Strange Bedfellows

I had requested a prayer for salvation for noted Atheist Christopher Hitchens. I am familiar with him from various YouTube videos.

He seems to be a well spoken man of logic and reason. His atheist viewpoints are the ones I disagree with (obviously), but he arrives at them by a reasonably well thought out route.

As is always the case, people who try to explain away Christianity (and all religion really) behind a fortress of logic....well, they are missing the point, aren't they?

GOD gave us a brain. GOD allows us to make our own choices (how many of you want someone to love you because they had no choice? didn't think so). Ultimately, GOD has the right to bless or discipline or punish whomever he wants. We are his creation. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your attitude and behavior, GOD is just. Thank goodness that his grace (i.e. "unmerited favor") has given us access to his supernatural love and power. He has provided a way for us to grow, in him, and all we need to do is ask and be obedient.

The whole point is....GOD made us and we are his children. We have a spark of intellect and a spirit. He is the one who gave it to us.

Now then...Humanists (like Christopher Hitchens) who believe everything we need is within us and the world would be perfect without religion are correct to a very small degree. I believe that, as children of GOD who were created in his image, we have some some powers that the animal kingdom doesn't possess.

We have "Will Power". We have a mind. We have emotions that motivate. All these things add up to having a "soul". Not a spirit, but a soul. They are two different things. (Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.)

So, to an extent, we have the power to shape the world around us and bend it according to our own motivations, whatever they may be. This is where the similarities between religion (Christianity to the point of this discussion) and humanism end. The entire wealth of GOD..indeed, adoption into his kingdom..is available through Jesus. Trying to build your own life is one thing, but to lead the world based solely on your own will power, is quite frankly a losing proposition...ending ultimately in the final loss, the eternal kingdom of GOD. And for what? What benefit did you receive for rejecting GOD in favor of humanism? The ability to sin without conviction, perhaps?

The whole point of this post is this.....Christopher Hitchens and I agree on a great many things, but we are WAY off the mark on Christianity. He argues from a stance of NOT believing the bible, determined to not accept anything outside the realm of the "natural", and can't accept that Christianity is anything other than the hopeful wishes of deluded people who don't want everything to end when they die.

The difference between that stance and the reality of the body of Christ is that we believers have a testimony. That testimony provides a witness to Christ. "Yeah....it didn't make sense to me either, except then GOD revealed himself to me"...and such like. People may not believe an ancient book, and ignore the miraculous spiritual prophesy that came to pass hundreds of years after it was written (the Book of Isiah), but when Jim Bob down the street has his life transformed and starts being blessed everywhere he goes, then his neighbors might begin to ask about his change. Then, he witnesses. The sad part is, we in the Church have gotten so bad about reading the bible, living "right", and providing a witness....the lost world is subject to comparing us to other religions and listening to the people who force their voice upon them (if they represent us or not).

I've gotten WAY off point here. The amazing thing about a humanist like Hitchens and a Christian is that he is ALSO anti-abortion. Since he believes we humans are so great, he thinks we have a responsibility to protect a "future citizen".

Talk about Strange bedfellows.