I want to recommend a movie that you might be interested in seeing if you are either a Christian or are interested in Christianity (whether you think you may want to be a Christian or are more academically curious). The film gives a solid explanation of what Christianity is at its core—but it is also not sugar-coated.

Many Hollywood films and shows I’ve seen that feature Christian characters make them look like bumbling buffoons or religious fanatics. Many Christian-made films never become popular because they don’t offer real-life scenarios or have poor production quality.

This movie is a nice package: A good representation of Christianity, wrapped in a script with firefighter action and relational drama. Plus, it contains an excellent message about the importance of love and faithfulness in marriage.

Fireproof  hits theatres in late September. In the meantime, check out this trailer:

When God catches even the attention of a staunch atheist, it’s impressive to see.

I went to see Expelled with my husband on the weekend. The whole bit about the educational system knocking down the idea of intelligent design was interesting, but what really intrigued me was Richard Dawkins’s fascination with God. This was evident mostly near the end of the film, when Ben Stein sat down with the atheist for some face-to-face time. Dawkins read from his book, The God Delusion, a description of what he called the “Old Testament God.” It was scathing and even frightening.

What amazed me is the time that Dawkins, who does not believe God exists, has devoted to God. Writing the book takes time, yes, but there’s also the pondering the whole idea of God over and over in his head to come up with not only one description but a whole bookful of observations and arguments (I haven’t read the book, so please correct me if I’m off track here). I thought about the fact that atheists generally view God as a myth; he’s been compared by some to the fairies or goblins of children’s lore. I considered how difficult it would be for me to, for example, write a whole, serious book on the evils (or benefits) of the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny, considering that I have no doubt in my mind that those creatures are make-believe.

Later in the interview with Stein, Dawkins admitted to believing there could be an intelligent designer—if said designer evolved.

I left the movie wondering that if deep within himself, Dawkins doesn’t have just a tiny bit of doubt in his faith that there is no God.

It always intrigues me how religion and secularism interact, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. A recent report by the Associated Press points out the secular celebration of the Sabbath.

The Sabbath, a command given by God to the Israelites as part of what’s known today as the Ten Commandments, mandates a day of rest. Interestingly, some people who turn their backs entirely on any type of religion are acknowledging a Sabbath of sorts. They’re finding that God’s rules are actually healthy for their lives as they take a break from the hustle-bustle and technology of the day to day, and focus on relationships or just relaxing. They’re unplugging themselves from the Internet, refraining from watching television, or hanging out at coffee shops to chat and reflect.

As a Christian, I recognize that God’s commands are not merely a set of dos and don’ts. Yes, they were designed by Him and Christians obey them out of love for our Maker, but they are also for our good. In the case of the Sabbath, our physical, emotional, and relational health is at stake. In other cases—such as the commands to not steal,  murder, or commit adultery—our lives and the lives of others are deeply hurt by disobedience.

To me, the effectiveness and truth of the Bible are one very firm piece of evidence for God’s existence.

With Mary’s story on my mind, I read another, similar tale about a young man. He made a decision to step out of his religion and into another to find some answers when he realized the “truth” of his apparently couldn’t stand up under any sort of attack. This took bravery—but it changed his life.

Feel free to share your thoughts about this teenager’s story.

Here is the rest of Mary’s interesting story:

What led you to reconsider your beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness?

Long story short: I was “witnessing” to a coworker/friend of mine and she was “witnessing” (the truth about Christianity!) to me.  We often had discussions about the Bible, and basically were having a Bible Study about basic true Christian teachings; neither of us could convince the other our beliefs. So one day we decided to pray together to God, through Jesus, and have Him reveal the truth to us. I honestly thought that her eyes would be open and she would be converted to a JW. But no. It was my eyes and heart that were opened to the truth and I began seeing the contradictions of their teachings right in my own JW Bible and JW materials.

Explain the thing (or things) that made you completely change your mind. 

Well, obviously the above was the first step.  Two other coworkers/friends of mine started inviting me to revival services at their church. I was so hesitant at first because I was scared to step foot into a church! But because I was seeing all the contradictions in the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teachings and the way they twisted things to fit their own doctrine, I finally gave in and went. I saw things that scared the you-know-what out of me! It was a Holy-Spirit filled revival service so there were people slain in the Spirit and speaking in tongues. I remember just standing there that first time, thinking, “What have I gotten myself into?” But, I also remember standing there feeling so at peace and so loved. Almost everyone at that service was so loving and nice, and they accepted me just as I was. I didn’t have to “perform,” or dress a certain way for them to love me; they just loved me.  And as John 13:35 says, “all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

What did you do when you realized you no longer believed what the Watch Tower does?

One Sunday morning, my oldest daughter and I went to the Kingdom Hall.  She was having a hard time understanding how I could “reject the truth” and start going to church.  But God was working on her heart, too, and began opening her eyes. Right in the middle of the meeting, we both looked at each other and knew we had to leave.  We couldn’t believe the twisting of the truth we were hearing, and our spirits wouldn’t let us stay.  We knew the truth now and could see it.  We walked out and never returned. 

