{"id":1947,"date":"2012-02-21T09:59:28","date_gmt":"2012-02-21T14:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/godonomics\/?p=1947"},"modified":"2012-02-21T11:07:02","modified_gmt":"2012-02-21T16:07:02","slug":"what-do-you-believe-part-1-of-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/2012\/02\/what-do-you-believe-part-1-of-2.html","title":{"rendered":"What Do You Believe? (part 1 of 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/strong>All of us have a belief system. \u00a0Steve calls himself an Agnostic, but he has a belief system. I call myself a follower of Christ.\u00a0 I have one. \u00a0Steve has great faith in his belief system. I have great faith in my belief system.<\/p>\n

Many people will come to me and say, I\u2019m not sure I have enough faith to be a follower of God and a follower of Christ. I want to pray for mor<\/span>e faith<\/span>. And I share with them, what I\u2019d like to share with you today. \u00a0For the most part, no one needs \u201cmore faith.\u201d \u00a0The size of your faith is relatively irrelevant,<\/span><\/strong> \u00a0you may think it strange for a pastor to say that, but Jesus said that… he said,<\/p>\n

Matthew 17:20<\/strong> Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, \u2018Move from here to there,\u2019 and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.<\/em><\/p>\n

Jesus is not suggesting we all become landscapers and dirt movers. He is using hyperbole to make a point. He picks the smallest item his audience knew about…a mustard seed…and said, \u201cthat\u2019s all you need\u201d to do great things. The size of the faith is irrelevant. The issue is what you put your faith in.<\/strong> If you put a little faith in the right object.<\/p>\n

When I was a kid our family went over to grandma’s lake and my father would bring our three wheeler and we’d drive it out on the lake and pull sleds behind the three wheeler. \u00a0This lake was 20-30 feet deep. \u00a0If we fell through we’d be in trouble. \u00a0I was nervous about the ice. \u00a0So was my mom. \u00a0We didn’t have much faith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My dad took his battery operated drill and walked out to the middle of the lake and pulled out a core sample that was 2 feet thick.\u00a0 Two feet of solid ice in the middle of the lake protected us from the freezing water. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If I had a little faith the ice would’ve held me. \u00a0If I had a lot of faith the ice would’ve held me. \u00a0The faith was irrelevant. \u00a0 What the faith was in was paramount. \u00a0\u00a0Last year my son and I went out to the river to explore in January. \u00a0The Little Miami was frozen over. \u00a0My son was “sure” it would hold him. \u00a0He had faith…he took one step out and crashed through the ice into the freezing water. \u00a0I scooped him up in my arms. \u00a0Ran him 100 yards to the car, tore off his freezing wet clothes and turned on the heat in my car… \u00a0\u00a0His faith was irrelevant. \u00a0The object of his faith, now that\u2019s what really <\/span>matters<\/span>… OUR FAITH IS ONLY AS HELPFUL AS THE SUBSTANCE OF OUR BELIEFS. \u00a0\u00a0If our beliefs are thin, we will fall through the ice. If our beliefs are true and thick, we will stand firm in hope and joy and safety even with minimal faith…. as Yoda said to Luke Skywalker, \u201cSize matters not…\u201d in using the force. \u00a0\u00a0The same is true with faith.<\/p>\n

I want to challenge us all to think about this… \u201cDon\u2019t Examine Your Faith. Examine Your Beliefs.\u201d \u00a0If our beliefs are true -whatever that means- if they are rooted in truth, if your beliefs have substance and thickness, and correspond to reality….a little faith in that can change everything.<\/p>\n

So I\u2019d like to begin by helping you figure out where you are in your belief system right now.\u00a0 Many of us might label ourselves as Christians, Methodists, ex-Baptists, recovering Catholics, Agnostics, Atheists, etc. \u00a0I am not hung up on labels, nor are we as a church. Call yourself whatever you want. I\u2019d like us to examine what you believe about the key questions of life. \u00a0You may find that you call yourself one thing…but line up with a totally different group on their beliefs about \u201cthe afterlife\u201d or the problem of evil, etc.<\/p>\n

WE WANT TO HELP YOU DISCOVER YOUR BELIEFS BY ANSWERING SIX QUESTIONS.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Question 1: What is God Like?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s begin with the first question: What is God Like? I mentioned a few weeks ago a theologian, thinker, philosopher once said, \u201cThe most important thing you think about, is what you think about, when you think about God.\u201d Place a check on your menu as to where you think you are right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n\n

What is God Like?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\n\n

I believe there is one God who is a Personal Spirit -not energy- who is Creator, Lover, and Final Judge who offers to make me right with Him.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\n\n

God is a Personal Spirit -not energy- who is Creator, Lover, and Final Judge who forgives me and accepts me when I do good deeds.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\n\n

God is Irrelevant compared to the importance of connecting yourself to your own sense of spirituality -whatever you call it.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\n\n

God is a biological crutch\/glitch of DNA from evolutionary leftovers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\n\n

