Shining a Light
Well, I’ve been scrapping with the atheist again. It just seems this atheist thing keeps coming back like a bad penny. I know, I know I could just avoid all of that if I just stayed off of that discussion site. I thought of that. Then something else comes up from another source and I can’t get around the fact that God just might want me talking to them right now. So I turn on the media player and listen to “Windmills of Your mind “ to get in the mood and then go talk to the atheists. I am sure, though, that my blog readers might start thinking…is she always going to write about the atheists? No, but they are just giving me so much material right now.
They are a trip though. I was having a discussion with one person where I was asserting that atheists have faith in some things. We went round and round. “whatever, do you mean? define faith” . So I define faith by it’s most generic definition and he would still not use the word concerning himself. He kept using the word trust which according to my thesaurus is basically the same. Ok. Finally, his logical argument came down to “so what. I don’t care”. I am wondering if that then opens the door to the na nana boo boo argument. Good thing I had so many years in “discussion” with children and teenagers so I am holding my own. Today the article for discussion actually was about faith and that atheists have faith in some things too. Boy that lit them all up. I don’t think there was one atheist that was willing to apply that word to themselves in any sense at all. It was like throwing holy water on a demon. They acted like it would burn them. Then they spent the rest of the day just ridiculing the faith of the Catholics. No faith, huh? What about all hail to the scientific method and the logical argument. It would really be a kick in the pants if I used the scientific method and logical argument to prove the flaws in relying on science and the logical argument system as employed by the atheist. (Hold on, I am blowing my own mind right now.) Well, I kind of did do that. Again, that just got them all riled up. And when you point out the flaws in that system they act like you just assassinated somebody. The lengths they will go to in order to justify those flaws. Do you know that scientist have figured out a way to eliminate human error? Well, they haven’t but I was basically told that they had. Cool. Why don’t you share that with airline pilots and ship captains. You might save some lives. I guess there weren’t any atheist scientist on the Titanic. Actually, although I am sometimes drawn into their way of arguing, I have found that looking to Jesus as my model works out the best. Ask the right questions that leads them to either admit the truth or fall into the trap of their own argument. As well as provoking thought that may bring them to their own conclusion. Through these conclusion they may come to an understanding of God. Pray for me, though, because sometimes I feel like I am in a lion’s den. Former believers who have now denied their faith could be one of the reasons I am there. As for the die hard atheists, well, anything can happen but I also know when I am throwing my pearls before swine. Some things are just not productive. I will engage them, however, because by doing so they may reveal some things about themselves that will then reveal the flaws of atheism. I might be there to shine some light on a few things. To expose a few cracks. Call them out on some tactics and subtleties. Quit playing games and cut to the chase. Maybe, as I said previously, to be provocative. Then the Holy Spirit will do the rest. He is much better at revealing the truth than I. You could probably say that it is just my job to open the doors and windows so that His light can shine in, as well as providing a welcoming atmosphere for him. I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. Jn 12:46
Later today, though, I am researching Eucharistic miracles. I am reading about the scientific comparisons between the Miracle of Lanciano that happened in the year 700 and a miracle in Buenos Aires in 1996. I read that the tissue that the Eucharistic bread had been transformed into was determined to be heart tissue. Heart tissue! All of a sudden I am overcome with such a profound distress. To think of our Lord suffering torture and death for us. To think how his heart beat for us. It beat for us in his life, it beat for us in his crucifixion. Then recalling how the atheist ridiculed today. Ridiculed him and his Church. Remembering their derision, their scorn, their contempt. Understanding for just a moment how those who loved Christ must have felt at the foot of the cross as everyone around them mocked him. Thinking of how we all are guilty of self-idolization sometimes, of loving ourselves more that God. But they…they are so arrogant in thinking that not only can they deny God, but they possess an intellect so powerful that they can argue him out of existence. …If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Mt 6:23
God so love the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes into the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. Jn 3:16-21
Jesus came to live and die to redeem us all and offer us the gift of salvation…even the atheists. His heart beat for all of us and still does. We have been sent among them to spread the Gospel. Like a lighthouse beckoning in the storm we beckon all to a place of safety. A lighthouse does not choose who to guide through the crashing waves. It shines its light for all who choose to follow it.
