Fork in the Road

Our son gave us quite a scare. He told us he doubts the existence of God.  Interestingly enough, my wife was very upset.  I was not.

Perhaps because when I was a little older than him I too had my doubts. Unfortunately I listened to people that were strident in their beliefs. As I would later say, I would rather be in hell without people like that than with them in heaven. Besides, I know hot, I was raised in West Texas.

The reasons it does not bother me are numerous.  First, he is actually thinking why.  That is not necessarily bad. Second, I think he will discover as I did that the road to an enlightened religious life is a journey. I take great comfort in that. 

I cannot tell you the date or the month I felt it. I can tell you the year. It was 1999. It was several events. The first one was my doctor told me about a song the choir would sing that Sunday. It was hard and beautiful.  We went to the same church.  Second, I went to a Sunday School gathering with my wife (she was miles ahead of me on her journey) and actually enjoyed the people. Third, I took a course at Eastminister Presbyterian Church called Alpha. Finally, and I may not recall this correctly, but I was listening to a GOP debate on the radio and Gov. George Bush was asked who was his favorite philosopher. His answer was Jesus Christ. He got some ridicule for that, but after I thought about it, I think he was right.

Why? If you consider Jesus Christ a philosopher, then Christianity is a philosophy.  If that is so, then it is a choice you make to follow. While I heard vague references to that, I never heard it so eloquently stated as then Governor Bush did over a decade ago.  As I reread the New Testament, I found this philosophy quite engaging. Jesus Christ is a knowledgeable and compassionate spokesman.  You see, it is a choice he will make at some point.  My money is on his discovering why as opposed to doubting. Perhaps that will make him a better Christian.