God is the eternal, impersonal, formless ultimate Reality and Energy in everything.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Which one best describes where you are right now?\u00a0 Make a mark next to the phrase. \u00a0Notice that these are radically different views of God. The naive idea that all religions are basically discussing the same God in different ways is not even remotely intellectually honest. \u00a0Hopefully as you see them side by side, you can see the differences. As you think for a moment, let me tell you a story.<\/p>\n

In January 2006, Hemant Mehta posted an auction on eBay<\/a> where he explained his background in atheism and offered to go to the worship services of the winning bidder’s choosing. The auction ended on February 3, 2006 with a final bid of $504 from Jim Henderson, a minister from Seattle<\/a>, Washington<\/a>. Mehta later donated that money to the Secular Student Alliance<\/a>, a non-profit organization in which he serves as Chair of the Board of Directors<\/a>. Henderson asked Mehta to visit a variety of churches and write about the experiences on Henderson’s website, Mehta eventually wrote about his visits at nine different churches as well as two additional pieces dealing with atheist conventions and Christian media. Nearly a month after the auction, an article about Mehta’s experiences appeared on the front page of The Wall Street Journal<\/a>, leading to a flurry of media coverage. I read his book, \u201cI sold my soul on Ebay…\u201d and what I respected about this guy is his marketing savy \ud83d\ude42 as well as his sincere attempts to examine his beliefs and others.<\/p>\n

Hemant began his journey exploring faith and differing views of God. That view of God affects question number 2.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Question 2: Where Did We Come From?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Where Did We Come From?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

I came from the purposeful, intentional, and loving design of a personal God, but I am unable to do the good I was designed to do without Him.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

I came from the purposeful, intentional, and loving design of a personal God, and I am able to work toward my full potential.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

I came from Nothingness and am nothing; thinking \u201cI\u201d exist as a person is part of the problem that causes cravings and suffering since I will return to nothingness.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

I came from a random Meaningless Accident.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

I came from an Impersonal Cosmic Cycle of Energy.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Again, notice how radically different these views are. \u00a0They speak to our purpose, our origin, and the nature of the universe. Is the universe designed? Is it an illusion? Is it an accident? Is it impersonal? Mark the box that best reflects your thoughts on where you come from. Do you believe your life came from a purposeful, intentional deign… From a random meaningless cosmic belch… from a cycle of energy that always has been and always will be… Or you came from nothingness or Nirvana?<\/p>\n

Where we come from is a question hardwired into every human being. \u00a0A young boy came home from school one day in 4th grade and asked his father, Where do I come from? \u00a0His dad wasn\u2019t ready for the birds and the bees speech. \u00a0He broke into a cold sweat… \u201cUm, ur… let’s chat about this before bed.\u201d Dad spent the evening googling, reading, and researching how to talk to your children about the birds and the bees. \u00a0That night, he launched into an hour long anatomy lesson with his son, who quietly listened with jaw-dropping intensity. His dad concluded with, \u201cSo, John… That\u2019s were you come from. Why did you ask son?”\u00a0 After a long pause, John said… \u201cWOW!… \u00a0Um… Today at recess Mark said he came from Cleveland, and I was wondering where I came from?\u201d<\/p>\n

Our beliefs about our origins have consequences. They shape how we view ourselves, our purpose, our \u00a0meaning, and our world… And where we come from shapes the third questions: Who Am I?<\/p>\n

Question 3: Who Am I?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Who am I?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Eternal person who lives forever somewhere based on either forgiveness or fairness<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Eternal person who lives forever based on the fairness of what I do<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Deluded nothingness who thinks I am a person with cravings<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Temporal highly-evolved animal<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Eternal energy that is transferred into different forms in the universe over time<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

So, which of these describes who you believe you are? Are you an eternal person who will love forever somewhere?\u00a0\u00a0 A real place will real people based on either forgiveness or fairness?\u00a0 Or do you think you live somewhere based on the fairness of what you do or did? \u00a0Do you think that you are deluded into thinking you are a person, and those cravings and beliefs are tricking you into not realizing this world is unreal and your personhood is an illusion?\u00a0 Do you think you are temporal (meaning when you die, you die)?\u00a0 You don\u2019t live forever anywhere. That\u2019s all fairy tales. We are highly evolved animals. \u00a0\u00a0Or, do you think you are energy deposited into this current body that might be deposited into another body, animal, tree, etc later?\u00a0 Mark which one rings true to where you are right now….<\/p>\n

For a free session of Godonomics, visit:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.godonomics.com\/watch-session-5<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dKcSNxOq5yA<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

All of us have a belief system. \u00a0Steve calls himself an Agnostic, but he has a belief system. I call myself a follower of Christ.\u00a0 I have one. \u00a0Steve has great faith in his belief system. I have great faith in my belief system. Many people will come to me and say, I\u2019m not sure…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":353,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[471],"tags":[538,170],"class_list":["post-1947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reflection","tag-beliefs","tag-faith"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Do You Believe? 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