A Great Opportunity-- Are All Religions the Same

As I wrote earlier, I was given the opportunity to write three short blurbs for the Smart Faith Apologetics conference.  I had an amazing time writing these, and have said I would post them here.  The first one is on the question Are All Religions the Same?  Here is my response to that question:

Are All Religions the Same?

Are all religions the same?  The short answer is no.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some obvious similarities between many religions such as loving one another, and belief in some kind of god, but religions often differ in their most important aspects.  Even in religions which seem to be very similar at first glance, there are big differences that are very important.  It really is the differences that define the religion.

Let me explain.  Most people assume all religions believe in God.   However, the existence of God is where a lot of differences occur. For example, there are three major monotheistic (one God) religions in the world: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Although all three agree about the existence of only one God, who they say God is differs. Christians say Jesus is God, Jews and Muslims say he isn’t. Either Jesus is God and Christianity is right, or Jesus isn’t God and the other religions are right. There is no way all three of these religions are correct about who and what Jesus is, and they certainly are not the same.

In the same way there are major differences among other religions as well.  Whereas Christianity believes in one God, Hinduism and Mormonism believe in many gods, and traditional Buddhism is atheistic (no God).  So, there are religions that believe in only one God, some that believe in many gods, and some that don’t believe a God exists.  How can they be the same?  These types of differences distinguish each religion as unique, and this uniqueness cannot be denied.

Although there are some similarities between the religions, it is really where they are different that is the most important.  It is the differences that count.

A Great Opportunity

I recently had an amazing opportunity to write three short articles for the website of an upcoming apologetics conference.  This conference will run from June 9-10 in Phoenix, Arizona.  It is a conference aimed at answering many of the questions that youth today have regarding faith.  There will be some amazing speakers there (Brett Kunkle, Mary Jo Sharp, Neil Mammen, and others) speaking on a wide range of topics.

For my part, I was asked to answer three questions in a short conversational way.  These answers would be used on the website to kind of whet the appetite for the sort of answers Christianity has for some of life's greatest questions.  Over the next couple days I will post these answers here, but if you can't wait, head on over to SmartFaithApologetics.org and follow the links to see the answers.

I would recommend any student entertain the idea of attending this conference.  It will not disappoint.

Christ is better than...! So, why go back???

My church and I have been reading through the Bible this year.  In this endeavor we have read Genesis, Mark, Exodus, Leviticus, Acts, and parts of Proverbs and Psalms.  This has been extremely rewarding, and although it is time consuming, I have found ways to read/listen to everyday's reading.  Today, we will begin a four day journey through the book of Hebrews.  I can't wait.

Hebrews is a fascinating book. It may be the very best example of eloquent Christian writing.  It exhibits a profundity I find to be in a class of its own.

In order to recall much of the information about Hebrews, I thought I would write about some of the finer points of this enthralling work.  Much of this information is gleaned from a work by Norman Geisler.

Author
No one is quite sure who wrote the book of Hebrews.  Many people have been proposed as the author, but no proposal fits the book perfectly. There are always some minor inconsistencies to the contents/style of the book with the proposed author.  Most often, scholars propose Pauline authorship, while there can be a very good case made for Apollos being the author.

In any case, we can know some pretty important things about the author of Hebrews.  This author is extremely educated.  They exhibit a phenomenal command of the Greek language, while still being knowledgeable about the Old Testament Jewish system.  This combination gives the book its amazing eloquence and style.

Purpose
Hebrews was written because Jewish Christians were considering going back to the Jewish way of life.  They had experienced the beginnings of persecution because of their new faith, and this made them long for "the good ol' days" of the old Jewish system.

In tandem with the persecutions, many Christians began to wonder if Christ was sufficient.  They doubted the saving power of Christ alone.  When doubt crept in, they searched for new ways to ensure to themselves they would be saved.  They wanted to substitute their own power for God's power, works for Grace, religion for relationship.

