“Why are they so crazy?” I know it’s gone through your mind a thousand times. “Are they serious?,” “Do they really believe this?,” and “Why do they believe this?” are all questions you’ve probably asked yourself when you’ve observed and thought about Christians.
To that, all I have to say is “congratulations”. That’s right, I said it: congratulations. Why? Because, you’ve just discovered some of the most important questions you will ever ask.
You see, to try to understand the actions of a born-again Christian from an outside perspective is naturally a little difficult. It makes me imagine a person who has been living in the heart of an African jungle suddenly moving to New York City and trying to figure out what’s going on. To the native New Yorker, it is common sense that you raise your hand because you’re seeking a taxi. But, to the visitor, the concept of waving down a taxi (or even the existence of taxis) seems astonishingly foreign. Similarly, to Christians, it is common sense that you raise your hands because you are seeking intimacy with God. But, to the visitor, the concept of raising your hands toward God (or even the existence of God) seems astonishingly… crazy. See the similarity?
My point here is, don’t be turned-off when Christians say and do things you don’t understand. Just like the visitor from Africa, you have been a visitor (most likely) to Christianity. And, although it is natural for you to be confused, you shouldn’t immediately reject the new ideas and run home screaming, because that would be, well… crazy.
In the following text, I hope to shed some light on a few of the curious beliefs and practices of Christians. No matter what your stance on religion, I invite you to continue reading for your own information. If you take me up on this, then the next time you see a Christian with their head bowed or their eyes fixed on a curiously large book, you’ll have a much better idea of what they’re doing (and maybe even an idea as to why).
- Why Do Christians Believe In God?
Wow. That is a big question, isn’t it? To tell you the truth, I have asked myself the same thing over the years, trying to pinpoint all of the reasons why I believe in someone I cannot see. Honestly, there is no one answer. There is simply a conglomeration of experiences and theology that yields a definitive “Yes.”
I know what you’re thinking: “He doesn’t really have an answer,” but the contrary is true. Please just allow me to bring you a little further, and then you can decide whether or not I am wasting your time.
First there was that, then it happened, and now there is this. Wait. Who was that? It was what? Exactly. Throughout my life, I have tried to make sense of theories like the big bang and evolution, but two things remain unanswered: What was in the beginning that fueled what we now know to be, and what happened in between then and now to create this immense expansion of space that we know as the universe? I’ll tell you it’s not an easy question to answer from an atheist’s point of view. (I know, because I’ve asked.) Using simple logic, learned in grade school, we know what? Matter cannot be created nor destroyed, and neither can energy. Now, this really is a dilemma, because if matter cannot be created or destroyed, that means matter had to exist in the beginning and was later put together to form everything that exists (including the incredibly complex and unexplainably life-compatible planet we are visiting.). This of course, implies that there had to BE a beginning or some type of “first cause” that somehow aligned our solar system perfectly and placed the proton inside the atom. But, what was that? Well, I submit that this seemingly indefinable first cause is no one else but the creator.
With that being said, I have just reaffirmed my faith that God exists, but since you are the reader, I will continue with a personal example. The best one, to my memory, comes from when I was in the eighth grade and was still Sundaying in my parents’ church back home. It is the story of a miracle, so if you are afraid, I suggest you turn back now. But if you like, I will share with you what happened on that rainy day in the suburbs. First, I must tell you that this was no ordinary service.
Pastor Fred had, as he graciously does every so often, given up the pulpit to a traveling missionary. This man, around the age of sixty, was giving a sermon, the topic of which I do not recall, but I still remember his image vividly. Bright, joyful, stocky with white hair and blue suit. I knew he was a worthy speaker, but what I did not know was that he was going to be used as an instrument to change my life forever.
He was asking people to pray. I know. Big surprise, right? People praying in church. The interesting thing about it, though, was what we were praying for. Instead of the usual list of prayer requests and blessings, he was asking us to pray for ourselves. I, of course, had no problem with this. I followed his direction. I placed my hand on my aching pitching shoulder, felt an indescribable warm sensation, and my shoulder didn’t hurt anymore, you know, no big deal. Wait. WHAT? I had been healed! The next thing I knew, he was asking people who had received healing to go up to the front to share what had happened. I looked over. My Sunday school teacher was motioning at me to go towards the stage. Oh no. He knew. What was I to do? I didn’t want all of those people looking at me. I didn’t want any of that. So, even though I knew I shouldn’t, I stayed back. I figured God would forgive me if He knew how shy I was. Wouldn’t He?
The next ten minutes had to be ten of the longest minutes of my life. I had failed, and on top of it, the pain in my shoulder was back. What was I to do? I knew I had disobeyed God by refusing to acknowledge Him, but now I knew He was real and all I wanted to do was just sob into His chest and let Him hold me like the mere baby Christian I was at the time.
But, finally I built up the courage that I was going to talk to the man from God about what had gone down. I was reluctant at first, but I finally got an opportunity to approach him, and I did. Oh, I cannot describe to you the feeling I got when I laid it all out and told him what had happened. Of course, he prayed for my shoulder and the pain was gone again, but it was the forgiveness that was the real miracle. Need I go on?
These two things, although I could share more with you, are what I believe to be the two biggest reasons why I believe in God to this day. Obviously, you cannot relate to the second one unless you have also received healing, but even if you haven’t, I hope that someday you do experience something like that, because there truly are no words that can describe a touch from an invisible hand.
- Why Do Christians Worship?
I am not here yet, because I have limited time to write, but I’d like to know what you think about the above scribbles. Maybe soon I will make it down here.
