Yesterday was Saturday. Ryan and I spent the afternoon on a hunt for some Christmas spirit. We had the itch to buy and decorate a tree, but decided to hold off until after Thanksgiving. We did get some incredible ornaments at the Dollar Tree... but before embarking on our holiday adventure, we grabbed some dinner at El Toro in downtown Tacoma. I was craving the green salsa. We sat in the bar which resulted in free nachos with Ryan's drink. While we were waiting for our food, I over heard two guys who were also sitting in the bar. I was a bit surprised by their conversation. It wasn't the usual dissection of the multiple college football games that had been on TV that afternoon or their plans for the rest of the evening (it was only 4:30pm). Instead I overheard Guy #1 tell Guy #2 that he felt that Guy #3 (absent) had negative energies. Guy #1 continued to explain to Guy #2 that he believed in Karma and then went on to explain his reasoning.
I looked at Ryan and we both grinned at each other.
And so I embark down a new road of writing. Mostly for my own sanity and to better understand reality.
When I overhear conversations like the one in the bar last night, I can't help but wonder...
- What exactly is Karma and "energies"?
- Why is it so appealing to so many individuals? What really makes it so attractive?
- What are the positive and negative repercussions for humanity?
- What's the history of Karma and out of what worldview did it come?
- Is it a complete source of redemption? Or is it lacking, and if so, in what areas?
- How close does it match up to reality?
- What are the ideologies at the foundation of this thinking?
- How does it compare/contrast with the Christian worldview?
I am an ambassador of Christ. I've been called to represent his kingdom. I have been given the task of reconciling all of creation to himself. I am on a mission to make known his truth by subduing all false ideologies that are set up against the knowledge of Christ - the embodiment of truth. First, his children and second, the rest of culture: art, philosophy, government, family, education, and more...
Although, I know that the outcome of a conversation with someone like Guy #1 does not ultimately rest on my shoulders and that the Holy Spirit will enable me to speak truth with boldness (Luke 21:14-15), I firmly believe that Christ has called me as his ambassador to be prepared with an educated answer to bring light to his Truth (1 Peter 3:15)!
I'll end with this... First century. Paul in Athens. He spends his days in the temple and in the marketplace reasoning with those who happened to be there. Some of the major players? Stoics and Epicureans. Stoics were pantheists who believed that the universe is god and that our lives are pre-determined. The Epicureans were materialists. They reduced all of the complexities of life to merely matter: atoms. (Pretty hopeless, but not unlike the ideologies fueling the conversations we encounter today) Paul, an educated man understood their ideologies and knew how to dialogue with them in a meaningful conversation. Not only did he reference Greek literature and poetry, he challenged their foundational belief systems. He spoke of God as the creator and referenced nature as giving evidence for the existence of God, he described Him as knowable and close to humanity, ultimately desiring personal relationship with us. An incredible conversation. Paul spoke in familiar phrases, referencing their ideologies to ultimately bring light to the reality of Christ.
Isn't it incredible? The gospel is so strong! And on a side note... At the time of Paul's conversations, there were thousands upon thousands of Greek gods who each had their own temple and celebrations on a daily basis... but guess what... JESUS WON!! The gospel of Jesus Christ prevailed in Greece! Today, over two thousand years later, 98% of Greeks today will claim Christianity! Did you hear that?! Out of tens of thousands of gods who were worshiped in Athens, our JESUS WON!
Grow me as an ambassador and apologist for the Father.
1 comments:
Karma . . . all of this Hinduish talk has been trendy it seems. It seems to me each year there is a "trendy" "religion of the time" that is usually Eastern mystic that they want people to become members. Meanwhile, the One True God is being ejected from the square. Go figure!
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