Dale Cresap's blog

Have you noticed a big increase in the number of atheists recently? It appears to be a trend. How many atheists do you know that didn’t come from a strict religious background? How many atheists arrive at their position from an objective evaluation of first principles, and how many take it on as a reaction against spiritual abuse? It grieves me to see my church creating atheists. How should you approach them? Know that the wounds that they have received and the pain they experience are real.

Are you familiar with the story of the prodigal son? This is one of the most familiar stories among believer and non-believer alike. Do you find it shocking? Do you relate to any of the characters of the story? No one likes to think of themselves as the elder brother. Do you see yourself as a prodigal son, or are you present in the story at all? Are you fearful of approaching me because you see me as a God of judgement and wrath? Was the son expecting a warm welcome?  Is it possible that you read the story and missed the main point?

Are you familiar with the concept of ruining your appetite? If you have a big snack of junk food just before dinner you won’t be hungry for dinner, which is probably better for you. This term is commonly used in regard to children, but the principle applies just as much to adults. Does it go beyond the physical and material? Do you have a spiritual appetite as well as an appetite for food? I said that those who hungered and thirsted for righteousness would be filled, so they were blessed. Have you ever sought out some substitute that ruined your spiritual appetite?

Do you have any cultural baggage that tags along with your faith? This may not be at all obvious if you remain in your familiar setting, but if you encounter Christians from a different culture or even denomination you may find that they accept things that you don’t, and reject things that you do, and that these things are not essential to the faith. The pure essence of the faith is simple, and you should beware of any cultural overlay that you would impose on it.

Do you surround yourself with people who hold the same opinions you do, and see the world the same way? Do you find this to be a great source of comfort and reassurance? Most people do, and it certainly provides that, but it will hinder you in ways you may be unaware of. I told you to take the log out of your eye that you could see clearly to help your brother take the speck from his eye. If your friends all have the same log they are not much help. You need some friends with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to help with this.

Do you judge yourself by your intentions and others by their actions? Does this make you seem more pure than they are? Are your intentions as pure as you perceive them? Do others perceive your intentions as favorably as you do? Does the reality in your mind match the real world? For it is only in this realm, that everyone can see, that judgments may be based on visible actions. Others will judge you by your actions the same way you judge them by theirs.

Have you ever encountered someone who said they would never trust anyone but God? Does this sound spiritual? Don’t be fooled. It isn’t. I have placed you in a community, even my own body. You cannot take your place in it without trusting the other members, and you can’t be effective in serving me in isolation. It is true that your fellow members are flawed creatures like yourself, and at times they will disappoint you, and you will disappoint them. You can recover from this. How can you recover from a suspicious and cynical life lived in isolation from your fellow members?

Does your church have a creed? Many churches do and recite it regularly as a statement of essential doctrine. Do you see your creed more as a philosophy statement or a mission statement? A philosophy statement would be what to believe, and a mission statement would be what to do. Does your creed emphasize only one aspect of your faith? What do you see in my life on earth? The importance of belief was already well-established, and I affirmed it. But don’t you see even more emphasis on telling people how to live, and what actions they had to take to live a godly life?

How would you describe the way that leads to life? Would you call it a strait and narrow way? This Biblical term means narrow rather than straight, but it implies a well-defined path. Or would you say that you make the path by walking? Would you say that your own path has been straight, or has it involved unexpected turns and detours? This may be a difficult question since you don’t have a map, and cannot see the destination, and have never been there before. Yet these should not be reasons for despair for you don’t really need any of these things.

Are you familiar with the concept of default states? Have you ever had to work up the courage and put forth the effort to be judgmental? Presumably this would take initiate and effort. Yet haven’t you found that this is the default state in other people, and yourself as well? Your mind is wired to code information and make classifications. In many ways this is useful and you can’t live in an ordered world without it. Yet this same trait can be used to impose condemnation on others, and I tell you not to do this.