Christian Inaction and the Second Coming

 Literal belief in Jesus and the Bible restrict climate change legislation

 

I am a scientist and a Christian.  I received my doctorate in chemistry at the age of 25.  I became a Christian at age of 29. The above article is very good on the views of scientists, but very poor on its analysis of the Christian belief in the  second coming of Jesus. I have a literal view of Jesus but still believe in all the tenets of modern science including evolution and that climate change is man-made.

The only conflict that exists lies between fundamentalist Christians (a small but media savvy group) and atheists who enjoy portraying all Christians as fundamentalists.  There is no conflict in belief about the reality of man-made climate change and their faith in the minds of mainstream Christians.  Mainstream Christians believe just as scientists do that we must take action now.  My own view is that we are too late.  We have sown the wind, we will reap the whirlwind.

The author of the article failed to realize that it is not the belief in the Second Coming of Christ that determines how a Christian acts, but whether the belief is that the Second Coming is predictable and imminent. The immediacy of the Second Coming is a staple of fundamentalists who believe that the trumpet shall sound and Christ return within their lifetimes. Most believers in the immediacy of the Second Coming will tell you that they expect it to occur at any moment. Essentially, they are always looking over their shoulder for God.

I believe in the Second Coming but do not believe we will ever know how close or how far it is from us.  Jesus himself said in the Gospel of Mark that only God knows the schedule, that he did not.  If the Word of God did not know, how can we? 

Ministers, tel-evangelists, and end times writers teach an all too gullible Christian fringe that the end is upon us, so get your spiritual affairs in order.  This teaching that we know Christ will return in the present day yields at least two results.

First, the imminent Second Coming scares believers.  This fear triggers a blind obedience to the purveyors of this fear.  Out of fear that they are not right with God, believers give money to or buy things from those who claim that they know how believers can be safe. The focus is on saving yourself and lost souls by converting them to the only correct faith. (For my views on the many paths to God, read this. )

Second, the idea of an imminent Second Coming encourages believers to ignore the injustices around them. They reason that if Jesus is due any day now there is no need for them to take action because Jesus will fix everything.  Better to spend their time focused on getting right with God than follow Jesus' command to help the least.

The time has come for mainstream Christians to make the media acknowledge a more complex faith than fundamentalists' sound bite theology, and to destroy the miasma of fear that too many create to line their own pockets.  We must stand up for the intellectual truths of Christianity, for knowledge and understanding.  We must embrace science and show there is no reason to fear it.  We must demonstrate a faith inspired by a holy book, not bound by it. Above all, we must make known the diversity and intellectual honesty of modern Christianity.  

 

 

Christmas Eve at a Baptist Church

I took my aunt and cousin to the Christmas Eve service at their Baptist church. The service was lovely and included lighting of the candles of Advent. More and more Baptist churches are returning to some of the rituals that were tossed out in the radical reformation.

My family has observed Advent for years. I usually pick up a daily devotional for Advent at my local Catholic bookstore. Those daily readings help us focus on the meaning of Christmas amidst all the bustle.

The Christmas Eve service included a short sermon. The minister focused on the Second Coming. I believe that is a very cogent topic at Christmas. Many Christians never think about the Second Coming, even though many writers in the New Testament are consumed by the thought of Christ's return. Paul believed Christ would return at any moment and wanted all Christ's followers to be prepared. Only with the death of the apostles did that emphasis lessen, but it never went away.

The sermon was short but to the point until the end. There the minister stumbled into the end time theology currently in vogue. The pastor spoke of a man waking to find that the Rapture had begun and believers were being swept up into heaven ( at another time I will tell you why I do not believe in the Rapture). Christ looks at this man as he pleaded to go to heaven, too. The minister said sadly it was too late, Christ left without this sinner. I believe that is a horrible way to portray Christ.

Jesus is God in action. Through this manifestation of God we all enter his presence. He would not abandon any one that sought help. No one will ever be left behind who desires to be with God. Only those who knowingly reject God will be excluded. This means you know that God exists, know his will, but choose to go your own way. These people are not condemned to hell but to death; they cease to exist,

God, the Trinity, wants all of us to join him. He never gives up. Creator, Comforter and Son: "I am love in action."

Photo by rutlo (not the church attended)