Rob asks:
Why does the roman Catholic Church refuse accept the use of birth control. I beleive that is a major disservice to all the people on the planet. Overpopulating our great earth is a serious issue, that needs to be addressed.
Rob, the official church teaching on birth control, as I understand it, is a part of a consistent commitment to preserving life and the openness to its possibilities. Preventing conception with any type of contraception is prohibited based on this principle. Also prohibited: abortions, the death penalty, and suicide.
I think what you're also asking here is why the church would have this type of a policy when in some cases it seems to lead to more human misery rather than less. To be fair to the church, I think that they want to maintain consistency of thought and teaching, and are idealists who want to encourage people to only have sex within the bounds of marriage and only when they are ready for children. I don't think their intention is to create human misery or to force people to have unwanted children.
The church also teaches that there is a "unitive" dimension of having sex--i.e. it brings people closer together emotionally and spiritually. My own opinion is that this dimension is equally important and relevant, and can be an independent motive for having sex, without the need for openness to having children. As you say, it's important when acting on these ideas to keep in mind the practical consequences of refusing people birth control--overpopulation, unwanted children, etc.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Hell III
Meister asks:
I think it is a flawed perception to recognize that people can only be loving, good people through god, and in that way, make their heaven on earth. I think there are plenty of people who strive toward being loving and good in their everyday life, without any belief in god, or any hope of eternal reward for it. Is it so much less to want to be good and loving for good and loving's sake, rather than for eternal life or out of fear of hell and damnation? Does that mean that one's life has less of a purpose than one who finds goodness and grace through god?
This is a good question--my answer is that eternal life is a gift from God, not something that is earned. To think about it another way, eternal life is something supernatural, and therefore we need to have it given to us by a supernatural being.
I'm not saying "be a good person so that you'll go to heaven." It's impossible for anyone to be good/perfect all of the time. And even if we could, that wouldn't make God love us anymore than she already does.
I agree with you that there are plenty of people who strive to be loving and good without any belief in god, and I am not going to be the one to say "stop this meaningless pursuit of good deeds!" I think truly selfless good works will probably persist after we are gone in the way they continue to ripple in others' lives.
But if that connection with God--eternal life--is a gift to be accepted from God and we choose not to accept it, God won't force it on us.
I think it is a flawed perception to recognize that people can only be loving, good people through god, and in that way, make their heaven on earth. I think there are plenty of people who strive toward being loving and good in their everyday life, without any belief in god, or any hope of eternal reward for it. Is it so much less to want to be good and loving for good and loving's sake, rather than for eternal life or out of fear of hell and damnation? Does that mean that one's life has less of a purpose than one who finds goodness and grace through god?
This is a good question--my answer is that eternal life is a gift from God, not something that is earned. To think about it another way, eternal life is something supernatural, and therefore we need to have it given to us by a supernatural being.
I'm not saying "be a good person so that you'll go to heaven." It's impossible for anyone to be good/perfect all of the time. And even if we could, that wouldn't make God love us anymore than she already does.
I agree with you that there are plenty of people who strive to be loving and good without any belief in god, and I am not going to be the one to say "stop this meaningless pursuit of good deeds!" I think truly selfless good works will probably persist after we are gone in the way they continue to ripple in others' lives.
But if that connection with God--eternal life--is a gift to be accepted from God and we choose not to accept it, God won't force it on us.
Hell II
Eric asks:
So there is no Hell? Hell is ceasing to exist?
Personal opinion or supported by scripture?
Scripture's witness is varied as far as hell is concerned. The Old Testament has a conception of hell called Sheol, which is a kind of shadowy non-existent existence. When people die, they continue to exist as memories, but aren't able to praise God, or take action. I've heard it described as being similar to the ancient Greek concept of Hades.
When I am speaking about death as being the end of life, this is mostly the image I draw on.
I recognize that there are stories from the New Testament about "the outer darkness" and other forms of punishment, but I tend to take them with a grain of salt, because I don't think they fit in well with Jesus' message about the Kingdom of God. If you don't have eternal life from God, what will live on to be punished?
