Tag Archives: religion

July 2, 2012 · 6:00 am

I Thought Everybody Had One– Do You?

I have opinions. Lots of them.

I’m what you’d call an opinionated person. It’s rare to find me without at least an inkling of what my opinion is on any given topic, although I try to keep them to myself unless asked. (Unless it’s on my blog, which is, well, my blog, so I’ll write what I want.) :)

I wish more people were opinionated.

Do you think I’m crazy?

Perhaps you do because you think the people in your life, maybe even you, are too opinionated and should keep their opinions to themselves.

Let me rephrase– I wish more people had opinions on issues that matter.

We’re quick to share our opinions about TV, movies, music, books, clothes, etc., but in this politically correct world in which we find ourselves, more and more people are going “opinionless” about issues that are socially, politically, and economically relevant.

On a regular basis I find it easy to converse with people about trivial issues, but when it comes to meatier topics, I find that many, many people have a distinct LACK of opinion.

This.is.dangerous.

A lack of opinion makes us sheep. It makes us followers, willing to go along with those we consider to be “wiser” and “in the know.” Most of the time people who claim to “know” really don’t.

So you need to know for yourself. You need to have an opinion. An educated opinion.

The opinionless epidemic stems from two things–

1. The fear of being judged or discriminated against because the opinion isn’t “politically correct” or mainstream. (I.r.o.n.y.)

2. Lack of information and education.

How can you better educate yourself on issues of politics, religion, economics, and social movements? Watch the news, even for just a few minutes a day. Read a few news articles online (go to google and click “news.”) Take the time to stay up to date on what’s happening in the world and why.

Make it a priority so that you’ll have an opinion when it’s time. Election Day, for example.

How can we end the fear of voicing minority opinions? Well, for one, we can practice what we preach about blanket acceptance and actually apply it to all, instead of screaming that we need it and then choosing which groups can have it. And we’ll have to be brave enough to stand up for what we believe in.

There will never be a time in this country that we’ll all get along socially, politically, and religiously (not before Jesus comes back, anyway). There will never be a time when we’ll all get along, so it’s no use arguing your opinion to change someone else’s mind, but it’s certainly wise, prudent, and civically responsible to have educated opinions of your own.

There will be a time when you will need to stand up and give your opinion, even if it’s just through a vote, so make sure you have one.

Share with me: I wish I had a stronger opinion about ________.

 

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November 7, 2011 · 6:00 am

World Religions 101

I am fascinated by world religions. Absolutely fascinated.

You could call it a passion of study. You could call it an obsession. Yes, you could.

I was lucky enough to get to teach a Comparative Religions class at the high school where I worked, so I had an outlet for my madness.

And now I teach a class through my church called World Religions 101: Understanding Theirs So You Can Share Yours.

I think that we, as Christians, have a responsibilty to share the Gospel, and we can’t do that effectively unless we understand what others believe.

Not everyone is open to the idea of being converted, so walking up to someone of another faith and saying, “Hey, you need Jesus,” is not always going to work.

Let me break it down for you–
What separates Christianity from all of the other religions is one word–grace.
All other religions, it can be argued, are works based, while Christianity is faith based and any works performed are a result of the faith and acceptance of God’s gift of grace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

I’m not trying to start a debate about the various religions in the world or break down the doctrine of Christianity, but I do want to present the basics as much as I can to as many as I can. My goal is to educate so that we can effectively witness.

I believe it’s something God has called me to; a small way in which I help reach those who need the salvation of Jesus Christ.

Of all the religious groups that fascinate me, Mormons top the list. I’m also fascinated by Hinduism, mostly because it’s such an ancient belief system full of brightly colored mythology and detailed traditions that translate into a largely secular population.

Call me a nerd (I’ll gladly answer to that), but history has always fascinated me, and I argue that history has been largely driven by religion.

Some argue that money makes the world go ’round, others argue it’s politics and power, but I think that when you peel back all historical events, past the money, past the war, past the details that seem innocuous, religion (or blatant lack thereof) can be found at the root of all history.

Brilliant. And fascinating.

So if you want to learn how to be an effective witness to the lost world, educate yourself on what others believe.


Share with me: Is there a world religion, group, or cult that you’d like to learn more about or that fascinates you? Why?

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