Not sure how many people still keep up with blogs these days, much less read mine. That's okay. The real reason to write a blog is just to put my thoughts down somewhere. Some days, I just need to get thoughts out of my head. It doesn't matter if anyone looks over them and/or responds to them. As long as I know they're somewhere, I'll feel better.
I'm having a bit of a spiritual undermining lately. Theological ground has looked shaky to me in the last while. Not my personal spirituality, but general Christian theology. I heard a few years ago that a large percentage of young people were leaving the church (SDA) and that the church was having trouble retaining new converts. It seems that such problems are still around. Possibly they never left - possibly they got worse. And it troubles me on a personal level because I'm starting to realize that I know some of those people. Not necessarily converts, but young people. The other day, in a Facebook conversation with multiple people, a friend of mine casually mentioned that he was an atheist and I happen to know that he was an SDA a few years ago. I don't know what's happened to him. I can only guess. But it's hard to understand how someone who has some knowledge of how God moves in this world can suddenly decide that God doesn't exist.
It's almost as hard to understand how someone can believe that all life is predestined and we are all puppets dancing on strings because God has decided that we must suffer. That was a disheartening conversation. More of a debate, really. And my friend is very set on this idea. I don't remember all of what he discussed but his view on God disturbed me. Somehow, my friend has lost sight of who God is and what He stands for. In his eyes, life must be very bleak or very blissful. It could be blissful because in a predestined timeline, one never need worry; everything will happen as it has been decided. Simply put, insha'allah: if God wills it. Or to phrase it differently, "All is as God wills it" - Imad, Kingdom of Heaven. Or life could be very bleak - your future is already decided and there's nothing you can do about it. "The All-Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago. Go and hide in a hole if you wish, but you won't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed" - Herger, The 13th Warrior. Granted, I left the last line out because it didn't suit my purpose. The quote finishes with the line, "Fear profits a man nothing". Still... if only life were that simple. If choice never mattered there really wouldn't be a need to worry.
But that's what life on Earth is all about. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy got this one right. There is an experiment happening on Earth. Or, rather, the planet Earth IS the experiment. And the universe wonders, "Do we really have choice?" Eventually, the planet will be destroyed. But it won't be the Vogons and the experiment won't continue. Hopefully, my friends will pick up on that. Before the mice get them.
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