I wrote a letter to the congregation, announcing my “disassociation.”  Because my daughter never was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness, she didn’t have to “disassociate” herself. You aren’t recognized as a true JW until you are baptized as one. 

Did this decision result in any positive or negative changes in your life?

Oh yes!

Positive: I am part of a huge family of true Christian believers who have loved me and accepted me as I am. I have grown so much in the last 11 years in my relationship with Jesus and in my personal life. I have gained so much self-esteem and confidence, through the love of Christ. He has been my Strength, my Provider, my Counselor, my All-in-All, my Everything!  And most of all I know He loves me, not because of what I do or don’t do, but because He created me!

Negative: The only negative change is that the people I thought were my friends don’t speak to me or even look at me when I see them in the grocery store or around town. I feel bad for them. I want their eyes to be open to the truth so bad, but they won’t even give me a chance.

How have your experiences as a born-again Christian differed from the faith experience you had as a Jehovah’s Witness?

It’s amazing the love I feel from God! I have a relationship with Him! It’s so different than being taught as a Jehovah’s Witness. As a Jehovah’s Witness you are expected to spend so many hours going door to door, and [the leaders] keep track of them. You are expected to attend all of the meetings and Bible studies…which are basically for training you to go door to door. They use all of their materials to teach you their doctrine, instead of using the Bible. 

As a Christian, I choose to read my Bible, I choose to witness to others because I love God and Jesus, and it’s in my heart, and it comes out of my mouth because God loves me and you!

My faith grows everyday because I ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct me, and He does! I don’t need books or magazines to help me know and love God. His love is there for you to grasp and take hold of.  He is waiting with open arms to receive you, just as you are, all your mess, all your imperfections, all of your sin. Jesus died on the cross for you; God sent him because He loves you. Plain and simple, the truth has set me free!  I’m no longer in bondage, no longer deceived by wrong teachings!  I am free to love God and to love others, and to show them the true love of Jesus Christ.

I pray right now in Jesus name, that if you are a Jehovah’s Witness or any other religion, or atheist or agnostic, or whatever, and are reading this, that you will take a moment and pray to God and ask him to reveal the truth about Himself to you! He loves you so much, and He wants you to be set free by His truth! All you have to do is ask.  Don’t let the lies and deceit of Satan control you any longer.

Mary has a compelling story to tell. I met her online just a few days ago, and I quickly learned she was wrapped in a religion for many years that was extremely difficult. Then, she found freedom and truth on a new pathway. I’ve asked her to share this part of her life with us, which she graciously has. (Because it is such a significant time and important experience for her, the story is lengthy, so I’m making it into two posts.)

What were the circumstances that led your family to become Jehovah’s Witnesses? Why did they feel this was a good faith to pursue?

We became JWs when I was in 3rd grade, about 8 years old. My mom and step-father were out selling Christmas cards, door to door, and came to the door of JW’s.  I was not with them, so I don’t really know what all transpired as far as the conversation.  The next thing I knew, one day we were getting ready to go to a meeting (I had no idea what type of “meeting”).  After that, all I remember is we were now Jehovah’s Witnesses. As time went on, I know they thought it was the truth, and so did I.

What are some of the basics of the faith you were taught?

[I was taught] that Jehovah has an organization on earth that He set up, and that He gives [JWs], and only them the true interpretation of the Bible.  They supposedly have Greek and Hebrew translators at the head of the organization who have correctly translated the Bible (the New World Translation).  No other translations are correct, according to the Watch Tower Society.

They also believe that Jehovah “spoke to” Charles Russell, the founder of the Watch Tower Society, and revealed the “truth” to him and used him to begin spreading “the truth” to others.  Before Charles Russell, (late 1800s) there was no true religion on earth. They use a counting system of some sort (I don’t have any of their materials any longer to show how they figure this) “from the Bible” to show that there were so many years from Jesus death and resurrection until the return of Jesus that points to 1914 as his “return to Kingship, in a spiritual form” here on earth. 

The main teaching is that Jesus is not Jehovah.  They do not believe in a triune God. One of the arguments they use is that in John 1:1, they say the correct translation of the latter part of the scripture is “…the Word was a god.” (note the “a” and the small “g” in god, [rather than "the Word was God" in other translations].)  They honestly believe this is the correct translation.  (Right now I wish I had kept some of their materials so I could use direct quotes from them.)  Right there is one of their own contradictions. They believe this Scripture is talking about Jesus—and it is—so they teach that Jesus is “a god”!  Is he a false god then? They use many other Scriptures to teach this, as well, which gets all very confusing when you know the truth.  Their teachings truly do not make any sense unless you use their materials…the Bible say to let the Holy Spirit interpret the Scriptures. 

