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Posts Tagged ‘faith blog’

THE CONUNDRUM OF COMPLEXITY

Posted in It's Not About 'Religion', tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 6, 2025| 1 Comment »

When the actor famous for portraying Harry Potter says he has a “problem with religion,” I just nod my head in silent agreement.

I’ll bet when you think about religion, the most you can come up with is judgmental, stone-hearted people telling others they’re going to hell, correct? Well, I’m right there with you.

So let’s talk about something that I regard as quite different: faith/spirituality. I can tell you that as a follower of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God), I DO NOT have all the answers and I don’t know of a single honest Jesus follower who thinks any different.

That said, Jesus followers DO have answers to many of life’s most pressing questions, like why are we here (to have a relationship with our creator and tell others about Him), and is there life beyond death (yes!). But many, many others remain unanswered. And that’s OK because God is God and we are NOT.

Are humans complex? Heck YES. Just consider all the denominations in the Christian faith: Roman Catholic, Baptist, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Alliance, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican, Lutheran and many more. Regardless of what they think of each other, that certainly proves that Jesus followers are an example of the complexity Daniel Radcliffe mentions.

When Radcliffe, an atheist, says we humans often change our minds on issues, I agree. And that’s a GREAT reason, in my opinion, to follow Jesus of Nazareth.

Without an unchanging moral centre upon which to base your life, consider these questions:

  • How do you know if your opinion on any issue is right?
  • How do you know that you won’t change your mind on something important, then embarrassingly wonder how you ever believed the opposite viewpoint?
  • How do you know if your actions are really, REALLY correct? If it’s just your opinion, then it’s based on nothing but your subjective worldview.

I’m not wise enough, virtuous enough or mature enough to have a worldview that’s solid enough to base my life upon. Let me be bold and declare I think the same way about Radcliffe’s worldview. And YOURS.

By following Jesus of Nazareth, I know there’s lots of room for complexity (unlike religion) while still sticking to the objective truth of doing the good things for other people that you would want them to do for you (the “Golden Rule”). The truth of setting aside my selfish, self-centred ego and trusting something (Someone!) bigger and better than me. The truth of accepting Jesus’s radical statement – made to anyone willing to listen – that “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

If you give any credibility to Jesus and His statements, what are you going to do about the previous paragraph? Our culture insists you should ignore it and go shopping, but I bet that if you’ve read this far, you’re ready and willing to resist that siren call.

I suggest looking reading the four original accounts of Jesus’s life, ministry, death and resurrection (the “Gospels”). Take your questions to a Jesus follower (my email: fdking@hotmail.com) and keep your mind open. It could change your life for the better!

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“THIS IS NOT A FULFILLING LIFE”

Posted in In The News, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 19, 2025| 3 Comments »

I’m not a huge golf fan but this headline, in Canada’s National Post, grabbed my attention because in our culture, professional athletes are supposed to obsess over their careers.

So what gives with American golfer Scott Scheffler, who’s currently the top-ranked player in the world?

“I’m not here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what’s the point?,” he told reporters, who must have been thoroughly gobsmacked at hearing this heresy. “This is not a fulfilling life.”

What?? How can this be? Did Scheffler get hit in the head with a golf ball? Did someone whack him with a putter? There must be some explanation for this wonky, ridiculous thinking.

And there is. Consider Scheffler’s answer to a question about his reading habits: “I have a devotional book on my iPad. I have another book which I’m reading that’s definitely not a golf book. It’s another spiritual book. My Bible is pretty much it.”

Ah. There it is. Scheffler is some kind or religious nut, right? And yet you’re reading this blog because somewhere in your mind and heart, you’re open to spirituality – and maybe even to Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the Son of God.

Despite Scheffler’s astounding success — the article says the 29-year-old Texan “has taken over the sport as the most dominant player since Tiger Woods” — he has found himself grounded in a way most of us can only dream about.

Among the many things Jesus told anyone willing to listen is this: “What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?”

Scheffler appears to understand this very well. And maybe this understanding has contributed to his success.

