Does Christian Theology Encourage Freedom?

 

God established the physical and not-physical (spiritual) rules of our Cosmos. Although we humans have done a reasonable job of discovering and applying the physical laws of our universe, we unfortunately have failed to fully embrace the not-physical doctrines of our natural Cosmos.

Thus God had a problem. He wanted to reveal his spiritual rules to us. His solution was to convey his message to all who would listen through the voice and deeds of a man he would call his son. We know that man as Jesus Christ. He was created to convey God’s wisdom to us.

Jesus Christ did a great job. He taught a theology and philosophy that would influence the development of western civilization for centuries. Our best political, technological, cultural, economic and scientific advancements have been stimulated by the energy of the beliefs he taught us in the first century.

Why is this true?

Christian theology encourages everyone... from the poorest to the richest, from the weakest to the most powerful... to seek spiritual wisdom. We are able to establish a spiritual relationship with God... a very personal and intimate relationship that helps us to define who we are. These encounters help to give life both purpose and meaning.

Christian theology establishes the rules for emotional and physical health. Be moral, be responsible, be positive, be constructive, be compassionate and be self-confident. Achievement is to be respected. Charity and love for others is essential. Seek the power of the spiritual while dealing with the reality of the physical.  And so on.... We learn God’s wisdom and confirm his love for us. 

Christian theology communicates the highest code of moral behavior, the conviction that life is valuable, and a firm commitment to faith, love, charity, and compassion. Spiritual redemption and eternal life are possible.

As a result, there is a sharp contrast between the evils of deceit, hedonism, greed, intellectual arrogance and the political tyranny of autocratic minds... versus ... the modesty, compassion, charity, moral obligation, and personal responsibility found in the message of Christian theology.

There is an equally sharp contrast between the failures of every dictatorship that governs by oppression and the success of nations that embrace Christian concepts of freedom with personal responsibility as a natural right.

The freedom to achieve... to be successful... is a natural right. It drives our creative instincts and subsequent innovation. Success breeds confidence and self-confidence stimulates further exploration of the possible. Freedom is the intellectual foundation of our quest for greater human knowledge. 

These are troubling times. Christian values are being challenged by those who chose to ignore the existence of the spiritual. That gives us a mission. The fundamental purpose of Christian theology is to practice, preserve, protect and spread the word of God as revealed by Jesus Christ.

Let us all come together as a community. Every church, every congregation, and every gathering of people who come together in his name. Compared to the challenge before us, the differences in our beliefs are trivial. United we can carry on the mission of Jesus Christ. Let us be firm in our commitment to Christian modesty, compassion, charity, moral obligation, and personal responsibility. We believe life is valuable. God’s commandments are sacred. The foundation of civilized behavior rests on the values proclaimed by the Ten Commandments. We have a firm commitment to personal faith, love, charity, and compassion. We know spiritual redemption and eternal life are possible. Christian theology provides the word... Let us remember:

If we approach life as God intended,
resolute in our efforts to preserve his word,
We will make a difference.

Christian values and philosophy provide a moral foundation

for the freedom to achieve greater knowledge.

Ron

Let us unite our perception of the physical with our experience of the spiritual.
Both were created by God.

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Creation: What is the Role of Information?

 

Advancements in genetics and molecular biology suggest cells have the ability to receive, process, store and act on information created within the cell and information received from sources which are external to the cell. This is analogous to a computing network which uses information to make decisions that control growth, movement, differentiation, and response. Think of it as natural genetic engineering. Decisions are made for a purpose and then carried out by the cell’s internal biology.

Darwin assumed all genetic change was accidental and random. But recent work suggests the functions of the genome are not static. Instead, cellular change is affected by the cell’s external environment, mutation depends on internal biochemical processes which can be altered by the cell, and active cell response can drive rapid evolutionary changes in a cell’s DNA. Thus while Darwin’s accidental and random genetic change cannot explain the rather abrupt events we see in DNA and fossil records, a cell’s ability to acquire, store, process and transmit information does encourage rapid adaptive change. Information may come from the disruption of an expected internal function, the external environment, or external intelligence.

Statistically, random mutations are unlikely to produce the desired result within the desired time-frame. But if the biological functions of the cell are actively directed by acquired information, then the cell (and hence the biological host) is more likely to achieve a successful mutation. By receiving, storing, processing, creating and transmitting information, active organisms are able to adapt to changes in their external environment and shape their own evolution.

However, where does all this information come from? If it does not originally reside in a cell’s DNA, who or what is the source?

Ron

Summa 21 

Let us unite our perception of the physical with our experience of the spiritual.

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“What are Christian values?”

 

When we are asked: “What are Christian values?” we may struggle to answer. They are so natural to us we seldom try to list them. But these values are the bedrock of our faith. Throughout  the ages, God has taught them to all who would listen. They exist in the wisdom of many cultures – all over our planet.  For Christians, these values can be found in the written expressions of faith found in the Old and New Testaments as well as the words and deeds of God’s chosen messengers. We know God’s values provide a moral framework for our behavior.

But we are being challenged to declare our beliefs with conviction.  We seek a more complete understanding of these values so that we can express them with confidence.

