To the commenter Aman (left on blog 5/5/09)
(If you look over my blog you will see I never have done what I’m doing now – but your questions seem sincere so I have tried to respond accordingly.)
You have asked good questions. You wrote:
1. …Are you suggesting that there is a lack of ideas and tools and teachings in “Believe in God” that one has to resort to the way of simply preventing children from having this dimension of thinking? Can’t one give both the things and try to convince that way?
I am not a philosopher but allow me to state – There is a creative mental world full of ideas, the positive of which point to a prime Cause. (Atheism, by its very nature is a negative idea.) Every idea has to have an origin. Ideas point back to their originator: God who is all good (unbelievably and beyond all explanation) or satan who is all bad (much worse than the average human can imagine).
God originates and satan (a created being – made pure, but who chose to oppose God) imitates. Once parents have found God and His greatness, it is only parental responsibly to protect, as they can, their child from the enemy of God.
I am not a scientist (though have tried to teach both biology and earth science) – There is a created, physical world full of tools. God left His “Triune” signature on much of earth. Only God could have made the intricacies of the millions of micro-worlds in all the plants and animals and the astronomical hugeness of the starry heavens over head.
The devil, and atheism which he supports, has not created one positive thing. Sin is destructive in the physical world and sin is traceable directly to satan.
I am a minister – There is an Inspired, Biblical world full of teachings. As a minister I have enjoyed years of attempting to preach the Teachings of God’s Word. I am also a teacher and have enjoyed trying to teach the Bible to many post-secondary students. No book can compare to the teachings of the Bible.
It is Ancient – yet acutely accurate. It is profound – and still believably simple. It was penned by many writers (under Holy Spirit inspiration) across hundreds of years, touches on three continents, had roots in more than one language, yet addresses sins and attitudes as current as today e-news.
When a parent has found such a powerful, source it is only natural that he wants his child to likewise enjoy it.
Further – some seem to see exposing a child to Christ or not to Christ as if it where a choice whether to eat liver (of pork) or not. No. Following Jesus or not following Him is not like a choice in foods – it is a choice between food and poison. Following Jesus Christ makes for the best life (Christian love) in this world and for eternal life in the next.
And you wrote:
Or did you experience something else.
As you secondly suggest, my parents were (mom still lives) believers in Christ.
However, no one is a Christian merely because he had a Christian parent – no one.
Nor is anyone a believer in Christ because he received a “Christian” sprinkling as a child or a “Christian” pool or river immersion as an adult.
Some wit said “God has no grandchildren.” They are exactly right. Though I had believing parents, I had to make MY personal choice to follow Christ or not follow Him. I chose in April of the seventh grade to take His way. This was an act of faith. Later, again by faith, I received the Holy Spirit in perfect love. (This was not some “speaking in tongues” but a Biblical experience,) It was a saying “no” to myself and saying “Yes” to Jesus Christ.
Further, this walk with the Lord toward heaven is not a stagnant walk. There was a “Yes” to start the life of purity. There is a daily “yes” (submission) to Christ to maintain this walk.
Perfect love does not mean a perfect head – I did not become a genius and I still forget. Perfect love does not mean a perfect hand – I still make mistakes in wood and words.
Perfect love does means a perfect heart – Christ has cleaned it and my motives are pure.
And, the great news is this not just for males – females can also be filled with God’s love.
This is not just for Americans – God so loved the w-o-r-l-d… (Joh 3.16).
This is not just for educated (or uneducated) people – Paul was educated, Peter less so.
God’s love is real. Eternity is real. Heaven is real. And Salvation from sin is real.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1Joh 1.9
Separate-Holy 