There’s something for me and you to learn from this. Whatever we’re pursuing, is it worth damaging our health, our emotional well-being or our relationships? NO. Especially when it’s all temporary. Our 70 or 80 years on this planet are nothing but a blip compared to what’s coming next.

Scheffler seems to comprehend what’s coming next. That’s why he’s placed his faith and trust in Jesus, because anyone who does so will spend a glorious eternity in the presence of their creator.

This is how it works: Jesus told his listeners, “You must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” So there it is; when this life ends, you’ll need to be perfect to get past the bouncer at the ‘pearly gates’.

Well, that’s a problem, isn’t it? Since no one can ever get close to perfection, how can even one of us get to Heaven?

The answer is Jesus. When He allowed Himself to be arrested on false charges, convicted and put to death, Jesus paid the penalty for every wrong thing done by His followers, and every right thing we’ve failed to do.

After that, God saw — and continues to see — His Son’s followers just as He sees Jesus: perfect in every way.

Just as important, when people like YOU invite Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour, He comes into your heart IMMEDIATELY and begins making you more like the person God created you to be.

Are you interested? Yes or no, post your comment below and let’s have a conversation.

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FROM SLAVES TO DIVINE PARTNERS

Posted in Me & The World, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 8, 2025| 3 Comments »

Oh, boy. There is a lot to unpack in this atheist meme, so if you’re wondering if the viewpoint expressed here has any accuracy, stick around. It’ll be worth your while.

  • Followers of Jesus of Nazareth — who many people believe is the Son of God — have come to understand who He is and who they are. In response to that, people like me have made conscious decisions to make Jesus our Lord, our Saviour and our best friend.
    Nowhere is slavery involved in any way, shape or form.
    My pastor friend, Ross Carkner, explains it so well: “A slave is someone who is forced to obey another … Christians are people who of their own volition surrender their will in favour of following … specifically following Jesus.”
        • As followers of Jesus, God works in and through us to bring physical and spiritual aid to a world that even the most optimistic person must admit isn’t doing very well.
          Are we doing a good job as junior partners in God’s work? Quite often, NO. And that certainly applies to me. Jesus followers often misrepresent God. We often let our selfish and petty insecurities get in the way of what He’s doing . But in the end, that doesn’t matter.
          “God’s plan for us [and the world] never changes, so there is no plan B,” writes pastor Chris Norland. In fact, God can and often does use our failures to further His work.
            • So what does this mean for the charge that God wishing evil or harm to others and being malicious? If point number two isn’t convincing, let’s go back to Ross: “There is no one in all of history who has, with any real and lasting credibility, ever made a case for the historical Jesus being malevolent.”
              Ah, but wait, you say: the meme doesn’t even mention Jesus! Ross’s response: “Since the existence of Jesus was expressly understood as God in the flesh …. to refer to God as malevolent is not only a misreading of the Bible, it is reflecting our own brokenness as we deal with the enormous challenges of living in this hurting world.”
              In other words, the meme’s creator is blaming his/her own failures, and the failures of this struggling world, on God. Where’s the credible evidence to support this claim? There simply isn’t any. NONE.

            As you digest all this, consider these truths: no matter who you are or what you’ve done or not done, God LOVES YOU. God offers YOU the gift of His Son. If you accept that gift — Jesus’s life, sacrificial death and resurrection — then Jesus comes into your world and starts the life-long process of making you the person God created you to be.

            Just as important, ALL the bad things you’ve done and the good things you’ve failed to do will be wiped out. God will see only His Son’s perfection. And when this life ends, you’ll spend eternity in the presence of your maker. Sound good? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.



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            FROM CHILDREN TO FAMILY MEMBERS

            Posted in Me & The World, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 18, 2024| 1 Comment »

            British comedian and atheist Jimmy Carr asks a good question and, since you might be asking the same thing, I appreciate the opportunity to answer, .

            First of all, as a follower of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God), I believe God created every person who ever was, is and will be. So yes, we are His children.