It all starts by establishing a loving relationship with God. We are inspired to seek and love him without reservation. Those who are able to connect with God in prayer or meditation discover he is a wonderful source of wisdom, peace and joy.

We can are also encouraged to create a transcendent relationship with Jesus Christ. The son of God taught us God’s values and gave his life to prove the truth of his message.  

Our spiritual relationships with God and his son inspire us to love others with sensitivity and empathy. God wants us to take a thoughtful view of our interpersonal relationships. People with a healthy outlook on life will not choose to hurt themselves either physically or emotionally. We are expected to project this same caring attitude in our personal relations with others. It does not matter whether our contact is casual and brief (as with a stranger we meet on the street), or the result of a long term relationship (as in marriage), God wants us to set the example.  

Life begins at conception. The preservation, protection and support of the family unit, along with the physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being of family members, are fundamental components of Christian theology.  Although these values can be found in other spiritual faiths and secular social structures, they find their best expression in the influence Christianity has had on western philosophy.

We choose to elevate Christian theology, with its emphasis on love, goodwill, individual growth, personal responsibility, and freedom. We do not believe in a class social system where there is a hierarchy of privilege based on title or wealth. We believe in the inherent equality of humanity, regardless of physical attributes. One is not condemned to forever be at the bottom of the sociological pyramid. Even the poor can have dignity and status. Within our Christian community there is love and compassion for the sick, the elderly, the very young, the hungry, the widow or widower, and the poor. No one need live in the loneliness of isolation. One can have a sense of belonging to a community of friends, of every age, all brothers and sisters in Christ. Salvation is offered to those who adopt God’s values.

We try to live our lives according to the tenets and lessons of the Ten Commandments. We can also add a 21^st century context to our obligation.

1. I am the one true God.  Do not create other Gods or icons to worship.

2. Never use my name in vain or as an expression of profanity.

3. Set aside Sunday as a day for God, family and friends... in that order.  Join others in worship. Seek the transcendent spiritual experience in song, prayer and meditation. Embrace your family with joy and quiet conversation. Strengthen the bonds friendship.

4. Honor your father and your mother. Love your family and relatives.

5. Do not seek to humiliate, torture, or kill another human.

6. Do not commit adultery, engage in indecent behavior, or seek to exploit the weak for sexual pleasure.

7. Do not steal, or commit fraud.

8. Do not lie or make false statements against any person or institution.

9. Do not want to have your neighbor’s house or possessions; do not desire to possess your neighbor’s wife; and do not attempt to disrupt your neighbor’s household.

10. Avoid conceit and envy.

We must be aware how our actions and words affect other conscious beings. Being actively mindful of others enables understanding, compassion, and ethical restraint. By this introspection we learn how to treat others as we would want them to treat us

The core values of a 21st century Christian are taken from the New Testament of the Bible. Within these pages one finds the best expression the theology taught by Jesus Christ. These beliefs, along with selected passages from the Bible’s Old Testament, provide a moral foundation for the cultural values of Western Civilization. Christian theology with its emphasis on personal achievement, has been a key driver in the development of a strong middle class, and is the philosophical basis of the American Republic.

If we deliberately ignore God’s values.... the values by which he wants us to live our lives...we cannot claim to be a Christian, ... and there is a penalty...  we may forsake our chance to enter God’s Kingdom (heaven).  And there is another downside. If we discard these values, we destroy the moral foundation of civilized behavior.

These are some of the core beliefs that motivate the life and behavior of a 21^st century Christian. So how can we prepare to convey them to others?

Let us start by making a quiet connection with God: a quiet interlude of prayer to nourish our soul and encourage spiritual peace.  Then let us list these values: one by one.  What do we believe?  Let us seek God’s wisdom to confirm our thoughts.

Then we go forth with confidence.  We know what we believe.

Ron

Selected thoughts from…  “Summa 21, The Natural Theology of a 21^st Century Christian”

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Free Will: The Consequences of Our Choices May Not Be What We Expected

 

Choices

In any discussion of Free Will there is a tendency to confuse the availability and exercise of Free Will with the limitations and consequences of Free Will.   Let us clarify the issues.

The availability of Free Will simply refers to whether or not we are allowed to make choices. It is an issue of basic freedom.

The exercise of Free Will is in itself a choice we make. If we choose to do so, then our choices will be subject to certain limitations over which we may have no control. However, within these limitations we have Free Will. That is to say, we can make choices but we cannot dictate the circumstances that will affect the results of our choices. For example:  I can decide to go out into a storm, but I cannot stop it from raining.

After we make our choices, we are subject to the consequences of our decisions. They are the unavoidable consequence of what we decided to do (action) or think (mental conclusion). For example: I may have the freedom to decide to go out into a storm, but as a result I will get wet.

Thus, we may have Free Will, but our choices are made within certain limitations and subject to a natural result. We are not free to change the circumstances that affect the outcome of our choices, nor are we free to avoid the result. I may have the freedom to decide I will go out into the storm, but I cannot make the storm go away (the circumstances) and I will likely get wet (the result of my decision).

What about Christian Theology?

