Two posts in one day, don't think you should get used to it. I failed to mention in my earlier post that today is my parent's 41st wedding anniversary. So very proud and thankful for both of them! May God bless them with 41 more years together!
As I came back from lunch and a trip to the dump, I noticed a news story on the front page of Yahoo. It was talking about a renowned atheist named Christopher Hitchens. Although this is the first time I have heard of Hitchens, evidently he has spend most of his adult life trying to prove his theory that religion, in his words, poisons everything. Atheists have always drawn my interest even though I have not spent much of my life dealing with them or learning about their belief structure.
This article was not an attack on religion nor was it an attack on Hitchens. This past June Hitchens was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. The cancer is spreading in his body and he knows he does not have much time left. Now there may be some of you out there hoping that this will drive him to his knees and open his eyes to God, well that just is not happening. Chemotherapy is robbing him of his strength and vitality so he is becoming less active but he is not becoming religious.
Those that know or know of Hitchens from the religious community have designated today, Monday, September 20, 'Everybody Pray for Hitchens Day.' Hitchens is more amused by this than anything. According to the article, he also knows that those praying for him today fall into three categories. First category of people are praying for his painful death so he can go on and go to hell. His response to them is the same. The second category are those who are praying that he will become a believer. Like I said earlier that is not happening.
Yet there is a third group praying today, those who are praying for his healing. This category he appreciates, he thanks them even though he believes what they are doing does him no good at all. Where do you fall into in these three categories? As I read the article I too prayed for Hitchens. I prayed for his healing, I prayed for one more day for him. My motivation is also for his soul so I guess I could fall into either one of the last two categories.
I consider the first category with great sorrow. Jesus did not die on the cross so we could have the opportunity to push non-believers into hell. I think it is that skewed mentality of hate that drives people from Jesus rather than to him. May God give us the eyes to see more clearly that the love displayed on the cross should mark our lives not the hate that drove the nails!
As I came back from lunch and a trip to the dump, I noticed a news story on the front page of Yahoo. It was talking about a renowned atheist named Christopher Hitchens. Although this is the first time I have heard of Hitchens, evidently he has spend most of his adult life trying to prove his theory that religion, in his words, poisons everything. Atheists have always drawn my interest even though I have not spent much of my life dealing with them or learning about their belief structure.
This article was not an attack on religion nor was it an attack on Hitchens. This past June Hitchens was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. The cancer is spreading in his body and he knows he does not have much time left. Now there may be some of you out there hoping that this will drive him to his knees and open his eyes to God, well that just is not happening. Chemotherapy is robbing him of his strength and vitality so he is becoming less active but he is not becoming religious.
Those that know or know of Hitchens from the religious community have designated today, Monday, September 20, 'Everybody Pray for Hitchens Day.' Hitchens is more amused by this than anything. According to the article, he also knows that those praying for him today fall into three categories. First category of people are praying for his painful death so he can go on and go to hell. His response to them is the same. The second category are those who are praying that he will become a believer. Like I said earlier that is not happening.
Yet there is a third group praying today, those who are praying for his healing. This category he appreciates, he thanks them even though he believes what they are doing does him no good at all. Where do you fall into in these three categories? As I read the article I too prayed for Hitchens. I prayed for his healing, I prayed for one more day for him. My motivation is also for his soul so I guess I could fall into either one of the last two categories.
I consider the first category with great sorrow. Jesus did not die on the cross so we could have the opportunity to push non-believers into hell. I think it is that skewed mentality of hate that drives people from Jesus rather than to him. May God give us the eyes to see more clearly that the love displayed on the cross should mark our lives not the hate that drove the nails!
You can read the full article HERE.
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