Main Theme
In my view, the theme of Hebrews can be summed up in one main theme:  Christ is Better Than...! There are many different important things in the book, but it seems to me that all of these points surround one major interweaving theme.  The author is using a sophisticated argument to show not only the sufficiency of Christ, but also the superiority of Christ.  When he concludes the book there is no doubt that Christ is better than the old way of living, better than religion, works, and our own power.

Christ fulfills God's Requirements!
The first part of Hebrews focuses on the fact that Jesus fulfills what God required for the people and his servants.  In this way Christ is able to be the best indicator of how to follow the one true God.

Christ is better than the Prophets! (1:1-4, Key Verse: 1:2)
This is the first thing Christ is better than.  The prophets were the OT way of God's revealing plans to the Israelites.  Without them the nation of Israel would not have known the requirements for holiness, repentance, or service to their Lord.  There are not many things the Jews would hold higher than the prophets.

So, it could come as a shock to the readers of this letter that the author is so matter of fact about the superiority of Christ over the prophets.  In the first four verses of Hebrews, the author makes it clear that the prophets can't hold a candle to Christ.  The prophets could not fully communicate what God wanted to communicate to the people.  But in Christ, we have the full explanation of the Father (John 1:18).  No one has seen the Father, except through the Son.  We have been given the full message of God the Father when Christ was incarnated.

No matter how effective the old way of revelation was, we now have the climax.  Christ is the heir, the helper of creation.  He is the living revelation!

Christ is better than angels! (1:4-2:18, Key Verse: 1:6)
The Jews knew angels were able to point out great ways of worshiping God.  They were so beautiful, often people would be known to worship the angels instead of God.

The problem is that angels are only created beings.  They are messengers sent by God, ministers of God.  They are given their power by someone more powerful, more beautiful.  The author of Hebrews asks why we should worship created beings when we can worship Christ?!?!  Even the angels worship Christ!  They know their betters. He is God!

Not only is this so, but Christ humbled himself to become lower than the angels in his incarnation.  Ironically, this makes him even more worthy of our worship.  He is the true Servant-Leader.

Christ is better than Moses! (3, Key Verses: 3:3-6)
Moses brought a type of salvation to Israel.  He led them out of Egypt!  Unfortunately, Moses was not powerful enough to save fully and the people were unable to persevere in this salvation.  Moses led the people out of Egypt, the Red Sea, brought the ten plagues on Egypt... and on and on!!!  But this power wasn't actually the power of Moses.  This salvation wasn't the salvation of Moses.  These were to show the Israelites who had the true power, and who would bring the true salvation.

Why settle for Moses, and his lack of salvific power, when you can have true salvation from Christ?  Christ's power saves to the end.  It will not be found wanting.

Christ is better than Joshua and the Sabbath! (4:1-13, Key Verses: 4:9-10)
After Moses was unable to bring about full salvation, the Israelites were promised true rest could be found after their forty years of wandering in the desert.  Once they were sanctified, Joshua would bring them into the promised land, the resting place, the place God had always set aside for them.  They would find Sabbath rest.

Unfortunately, Joshua was not capable of bringing the full Sabbath rest.  Again the Jews disobeyed, they did not persevere.  But Christ brings the full Sabbath rest.  From Christ we receive the full inheritance.  Why stick with Joshua (the one who saves) when we can be with Christ (the True Savior).

Christ fulfills what we need!
The second part of the book of Hebrews focuses on the fact of Christ being a better fulfillment of what humanity needs.  In this way he was able to bridge the gap between God and man.

Christ is better than the Priesthood (4:14-7:28, Key Verses: 7:23-28)
In the Old Testament, the Priesthood functioned as a mediator for the people to God.  These priests were human to represent humanity, and they made sacrifices on behalf of humanity to ask God for favor.  Lamentably, the priests were not fully able to fulfill this function.  The problem is two-fold.  First, the priests die and therefore are unable to continue their work forever.  Second, the priests are also sinners and therefore their representation is not enough.

But Christ lives forever and is perfect.  Why do we settle for anything less?  Christ is the perfect mediator.

