the water would be. Most fish would scoff at the existence of an “above water” world. Every once in a while, one of the fish would jump out of the water and catch a glimpse of the upper world, and then return to tell others. “He’s nuts!” most of them would say.
This example may sound silly, but it illustrates a point: Human society tends to reject anything it can’t see. If God is the Creator of all life as the bible claims, then it makes perfect sense to me that there would be a higher realm that is far more vast and complete than the little bit of created environment that I live in and can see. In fact, it would surprise me if this were not the case, based on what the bible says about God. Just as fish occasionally get a glimpse of the “real world”, humans sometimes get a glimpse of the spirit realm. The bible tells us that our physical world is only a shadow or reflection of that larger and more beautiful realm. And to think that people who believe Albert Einstein can trace his roots back to “primordial soup” call me crazy!
This is a common idea, and seems to be reasonable at face value. However, none of us have the luxury of brushing Christ into a comfortable box where we don’t have to deal with his claims.
Jesus claimed to be God’s only son. He claimed that he would be killed and then rise from the dead three days later. He stated that he was the only way to come to God, and that all those who reject his message of salvation would suffer judgment from God. He claimed to have power and authority over demons. The fact is, Jesus is either exactly who he claims to be, or he was a madman and is now dead. We can’t make Jesus “safe” by simply deciding he was a good teacher while dismissing his most important statements.
Why are Christians always trying to cram religion down others’ throats?
Actually, many people from many religions and sects are zealous to influence others about their own personal beliefs. It is just popular these days to single out evangelical Christians with this criticism. Why are many Christians active in trying to convince others about becoming followers of Christ? The answer is simple, and has two parts.
The first is that Jesus commanded us to do so. “Go into all the world and make followers of men, teaching them to observe and do all that I have taught you”, he said. Not a lot of room for “interpretation” there.
The second is what I call the “bridge out ahead” principle. What kind of person would you think me to be if I saw you driving down the road at night, and I knew that a bridge ahead was washed out and there was no sign telling about it? What if I let you drive off into the river and drown because I didn’t know if you would like me telling you about the bridge? The bible tells us that those who don’t know God are spiritually “in the dark” and moving toward a dangerous place. Jesus The Christ is the bridge to spiritual light and peace. I have an obligation to speak up when the opportunity presents itself. To do otherwise would be criminal.
These two things being understood, I freely admit that some people can be obnoxious about imposing their beliefs. I have many non-church friends, and I do not make it a practice to go around trying to force the conversation to God. I will never try to make you uncomfortable by insisting that you listen to me or believe what I do, and I won’t even mention God or church if that makes you uncomfortable. Jesus only taught those who wanted to listen, and so gave us an example to follow. As a for-instance, I am not emailing this article to everybody I know! You are reading this voluntarily.
What about this claim of resurrection?
This is profound but not complicated. God says that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead after being in the grave for three days and three nights. This was because death is the ultimate consequence of separation from God, and Jesus had no evil within himself so death could not hold him, even though he gave himself over to death to pay for the evil in all of us. Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate display that his claims were true. No other prophet or teacher ever rose from the dead to prove his claims.
How can this happen, you ask? God doesn’t tell us “how” very often. If God is all that He says He is, then power over death and the grave would be a small thing. Christ promises his followers that they too will ultimately see death conquered.
As I wrote at the beginning of this article, I am not out to argue with anyone, or to attempt to manipulate anyone into thinking my way. I have presented the essence of Christianity as the bible describes it. While what I have written may sound opinionated, it is actually what God says in His book, and what Christians have understood for centuries. Not all that long ago in America, nothing written here would have been controversial in any way.
Remember, a relationship with God begins by accepting His terms. None of us have been given the authority to make our own terms with God. “I did it my way” is the Anthem of Hell. As Christians, we make our best effort to “do it God’s way”.
Are you ready to have a relationship with God? Have the things you read here stirred your heart to consider the importance of His son, Jesus? If so, I urge you to follow up with some kind of action. Here are some suggestions:
· Pray and ask God to reveal Himself to you. God always answers this prayer any time it is sincerely spoken. Don’t preconceive how He will answer, but wait for Him to “speak” to you. You will know when He does. Listen with your heart, and don’t let your mind talk you out of it. God visits the human heart, not human reason.
· Buy the DVD, “The Passion of The Christ”. Watch it, and afterward find some quiet place where there are no distractions and think about what the death and resurrection of Jesus means to you personally. Tell God what you have decided.
· Read the Gospels from a good modern translation. The New International version, and the new King James version (without all the “thee’s and thou’s”) are both good. The Living Bible is ok but not an actual translation; it is a paraphrase and not all that accurate to the original language.
· Get a copy of the C.S. Lewis book, “Mere Christianity” and read it. This classic, by the author of the famous “Chronicles of Narnia”, is a thinking man’s explanation of God and Christianity. If you have trouble integrating biblical concepts with logic and scientific thought, this will help you.
· Find a good church with sincere, like-minded people in your area. Each church has its own personality, so don’t be discouraged if you have to visit a few before you feel comfortable. Make sure that the place you decide on is rooted in the basics of Christianity as described above.
· Make a Christian friend. This can be a huge help, and giving support to another is as important as getting it yourself.
If you have questions about anything in this article, I will be happy to address them. Thanks for taking the time to read!
