Sunday, March 20, 2011
So many Catholics I encounter profess proudly that they do not read the Bible. Many of them even admit to having attended Catholic school and I find that many of these have deep-seated issues with religion that are hard to undo. The fellow in this video seemed nice enough at first and even humorous in an endearing way that compelled me to not turn him away and let him keep talking. It turned out that he was not interested in a real dialogue, and rather in taking cheap jabs at me. The way he acted when I refuted his worldview with logic was pretty immature and I'm not sure how his behavior could even be considered showing off. I'm not sure if his relativism was a direct consequence of flawed Catholic theology or if he's just another victim of our school system. I wonder how he thinks he knows enough to level specific criticisms at the Bible while at the same time admitting that he does not read it. At the end of the video James takes over to mock the fellow's behavior which really seemed to be the only appropriate answer at that point.
James's answer here to the captain's argument in the beginning of the video is really excellent. He expressed this idea that it may very well be against God's will to reveal himself to all people in a very obvious way. I thought of some verses to support his notion:
In Luke 4: 25- 29 Jesus was preaching in Nazareth, his hometown, and he was addressing the people as to why he would not do miracles for them. His answer suggests that even the prophets were only sent to a specific people for a specific time:
"But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel (AA)in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;
26and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but (AB)only to Zarephath, in the land of (AC)Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
27"And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but (AD)only Naaman the Syrian."
28And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things;
29and they got up and (AE)drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff."
Another verse that comes to mind is the beginning of Hebrews:
"God, after He (A)spoke long ago to the fathers in (B)the prophets in many portions and (C)in many ways,
2(D)in these last days (E)has spoken to us in (F)His Son, whom He appointed (G)heir of all things, (H)through whom also He made the (I)world.
3And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact (J)representation of His nature, and (K)upholds all things by the word of His power When He had made (L)purification of sins, He (M)sat down at the right hand of the (N)Majesty on high,
4having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent (O)name than they."
These verses in Hebrews are also used to support sola scriptura as well. Why would we need more revelation from God if we can read about the real life of Jesus who was not only the exact representation of God's nature, but also fully divine himself?
The verse that James cites in the video is Matthew 13:10-13:
"10And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11Jesus answered them, "(G)To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
12"(H)For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
13"Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while (I)seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand"
Addressing the practical here, this was the best dialogue that we had that evening with anyone. It was a really cold night and not many people were out. By all appearances I didn't think anything was going to happen at first, but at least one good video/dialogue came from this night.
The week after this we were out again and this same group of unbelievers confronted us rather vigorously. They hadn't changed their minds yet.
In Luke 4: 25- 29 Jesus was preaching in Nazareth, his hometown, and he was addressing the people as to why he would not do miracles for them. His answer suggests that even the prophets were only sent to a specific people for a specific time:
"But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel (AA)in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;
26and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but (AB)only to Zarephath, in the land of (AC)Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
27"And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but (AD)only Naaman the Syrian."
28And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things;
29and they got up and (AE)drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff."
Another verse that comes to mind is the beginning of Hebrews:
"God, after He (A)spoke long ago to the fathers in (B)the prophets in many portions and (C)in many ways,
2(D)in these last days (E)has spoken to us in (F)His Son, whom He appointed (G)heir of all things, (H)through whom also He made the (I)world.
3And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact (J)representation of His nature, and (K)upholds all things by the word of His power When He had made (L)purification of sins, He (M)sat down at the right hand of the (N)Majesty on high,
4having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent (O)name than they."
These verses in Hebrews are also used to support sola scriptura as well. Why would we need more revelation from God if we can read about the real life of Jesus who was not only the exact representation of God's nature, but also fully divine himself?
The verse that James cites in the video is Matthew 13:10-13:
"10And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11Jesus answered them, "(G)To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
12"(H)For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
13"Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while (I)seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand"
Addressing the practical here, this was the best dialogue that we had that evening with anyone. It was a really cold night and not many people were out. By all appearances I didn't think anything was going to happen at first, but at least one good video/dialogue came from this night.
The week after this we were out again and this same group of unbelievers confronted us rather vigorously. They hadn't changed their minds yet.
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