Christ is better than the Tabernacle! (8:1-5, Key Verse: 8:2)
When God is instructing the Jews on the building of the Tabernacle the instructions are very detailed and very tedious looking.  However, God is being so specific, because the Tabernacle is being made to be a direct reflection of the beauty of God.  The tabernacle is the house of God, and it should be made in such a way so we can show God his true worth.  Anything less than perfection and beauty would be an insult to him.

The problem is that the tabernacle is only a copy of the true beauty of God.  It is built by man and it is destroyed by man.  But Christ's tabernacle is perfect.  It is built by God, not man, so it cannot be destroyed.

Christ is better than the Old Covenant! (8:6-9:22, Key Verse: 9:15)
One of the key themes of the Old Testament is that God has promised the Jews would bless the other nations of the world.  In this, the Old Covenant, they would be a blessing to all other nations.  The problem is the Israelites could not fully bless the other nations because they were fallen, and constantly disobeyed their God.  The work they were able to accomplish was merely symbolic of the coming blessing.

Thankfully, Christ not only fulfills the Old Covenant, but he also surpasses it.  When he died upon the cross, a New Covenant was given, sealed by his blood.  He died to pay the price, which gives us the opportunity to receive; for all nations to gain the blessing.  The inheritance of the children of God is available to us.

Christ is better than the Sacrifices!  (9:23-10:39, Key Verse: 10:12, 14)
As a result of man's sinfulness, he is utterly disgusting before God.  Sin taints everything it emanates from.  Therefore, it is necessary for man to be purified.  In order to do this, God implemented the sacrificial system.  The sacrifices were a way for man to become clean before God.  Unfortunately, these sacrifices made them cleaner, but not clean.  The purification did not last long, they were made in a corrupted sanctuary, and they were only representations of the true sacrifice.

Thankfully, Christ is the perfect sacrifice, and his sacrifice is forever.  His blood is the perfect purification, instead of "cleaner" man can now be "clean."

Why Go Back?
Christ is the perfect fulfillment of the whole Jewish system.  This foundation was continually pointing to him.  Is there anything better than Christ?  Why go back to the old ways?  Why live as though we don't have him?
We shouldn't drift (2:1-4), doubt (3:7-19), become dull (5:11-14), depart (6:1-20), despise (10:26-39), or deny (12:18-29) the superiority of Christ!

But what should be our response???  In the closing chapters of Hebrews, the author explains that because Christ is superior we should go all out for him.  We should give our all to him.  We should go all out in Faith (11), in Hope (12), and in love (13:1-17)

Why go back?  Instead go all out!

Parent-Teacher Conference Nightmare

I created a short movie on xtranormal.com about some of the struggles a teacher can feel during conferences with parents.

Well, it was a hit with my students, so I thought I would post it here.  Disclaimer: it is satire, no one should take this too personally.

The Symptoms of "Secular Seep"

What is "Secular Seep"
I could be wrong, but I think I have coined a term.  "Secular Seep" is a phrase I use to describe the little things in a Christian's life that are out of place according to the all-encompassing nature of our faith.  Christianity is a religion which proposes to be a way of looking at all of life (in fact, it proposes to be the way of looking at all of life).  This being the case, there isn't a part of a Christian's life that Christ should not be the center.  When we let in an aspect of the world into our lives, we open the door to not only let that aspect in, but, just a little, the door is open to push Christ out.

"Secular Seep" is not an easy disease to diagnose. It is a slight, subtle, subversive, parasitic infection often undetected for years.  The key element is a general trend toward compromise, so slow the sick do not understand their sickness.

However, it is highly contagious (virulent).  It does not spread by touch, or cough, or even blood transfer.  No, as of now, it is the only disease I know that transfers at the rate and speed of thought and communication.  A friend pressures a Christian into compromise, and "secular seep" has started in the Christian's life.  Whole local Churches can be infected in a very quick amount of time.

It is also, highly resilient (resistant).  Once secular seep has infected a subject, or a body of subjects, it is extremely painful to extract or cure.  It fights to continue its parasitic life off the life of the host.

