by Maralene Wesner
Do we honestly want to follow truth, or do we want to uphold tradition, even when there is a question about it’s truthfulness? Is the truth for one generation the same as the truth for the present generation? When does a principle of one generation become an albatross around the neck of another?
Christ said, "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth . . ." (John 16:12-13).
Granted, you do not want to throw tradition out without good reason. But, sometimes traditions no longer serve us well. Some religious leaders in the first century made a shocking accusation. They said, "We have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will . . . alter the customs which Moses handed down to us" (Acts 6:14b).
Isn’t that awful! Someone actually dared to suggest a change in customs. Now, is that the worst thing these "do gooders" could find to criticize? Was there no hunger, illness and death in Palestine? Was there no oppression, discrimination and crime? Was there no ignorance, irresponsibility and cruelty? Surely "changing the customs" is not the greatest evil.
But for many people, it is! Questioning the status quo is very threatening. As human beings we are conditioned from birth. Our belief systems are established very early. We learn the correct dialogue for every occasion. We learn the proper reaction to every event. When these become automatic, we never have to think again! If something is changed, however, our dialogue doesn’t fit and our reactions aren’t appropriate anymore. This creates enormous stress and leads to rather strong resistence.
The threat is even greater if the change comes in moral or religious areas because this requires a complex readjustment at the intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels. In fact, in some cases our whole self-image and life style have to be reevaluated.
We accept physical and technological changes much more readily than we do ethical and theological changes. Perhaps that’s why we are technological giants and moral midgets!
Sorry we've been so long getting back to you. Maralene and I have had to shift gears, so to speak. It has been 5 years, since we published our new perspectives. We've built a Counseling Center, retired from a lot of other activities and are now hotly in the pursuit of marketing our books and our Phonics-In-A-Nutshell.
Of course, our main interests are still in the field of Spirituality, to which we add a psychological spin.
You can find our books at Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com on the Internet; and also through Baker & Taylor and Books-A-Million.
Since we now have access to the Internet and e-mail we can send you the Table of Contents and a sample chapter of most of our books by E-mail. We have a Website, but are still learning how to use it. So, please bear with us while we learn to use this media.
Our mailing list is now over 5 years old and in trying to reconstruct it we’ve lost nearly half. I’ve used Phonebook America. A to verify many addresses. (I actually considered phoning everyone, but then I remembered how much I hate telemarketing).
Most of the names on our mailing list have been gleaned from "Baptists Today," "The Human Quest" and other publications. No addresses have been purchased from others and we will not pass your name on to others.
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Can an Atheist believe in Christ and still be an Atheist? Or, Can an Atheist be saved and still be an Atheist?
Well, it’s according to how you define believe, and Christ, and Saved. If by believe you mean one who accepts and follows the teachings of Christ, the answer is "Yes!" However, if you mean accepting the deity of Christ, the answer is, "No!"
I know many atheists who believe the teachings of Christ are valid and live by them, but cannot accept the deity of Christ.
Christ didn't seem to be too concerned about people’s concept of God; but he was very concerned when people didn’t believe or follow his teachings. "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt, 7:21, ff). "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things I say? (Luke 6:46). "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted? ‘The first’, they answered" Matt. 21:29-31).
Christ’s teachings dealt with human welfare and human relationships rather than theological doctrines. They are even compatible with the portions of the Humanist Manifesto which deal with these concerns.
It's debatable as to whether his teachings are compatible with the portions which deal with the concept of deity. However, we must remember that Christ was a Jew, and the Jews of his day held to the concept of Deity, and Christ’s teachings reflect to this view.
The Christian concept of saved is also a problem. Today, most Christians hold to the concept that being saved means, "I’ve got my ticket to heaven!" In addition most believe that being saved means, observing and practicing the teachings of Christ. However, many negate their belief by their condemnation of all "who don’t believe in exactly the same way I believe."
This is contrary to what Christ taught. "John said to Him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to hinder him because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not hinder him, for there is no one who shall perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us’ " (Mark 9:38-40).
