It is a fanciful, mythical, strange, and compelling story.
Does or did God introduce himself to humanity throughout history?
What is the case against?
The stories purported in the bible, for instance, are ancient to be sure. These were a different people from the modern man. Polytheism was the norm, various presumed spiritual manifestations guided a superstitious mentality, and science had little influence apart from disciplines such as mathematics and agrarianism.
Science has, over time, closed the gaps as we know them. The earth is round and so forth.
If there is a God, evidence for his interaction is limited to echo chambers within the community of the devout.
Then, of course, if, once again, there is a God, what or how do we understand injustice, pain, and death?
Is God both good and malevolent? This seems an anathema to God and his holiness and righteousness that evil exists.
In short, why do bad things happen to good people?
These are fair questions but not simplistic ones.
In fact, the counter argument, if well-developed, speaks to each objection with rationale and logic—the thing the sceptic must be willing to explore especially if eternity is riding on the answers.
For the moment, I will assume that the convinced need no more counsel.
Additionally, there is no need to travel down the path that will irritate the atheist or agnostic ad nauseum with pat answers and arguments from authority.
An army of trolls awaits the opportunity to flippantly dismiss the message and the messenger.
And so, what matters?
Are you willing to wrestle with God?
When it comes to being irritated as an adherent of the Christian faith, I find those unwilling to engage in deliberate seeking to be boorish.
It is arrogance that defies imagination.
Can you be so sure you are right?
While I think I am right, I am willing to be humble about continuing the search for God and purpose.
I am pressed to know.
In the end, it is all that matters. Everything else is meaningless.
Christ said, “…seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Jesus didn’t say, “Believe blindly.”
He said seek.
That’s fair, isn’t it?
It is always time for people of all stripes to seek and see if God, if he exists, will reveal himself.
I am deeply dissatisfied with the idea that something came from nothing.
Therefore, I want to know about that “something” if possible.
Do you?
Kent Simmons is the pastor of Canyon Community Church in Kingman, AZ.