What are the Symptoms of SS?  Do I have SS?
SS is almost impossible to spot for those who have it.  It often takes a trained, outside observer to correctly diagnose SS. However, it is possible to recognize some of the symptoms of SS before it is too late.

Watch What You Watch
If you find yourself watching TV shows that glorify sex, money, or fame and justifying it as "not that bad" you may have symptoms of SS.  One good rule of thumb is, if your TV shows imply sin in their titles, you could have SS (Gossip Girl, Sex in the City).  Remember, not all of these titles are inherently sinful, but instead there is sin implied by their titles.  Sinful talking about someone (gossip), and having intimate relationships God does not want you to have (I mean what else was Sex in the City all about???) are clearly implied in these titles to anyone who has watched even 5 minutes of these shows.

Even one of the best reality shows on television (American Idol) implies a sinful relationship before God.  How is it there wasn't an outcry by Christians about the title of this show?  For the most part, American Idol is only a show about some people trying to make it big.  However, many of these people strive for fame at the expense of others and better lives for themselves.  Also, some people who follow the show are so obsessed with it, it truly has become an idol to them.

It is possible to watch TV or movies like this, and be able to keep SS at bay, but it is extremely difficult.  One must be constantly on guard against attacks against their soul, evaluating the content of what they watch against the word of God.  For some (maybe even most), it is better to be safe by not watching, than sorry for watching.

This is an area I find to be one of the least consistent for Christians.  I know of many people who will avoid the Harry Potter movies because they contain spells (forgetting about the overall message of Good and Evil being different things and battling for the hearts and minds of people), but they are far too eager to watch Glee (forgetting that the message is about how some evil things, sex outside of marriage for example, are actually good and should be pursued at all costs).

Take Stock of Your Friends
Do your friends want you to succeed in your spiritual life?  Or are they constantly asking you to compromise? If they are putting you in situations against God's word, then you might have already contracted SS.  True friends urge you to glorify God.  True friends do not ask you to live against his standards for your life.

This does not mean we should not have friends who are not Christian.  It does mean, however, that non-Christian friends (or Christian friends that are not constantly following Christ) should not have influence in our lives.  These unChristian friends cannot be motivating to us.  We cannot spend so much time with them that we adopt their thinking without knowing we are doing so.  Jesus was stronger than we are, thus he could spend more time the the "tax collectors."

What Do You Listen To?
In a similar way to the movies or TV you watch, the things we listen to can tell us a lot about our health and ability to fight off SS.  Does your music better you as a person, or does it make comments that are not consistent with a godly view of the world?  SS is so subversive, in part, because it is hard to tell where the problem has come from, and there may be nowhere harder to see this than the music we listen to.  Our music can give us thoughts we didn't know we even had.  Christians are children of God, why live or settle for so much less?

The music you listen to can subtly change your worldview to the point where you wouldn't recognize yourself if you are not careful.  We say we "only listen to the beat,"  and to be sure, Satan loves that we think this is the case.

Where Does Your Money Go?
When was the last time you asked God about a decision regarding how you spend your money?  Remember, Christianity claims to be a way of looking at all of life, and this includes your money.  However, as Americans, we often think we are entitled to use our money the way we want to, we think it is ours because "we earned it".

Instead, Christ should be the center of all our transactions.  There is no purchase too small, to ask God if there is something else he would rather us do with this money.  For many of us, we have never even asked God about what he thinks about our purchasing a car, let alone a candy bar, but if Christianity is truly the center of one's life, then even buying a candy bar is a spiritual act.

There May Be Other Symptoms
There are many other things which can be associated with SS.  Many of them are not inherently wrong.  However, the key question to ask yourself is, what does Jesus have to do with the way I live my life?  Satan loves when people do not understand they are in a war for their hearts and minds.  If he can keep us from believing there is a war, then we will die comfortably, but die nonetheless.

How to Treat SS
If you think you, or someone you know, may have contracted SS, do not panic, but know it takes a lot of work to eradicate the disease.  Surround the subject with people who truly love them, who want to see them succeed in the life of Christ.  Get into a mentor relationship with someone who will challenge you on the areas you struggle with.  Delve into God's word in a deep way.  Read more, listen to Christian radio.

