Faith-based Fanaticism Forbidden

I recently had to take an on-line ethics course at work. Most of the information was pretty standard -- no unwanted sexual talk, no bullying, etc. In each type of harassment, the summary message was to not do anything that could even be construed as harassment. Stay away from anything that might make people uncomfortable. If in doubt, don't go there. In addition to the standard types of harassment, there was also a screen about "religious harassment".

The message is that religion can be a form of harassment. What are the conditions that make some event religious harassment?

1. frequently speaking about your religion
   
2. speaking negatively about other religions
   
3. criticizing a person's lifestyle with the intention of changing it
   
4. causing depression in others by sharing a pessimistic worldview
   

This is a bit scary. It means that people who are deeply religious can not express that part of their personality. We are supposed to keep our religion to ourselves. This contradicts what Jesus said about being "the light of the world". Next, it seems like proselyzing is forbidden if it makes people feel bad. Jesus calls us to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20). That's not really a passive command. It can be forward. It can be "in your face". It can be offensive. If we truly obey Jesus, will we harass people? Maybe. On the other hand, maybe we need to know when to "shake the dust off your feet" and move on.

What about criticizing people's lifestyles? It is impossible to know exactly what happened in this case. Maybe the religious person was making derogatory comments about a woman who liked to wear plunging necklines or had short hair. That sounds like something the average person would not appreciate. On the other hand, what if the religious person offered wise and loving advice to a person who was engaging in self-destructive behavior. Just because the advice was sprinkled with religious terminology makes it wrong? Again, it depends on what really happened. Hopefully, the religious person was truly over-zealous and pharasaical. Otherwise, this country will lose the curbe that keeps it from going completely godless.

Finally, the last point could be another example of spin. Why was the religious person's worldview described as "pessimistic"? Did the religious person consider him or herself pessimistic? Did other people or just the "victim" of the harassment? Is a Christian worldview pessimistic? Of course, Christians believe that their worldview is the only true optimistic viewpoint.

If the world can redefine Christianity as a pessimistic worldview that is depressing, critical, and negative, more and more Christians will be criticized for living their faith. Will we have to choose between living our lives the way Jesus told us and keeping our job? Will we be persecuted for our love for others? If so, I hope and pray that I can keep my faith and be strong in the Lord.

What Motivates a Christian?

I saw a video the other day where they said that Muslims (and all non-Christians) are motivated by fear to practice their religion. I can see the point. Anyone who does not know Christ cannot possibly be motivated by love. So, Muslims (and all non-Christians) must be motivated by fear.

My question is, do they believe that? If I asked ten Muslims what motivates them spiritually, would all ten say fear? I wonder if even one would. Even though it may be their true motivation, do they really see it that way? That is what I am questioning. If most Muslims do not see Allah as someone to be feared and their works as a desperate attempt to tip the scales in their favor, then talking about grace vs. works with them wouldn't get us very far.

In the spiritual sense, we are all sick. When referring to the Pharisees, Jesus once said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." The pharisees were just as sick as everyone else, but they thought they were healthy. I would argue that so do most people including Muslims. Sometimes, when we talk about false religions, we imply that the adherents either know they are sick or would realize it right away if we simply tell them. I wonder.

Once when I was going door-to-door passing out tracts or something, I talked to a 55-65 year old man who was not a Christian. I asked him if he thought he would go to heaven. He said yes because he was basically a good person. Most people think that God, being the loving sort, will only send REALLY bad folks to hell. Most cults teach that the only people who will a) go to hell; b) live in outer darkness or c) cease to exist are those who reject the cult's teachings. Insiders will make it to some level of heaven.

People of other faiths do not have some way to get right with God. Also, if they are true to their teachings, they must live in fear and uncertainty concerning their fate. However, I think human beings always find a way to ignore the facts, rationalize their situation and hope for the best.

Perhaps our best plan for dealing with unbelievers is to pray that God would first bring calamity on them to force them to see the hopelessness of their situation without him. Then, pray that the Holy Spirit would work true repentance and faith in their hearts.

Encouraging Word #2

Here is another encouraging word. This time from Jeremiah 29:11.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Success

What makes people successful? What personal characteristics does someone need to be the best? In a Reebok commercial, Emmit Smith said it takes "everything you've got." That means effort and drive. What gives a person drive? Is it the desire to be viewed as successful -- in other words, ego? The Bible says, "The hungrier you are, the harder you work" -- Proverbs 16:26. Is desire for success this basic? Is it just about material needs? Maslow would say, "Yes, but only to a certain point."

We all know that we need to do certain things. For example, parents know they should be concerned about their kid's education. In the past, they may have satisfied this requirement by buying an encyclopedia set. Today, they buy the kids a computer. Educational needs -- check.

We know we should be better Christians so we attend church and Bible class. Check and check.

Does doing these things and checking these boxes really get us closer to the goal of success? They should if they are done right but maybe they are not the things we should measure.

Maybe we like to measure simple, checkbox-like things because it is too hard to measure intelligence, education, or spirituality.

On the other hand, how does God measure success. It seems that God does not measure succes the way the world does. He does not count church services attended, nor passages memorized. God looks at the heart. He wants obedience, not conformity (1 Samuel 15:22).

Obedience to God is what we should strive for. Church attendance and Bible study make it easier to obey but not because we become better people. We can never improve (Romans 3:9-20). However, we can be changed. We can accept that we are dead in our sins but alive in Christ. The new life we live in Christ can make us successful. This is what will enable us to hear Jesus say to us one day, "Well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).

Encouraging Word #1

Here are some encouraging words from Joshua 1. God is speaking to Joshua.

"I will be with you. I will never leave you. I will never desert you.

Be strong and brave.

Be strong and very brave. Make sure you obey the whole law my servant Moses gave you. Do not turn away from it to the right or the left. Then you will have success everywhere you go. Never stop reading this Scroll of the Law. Day and night you must think about what it says. Make sure you do everything that is written in it. Then things will go well with you. And you will have great success."