The term saved, as Christ used it, more often than not, meant being made whole. This is a term used in modern psychology, and it refers to wholeness of health, emotion and personality. It also implies a productive lifestyle. "A man ran up to him . . . and asked, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ . . . And Jesus answered, ‘You know the commandments: "Do not murder, do not commit adultery do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother." ’ ‘Teacher,’ he declared, ‘all these I have kept since I was a boy’ . . . ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me’ " (Mark 10:17-21).
Christ seemed to be very lax when it came to the specifics of belief. He said, "Other sheep have I, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring. . ." (John 10:16).
Who are these other sheep? Are they the Gentiles, or could they also be those seek truth outside of religious affiliation? "Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (John 18:37).
The term atheist also needs to be defined. Some say, "If you don’t have exactly the same concept of God I have, you are an atheist." The term atheist usually means, a person who does not believe in a supreme being.
The term agnostic covers the idea that we don’t, or can’t know if there is a supreme being or not. However, there are many atheists and agnostics who believe in: "A First Cause," "An Ultimate Source," or "The Dynamics of the Universe." They just don’t usually bother to call this concept God. It’s really a matter of semantics.
Paul Tillich’s "Ultimate Concern" would probably be equivalent to the term "truth." This needs no basis in "the supernatural."
Christ was not as concerned about a person’s definition of God as he was about their priorities in regard to human welfare. He said, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:25).
My conclusion is that God isn't nearly as concerned with your getting His name right or believing that He exists, as He is that you have your life priorities right.
(When responding to this question, please give an e-mail address if you wish to receive an individual reply. We will answer as many as we can).
Letters to the Editor: We would like to publish some responses in New Perspectives. If you do not want us to do so, please indicate this in your letter.
When you read someone else’s publication, especially if it’s unsolicited, it’s only natural to want to know "where they are coming from." We feel it’s only fair that we let you know before you expend a lot of energy reading our material:
We believe we have a vital message, but we do not think another person has to believe exactly as we do in order to be of worth; and we do not think we have the right to tell others what they have to believe.
To help you form an opinion about us, our stand on a few representative issues are as follows:
Homosexuality---There is now considerable scientific evidence to support the view that sexual orientation is not a choice. The God we believe in does not judge and condemn people. Therefore, we should give homosexuals every consideration we would expect for ourselves.
Incidentally, there is no statistical difference in the promiscuity of heterosexuals or homosexuals. If every person’s sexual expression were given legal sanction, perhaps there would be less promiscuity.
Abortion---Although tragic, there are sometimes greater tragedies involved if unwanted pregnancies or defective fetuses are carried to term. Christ said, of Judas, "woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. " (Matt. 26:24).
Child abuse and society’s prejudice toward unwed mothers and illegitimate children produce horrible psychological damage. Bearing children should be looked upon as a privilege, not a God given right.
Other Denominations and Religions—We try to cooperate with all who are open to a different points of view. In the church I have pastored for nearly 35 years most probably fit in the moderate category. A few are fundamentalists and a few are liberals.
Although we use the term God freely, and are oriented in the Christian tradition, we believe our messages can be adapted to nearly any religious tradition.
Atheists and Agnostics—I have a little trouble relating to militant atheists. They bother me about as much as religious Fundamentalists do.
In one sense of the word, all true Christians are agnostics because they use the terms believe and faith very freely. The Apostle Paul said, "We know in part . . ." "We see through a glass darkly" (I Cor. 13:9,12); and "Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?" (Rom. 8:24). The writer of Hebrews said, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1). Faith is not absolute knowledge.
Humanism—Humanism is a common meeting ground for all concerned humans. Although Secular Humanists are by and large atheists, there are also religious humanists who are not.
Inspiration of the Bible—All insights into truth are "divinely" inspired. We believe a great disservice has been done to Christianity by those who "closed the canon" of Scriptures. The Bible, as we know it, is a compilation of the highest insights at the time of their writing. However, we have stymied growth by refusing to acknowledge the "inspired" insights of later generations.