In some extremes, it may be necessary to rid oneself of TV or popular music, or even the internet.  However, remember this is a small price to pay to follow the creator of all the universe, who knows how you were made and can give the abundant life.

The truth is, this transformation comes from God himself, and we need to surrender to his leadership in our life.  We can truly live for him, only through his power.  It is not our salvation, but His salvation to us, His life to us.

Why I Teach!, or My Desire to See the End of High School Education

My "Job"

I am a High School teacher.  I teach History and Bible at a small Christian school in southern California.  I absolutely love it.  As far as I know, there is no better job in the world.  I am able to be an integral part in so many minds, at such a formative age.  To see these minds grow and learn to glorify the Creator is a true joy in life.

The job is not without its issues however.  Many students do not care as I care.  They do not find interest in Thoreau or Chaucer, revolution after revolution: French, Glorious or Industrial, mitochondria or rough ER, physics: theoretical or applied.  Many do not see the joy of debating the ideas of existentialism versus nihilism, and they thus do not see the connection between the two.  Even when it comes to knowing the God of the universe, they do not share my enthusiasm for delving deep into the great mystery, to know Him better, and thus to understand ourselves in deeper and truer ways, to find true beauty before all other beauty, and to learn to love the good and the true.

The Problem

Sometimes the students only sleep through class, if not literally, then at least mindlessly.  These students hurt my heart, because they are missing out.
Those students, however, do not nearly make me as sad as the student who finds their only motivation to learn is to "get an 'A.'"  This student does well in class, maybe too well.  When they have graduated, they will have earned all the awards, but not learned who they are.  They might be looking toward getting that "good job," but they have no love of learning.  They might find a way to make a lot of money, but the pursuit will not make them satisfied.

I hate grades!  I hate to give them, I hate to get them.  But I'm told I have to give them.  They do not make sense to me.  Isn't the education I give supposed to help a student discover themselves, and find true joy (or at least the classical idea of happiness)?  How do these grades motivate the student to delve into their own psyche, or even soul, and investigate what makes them tick?  How do grades help them communicate with God?

Grades give an artificial barometer of a student's progress. They give us something to reach, something which will not satisfy.   When you get the 'A' there is always someone smarter than you.  Or even if not someone smarter than you, another school has someone else smarter than you.  Or even if you are the smartest, there will always be another 'A' to reach.  When will this satisfy?

A Broken System
Our whole system of education seems broken.  From the very beginning, we tell students they need to go to school to get into a "good" college.  They may ask, "Why?"  To which we respond, to get a "good" job. "Why?"  To support your family.  "Why?"  So, they can get a "good" education.  Uh, oh, the cycle begins again.

I think our students are asking the wrong questions.  Instead of asking "why," they should be asking "what."  What do the teachers mean when they say "'good' education?" Or job?  Does making money seem all that good?  Is making money enough to satisfy?  I know too many people with money or "good" jobs to know these are not sufficient roads to happiness, as well-traveled as they may be.

When did a liberal arts education become about making money?  I seem to remember Universities developing to try to make sense of the world.  They were looking to find the Unity in the Diversity.  This means a liberal arts education was not a means to an end, but instead an end in itself.  It was about finding one's place in the world, and living a full, well-rounded human life.  This full life would lead to happiness, because we would be living in harmony with our purpose.

Why I Seek to End High School Education
High school education today is involuntary, and, it seems to me, it gives promises it cannot keep.  Now, realize, I do not actually want all HSE to end.  I just would love to see us stop lying to ourselves about it.  HSE makes promises it cannot keep, we tell you an "A" will make you happy, or the right college will make your life right, but they will not.

