Excerpts from discussions in my Religion and Popular Culture course at Pima College:
QUESTION:
The context of the movie Signs is an alien invasion, but the theme of the movie is about faith. "Signs" include both crop circles and evidence of a higher power.
The context of the movie Signs is an alien invasion, but the theme of the movie is about faith. "Signs" include both crop circles and evidence of a higher power.
Give a personal response to the following statement from the movie Signs: "everything happens for a reason." In addition, how does Graham's explanation of "two kinds of people" coincide with the three primary ways of understanding reality: providence, fate and chance? Has he forgotten one, or has he combined two? Do you agree? Explain.
MY QUICK ANSWER:
That our answers to Discussion 3 underscore our core world and life view is clear. Most of the conversation around the themes in this discussion question center on our odyssey to understand the meaning of life's hardship and suffering.
My elderly neighbor, a sincere man and also an atheist, has long struggled with finding meaning in this life. His family has suffered painful loss and he has shaken his fist at the way the universe operates; it seems as if justice and compassion are in short supply. In his words, "If there is a God, I'd fire him!"
Truthfully, most people - dare I say all people - religious and spiritual ones included, are often at a loss to understand why things go the way they do. The perplexities and brutality of life serve as mounting evidence that God has left or doesn't exist or worse yet, doesn't care. For my atheist neighbor this is especially true. But even for those who believe in God, the spiritual realm, or have religious affections, one is left to wonder, often in confoundment, fear and rage, why this God does what he does.
It seems as if this mantra is true: "For the atheist, the challenge is to believe that God exists; for the theist, the challenge is to believe God is good."
I believe most of what God does is a mystery; think of it, a being who created the world and everything in it, he must clearly have ways that are far above our ability to grasp.
Yet, if you choose to be open for a moment longer, consider that even in suffering and hardship, this God may have clear purposes in view.
Consider the following: God allows suffering and hardship in this life ...
1. To carry out his redeeming purposes for his people
2. To punish our sin
3. To prevent our sin
4. To teach perseverance, hope and build character
5. To test us
6. To equip us to comfort others
7. To display his power
8. To advance his kingdom and reign in this world
This list is neither exhaustive nor a deeply satisfying one, I realize. But it does help frame the question about suffering and hardship and offer some reasons why things go as they do.
Try this on for a moment: What if this God, who is capable of creating and sustaining this world and is fulfilling his purposes in the lives of some seven billion people simultaneously, cares about and loves you more deeply than you know. What if you are thought about by this God and held closely to his bosom. What if every painful thing in your life is painful to him but necessary for your growth and is working toward eternal purposes?
No doubt this is what most of us long for and crave to be true ...
That our answers to Discussion 3 underscore our core world and life view is clear. Most of the conversation around the themes in this discussion question center on our odyssey to understand the meaning of life's hardship and suffering.
My elderly neighbor, a sincere man and also an atheist, has long struggled with finding meaning in this life. His family has suffered painful loss and he has shaken his fist at the way the universe operates; it seems as if justice and compassion are in short supply. In his words, "If there is a God, I'd fire him!"
Truthfully, most people - dare I say all people - religious and spiritual ones included, are often at a loss to understand why things go the way they do. The perplexities and brutality of life serve as mounting evidence that God has left or doesn't exist or worse yet, doesn't care. For my atheist neighbor this is especially true. But even for those who believe in God, the spiritual realm, or have religious affections, one is left to wonder, often in confoundment, fear and rage, why this God does what he does.
It seems as if this mantra is true: "For the atheist, the challenge is to believe that God exists; for the theist, the challenge is to believe God is good."
I believe most of what God does is a mystery; think of it, a being who created the world and everything in it, he must clearly have ways that are far above our ability to grasp.
Yet, if you choose to be open for a moment longer, consider that even in suffering and hardship, this God may have clear purposes in view.
Consider the following: God allows suffering and hardship in this life ...
1. To carry out his redeeming purposes for his people
2. To punish our sin
3. To prevent our sin
4. To teach perseverance, hope and build character
5. To test us
6. To equip us to comfort others
7. To display his power
8. To advance his kingdom and reign in this world
This list is neither exhaustive nor a deeply satisfying one, I realize. But it does help frame the question about suffering and hardship and offer some reasons why things go as they do.
Try this on for a moment: What if this God, who is capable of creating and sustaining this world and is fulfilling his purposes in the lives of some seven billion people simultaneously, cares about and loves you more deeply than you know. What if you are thought about by this God and held closely to his bosom. What if every painful thing in your life is painful to him but necessary for your growth and is working toward eternal purposes?
No doubt this is what most of us long for and crave to be true ...
No comments:
Post a Comment