Melee with an Athiest

One of the things I really enjoy doing during my relaxation time is watching YouTube videos. Over the years, I have created quite a list of favorite channels of video bloggers called Vlogs and other channels that offer some interesting takes on a variety of subjects I like.

Saturday, I saw a video made by a very thoughtful Christian blogger where he talked about getting in debates and arguments with atheists on YouTube and other online social platforms. I watched the video and thought he had some interesting thoughts on the subject.

Over the years in my own faith journey, I have engaged in debates with atheists online. I normally don't seek heated debates out, but such encounters are like sparring matches that keep me learning and growing in my faith.

Anyway, after watching the video, I posted a comment in the comment section of the video basically sharing my own thoughts with the Vlogger.

Here is my comment: Well said. I have found many of those that vehemently reject the concept of God are actually very close to believing.

It wasn't long before a atheist decided to call me out. For me it was game on: Here is the exchange:

Atheist: "So you live in Cloud Cuckoo Land then? tell me, whats the weather like in your little make believe world."

My Response: "You tell me. Better check again to verify who is living in such a world."

Athiest: "You say you can read the minds of other people? You say many of us atheists that vehemently reject the concept of God are actually very close to believing.
The only way to know that is if you could actually read their minds.
So you can come back to me and say you can read other peoples minds and show yourself up as a fool.
Or you can admit that you can't read other peoples minds and also show yourself up as a fool by stating that you could.

Can't wait to find out which one you choose?"
My Response:

I reject your premise that the only way one would be able to draw a conclusion about the tendencies of any persons or groups is for one to be able to read minds. It is a false dichotomy you are presenting and I reject it. One can draw a general conclusion by observing behavior of people and also by reading the words that people write and by listening to the words that people say. I never asserted I could read the minds of other people. The conclusions I draw are based upon gathering readily available information about individuals who self identify with a group of people-  (atheists openly hostile to theism) and encountering a number of examples where a conversion occurs with some of these individuals. It is a general personal sociological inference I stated: nothing more.  You are certainly free to disagree with my assertion. 

There you have it. Crickets sounds so far. 

My Letter to Mission Presbytery of the PCUSA

Dear Stated Clerk, 

Thank you for your willingness to listen to my thoughts and concerns regarding the serious doubts I am having about the Presbyterian Church USA and my continuing ability to serve within it as an Ordained Elder.

I consider the members of the First Presbyterian Church here in Uvalde to be my friends and church family. Because of this, it makes my deliberations about asking the session of my church to lay aside my election as an ordained elder of the PCUSA extremely difficult. While there have always been differences between the members of this church and the previous PCUSA church where my wife and I were once members, the First Presbyterian Church of Temple, Texas, I never doubted that my brothers and sisters in Christ were sincere in their faith and made a genuine effort to respond to God's grace and mercy with their utmost abilities. We didn't always agree but despite our differences we listened to one another and respected each other's ideas. 

That being said, over the years, when I followed the decisions, words and actions of the higher levels of the Presbyterian Church specifically, the General Assembly and to some extent the Presbytery, I have been saddened, angered, and grieved over the interpretations of scripture and the churches efforts to support and promote leftist and socialist political agendas within the arena of the United States Federal Government.  

For example, a few years ago, I was horrified to find the PCUSA signed on with a number of other church denominations supporting the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also know as Obamacare. 

About that same time frame, I asked a pastor who served as the Interim Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Uvalde about actions the PCUSA has taken to promote and further secular political agendas and he told me that this type of political activism happens all the time.

With aid of social media, blogs and access to a variety of news outlets, I followed the happenings and the votes that occurred at this year's 221st General Assembly which occurred in Detroit, Michigan. As the week wore on, I started feeling sick not only about the decisions that were made, but also because moments for prayer and scripture reading prior to important decisions were voted down. I am aware that worship services were held throughout the week of the General Assembly, but I would hope that delegates and those directing the General Assembly would seek every reasonable opportunity to pray before the time important votes were to be cast. 

The decisions that were most troubling to me were the following: The decision to change the definition of marriage in the Book of Order to two persons rather than one man and one woman; the divestment from three corporations whose products it (the PCUSA) believes contribute to the Israeli occupation of Palestine; and the decision not to condemn the killing of infants outside the womb who have survived botched late term abortion attempts. The latter decision was the most sickening and egregious to me. 

