As I pursue the path to Christ, I think back about how I got to this point in time. I moved to NYC when I was 23 years old ready to take on the glamorous fashion world. I studied photography for 7 months at a trade school of sorts called The Center for the Media Arts. My first job was as an assistant to professional photographer Flo Fox. She has been legally blind most of her life and has MS since 1980. (not exactly the best option but I was hungry for work - any work) She hired me as a freelancer to help out in her apartment/studio because of a letter and resume I sent to her. She said that from what she could see - my handwriting looked just like hers. I worked for her for about 6 months mostly doing odd jobs since she wasn't very busy at the time. Working for her was quite an introduction into the dark side of NYC.
I didn't remember his name at first so I searched the web. It didn't take me long to track him down.
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2009/May/Lighting-the-Runway-for-Christ/
Two things about this link struck me today. A quote from model Brandon Davidson, "What might look like the most dangerous place a Christian can be is the safest place if that's where the Lord has called you," And the other thing that struck me deep down is the reporter's final (media fueled/ condescending words) in the video. The female reporter says "great for them"...
64,74,46,0,W, .24
18 comments:
One good thing (probably the only good thing) about our culture becoming less Christian is that the people who attend church are there because they truly want to worship Christ, not because it will increase their social standing.
djc
And after this election, more people will refer to us as "them".
Oh my.. politics and religion all tied into one beautiful, dividing post.
As an atheist - I would like to share my ideas as well. However, I have found that these same holier-than-thou folks who cry non-stop about how people are not respecting THEIR beliefs have absolutely NO respect for mine. BUT... they are willing to say that they possess a level of "knowledge" that I am just too dumb to possess. Is that not condescending? OH.. and then they want to PRAY for me! Condescending again!
Dizzy-Dick - If your biggest concern about this election is how it has divided us, how about you do your part not to divide us? Your comment is anything but that.
I saw a great post earlier today. It said that our own people are accusing our president of being a MUSLIM and those in the middle east are accusing him of being a CHRISTIAN. See where I am going here?
Religious wars suck. As long as religious folks continue to ostracize folks they don't agree with, I will have NOTHING to do with ANY religion.
Feel free to fight amongst yourselves. But leave the rest of us alone, and keep your religion away from my government!
Chris Miller
re: " Religious wars suck. As long as religious folks continue to ostracize folks they don't agree with, I will have NOTHING to do with ANY religion."
that's similar to the problem I have.
I have no problem with anyone who wants to "believe" what they wish with whatever GOD they want.
I have problems when they want to tell me what I should believe and it often starts with them wanting to "share" their religion.
There are lots of religions in the world and if that is what people want in their lives - more power to them but when religion then becomes the reason to take actions against others - then we have problems.
that's why keeping it to yourself is being considerate of other people's views on religion since you KNOW ahead of time that others very likely do have different beliefs.
Why elevate the discussion to that level when you know that others may not believe the same?
It would be like a Muslim going next door to a Christian and then making a point of telling him about his religious beliefs. Why would you do that?
To each his own - make peace with yourself and/or GOD - and let others do the same.
I'm not an atheist but I have no tolerance for those who wear their religion on their sleeves. I believe in GOD but not religion.
It's the duty of christians to go forth and spread the word, some even go door to door. Never seen an atheist do that but then their message is live, breed, die, rot, really kind of dismal when you think about it.
Try this on for size many of America founders practiced it; Deism the belief, based solely on reason, in a God who created the universe and then abandoned it, assuming no control over life, exerting no influence on natural phenomena, and giving no supernatural revelation
Dale,
It's the supposed "duty" of followers of ALL religions to "spread the word" as you call it. Had ANY religious person been born in a different country or a under a different roof - they would have a completely different set of beliefs, read from a different book, and look down on different people too.
An atheist actually does have a pretty unique message that can be spread and that is to "live your life like it's your only one and not like you'll be going somewhere better when you're gone"
Turns out when people live that way they are a lot more likely to live well, not fly planes into buildings, not kill others in "god's name", etc. There is suddenly no reason for wars and nothing to fight about. An open mind is a beautiful thing and can provide so much to this planet. Just look at where science has taken us already and we're just getting started.
Religion does exactly what you see here. It divides us, it causes us to focus on the unimportant, it closes our minds and causes us not to think. It gives all of us an "us vs them" attitude instead of just saying WE. We're an awesome species because we've always looked for answers to life's questions. When we stop looking for answers, we've lost.
I know I am not the most significant thing in this universe. I don't need any of the for profit religions to tell me that though and it tears me apart to listen to comments from people who do this US vs THEM thing. It all seems very hateful and is the reason for so much turmoil in the world today.