If anything, though, I think Jesus' stories about hell suggest that rich people are the ones with the bleak future. For example, in the story of Lazarus and the rich man, it's Lazarus who goes to heaven and the rich man who goes to hell. Who's rich? you might well ask. I'd say: most Americans, as in, anyone who's not living on a dollar a day and can afford to buy bottled water and extra shoes. Just a theory--something to think about.
So there is no Hell? Hell is ceasing to exist?
Personal opinion or supported by scripture?
Scripture's witness is varied as far as hell is concerned. The Old Testament has a conception of hell called Sheol, which is a kind of shadowy non-existent existence. When people die, they continue to exist as memories, but aren't able to praise God, or take action. I've heard it described as being similar to the ancient Greek concept of Hades.
When I am speaking about death as being the end of life, this is mostly the image I draw on.
I recognize that there are stories from the New Testament about "the outer darkness" and other forms of punishment, but I tend to take them with a grain of salt, because I don't think they fit in well with Jesus' message about the Kingdom of God. If you don't have eternal life from God, what will live on to be punished?
If anything, though, I think Jesus' stories about hell suggest that rich people are the ones with the bleak future. For example, in the story of Lazarus and the rich man, it's Lazarus who goes to heaven and the rich man who goes to hell. Who's rich? you might well ask. I'd say: most Americans, as in, anyone who's not living on a dollar a day and can afford to buy bottled water and extra shoes. Just a theory--something to think about.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Hell
Follow-up question from Shannon: "so do you believe in hell? the whole question of salvation really intrigues me."
If God is all-powerful and just, then people who do bad things will have to be punished--which is what hell is about. (Of course, all of us do bad things, so I'm not rooting for that one, personally) On the other hand, if God is totally merciful, then some people will get away with horrible crimes scot-free, which would not be fair to the people who try really hard to be good.
Of course, this assumes that "being good" doesn't have any intrinsic rewards, and that we're all basically in it for the life of luxury after death, or else to avoid the fiery hell full of demons with hot pokers.
My take on it is this: developing a relationship with God, and experiencing the eternal life God offers are rewards in and of themselves. Prolonged exposure to God changes our perspective so that we want to be loving, good people, and we will be transformed by gratitude and joy, rather than fear or greed.
So to answer Shannon's question: I say no. I think that the price of disconnection from God is death, which is to say, ceasing to exist, not going to a place subject to torment by demons. If you don’t have eternal life, there is nothing that will continue after you die. People who focus on the material things of this world—power, money, etc.—and don’t develop a relationship with God will lose everything they worked so hard for. As one T-shirt I've seen says, “whoever dies with the most toys, still dies.”
While it means your life didn't have a larger purpose, I think ceasing to exist at death would be a demonstration of God’s mercy compared to other options. Without life, there is no suffering, even though there is also no joy. And you're not forced into a relationship that you didn't choose.
Heaven, on the other hand, is full communion with God, which begins in this life and continues into the next. By valuing who and what God values, by taking time to expose ourselves to God through spiritual disciplines like prayer and study, and by allowing God's Spirit of love and generosity to invade us, we can have heaven on earth.
If God is all-powerful and just, then people who do bad things will have to be punished--which is what hell is about. (Of course, all of us do bad things, so I'm not rooting for that one, personally) On the other hand, if God is totally merciful, then some people will get away with horrible crimes scot-free, which would not be fair to the people who try really hard to be good.
Of course, this assumes that "being good" doesn't have any intrinsic rewards, and that we're all basically in it for the life of luxury after death, or else to avoid the fiery hell full of demons with hot pokers.
My take on it is this: developing a relationship with God, and experiencing the eternal life God offers are rewards in and of themselves. Prolonged exposure to God changes our perspective so that we want to be loving, good people, and we will be transformed by gratitude and joy, rather than fear or greed.