            But there’s a difference between being His children and being in His family. And we are definitely NOT all in His family. You might ask, quite, rightly, why not?? Because it’s not an automatic thing. We’ve all separated ourselves from God’s family because of the wrong things we’ve done and the right things we’ve failed to do.

            In other words, we’ve put ourselves ahead of our creator. We’ve either declared He doesn’t exist, or we’ve forgotten about Him or we’ve made the shallow, ultimately meaningless priorities of this world our main focus.

            The results of this error are sadly obvious: broken families, addictions, crime, human trafficking and so much more. Jesus followers like me are not immune to this error; sometimes, I forget about God and mess up quite spectacularly. Just ask my very forgiving wife.

            So what’s the solution? How can we be adopted into God’s family? The answer is simple: follow Jesus. Read the four original-source biographies of His physical life on Earth (they’re simply called the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, named after their reputed authors). Investigate the claims Jesus makes about Himself and His Father.

            Once you do that, my hope and prayer is you’ll come to understand who God is, who you are and who Jesus is. Then, as you apologize for all the wrong things you’ve done and the right things you’ve failed to do, and pledge to make Jesus your priority, God will welcome you into His family. And that will change your life NOW and for all eternity.

            One of Jesus’s earliest and most influential followers, a missionary named Paul, put it this way: “You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone.”

            Got questions? Things you don’t understand? Then keep searching. Or, email me (frankdmking@gmail.com) and I’ll do my imperfect best to help.

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            THE TRUTH OF ABSOLUTE TRUTH

            Posted in Me & The World, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 13, 2021| 4 Comments »

            The statement in this meme, made by a Swiss-Austrian-American philosopher of science, is becoming increasingly popular in today’s culture. It’s a perfect fit with the “you have your truth, I have mine” approach to life.

            I must write, however, that popularity should never be a measuring stick of truth. Remember: Adolf Hitler was extremely popular for many years and Osama Bin Laden still has millions of fans. So does rap music (hey, this old white guy’s gotta have some fun). 😉

            Now consider this: is child pornography always wrong? I feel quite safe in believing that outside of a few very disturbed individuals, all of us would agree. So isn’t that an absolute truth?

            Here’s another one: genocide. Can you find anyone besides the occasional megalomaniac dictator and his lunatic followers who think genocide has its time and place?

            I believe slavery, racism and deliberately poisoning our air/land/water can be added to the list of universal wrongs.

            So there you have it. Five examples of absolute truth and it took me just a few minutes to mentally find them. I bet you can find several others.

            If you agree with me so far, then that means most of us strongly believe in a clear and unchanging morality. That leads to my next question: where did this morality come from?

            Some people claim morals are simply the result of evolution. But in his book Making Sense of God, Tim Keller notes it’s hard to imagine that noble and moral acts like self-sacrifice or service for someone “outside your family, tribe, or race could have been a trait that led to greater rates of survival.”

            I’m going to be bold & radical and declare that absolute truth comes from the creator of time, space, the universe and YOU. In other words, it comes from God.

            Now a step further: the originator of absolute truth and morals is perfect and, as the only being capable of sitting in judgment of humanity, that’s the standard He uses. I believe this because I follow Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is God’s Son) and Jesus tells anyone willing to listen that “you must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.”

            Well, that certainly creates a problem, doesn’t it? If you believe there’s life beyond the 70 or 80 years on this planet, how can you and I get in on that life when we’re so, SO far from being anywhere close to perfect?

            The answer is we can’t. Not on our own strength and efforts. We’ll always, ALWAYS fall short.

            But God solved this by offering Jesus as a gift to anyone willing to accept it. Jesus died to make up for ALL wrong things His followers have done and ALL the right things His followers have failed to do. So when this life ends and we go to meet God, all He will see in Jesus’s followers is perfection. And we’ll be let in the door to spend eternity with Him.

            Just as important, when you seriously and sincerely accept the gift of Jesus, you welcome Him to come into your life RIGHT NOW and start the lifelong process of making you more like the person God created you to be.

            Sound like a good deal? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

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