The Forbidden Subject Part 2

Last week I related how I decided to bring up a forbidden topic with a person who, in certain circumstances, is intimidating to me.

I knew going into the conversation with Jim that I'd probably mess it up somehow.

Worse, however, was the idea of postponing the conversation yet again, which I'd been guilty of for a long time.

So I said to the Lord, "This isn't going to be smooth. It might even be a train-wreck. Would you use me despite myself? I'm just the messenger here . . . "

Jim's main objection to the topic of God was the hypocrisy of clergy and other church people who "raise cane" during the week, then act all holy on Sundays in church.

That's what his mentor -- who was the unquestionable authority, the Forbidden Subject -- had taught him to think.

"Had you ever thought," I responded, "that the church is actually a hospitable for sinners? We know we're sinful. That's why we're there."     
I continued: "Sure, there are bad clergy out there. Maybe 3% (I don't know, exactly). But why would you listen to them and ignore the other 97% who are good folks doing God's work?

Why allow the 3% 'bad apples' to have so much say in your life? You're letting them win!" I was getting a bit amped up. Maybe argumentative.

Jim said, "So you're saying hypocrisy is OK in the church?"

"Not at all. I'm just saying the church is more for sinners than saints. We're there because we know we need each other to improve our lives."

My friend looked unconvinced.

I closed with this: "Jim, you can't do this on your own. You need the teaching of the Scriptures and the encouragement of the people of God. There's no lone-ranger spirituality out there, not according to Christianity at least."

* * *

No big wins here that I could see. That's how personal witness often goes. Through prayer and God's guidance you try to say the right thing, but in my case it sometimes comes out sideways.

* * *

In Jim's town one day I attended a Presbyterian church right near his house. I visited him soon after and told him I thought it was a good spot. "You should check it out sometime."

To my surprise he said, "Maybe I will."

graphic courtesy of http://www.clipartlord.com/

Conversations from Campus: The Forbidden Subject

I learned in my growing up years that with certain people there are certain subjects you simply do not broach.

So I asked the Lord for courage to talk to Jim, a guy who admittedly intimidates me.

After bantering over some contemporary political issues, I turned the conversation a bit:

"Do you ever pray or do anything with your spiritual life?"

I wondered how this would land.

"I have my own religion," Jim said without blinking, looking at me.

Normally I'm on top of this stuff but my tongue seemed to be lodged half-way down my throat.

"Your own religion? Er -- how do you know it's true?" I said a little awkwardly.

"How do you know yours is true?"

"I asked you first."

He smiled, as if I'd scored a point. I was starting to relax.

"I have my own way of doing things. Is that wrong?"

"But Jim, how do you learn and grow? How do you hear from God, if you're totally on your own?"

He mentioned a revered mentor in his background who'd tutored him in these matters. This was, I knew, the Forbidden Subject, the untouchable topic -- Jim's unassailable foundation.

I prayed for more courage and blurted out, "But what makes (mentor) a reliable guide to religion? He had no theological training! Why listen to him?"

There, I'd said it, finally. Now perhaps the expected explosion would come, like, "How dare you -- "

Instead, this fine man heard me out. I proceeded to suggest that he find a church where the community of faith gathers for encouragement, teaching and worship.

He thought about it a moment, then flatly refused. Damn clergy were either in someone's pants or in your pocketbook.

"No way am I going to let them tell me how to live my life!" he spat out.

Now we were getting somewhere. My demons were gone. I thought I knew what to say next . . .

I'll write about it next week.

* lyrics by Jim Croce

See you next week!

Conversations from Campus: The Invitation

Fifty students watched as I drew the above diagram on the board. I explained it something like this:

"In Christian theology the Fall away from God was so severe -- and God was so grieved -- that he didn't fix the world all at once.

He let it fall. 

He allowed the consequences of rebellion to be played out in our timeline.

Thus the world is full of pain and suffering."

I continued: "Slowly, gradually, he began to restore the world through Israel, and even visited the world himself in the person of Jesus, the Messiah."

Front row, Jewish-Atheist raised his hand decisively.

"How do you know Jesus was the true Messiah?"

I replied that Jesus fulfilled the Hebrew law and prophets and descended from King David.

Jewish-Atheist objected that Jesus never met the conditions of true Messiah:

• Rebuilding the temple
• Bringing world peace

I said Jesus claimed to actually be the temple himself.

As for peace, God calls his people -- the church -- to go forth in his power, bringing healing to a broken world.

Afterward, we talked. Good guy, frosh, grew up Jewish but rejected the idea of there being a "chosen people" or a God who chooses.

* * * *

The lesson for you and me in this encounter?

Not what I said to Jewish-Atheist, though I have no regrets.

Rather, it's that a faithful Christian student met him at an outreach table in the Student Union and invited him to attend my talk.

Now that's profound.

Conversations from Campus: The Apostate

I hadn't seen him in a year so we had a nice warm handshake when he showed up.

Two minutes later he announced he'd left the faith.

He could no longer condone the morality of God as seen in the OT:

• the slaughter of the Canaanites.
• the Mosaic law allowing men to force themselves upon women and take them as wives.
• (etc.)

"Morally reprehensible," Dan said with disgust.

All this was sounding familiar to me.

"Dan, I'm disappointed. This sounds like atheist internet rhetoric, not biblical scholarship. Where are you getting all this?"

He admitted reading Christopher Hitchens and visiting some atheist websites.

"I'm surprised. You're an 'A' student and you know the value of reading professional literature inside your field of study."

He nodded.

"And yet you allow an amateur like Hitchens to guide your theology?"

"You're shaming me."

"I have a friend," I said firmly, "who's a bricklayer. He's good at it. But would I want him doing my dental work? Fixing my car? Prescribing my meds?"

We had a tense back-and-forth for a few minutes.

"Okay, what should I do?" he finally asked.

"Read some real theologians, for and against your position (I gave him some names). Stay within the professional guild. If you're going to leave the faith, at least do it thoughtfully."

********

I wish I could say all my conversations go well and that I never say the wrong thing. Not true. I was totally second-guessing myself on this one.

How might have I responded differently to Dan?