For the purposes of this discussion, let us first examine the subject of Free Will within the framework of our relationship to God. Within this context, the question of Free Will evokes two possibilities.

There is a God.

There is no God.

From a Christian viewpoint, the discussion of Free Will usually centers on our relationship with God; i.e. are we only predestined to a fate determined by God?  Or, does God grant us the freedom to make our own choices? Historical evidence suggests we have Free Will. God apparently encourages us to make rational choices that conform to the values he has taught us. Because they are based on long standing texts, ideas about right and wrong tend to be stable. If we stray from his values, we risk being ostracized by our peers, disliked by the community, punished by the police power of the State, or even by God – perhaps in unexpected ways.

Atheist discussion of Free Will tends to center on an individual’s status or position within a political social structure. From a socialist viewpoint, there is no God. Our perception of Free Will is derived from contemporary secular beliefs. Ideas about right and wrong tend to be unstable, influenced by fluid pop-culture social justice concepts, and often incorporate contentious political ideology. We are forced to exercise our Free Will within these constraints. If we ignore contemporary secular values we risk being ostracized by our peers, public media, public contempt, mob hatred, and the police power of the State.

Limitations and Exercise of Free Will

Our moral and physical behavior is unavoidably influenced by the limitations of the real world in which we live, no matter how “free” we think we are to act and think. Our deeds may also lead to self-destruction. Remember this verse ...

“We cannot break the natural laws of the Cosmos without exposing ourselves to physical or emotional injury. If we defile our being with drugs or alcohol, if we debilitate ourselves with too much stress, or if we ignore the wisdom of experience, we are doomed to suffer the consequences. In so doing, we create our own self-inflicted Hell.”

-        Summa 21

Our freedom to make personal choices is influenced, and modified, by our Cultural Ecosystem. The term “Cultural Ecosystem” refers to the cultural, economic and physical environment within which individuals and social groups function, and includes our emotional and intellectual interaction with other people. We may choose, for example, to have expensive tastes, but our ability to consume will be limited by our income. We can break the law, but we know the police power of the State will seek retribution. Free love sounds wonderful until it leads to a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and so on.

Thus while we have Free Will, which is the freedom to make our own decisions, our choices are limited by cultural, economic and physical reality.

Consequences

There is a certain truth to the “obey or be punished” concept. As pointed out in Summa 21, we cannot break the natural laws of the Cosmos, disregard God’s commandments, or ignore contemporary secular beliefs, without exposing ourselves to physical and emotional injury. The concept of Free Will not only means a personal choice, it also requires we accept the consequences of our choices. It is therefore our responsibility, each and every one, to make intelligent choices which elevate our moral character, mental health, emotional stability, intellectual development, and physical health;  ... else we risk the creation of our own self-inflicted Hell.

Christianity and Free Will

For Christians, the availability, limitations and exercise of Free Will are an integral component of Christian Theology and philosophy. We believe God gave us Free Will, the right to make our own choices. The Bible contains example after example of how we humans exercised our freedom to make choices and the consequences of those choices. We make good choices and we make terrible choices. But time after time, the text of the Bible shows we had the freedom to make them.

This fundamental belief in the freedom of Free Will influenced the development of the American Declaration of Independence and subsequent Constitution. The freedom to make choices has been a fundamental driver of national political rights all over the world. We humans usually prosper best when all members of our culture have the right to exercise Free Will.

The Christian concept of Free Will is one of the reasons Christian Theology is incompatible with the repression of socialism, communism, and other forms of dictatorship. Oppressive political systems add political, social and legal restrictions on the exercise of Free Will: freedom versus repression.

Conclusion

We humans have and are able to exercise free will but the choices we make are framed by physical and moral limitations.

If we do not believe in God, then we are likely to be influenced by transient moral beliefs. These may lead us to make negative, destructive and immoral choices.

If we do believe in God, the convictions of a 21st century Christian theology and philosophy encourage us to make positive, constructive and ethical choices.

The consequences of our choices may not be what we expected or even something we want; and yet – they are our responsibility.

Ron

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Where is Happiness?

 

Those who hate, endure a desolate death.

Depression follows them everywhere.

The ravages of distrust drain their senses.

They condemn themselves to mortal despair.

 

Happiness eludes the cynic.

Love avoids the arrogant.

Anger creates hostility.

Indifference invites isolation.

 

Murderers are condemned to Oblivion.

Torture is the handmaiden of death.

Suicide desecrates the energy of Life.

Abortion violates natural law.

 

Let us therefore resolve to be virtuous.

Adopt the values of righteous behavior.

Embrace what is positive and constructive.

Find spiritual peace by connecting with Him.

 

Seek expressions of understanding .

Love thy neighbor as thyself.

Experience the wonders of the Physical.

Sense the loving energy of the Spiritual.

 

Genuine compassion projects love.

Love connect us with the spiritual.

The joy of connection nourishes our soul.

We are in harmony with the universe.

 

Only love will bring us peace.

 

Ron

                                        

Proverb from Summa 21 – The Natural Theology of a 21^st Century Christian
Let us unite our perception of the physical with our experience of the spiritual.