Sometimes, I’m amazed at all the things atheists and Jesus followers have in common. That was my reaction when I saw this graphic posted in an Atheist internet community.
I consider following Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the son of God) to be freedom.
Freedom to wonder. I can wonder how God does stuff like creating planets, creating babies and creating the mysterious relationship between my free will and His will. I can wonder how Jesus was God AND human at the same time (this is a core belief for serious Jesus followers). I can wonder how He can (and does) love people who are simply beyond my pathetic ability to even tolerate.
Freedom to explore. I can explore science, just like atheists and just like Christian scientists such as Francis S. Collins (who helped map the human genome). I can explore different faiths and understand how they’re different from following Jesus. I can explore who and what God is, even as I know I’ll never get all the answers (and that’s OK).
Freedom to doubt. I can read parts of the Bible where people who feel abandoned by God cry out to Him. In one section, called Psalms, the writer states “Has our Lord rejected us forever? Will he never again speak to us? Has God forgotten what mercy is?” I can feel amazement that this is in the Bible — amazement and relief, because it means I’m NOT condemned if (well, when is more accurate) I ask the same questions.
Freedom to be me. A key part of following Jesus is that human beings are not only accepted, they are LOVED by God for exactly who they are. Right now. With all our faults, jealousies, doubts, fears, misplaced anger, pettiness, greed, self-centredness and ludicrous sense of entitlement.
How do I know this? Because one of the four original source documents of Jesus’ life says “God loved the world so much [and that includes you and me, with all our quirks and faults] that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.”
No one has “damned you into sin from birth”. It simply happened, whether you and I like it or not. We enter this world thinking only of ourselves; everything revolves around us. And to a certain extent, we carry at least some of that thinking right through to adulthood and old age.
Everything DOESN’T revolve around us. You and I are NOT God. And to the extent that we (encouraged by our culture) believe that we are, that is sin. Like it or not.
So I say, embrace reason. Embrace the God who wants to embrace YOU. Accept the gift He offers you — the Son who:
- brought extraordinary ideas to the world (like loving your enemies);
- died to make up for the wrong things you and I have done and the right things we’ve failed to do, and;
- came back to life to prove He’s God and the Bible’s predictions about Him are true.
What do you think? Post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.
Frank's Cottage 
Atheists are not really free because, like religious fanatics, they are bound to their conclusion about God (in this case, non-existence of God). Also, universities were originally founded by Christians.
And why is mentioning that universities had a Christian origin relevant?
Must one discount the Roman education system, or the Greek?
*Some* universities were founded by Christians (I write about it here: http://wp.me/p2wzRb-9O). But certainly NOT a majority of them.
The comment was directed at Noel, Frank. But if you care to provide an answer, regarding the relevance that’s fine.
Well, it’s kinda irrelevant to the essay.
Which is why wondered why Noel raised it in the first place?
First, we don’t actually know what the character, Jesus of Nazareth said. All we have are words in a gospel written by an unknown author at least 60 years after the event.
And sorry,Frank, but this is not new or extraordinary.
Do not return evil to your adversary; Requite with kindness the one who does evil to you, Maintain justice for your enemy, Be friendly to your enemy.
– Akkadian Councils of Wisdom (from the ancient Babylonian civilization that existed two millennia before Jesus was born)
Such beliefs are understandable, Frank, as the church did not exactly encourage critical thought back in the day and in many cases is still wary of it.
I think it’s very extraordinary. Show me what other faith say to love your *enemy*? Not like, LOVE. And I have lots of critical thought, thank you very much.
Just to clarify my comment, I was referring mostly to the portion of the original post that stated that atheists feel “freedom to explore” and “freedom to doubt.” People usually go to universities to learn and to explore which is associated with science and reasoning. Many of these universities were originally founded by Christians. Hope this helps clarify the relevance.
http://faithofourfathers.net
http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/Educate/history_part3.htm
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