Atheists for Christmas

It appears that the "War on Christmas" controversy that has captured the attention of many in the US is not limited to our shores and may in fact be even more pronounced in England. An article by Simon Heffer published in the Daily Telegraph newspaper in London indicates that over there, political correctness is such that up until recently not even Church leaders were willing to stand up and demand that Christ not be taken out of Christmas.

There is an irony in this article however given that it's author is a self-professed non-believer in God or that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (thus the reason for the season). This however has not stopped him from acknowledging quite forcefully, the merits of Christianity's influence on the greater society, and the perversion which fuels those people who are aligned against it. People he adds who are far fewer in numbers and power than their rhetoric would suggest.

The author's reason for non-belief is quite common; he writes: "...I saw as a child that, having tried as hard as I could, I could not believe in God. I greatly regret this, but, despite extensive reflection, I can see no reason after all these years to revise my view. I accept the existence of Jesus Christ as a historical figure, but the Christian miracles are beyond me."

His need to "make sense" of the miracles of Jesus underscores a fundamental error for many who don't believe - that being that they exalt their minds (their ability to think) over what is plain to see to the eye of the simple. God alludes to this mindset most clearly in Romans Chapter 1: 19-20 - "...For the truth about God is known to them (people) instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God (NLT).

We were not created to understand everything. If so, there would be no need for faith. Our instincts know this but our minds often get in the way. Instinctively, Mr. Heffer knows the benefits of God to a society, and by way of his article eloquently cries out when others try to make the society Godless. To his own "unbelief" I prayerfully say: use your will, not your skill.

Ignore God and Decrease Your Birth Rates

I read a very interesting article yesterday in the New York Times on the topic of the shrinking birth rate in Europe over the past few decades. The article outlines the demographic danger facing Europe with the high likelihood that several countries (Italy, Spain and Germany among others) will see their native populations decrease by up to 40% by 2050. According to the article, the replacement birth rate necessary to maintain an equal population size from generation to generation is 2.1 children born to each woman. In Europe according to the article the rate is well below 2.0, with some countries closer to 1.5 and dropping. It is a lengthy and very interesting read that sheds some light on a phenomenon that in all likelihood will reshape the face of Western Europe within 100 years. The interesting thing about the article is that it was published after extensive research and interviews with many experts and it offers various possible explanations for why this situation has developed....

Funerals for the Unsaved or Unbelievers

I am not a leader of a church, but I oftentimes wonder how does one lead a funeral service for someone who dies without knowing Jesus Christ as Lord ? Admittedly I have not been to many funerals in my lifetime, though they are appearing to come more frequently lately, but the fact is that funerals are held daily throughout the world and as such this is a pertinent question to someone just about every day. I’ve been to the funeral where the person lived a fairly routine life, taking care of their families and other responsibilities as best they could, paying taxes and doing the average things that we as human beings do on a consistent basis. They however had no visible relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ. When this person dies, the surviving family members are oftentimes left scrambling trying to find a person and a place to officiate the funeral services – generally because the deceased did not have a regular church that they attended. Funeral homes sometimes ...

Were they Saved?

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many… (Hebrews 9:27-28 NIV) My wife and I were talking about a celebrity who we learned had died recently. One of my first thoughts (as is customary) was “were they saved”? Did that person accept that Jesus died for their sins so that they could live forever in Heaven? Though neither my wife nor I could know the real answer to that question, if we went by the “evidence” of how that person lived their public life, then it appeared highly unlikely that a salvation conversion would have occurred in their life. If so, then their death was indeed a tragedy. Acceptance of Jesus is indeed the difference between life and death (for eternity). Look at this diagram below (taken from a previous publication by author Bruce Wilkinson). The size of the circle denotes the average life span of our present life on earth. The length of the line denotes the first .000...

Treasure In Clay Jars

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