Religious Doctrine—We are fundamentalists, if you let us choose the fundamentals. However, since you would probably choose a different set of fundamentals, we will have to be satisfied with the "liberal" label.
Politics---Elections should be funded by public monies and campaign spending restricted. Publicly funded debates should be the order of the day and a shorter time period given to campaigns. Candidates should be selected by petition of the voters rather than special interest groups.
Politicians who bring false charges against an opponent should be disqualified. (All charges should be substantiated by legally admissible evidence filed with the election committee).
War---We are "conditional" pacifists. By that we mean that all international disagreements should be settled by arbitration, or enforceable international law, if possible .
Capital Punishment---Basically, we are against capital punishment; not because some individuals don’t deserve to die for their crimes, but because human justice is so fallible, and research doesn’t show that it is really a deterrent. The cost is also prohibitive.
Along the same line, those who bring false accusations or knowingly withhold evidence should be fined, and judges who refuse to allow pertinent evidence should be removed from the bench.
Fire Arms---The day has passed when assault weapons should be unregulated. Our forefathers, who said, we have a right to bear arms had no concept of nuclear bombs and assault rifles and machine-guns. Only sports rifles and weapons for personal defense should be in public hands, and those should be registered.
We will try to address other views in future issues of NEW PERSPECTIVES.
Lessons from Humpty Dumpty
(This Children’s Day sermon received enthusiastic comments.
This sermon will be included in the revised edition of "A Time to Live").
The first line of a popular Nursery Rhyme says:
I. HUMPTY DUMPTY SAT ON A WALL.
Now, let’s look at this situation. What’s happening here. This was a high wall. It was a narrow wall. Now, why on earth would an egg choose to sit on such a high narrow wall?
Maybe he wanted to see over on the other side. Maybe the birds made him do it. Maybe he just liked to climb and do scary things. Surely he didn’t think about the consequences. Didn’t he realize that he was fragile? Didn’t he realize that eggs break? Didn’t he realize the danger of his position?
He didn’t seem to. He just sat there on that wall without a care in the world. But Humpty Dumpty took a risk. He made a mistake and he was about to suffer the consequences.
Now, what should Humpty Dumpty have done? Well, for one thing, he should have stayed off that wall. There were warm nests available. There was soft hay. There was green grass. There was white sand —all safe places to play. But no, he had to push his limits and perch on a dangerous wall.
Are we like that? Do we do dangerous and foolish things? Do we take unnecessary risks?
Young people, remember Humpty Dumpty, and stay away from danger.
Don’t go to those parties where kids drink and smoke. Don’t get into those cars with drivers who speed and take chances. Don’t join a group that breaks the law or bends the rules, or deceives parents and teachers.
Paul said, "Abstain from every form of evil." (I Thess. 5:22).
You know the wrong crowd and the wrong hangouts and the wrong roads. You know who you should associate with, and where you should go, and what you should do.
Humpty Dumpty would never have fallen if he hadn’t gotten on that wall. He knew that egg shells can shatter; but he probably thought, "That won’t happen to me. I’m different. Other eggs may be stupid, but not me! Other eggs may be vulnerable, but not me! Other eggs may be unlucky, but not me!"
Too many of us think we’re smarter, so we won’t get caught with that cigarette or that beer. We think we’re stronger, so we won’t get beaten up or shot if we’re with a gang. We think we’re luckier, so we won’t be the one to catch a disease or die from an over-dose. But, that’s not true! It can happen to anyone! The Scripture says, "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Num. 32:23).
Unfortunately, in Humpty Dumpty’s case, it did. The next line says:
It seems the most awful, horrible, terrible thing happened. The poor little egg crashed. We don’t know why. Maybe he was showing off. Maybe he got overbalanced. Maybe someone pushed him. Maybe the wind blew him off. Anyway, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that Humpty Dumpty fell.
Blaming the wind or an overactive rooster won’t fix the problem. As we said, Humpty Dumpty took a risk He made a mistake and he suffered the consequences.
Sin will take you further than you planned to go! Sin will keep you longer than you planned to stay! Sin will cost you more than you planned to pay!