God must surely question his own judgement at times...I wonder if he ever thought, you know I should have called it done with the apes ?
Bravo, Chris. Well said all around.
You know what the deal is here? The need for people to be "right" about their beliefs. It's especially evident in religion and politics. You argue your viewpoint trying to convince the other side YOU are the one who is correct. Guess what, NO one knows. 7 billion people on earth equal 7 billion paths to this life and/or the hereafter. So John Wells puts scriptures and personal anecdotes in his Sunday blog. It's HIS blog and he's sharing HIS beliefs. Sharing HIS path. He has never preached at us or judged us. I hope nobody is feeling threatened. I personally know zealots and fundamentalists and they make me uncomfortable but they don't threaten me. I am a believer but am not interested in a ministry based on fear, condemnation, hellfire and brimstone but rather one based on grace and the knowing that the grace is a gift from God not a reward. I have a "knowing" there is a God, something that took years to come to me. It's like gravity, you can't see it or sense it but it's s there. If you look into the clear West Texas night sky and not see and feel a wondrous, omnipotent omniprescence then keep looking. In my path God is not a threatening judgemental old man in a white beard sitting on a throne keeping tabs on me. To me God is a verb. And guess what, I am not claiming to be right. And if Christ is a myth and fairy tale, then I will happily live in the nontruth. Works for me. Peace.
John posts thoughts on his faith on Sunday. His posts are kind and hopeful. If people take an issue with him expressing his beliefs, why are they reading them? He is not sending unsolicited emails or calling anyone. It's pretty simple. Dont't lecture about deserving respect, while showing none to him. Live and let live, guys. Don't judge. That's what Christ REALLY preached, whether you believe He was the Son of God or a man. The world will be a much happier place.
Oh chimeric, once again.
Jesus never said anything about the world hating anyone. Get a grip. And if you're going to find a place to preach, for heaven's sake get your own blog. They're free, and you don't even have to pay taxes on them.
I liked your post John. Keep up the good work. Glad to see your little boy doing so well.
After reading some of the post I am a Pastor and would like to share with you what God spoke to me the night of the election. It is a follows:
THRU PRAYER FROM 4 TO 6 AM NOVEMBER 7, 2012
YOU ARE A NATION DIVIDED. YOU ARE A NATION WITH NO DIRECTION. A HOUSE DIVDED WILL NOT STAND ( MARK 3:25 ). YOUR NATION WILL FALL. THE
QUESTION IS WHERE WILL YOUR HOUSE BE DURING AND AFTER THE FALL.IT HAS BECOME URGENT TO SPEND TIME WITH ME AND THAT NOTHING STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND ME. MAKING SURE YOU CAN HEAR MY VOICE CLEARLY. SPEND TIME GETTING YOUR SPIRITUAL HOUSE IN ORDER. MAKING SURE YOUR HOUSE IS BUILT ON A SOLID FOUNDATION SO THAT WHEN THE WINDS BEGIN TO BLOW AND THE NATION FALLS YOUR HOUSE WILL REMAIN STANDING.
SPENDING TIME WITH ME MAKING SURE YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY STRONG AND ALL IS WELL AS YOU GO THRU THIS TIME
ARE YOU ONE NATION UNDER GOD? IF MITT ROMNEY HAD BEEN ELECTED MANY WOULD HAVE CONTINUED DOWN THE SAME ROAD, TRAVELING DOWN THE SAME PATH, THINKING ALL IS WELL WITH YOUR NEWLY ELECTED. IT’S NOT GOVERNMENT IT’S GOD. I WILL TURN THIS COUNTRY BACK TO ME YOU WILL REBUILD AFTER THE FALL. REMEMBER 9-11WHEN YOU TURNED TO ME AS A NATION AND THEN DRIFTED BACK. YOU MUST ASK TODAY WHY OR HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THIS POINT IN SUCH A GREAT NATION.
ONE WORD COMPLACENCY
"Feel free to fight amongst yourselves. But leave the rest of us alone, and keep your religion away from my government!"
You must know by now that John writes a blog about religion on Sundays. I've read on another blog that you are an atheist, and I didn't jump in to try and put you in your place. I'm a Christian and decided to just let you have your own belief. Why come over here and try and start trouble? Just saying.
Thanks John, I always enjoy Sundays from the Field Lab.
I don't remember you working for my mom flo fox and I saw her everyday. Hmm seems like youve made your own dark side.
I don't remember you working for my mom flo fox and I saw her everyday. Hmm seems like youve made your own dark side.
Why is it always the religious people that tell lies. I guess they get into god because they feel guilty from sinning a lot.
Post a Comment