I am not without sympathy for persons who identify as homosexual and transgender. I think it fair to say the gay marriage issue qualifies and a significant contemporary moral dilemma. While I personally believe that in civil society, same sex couples should be afforded many of the same rights and privileges afforded traditional heterosexual married couples and be treated with compassion and respect, there is an important distinction between the secular society's definition of marriage and the church's definition of marriage guided by Holy Scripture. 

Perhaps it wasn't discussed at this years General Assembly, but in all the frenzy over passage of redefining marriage as two people, was there any discussion about same sex couples actually becoming devoted followers of Jesus, joining the Presbyterian Church, learning about sin and repentance, and the seriousness of following Jesus? If so, how many are ready to deny themselves and take up their respective crosses to follow Him? Or are we looking at a situation where non-member same sex couples hope to talk a PCUSA pastor into officiating their weddings to obtain the trappings and respect of a Christian wedding without joining the faith, and then scurrying away to live life according to their own ways of believing? Has the PCUSA been remiss in admonishing its members that the cost is high and the road is often difficult and painful to follow Christ? Or does any of this matter anymore?

In regard to the divestment vote, it is obvious to me that the motion which was approved was carefully worded, while the fixation many have within the PCUSA over this issue and the broader issue of the Israeli Palastinian Conflict is disturbing to me. It seems like an odd and awkward issue on which the PCUSA has decided to draw a hard line on. While the wording of the motion attempts to distance the church from it, the efforts and energy devoted to this very narrow issue leads me to suspect the real reason could very well be driven by deep seeded Antisemitism within the church.

I was able to view the recent CNN interview with GA Moderator Dr. Heath Rada who attempting to address this vote and issue. It was obvious that he was not prepared to defend this issue and received withering criticism from not only the program host, but also a prominent voice representing the Israeli people. 

To summarize, evidence has led me to the conclusion that the PCUSA General Assembly was not conducted "decently and in order" as is one of the key traditions and ideals of the Presbyterian Church. Most notably, the use of Authoritative Interpretation regarding the redefining of marriage in the Book of Order which even some of the more liberal voices within our denomination have expressed concern and anguish. I fear the voices of other viewpoints are not only not being heard but also systematically suppressed from participating in important discussions within the PCUSA. 

My discernment over the matter of continuing serving as an Ordained Elder within the PCUSA is for this purpose: To strive to respond to Christ's sacrifice and love for me with fidelity to God's word revealed through scripture and to share Christ's love with others. To hope to achieve this purpose faithfully, I realize the necessity to be a part of faithful Christian family of believers who strive to be obedient to God and his word.  The question I must answer for myself, is this: Can I be an obedient follower and faithful witness of Christ and remain an Ordained Elder of the PCUSA? 

In saying this, I admit I am a fellow sinner and am wholly dependent upon the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. My understanding is far from perfect. When I am at my best, I consider myself a truth seeker and do not fear where the truth leads.

The recent decisions of this year's General Assembly indicate to me that the PCUSA has exchanged Martin Luther's Sola Scriptura with Sola Cultura as a guiding principal for the faith. My actions and decisions may not have much if any influence on the PCUSA denomination but I am compelled to remain true to my response to Christ and to help nurture others to grow in the faith, with God's help. 

Sincerely, 

Michael Robinson 

Ordained Elder of the PCUSA

Life's Purpose

I wasn't planning on writing a blog entry tonight. But my friend and former coworker published a new entry in her blog: heidiannehood about Life Purpose. She invited the readers of her blog to answer the following questions:

1. Do you think you have a Purpose… a Unique Purpose?
2. What do you think it is?
3. Did you do anything special to figure out the Purpose, or is it something that you have just known all your life?
4. What do you do to fulfill your Purpose?
5. Do have doubts and insecurities regarding your Purpose?
6. Do you think I am completely mad and there is absolutely nothing to the idea of Unique Purpose. We are here to exist, the end.