Some of their other main teachings are that there is no literal hell; after Armageddon, only Jehovah’s Witnesses will be left on earth to clean it up and make it into a beautiful paradise. Only 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses are going to heaven, as the “chosen ones.”  Again, they use only their New World Translation to back this up.  They use Scriptures like “the meek shall inherit the earth”…and Revelation 14:1, where it talks about the 144,000.  They use many, many other scriptures to back up what they teach, which is why they get so many people to follow them and believe them, but the “Scriptures” they use are only from their own translation, the New World Translation.  They will not use any other translation and they can only back up their teachings with their materials!

Growing up, did you ever question your faith? Why or why not?

For so long, even into my early 30s, even after “falling away,” getting married, and having kids, I thought it was the only true religion, and that all others were the devil’s ploy to deceive people.  We were afraid to enter into any other churches because they were full of demons, and we wouldn’t want to be caught in one when Armageddon came!  We were taught not to talk to or let people of other religions (including Christians!) pray over us, because Jehovah doesn’t hear their prayers because they are demonized or deceived by Satan.  They believe they are the only true Christians!

What, if any, were some of the difficult parts of being a Jehovah’s Witness? What, if any, were some of the positive experiences?

My childhood was difficult over all because I was molested by my step-father, and I think my mom felt that she couldn’t divorce him because she would be disfellowshipped and rejected by her friends at the Kingdom Hall.  I think that is the most difficult part of being a Jehovah’s Witness; if you don’t measure up to their standards (ie. hours of time spent going door to door, or if you commit a “public” sin, or don’t go to all of the meetings, or don’t study the Watch Tower for Sunday Mornings, etc.), then you can be “publicly reproofed” or disfellowshipped.  If you are publicly reproofed, then you are not allowed to participate (ie. give talks, or answer questions) at the meetings, but other Jehovah’s Witnesses can still associate with you.  If you are disfellowshipped, then other JWs are not allowed to associate with you at all!  (Where is the love of Jesus in that?)

Visit this blog again for the rest of Mary’s story. In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section.
 

According to my calendar, the Jewish holiday of Purim is today (actually, I believe it began last evening). This holiday honors an important time in history for the Jewish people, when God delivered them from annihilation at the hand of Haman, a ruler with evil intent. Because Queen Esther—who was secretly Jewish and had arrived in her position basically as the result of a beauty pageant—bravely spoke up for her people, the king discovered Haman’s plot and spared the Jews. Haman received no mercy; he was impaled for his cruel plan.

The biblical book of Esther describes the Jews’ reaction when they discovered they had been delivered: “For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating” (Esther 8:16–17).  You can read more about the fascinating story of Esther in the Bible.

According to the “Columbia Encyclopedia” and Judaism.about.com, Purim, preceded by a day of fasting, is a day of abundant joy with plenty of food and festivities. The book of Esther is read in the synagogue. Children wear costumes and use noisemakers, and adults exchange food basket gifts and donate to charity. A Purim carnival is held in Israel. I don’t have any personal experience celebrating Purim, so I’d love to hear from you if you celebrate this holiday.

This time of great joy reminds me of another deliverance that I should celebrate every day. I’ve been set free from a much greater foe than Haman. I’ve been delivered from sin, its burdens, and its punishment. I am a sinner by nature, which separates me from God and makes me deserving of punishment by a holy and just God. But Jesus took my full punishment instead through His death (which atoned for my sin), and then he rose from the dead (which demonstrated His power over sin). All I had to do was open my hands and receive his offer of forgiveness and abundant life. I am free and headed for eternity with God—and that is cause to celebrate!

There are times when faith is good. It promotes hope and peace and points to beautiful ideals.

But there are times when faith is difficult—for the faithful and those touched by them. There are times when religious passion destroys lives in a storm of brick and fire. There are times when people innocently and sincerely assume they are doing right while actually committing deeds that result in irreversible harm to themselves and others.

On September 11 and at other times in history, these flaws become obvious. But day after day goes by that faith—in a person, thing, or system—more subtly destroys, creating inner chaos and heartache that never makes the news.

I have seen both sides. I’ve balanced on the stony religious pathway of extreme legalism, and I now walk on a road marked by a beautiful blend of freedom and faith.

I know what it is like to be part of a cult-like group—one that regulated everything from your clothing to your mind. That is not to say there weren’t some benefits to this time in my childhood, and glimmers of the sunshine of a later, more complete faith experience. But it was hard to be in it, and hard to leave. It became an inescapable truth that it was wrong, but it was a paradoxical feeling when the group had trained you that no other organization could be right. Thus, I huddled together with a few other desserters in a makeshift church until we healed and realized there was more out there to discover—more freedom, and fuller faith.  

Wherever you are in your faith experience, feel free to discuss it here. If faith is making life difficult, it could be that life is just hard, and you’re blaming it on faith. But it could be that religion is weighing you down. Sharing perspectives often leads to a fuller understanding of our experiences.

I’m of the persuasion that faith is a good, healthy, and eternally significant thing—if it is placed in the right thing in the right way. I will not be shy about my perspective but I do promise to be honest. I ask you to do the same about what you truly believe (or want to believe), even if it does not happen at the moment to line up with what you’ve always been taught or the claims of your religious organization.

And so the quest for honest faith begins.