I can’t say that I have ever brought anyone to Jesus and the Church by proving to them the existence of God. We already know, we were created to know. I have, however, guided a few just by letting my light shine. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.” Lk 11:36
Do we live the truth? Have we come into the light? Are our works seen clearly as done in God? Do we shine like stars in the world, in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation?(Phil 2:15) I hope so, because otherwise, it’s going to be awful dark out there. Welcome to My Catholic Life
They are a trip though. I was having a discussion with one person where I was asserting that atheists have faith in some things. We went round and round. “whatever, do you mean? define faith” . So I define faith by it’s most generic definition and he would still not use the word concerning himself. He kept using the word trust which according to my thesaurus is basically the same. Ok. Finally, his logical argument came down to “so what. I don’t care”. I am wondering if that then opens the door to the na nana boo boo argument. Good thing I had so many years in “discussion” with children and teenagers so I am holding my own. Today the article for discussion actually was about faith and that atheists have faith in some things too. Boy that lit them all up. I don’t think there was one atheist that was willing to apply that word to themselves in any sense at all. It was like throwing holy water on a demon. They acted like it would burn them. Then they spent the rest of the day just ridiculing the faith of the Catholics. No faith, huh? What about all hail to the scientific method and the logical argument. It would really be a kick in the pants if I used the scientific method and logical argument to prove the flaws in relying on science and the logical argument system as employed by the atheist. (Hold on, I am blowing my own mind right now.) Well, I kind of did do that. Again, that just got them all riled up. And when you point out the flaws in that system they act like you just assassinated somebody. The lengths they will go to in order to justify those flaws. Do you know that scientist have figured out a way to eliminate human error? Well, they haven’t but I was basically told that they had. Cool. Why don’t you share that with airline pilots and ship captains. You might save some lives. I guess there weren’t any atheist scientist on the Titanic. Actually, although I am sometimes drawn into their way of arguing, I have found that looking to Jesus as my model works out the best. Ask the right questions that leads them to either admit the truth or fall into the trap of their own argument. As well as provoking thought that may bring them to their own conclusion. Through these conclusion they may come to an understanding of God. Pray for me, though, because sometimes I feel like I am in a lion’s den. Former believers who have now denied their faith could be one of the reasons I am there. As for the die hard atheists, well, anything can happen but I also know when I am throwing my pearls before swine. Some things are just not productive. I will engage them, however, because by doing so they may reveal some things about themselves that will then reveal the flaws of atheism. I might be there to shine some light on a few things. To expose a few cracks. Call them out on some tactics and subtleties. Quit playing games and cut to the chase. Maybe, as I said previously, to be provocative. Then the Holy Spirit will do the rest. He is much better at revealing the truth than I. You could probably say that it is just my job to open the doors and windows so that His light can shine in, as well as providing a welcoming atmosphere for him. I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. Jn 12:46
Later today, though, I am researching Eucharistic miracles. I am reading about the scientific comparisons between the Miracle of Lanciano that happened in the year 700 and a miracle in Buenos Aires in 1996. I read that the tissue that the Eucharistic bread had been transformed into was determined to be heart tissue. Heart tissue! All of a sudden I am overcome with such a profound distress. To think of our Lord suffering torture and death for us. To think how his heart beat for us. It beat for us in his life, it beat for us in his crucifixion. Then recalling how the atheist ridiculed today. Ridiculed him and his Church. Remembering their derision, their scorn, their contempt. Understanding for just a moment how those who loved Christ must have felt at the foot of the cross as everyone around them mocked him. Thinking of how we all are guilty of self-idolization sometimes, of loving ourselves more that God. But they…they are so arrogant in thinking that not only can they deny God, but they possess an intellect so powerful that they can argue him out of existence. …If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Mt 6:23
God so love the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes into the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. Jn 3:16-21
Jesus came to live and die to redeem us all and offer us the gift of salvation…even the atheists. His heart beat for all of us and still does. We have been sent among them to spread the Gospel. Like a lighthouse beckoning in the storm we beckon all to a place of safety. A lighthouse does not choose who to guide through the crashing waves. It shines its light for all who choose to follow it.
I can’t say that I have ever brought anyone to Jesus and the Church by proving to them the existence of God. We already know, we were created to know. I have, however, guided a few just by letting my light shine. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.” Lk 11:36
Do we live the truth? Have we come into the light? Are our works seen clearly as done in God? Do we shine like stars in the world, in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation?(Phil 2:15) I hope so, because otherwise, it’s going to be awful dark out there. Welcome to My Catholic Life
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