He did not mean it in a patronising or demeaning way, to put you down or in your place. He was just making a point. A bit like today people who start by saying, "The thing is ... ... ..."
So I'll borrow his phrase and start with:
Now look here ... There isn't one person in the civilised free world that has not heard of God or Jesus. Everyone has heard of Jesus. Every generation since the Old Testament has had an opportunity to hear about God and Jesus.
But many do not believe.
I was thinking about that the other day. These people are not non-believers because of ignorance. Because somehow they've never heard of God. They have made the conscious decision not to believe.
At some point in their lives they heard about God, and His Son, Jesus, and either dismissed the whole "thing" as irrelevant to their lives, or consciously and deliberately decided not to believe. To them, God and Christianity are either nonsense or a human invention of some sort, a fairy tale without substance.
When a comedian on TV makes fun of Christianity, sometimes bordering on the blasphemous, he not only has decided that God does not exist, but is confident enough to ridicule the very notion and mocks those people who believe and practice their Faith. He has consciously decided to openly joke about belief in God and Jesus. He cannot in any way have the slightest doubt, or possibility of one chance in a million millions, that he might be wrong. To his mind, he is as sure as sure can be, that God does not exist. And, whether deliberately or not, his public utterances are influencing vulnerable young minds who are yet struggling about their beliefs.
He won't be able to say, "Oops ... I'm sorry ... I didn't mean it!" when he meets his Maker.
He reminds me of the Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes in the Bible. They were learned men. They studied the scriptures and the writings of the Prophets of the Old Testament. They knew, and probably believed, about God. They knew the Birth of Jesus was prophesied as the Son of God. Yet, they deliberately, obstinately, and in defiance stood against Christ time and again and accused Him of getting His powers from the devil. (Matthew 12:22 onwards).
So now look here ... most non-believers, in my view, do so as a conscious decision. No one is an atheist by accident any more than no one is a Christian by accident.
So what should we, Real Christians, (if we are such and not by name only), do about this?
Pray ... pray ... and pray again. Many a person changed his mind,
(Check out Saint Augustine on the Internet. He changed his mind and eventually turned to God and became a leading figure in the Church).
...many minds will never change.
ReplyDeleteProbably ... that's why we should pray more that they do.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
All we can do is pray . . . Blessings, Victor!
ReplyDeleteAmen Martha. God bless.
DeleteGrinning, b/c my DIL is fond of saying, "Now look here." (Or, "Listen.") Son interpets that to mean, :I'd better get over there and diffuse whatever's about to happen." LOL
ReplyDeletePrayers for the unbelievers. Didn't he say, "They know not what they do."
That Member of Parliament was a tall man, so when he said "Now look here!" it sounded like a headmaster talking to a pupil. But he meant well; like I'm sure your DIL does.
DeleteI think some non-believers over here know well what they're doing. Very often on our TV we have people of stature mocking and denigrating Christianity. The hidden message is that you're an idiot if you believe in (and I quote) "an old bearded man who lives in the clouds". This can certainly influence young minds who are uncertain what to believe. There's a growing generation that knows nothing about God and the Bible.
God bless, Mevely.
Praying earnestly can change hearts. I know I've seen it happen.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. Prayers work.
DeleteGod bless, Happyone.
"The thing is..." (smile) you are right in what you have shared here.
ReplyDeleteYou say you pray for those who leave comments here. I have a specific request. There is one person in particular I know and love who does not profess belief in God any more. Please pray for this person to believe and receive salvation. Thank you.
Also, back to the topic of commenting on my blog. I finally realized the problem. When I publish a new post, it's my habit to go to the the PREVIOUS post's "options" and change it so any comments already made remain, but no new ones can be made. People can comment on my current post but not the ones before that one.
I do that because some questionable comments have sometimes appeared on previous posts (sometimes even a year old!) and I get concerned as to their intentions.
I hope this clears up the matter. Blessings to you.
Rest assured, Barbara, that I am praying for your friend right now; and for you too and your family. We must trust God that He loves all His creations and that He will leave the door open for those of His children who wander away. Sometimes temporarily. We should continue to pray for them in the meantime.
DeleteAs for comments on your Blog. I've had similar problems and you would be amazed at the names I've been called in the comments box by visitors. I've decided not to respond to such insults or anti-Christian comments. I just delete them and pray for the individual who made them. They often just go away with time.
God bless always, Barbara.
Thank you, Victor.
DeleteFar be it from me to cease praying for them, as well as for the millions in parts of the world where they have never heard.
ReplyDeleteLet us always pray, and hope and trust.
DeleteGod bless, Mimi.