Paul said, "The wages of sin is death . . ." (Rom. 6:23).
Humpty Dumpty didn’t plan to smash on the hard ground on the other side of that wall. He didn’t plan to lay there in that embarrassing condition all day while horses and men tried to fix him. And he certainly didn’t plan to break his shell into a thousand pieces and let his yolk soak into the dirt. No! He didn’t plan on any of these things because, the fact is, he didn’t plan at all. That was his problem!
Mankind is a Humpty Dumpty and mankind has had a great fall. The Scriptures say, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).
We’ve climbed and stretched and reached for more power, more money, more possessions, more weapons and more pleasure. And we’ve come crashing down. Divorce shatters families. Crime shatters communities. War shatters nations. Today's world is fractured, fragmented, splintered and split apart.
That’s what happened to Humpty Dumpty. But, the worst is yet to come. The last two lines tell the tale:
This refutes our overly optimistic outlook. We’re a "can do" generation. We take pride in our achievements. We can fix anything. Get a disease, there are drugs to cure it. Commit a crime, there are sharp lawyers to beat the rap. Wreck your car; there are insurance adjusters to replace it.
But, unfortunately, some things can’t be fixed. Once a deed is done, it can’t be undone. Horses and people can’t make things right. Life moves forward. Time marches on. When that hurtful word is said, or that careless deed is done, nothing can take them back. When our reputation is ruined and our relationships are destroyed, all the horsepower of science; all the might of knowledge; all the discoveries and insights and military victories cannot put us together again.
Power and knowledge are good. They are gifts of God. They are "the king’s horses," but they cannot fix fallen souls.
All our technological experts and medical personnel; all the attorneys and politicians and academic professors cannot put us together again.
Skill and education are good. They are gifts of God. They are "the king’s men"; but they cannot fix fallen souls!
Like Humpty Dumpty, our characters and hopes and dreams are fragmented. As long as we are selfish, irresponsible and uncommitted, our lives will remain shattered.
So what hope do we have? "The king’s horses" have failed. And "The king’s men" have failed. There is only one hope—that is "the King" himself! Let us trust Him for help. Let us ask Him to put us together again. He created us in the beginning and He is able and willing to re-create us. The Scriptures say: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you ..." (Ezek. 36:26).
"If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (II Cor. 5:17).
Even though we’ve fallen, the image of God is still within us. We want to be whole. Like Humpty Dumpty we have fallen and our lives are shattered, but God can make us whole. He specializes in making things whole.
When a desperately sick woman came to Christ, he said, "Take courage; your faith has made you whole . . ." (Matt. 9:22).
When the invalid, by the pool, obeyed Christ, the Scripture says, "Immediately the man became whole . . ." (John 5:9).
When the poor lame beggar responded, Peter said, "By the name of Christ . . . this man stands here before you whole." (Acts 4:10).
So, the moral of the story is this: If you climb a high wall and lose your balance, you’ll fall. And once you’ve fallen, all the things in the world and all the people in the world can’t put you together again. But God can!
Once an egg went from the farm to the supermarket. He was bought along with eleven others and taken for a ride. Then as he was being stored in the refrigerator, something happened. He fell, and like Humpty Dumpty was shattered into a hundred pieces. Was he doomed? Would he end up in the garbage? No! Fortunately, his owner was not just a cook. He was an artist. He carefully gathered the bits of shell and carried them to his studio. After days of arrangement and design, the plain old broken egg had been recreated into a wonderful little piece of art. Of course, that egg will never be the same. Its shell is still cracked. The white has evaporated and the yolk is gone. But it has a new life as a thing of beauty and wholeness. Later, as it sat in a museum among priceless Faberge creations, a viewer murmured, "It was broken to be more beautiful!"
This can happen to you too! Those hurts and pains and cracks don’t have to destroy you. If you’re broken, God can make you beautiful. Let him arrange the broken pieces of your life. Let him make you whole again.
Like the egg, you will never be the same. The scars will be there, but you can have a new life.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Cannot put Humpty Dumpty together again.
But God can!
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