tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883276232325109679.post219239037360965732..comments2023-07-29T05:58:07.033-05:00Comments on Landish Notions : More thoughts from Simply Christian (which I always type "simply christina")Brian Stipphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07430687524005663498noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883276232325109679.post-30306459230543262562010-05-01T23:57:37.318-05:002010-05-01T23:57:37.318-05:00Joel,
By whose standard? This is an important ques...Joel,<br />By whose standard? This is an important question. I have been raised and had my thinking formed as a Christian. I cannot dissociate myself from that thinking in order to judge inner beauty and morality by another, less biased standard. There is no unbiased standard. So I have to judge what is truly beautiful by the only standard I've got. <br /><br />But the standards I'm describing and envisioning when I think about inner beauty and morality are humility opposed to pride, service of others opposed to oneself, being honest when it is possible to lie. these are truths written on the human heart - truths that can be profinated and warped, but that seem to shine through as true and valuable, regardless of one's spiritual upbringing.Brian Stipphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430687524005663498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883276232325109679.post-49879440266030177482010-04-25T22:42:30.323-05:002010-04-25T22:42:30.323-05:00Does our relationship increase our morality and in...Does our relationship increase our morality and inner beauty? My question is: by whose standard?Joelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883276232325109679.post-21390832076569653442010-04-25T22:40:49.960-05:002010-04-25T22:40:49.960-05:00You have shared some wise thoughts. i started do...You have shared some wise thoughts. i started down a dangerous path beginning with "nothing matters except Christ" (not an un-true statement), but that leads to stripping the value from everything i have been wired (by my Creator, no less) to think is valuable. What makes more sense to me now is that there are many valuable things that are truly only made valuable when they are placed in the proper perspective.<br /><br />i watched my son and daughter dance and sing on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in our home. i praised God on the spot for my beautiful children and the joy we all felt...and then thought "but this doesn't really matter, does it?"<br />Of course it does! That moment, my family, our joy; all of it points to Him and glorifies Him! Valuable.<br />However, all of that is garbage if i rely on that to save me. An obvious point, but one that was driven home that day for me.<br />Our Creator does not want us to pretend all of His creation and all of our emotions and desires are worth nothing...He just wants us to see that none of it matters or makes sense without Him giving an order to it all.Joelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883276232325109679.post-81375707380700324732010-04-15T06:39:21.067-05:002010-04-15T06:39:21.067-05:00Joel,
Thanks for responding thoughtfully.
What i...Joel, <br />Thanks for responding thoughtfully.<br /><br />What is the benefit of being a Christian?<br /><br />I am a Christian because Christianity is true, not because of any benefit or perk it will bring me. To assent to faith in Christ because I've weighed my options, and this option will hook me up most, both in this life an the next, doesn't seem right. It seems to run against Christ's teachings and example of denying ourselves to find life, and also against the Christian understanding of trusting God. <br /><br />My original post isn't about guaranteed perks for Christians. For those who follow God long enough, hard enough and with enough faith, I notice that in them we often see lives of both moral and inner beauty. I'm saying that this is one piece of evidence, and for me a weighty one, that the Christian path is the path we as creatures are meant to be on. <br /><br />As far as the "wouldn't it still be undeniable that he Lord?" I guess I don't think it undeniable. I alluded in my post to periods of doubt I have undergone, which in the end have always strengthened my faith. My doubt always stems from wrestling with the question of His Lordship. Sometimes it takes all the faith I can muster to confess it.Brian Stipphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430687524005663498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883276232325109679.post-74504411770615245772010-04-13T14:49:23.114-05:002010-04-13T14:49:23.114-05:00So...what is the benefit? ...that we get a bett...So...what is the benefit? ...that we get a better quality of life while here on earth? I don't think that cuts it. I would say the things mentioned so far are perks (really good ones) that come with a relationship with Christ...but is it really at the center of what really, ultimately, eternally matters?<br />What if there were no perks...wouldn't it still be undeniable that He is Lord?Joelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883276232325109679.post-66108641912252928172010-04-08T21:26:58.371-05:002010-04-08T21:26:58.371-05:00I should clarify that I am not suggesting that Chr...I should clarify that I am not suggesting that Christians are better people. I think everyone knows examples of very bad Christians and very good non-Christians. But if the claims of Christianity are fully true, I’m thinking it stands to reason that heading in the direction of full truth will end us up better than we would have been heading in the direction of semi-truth. And I see evidence of this; in the lives of people I know, the Christ-life really does make people better in both morality and in inner beauty.Brian Stipphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430687524005663498noreply@blogger.com