Sean R. Reid

I find myself absolutely fascinated by the discourse of intelligent design (ID) proponents.  Mostly I find myself drawn to the debates like one is drawn to a car crash. It’s been a constant source of confusion and frustration since converting to Christianity.  I have never been able to reconcile a necessity that I suddenly cease to believe all of the science that is available.  I came to know Christ because of the facts as they presented themselves in my life.  It would be intellectually dishonest of me to suddenly change my opinion without examining the evidence. It would be equally so if I were to suddenly deny scientific fact and replace it with a “God of the gaps.” I simply cannot believe that faith in God renders evolution false any more so than evolution renders God false.

Evolutionary biology has proven time and time again to be solid and good science (meaning it subjects itself to testing and scrutiny and incorporates new findings accordingly).  Unfortunately, ID just doesn’t seem to hold up under scientific investigation.  At least, in my opinion, it doesn’t hold up outside of “God spoke it so” and works accordingly through natural processes. If you want invoke an intelligent designer that created the rules by which all things are governed, I’ll agree. If you want to invoke constant tinkering and manipulation l then we’ll part company. Read more »

In response to being asked about his own religiosity author Robert J. Sawyer notes:

I’m fascinated by the fact that many skeptics are as dogmatic in their anti-religious beliefs (nothing could convince them that they are wrong) as many religious people are dogmatic in their beliefs.

You can read the whole response here.

SF Gospel has a great review of the book that prompted the question.

I think I’ve got one more book to add to my shelf.  The story sounds completely fascinating.

I also agree, having been guilty of such things, with Mr. Sawyer’s take on atheism.  It’s one of the key items that led to my frustration with the movement and my eventual departure.  Dogma, in my opinion, might be the worst poison in the well for any viewpoint, both Christian and non.  Even before turning my life to Christ I had become wary of the dogmatic behaviour of the group of fellow “rationalists.”  I felt compelled to, again, seek a group that truly embraced free thought.  In hindsight, it should be no surprise that I found what I was looking for in Christ. Although, at the time, it was rather ironic.

That’s right, Chuck D said it and I just copped it. Yeeeeaaahhhhh Booooyyy!!

Seriously, you’re either laughing or you’re dead inside.  Either way, copping a Chuck D lyric made a better title than “Regrets and Damned Lies, the sequel.”  I just finished listening to the final part of Pastor Gary Lamb’s “Rebel” series from Revolution Church. I was really connecting with this series.  Granted, you slap the word “rebel” on anything and I’m likely to go all James Dean pose. The series lived up to the hype and I wasn’t disappointed. And I avoided posing, which was very appropriate given the topic at hand.

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This was over at XXXChurch about the reactions of people, Christians and non, when see see the “Porn Mobile.” Sadly it seems they run into more “Christian” resistance than they do secular:

Today I found the following passages** and thought they were rather appropriate for the scene; [youversion]2 Corinthians 3:1-15[/youversion] discusses the concept of legalism and cautions against legislating spirituality and morality; [youversion]Romans 7:5-7[/youversion] talks about how such legislation usually results in rebellion more often than purity.  Short version: if you want to make sure someone does something you don’t want them to do, make it illegal.

My version?  I’ve run into a LOT of  “Christians” in my life that sound like the older gentleman in the parking lot.  To be perfectly honest, it made being an atheist the easiest decision in the world.  Nothing supported my stilted worldview than a legalistic, close-minded, loud-talking religious person practicing Quotation Christianity (aka “Christianity”).  Christ spent time with lepers, whores and tax collectors.  He was surrounded by sinners CONSTANTLY.  A common theme I’ve discovered as I’ve begun reading various Bible passages is that God often chooses the LEAST.LIKELY.CANDIDATES.  He takes those from the very bottom and after setting their eyes upon Him they rise to the top.  Abraham to David to Paul, practically all of Judges.  Seriously, from bottom to the top. Not because they followed the laws but because they fixed their gaze on the Lord and walked in the light through acceptance of God’s grace.

Since converting I can rightly be called a Jesus Freak.  I’m all in.  Done. Dedicated 150%.   I’m sure the gentleman in that video had the best of intentions.  However, his actions are not embracing the disenfranchised and bringing others into the love of Christ.  I pray daily that I don’t become a Quotation Christian.  I also pray for those Quotation Christians that I let lead me away from faith.

To truly have the Spirit inside of you then you must be willing to embrace those that will spit in your face, challenge your beliefs and continue to love them. If you can’t do that then you are trapped in your own quotation marks.  Your laws will make you a prisoner.

*note: I’ve begun using The Message Translation of the Bible.  I really like this translation particularly for my blog posts. The strucuture lends itself to my rambling style more effectively without losing the message.

**edit: I just want to clarify that the passages were part of a recent batch of devotionals. I  don’t want to give any misrepresentation with regards to my Biblical scholarship.  These are being put in front of me more than I am able to just pluck them out.

Proverbs 7:1-5

This one is to the young men out there.  The guys who are the guy I used to be.  I was young once.  Arguably, I’m still young (ask my fiance’).  I’ve held a tenacious grip on my youth.  I want to remember the feelings, good, bad and otherwise.   At times I’ve held onto the bad so tightly it has caused blood to flow from my palms.  I thought I needed the scars, I needed the punishment.  I wasn’t worthy.  I thought my bad deeds made me a bad person, rotten to the core.

I stand here a sinner, repentant, still struggling and letting the wounds heal on my  hands.  At this very moment there are about 4 remnants of many more scars.  Actual scars from real punishment met by hands beating on a canvas bag. Being 34 and born-again doesn’t make this life any easier or the struggles and tempations any easier to overcome.  Ironically, I think the enemy is fighting harder and I’m tempted more often now than I was when I was lost.

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