“Yo no se”

I just got around to watching the movie Religulous by Bill Mahar. Interesting and entertaining. He points out and picks at the flaws of organized religion, mostly Christianity in a way that makes you (as a christian) feel uneasy. I am fairly opposed to most organized churches at this point in my life and was still irked.
He hits all the glaring evangelicals in snippets, sound bites, and images. I tried to catch them all, but I saw Baker, Haggard, Robertson, Roberts, Jesus Christ Miranda, and Bush, and each time I thought great, here’s another glaring example of hypocrisy. It kind of makes me sad. I wonder and hope that he does not have the general public’s consensus and opinion of christianity. I hope.
Obviously he presents his side, for entertainment purposes, but even a glimpse of the relief efforts around the world provided by christians and their respective organizations would have shined a light, keep up the good work IJM.
I do have one similar viewpoint as Bill Maher throughout the documentary, and that is one of uncertainty. The takeaway I can enjoy is that the words “I don’t know” is more about faith and less about facts, defense, and proving that I, we, and the catholic/universal church has been right throughout history and is right evermore.
I don’t know if the Bible is 100% infallible through time, translations, subject matter, and audience in a given historical context.
I don’t know why there aren’t accounts of Jesus’ life leading up to his ministry.
I don’t know if all the books God had intended made it into the Bible.
I don’t know what the second coming, rapture, end of days thing will look like.
I don’t know if we please God by how we have constructed and separated His church by our nuances.
And I don”t know if I will survive another day driving in a metal chariot powered by mechanical horsepower.
But I have faith…
… that the Bible has been around a long time and can bring comfort in times of pain and suffering for all generations.
… that Jesus’ years of preparation lead to a 3 year ministry that has changed the history of the world and many lives.
… that the Bible has information that can make the world a better place to live and provide food and water for everyone.
… that there will be a renewal of the spirit and the earth, and that there is an eternal state to life.
… that His church can bring joy, peace, relief and good news to the least of everyone, even the societal lepers (the marginalized).
And I have faith that I have learned how to operate my chariot through years of practice, that my competence level is high, that I have slept and am in good condition to use it throughout my given day. I also know that as I steer my chariot throughout the streets of Babylon, there are many unknown factors that I have zero control of. And if a tragic factor comes my way, I hope Johnny Cash is playing through my chariot speakers, and I hear,
Soon we’ll come to the end of life’s journey
And perhaps we’ll never meet anymore
‘Til we gather in heaven’s bright city
Far away on that beautiful shoreIf we never meet again this side of heaven
As we struggle through this world and its strife
There’s another meeting place somewhere in heaven
By the side of the river of life
I do not want to live my life in defense of my faith, but to simply explain what I feel and respond unknowingly at times.
I do know one thing though, songs that end with
the body disposed, into the crematorium,
reduced to your bones and crushed into dust”
are so cliché!
-dan