Instead, I would love to foster a love for learning, in all its glory.  This would mean a student who does not enjoy history, would not have to take my class.  I am now walking on thin ice, because most students do not enjoy history.  This could mean my job would no longer be needed, because no students signed up for my class.  I feel it would be worth the risk.  Let me give you one example why:

I had a student who typifies my struggle with our educational system.  He was extremely bright, exceedingly polite, exorbitantly astute, and enormously motivated.  However, if I engaged him in a conversation of any real depth, he was candid about his motives and perceptions.  "I just need the 'A'" or "Why does this matter to me?" are typical of the statements and questions he made.  He was pressured by the system (and his parents) to learn things in which he saw no value.  Unfortunately, this means he memorized trivia, and never learned any lessons and therefore never grew.  (Coincidently, his parents seemed to act this same way, and although fairly wealthy, they were no closer to living happy or satisfied lives. Interestingly, they were the ones always pushing for extra credit.)

This is akin to the student who asks the calculus teacher, "I'm not gonna be a rocket scientist, when will this show up in my life?"  This is a student working for a paycheck, before a paycheck is even reachable.

What makes us think the student will suddenly find satisfaction when they reach the workplace?  Many are the drones who work to find a paycheck, but never find happiness.  These drones do not work for honey, but instead the weekend.

My Solution (A Work in Progress)
I propose we seek to help students find out who they are, not memorize trivia.  This requires several things:
1. It requires teachers who love what they do.  They are not in the career for the paycheck, but instead to mold minds into harmony with their purpose.
2. It requires less emphasis on grades, especially from parents.  Grades are wonderful for measuring your memorization, yet horrible for measuring a life well-lived.
3. It requires a knowledge of the one true God.  All knowledge finds its home in the Creator, thus any system of education which does not find its center in God will not fill any heart.
4. It requires us to let students have more responsibility at an earlier age.  Students whose lives are forced upon them by parents and teachers do not have time to think deeply about who they are.  To truly learn one's desires and inner workings requires the ability to make mistakes and learn from them.  I know of way too many students who are allowed to stay a Toys 'R' Us kid well into their 20s and sometimes even 30s.  How do we expect them to grow up if we don't baby them?
5. It requires lots and lots of time.  The education I propose is based around relationships.  Unfortunately, this is much more time consuming than trivia and thus most people would rather be lazy.
6. It requires lots and lots of prayer.

P.S.-- A Side Benefit, Avoiding Alex Trebek Syndrome
My dad loves Jeopardy.  I have to admit, I enjoy the show as well.  However, I have real problems with Alex Trebek and others like him.  I call these people 'smug memorizers.'  Alex is always so condescending to people who get wrong answers, because Jeopardy is a results driven show.  In a Jeopardy world, there is no room for growth, because we are only as good as our last correct answer. Thus, those who do not have the answers are looked down upon.

But a world in which we spend our time in relationship, and thus we find our worth in our growth and treatment of others as an act of worship to our Father, avoids the 'smug memorizers' which keep people trapped into boxes in which they do not fit.

Here is a link to a person who thinks somewhat similarly to me: http://examinedlife.wheatstoneacademy.com/2010/09/school-should-make-us-happier/

Quick Post: Jesus as Savior for All in the Birth Narratives

 Evidence of the Birth of Christ as Precursor to Saving the World

It is impossible to read through the narrative of the birth of Christ without seeing it was intended for Jesus to be the savior of the whole world, not only the Jews.  It is clear throughout the narrative that Jesus was going to be the Messiah, although many times it seems that he is only the savior for the Jews.  Verses such as Luke 1:32-33, 46-55, 68-69, 71, 74, 77, 2:38, and Matthew 1:21-23, and 2:6 all point to a savior of the Jews coming to earth, and that Jesus was this savior.

However, it is also clear this salvation was not only for the Jews.  In Luke 2:8-20, the angels announce the birth of Jesus, commenting in verses 10 and 11 that Jesus was/is a source of “great joy which shall be for all the people” for he was born “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  The angels then sing in verse 14, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”  Coupled with the above verse we can see that Jesus would be peace for all who were saved.  It is also telling, that peace with our fellow man follows after God is pleased and glorified.

Later, a man named Simeon tells of the salvation of the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, in Luke 2:29-32.  This shows the salvation was not reserved for the Jews, but instead for all that would please God, which we find out later in the Gospels happens by trusting in Jesus as savior.