So to answer Shannon's question: I say no. I think that the price of disconnection from God is death, which is to say, ceasing to exist, not going to a place subject to torment by demons. If you don’t have eternal life, there is nothing that will continue after you die. People who focus on the material things of this world—power, money, etc.—and don’t develop a relationship with God will lose everything they worked so hard for. As one T-shirt I've seen says, “whoever dies with the most toys, still dies.”
While it means your life didn't have a larger purpose, I think ceasing to exist at death would be a demonstration of God’s mercy compared to other options. Without life, there is no suffering, even though there is also no joy. And you're not forced into a relationship that you didn't choose.
Heaven, on the other hand, is full communion with God, which begins in this life and continues into the next. By valuing who and what God values, by taking time to expose ourselves to God through spiritual disciplines like prayer and study, and by allowing God's Spirit of love and generosity to invade us, we can have heaven on earth.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
First Question! Universal Salvation
Hooray! Shannon has asked the first question. And it's nice and complicated and asks for my opinion. How can I resist? Here it is:
what do you think of universal salvation? that's asking more for your opinion than just a question with a set answer, but i'm still curious, so i thought i would ask.
There are several stages to this question. First of all, some of you may be asking: "What does she mean by universal salvation?" The idea behind universal salvation is that God saves all people, not just the ones who believe in a particular thing or act a certain way. For more on this see: If Grace is True: Why God Will Save Every Person by Phillip Gulley and James Mulholland
Second: What is salvation? I believe that salvation is not the same thing as getting into heaven and sitting on clouds playing harps... er whatever. Salvation is having a new life--eternal life--and becoming part of God. It's something mysterious that begins while we're alive, and continues after we die. This eternal life--participation in the realm of God--is a gift from God.
Finally: Do I believe in universal salvation? I don't--I think it ties God's hands as much as demanding that Jesus be the only possible path to God.
Free will is key here. God loves us but does not force us to be in relationship. If all people are saved, then there is no choice, and the relationship is one of control of us by God, rather than freely elected love.
Ultimately I believe the key to salvation is not ethics, behavior or belief, but a relationship with and connection to God. But this isn't a connection we earn or initiate--God comes to us first. Our response--accepting that love and responding to it--is what begins the ongoing relationship and allows eternal life to well up inside of us. Those who don't choose it simply don't continue in that life after they die.
what do you think of universal salvation? that's asking more for your opinion than just a question with a set answer, but i'm still curious, so i thought i would ask.
There are several stages to this question. First of all, some of you may be asking: "What does she mean by universal salvation?" The idea behind universal salvation is that God saves all people, not just the ones who believe in a particular thing or act a certain way. For more on this see: If Grace is True: Why God Will Save Every Person by Phillip Gulley and James Mulholland
Second: What is salvation? I believe that salvation is not the same thing as getting into heaven and sitting on clouds playing harps... er whatever. Salvation is having a new life--eternal life--and becoming part of God. It's something mysterious that begins while we're alive, and continues after we die. This eternal life--participation in the realm of God--is a gift from God.
Finally: Do I believe in universal salvation? I don't--I think it ties God's hands as much as demanding that Jesus be the only possible path to God.
Free will is key here. God loves us but does not force us to be in relationship. If all people are saved, then there is no choice, and the relationship is one of control of us by God, rather than freely elected love.
Ultimately I believe the key to salvation is not ethics, behavior or belief, but a relationship with and connection to God. But this isn't a connection we earn or initiate--God comes to us first. Our response--accepting that love and responding to it--is what begins the ongoing relationship and allows eternal life to well up inside of us. Those who don't choose it simply don't continue in that life after they die.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Call for volunteer experts
If you don't have a question, but have an area of expertise, let me know. Right now, Tara has claimed "legal" consultant, and Meister is an expert in post-1980's films. So if you're ready to volunteer, step up!
Also, still accepting questions, and I will allow anonymous posting as soon as I can figure it out on the template.
Also, still accepting questions, and I will allow anonymous posting as soon as I can figure it out on the template.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)