Here are my responses to her questions: 

1. I believe a do have a unique purpose! The problem is it is like a jigsaw puzzle to me. I can see part of my purpose, but some of the pieces are still missing. I have found that my purpose or calling is being slowly revealed through the course of my life. I suspect other individuals have a unique purpose too. In John Irving's novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Owen Meany firmly believes that his life is leading up to a critical pivotal moment where he realizes his purpose. He knows it involves being tossed up in the air by his best friend, Johnny Wheelwright. He does not know for what reason that is, but is certain his purpose will be revealed at the right time. That is the best way I can describe it. 

2. Fortunately, some of the pieces of my purpose in place already! I know my purpose involves people: comforting them, and helping them to learn and to grow. I also know deep down, when I am at my best, I seek Truth. I seem to always dig below the surface searching for philosophical truth and wisdom. Over the years, my connections with people have gone beyond the United States and I am now communicating with people all over the globe. 

3. I spend some time each day in the morning reading scripture, playing the guitar and reading devotionals. I like to wander away in nature and spend time just watching and listening. Lots of people come and go in my life and I feel like each one teaches me something. I hope I do the same for them. As far as the second part of the question about knowing something about my purpose, I would say no. I was a bit of a mess growing up. 

4. I connect with people and listen to people. I pray. I read scripture. I listen to music. I pay attention to nature and animals. 

5. I used to but not anymore. The is a mysterious large phenomenon in space called the Great Attractor. Astronomers do not fully understand it, but it is pulling the Milky Way Galaxy and many other galaxies too it. My life has a Great Attractor. That is God to me and his Son Jesus Christ. I am being lead somewhere. I know that much. 

6. No, you are not mad. Would I be answering these questions if I thought you were. 

Rage against Facebook

Ever experience Facebook fatigue like I have? I think of Facebook as this artificial world of friendship created by Mark Zuckerberg and his team, where family, friends and acquaintances can share pictures, make personal comments and "LIKE" all kinds of third party content, like quotes, political talking points, boilerplate political zingers, smoothie businesses, and cute cat pictures.

Facebook is an artificial world similar to the arena in the "Hunger Games" where outside game masters control the playing field, the atmosphere, and the surroundings, yet when one logs onto Facebook, one is in no danger of being stabbed, blown up, impaled or shot. However, there is an audience that watches the Facebook users.

 I am not referring to the friends or friends of friends that see ones. posts, comments or "LIKES", but rather Mark Zuckerberg and and his corporate cronies at Facebook who monitor users words, posts and activities, keeping record of what you like, who you like and the keywords one uses. Facebook then uses the data and meta data gleaned from all this activity and sell it to companies wanting to market products to  specific demographics and psycho-graphic profiles and interests.

In other words, if you use Facebook, YOU are the product they are selling!

Also Facebook provides a convenient one stop shop for the NSA to keep tabs on all of us #hipster social media users. 

Occasionally, the controllers of Facebooks artificial world are not satisfied with some aspect of activity relating to one user or many user, these controllers will nudge the users into doing something they want. 

For example, I sometimes get an email or notification from Facebook with a message like: "Why not post something on Joey Smitherbee's Wall? "

Such types of suggestions or nudges from the Facebook overloads are irritate me to no end. 

Another thing, among many things that irritates me about Facebook is when people post a controversial comment related to some political position. In the past I would take the bait and post a dissenting but respectful comment. 

More often than not the person will take offense at the comment and that users Facebook friends will circle the wagons around their friend posting inane and facile retorts against my comment. It doesn't take long before the thread grows to 50 to 70 comments and the only people that care are the ones commenting. 

I once saw a cartoon where one of the characters in the strip made the comment. "Something is wrong on the Internet!" referring to an perceived need to hold up his side in a comment melee. 

There are some that consider Facebook to be their personal blog. That is fine I guess, but I prefer to keep it real on my own personal blog!

Finally, enough with the "slactivism" or "LIKING" causes on Facebook in order to save the world without leaving ones couch or PC. 

Yes, I would love to leave Mark Zuckerberg's fake friendship world except it does offer medium to communicate with people I wouldn't be able to otherwise. So I guess I will visit the Facebook arena now and again, but I have dreams of leaving and there will be a day I do.