God’s Talent Pool
Over the last several months I’ve been traveling a lot, mainly in connection with the release of the book What Good Is God? I’ve also done radio interviews from my home in Colorado and written blogs for the likes of CNN.com and The Huffington Post. Those last two assignments gave me a window into just how much hostility the topic of religion stirs up.
In answering the question, “What good is God?” I respond that I note positive benefits on three levels. 1) On an individual level, faith can help transform the lives of the needy, such as prostitutes, alcoholics, Dalits (Untouchables), and leprosy victims—the stories I tell in my book. 2) The community of faith also responds with comfort and practical help to those in need: both in natural disasters, such as an earthquake in Haiti or a hurricane in New Orleans, and in human ones such as the mass murders at Virginia Tech and Mumbai. 3) Finally, the gospel spreads like yeast in bread, as Jesus predicted, affecting whole societies. Google the websites that rate countries on freedom, prosperity, freedom from corruption, charity, or gender equality, and virtually all have in common a strong Christian heritage. To take a striking example, what changed Sweden from a tribe of pillaging warriors—the fearsome Vikings—into the civil, generous society we see today?
I had no idea that such assertions would whack a hornet’s nest of protesters. Hundreds of people must cruise the Internet daily looking for anyone who says something good about religion. What an idiot I must be! How can I possibly suggest that religion ever does any good! Don’t I know about the Crusades and the Inquisition? Religion does little but delude people, strip them of money, and further violence and ethnic division.
Here are a few samples of those comments:
–God makes waffle batter fluffy. His only power. Little known fact.
–Religion and a nickel will get you a cup of coffee.
–The question for evangelical ministers isn’t whether there is or isn’t a God or whether God matters. The question for their flock simply is; WHERE’S THE MONEY? SHOW ME THE MONEY!
–The guy looks like a wacko, like all evangelicals…
–if there is a god, he sucks. no good god would allow some of the things going on around us to exist. conseqently, if the there is no god we would have no one to blame. assuming there is a god he doesn’t do any of us any good at all.
Some got more personal, such as the writer who posted about me, “He needs his neck broken, I think. Too bad he didn’t die before writing such a pathetic book. What a waste of paper and medical resources.”
Lest you think these sentiments represent a radical minority, consider that before a debate on “Is religion good or bad?” between Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens in Toronto , the organizers commissioned a poll of 18,000 people in 23 countries. Final results: 52 percent of those surveyed concluded that religion does more harm than good. (The nation with the most appreciation for religion, 92 percent, was Saudi Arabia; the nation with the least appreciation for religion, ironically, was Sweden, at 19 percent. Ah, what short memories have those Swedes.)
As I’ve often written, in my fundamentalist past I saw the toxic effects of religion gone bad. And in my career as a journalist I’ve met my share of characters who seem more suitable for Worldwide Wrestling than for spiritual leadership. In fact, the Huffington Post responses caught me off guard because I’m far more accustomed to hearing from Christian flame-throwers who judge me soft or heretical.
Yet I must acknowledge that some of the oddest characters I’ve met, the larger-than-life ones with a surplus of ego and a deficiency of sophistication, are those who have accomplished most in the work of God’s Kingdom: organizing relief work, feeding the hungry, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus. That pattern simply replicates what the Bible shows so clearly: God used Jacob with his slippery ethics, David with his moral lapses, Jeremiah with his morosity, Saul of Tarsus with his abusive past, Peter with his bodacious failures.
Thinking back over the Christian personalities I’ve known, as well as those featured in both Old and New Testaments, I’ve come up with the following principle: God uses the talent pool available.
To adapt an analogy I heard recently, when the Pueblo, Colorado, Symphony Orchestra plays Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony—don’t blame Beethoven. On the other hand, the only way many Coloradans will ever hear Beethoven is through that struggling ensemble. Unlike Christopher Hitchens and the defenders of non-religion, I can still hear strains of the Good News wherever I go in the world, which is why I keep writing about it.
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About Philip Yancey
For Yancey, reading offered a window to a different world. So, he devoured books that opened his mind, challenged his upbringing, and went against what he had been taught. A sense of betrayal engulfed him.
Greetings Philip
Thanks for your writing, inspiration and challenge.
I am currently reading your book ‘Jesus I Never Knew’ for inspiration for a study series that I will be leading for our congregation in August. It is the second in a series on Faith Sharing and will be over three evenings exploring what it is about Jesus, the Church and the Spirit that we have to share with our family, friends and community.
We are also in the process of exploring as a community the gifts within us that may be useful for God. I am wondering if you would be happy for me to reproduce this article from your blog in our church newsletter. I would be happy to email you a copy of the newsletter if you wish.
With thanks for the blessings your writings bring.
Warm regards
Di (Rev)
Tecoma Uniting Church (Australia)
Do you have the contact info for the person who knows where to get coffee for a nickel?
Dear Philip:
I am a Christian from Brazil. I`m a missionary doctor and pastor and worked among muslins for 12 years. I work now in Portugal as a doctor, pastor anda missionary director. I love the way you write and many times makes us unconfortable. We need to be able to see the way other people see and feel. You help us in that. I can understand your dificulties because as a christian in a post modern europe it is harda to make sense for a lot of people. But i still belive in the cross and in the grace that can save and ask the Lord to help me show it in my life. God Bless you and keep you strong. Your books are a blessing from the Lord.
Joed
thanks for all of your writings
i wish i could act as a better christian, but continue to struggle with my life decisions
your books have been a blessing
i have purchased and passed out many copies of “the jesus i never knew”
thank you again for your work
Mr. Yancey,
I cannot say that I have had the pleasure of reading any of your books, as of yet. I simply heard a friend of yours, Dr. David Jeremiah, tell the story of your long-suffering love for a friend who was plagued with severe depression. This friend who apparently looked at you as god in his life for a time, eventually experienced healing. I am living through this right now, and have been so frustrated that my friend would look at me as if I were some deity. But, now I understand why he keeps referring me to Ecclesiastes 4:9, and why it is that in his isolation he refers to me as the heart of God. It is the only light in a sea of darkness.
I pray every day that God will heal his soul and free him. I will start to see hope, during times of sobriety and lucidness of mind, then it seems that the devil gets a grip on him again and we’re fighting another round to keep him from sinking totally in the mire of despair and suicide. I never resorted to giving advice, being in recovery for years, I understood that option as not being worth the money spent on it. I have given him God’s truth through the word, which is love and mercy; and hope through sharing my own testimony of healing.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I would also like to thank you for what you did for your friend, because it not only helped to save him, but it is strengthening my hope so that I can continue to be there as a light of hope in my friend’s darkness.
May God continue to bless your life. I look forward to reading your work.
Dear Mr Philip Yancey.
I`m a roumanian young christian, and I want to tell you that I enjoy reading your books. I pray God to bless you , for family and your work.
This is all I`ve wanted to say. Sorry for the writing mistakes.
I`ve wanted to write this to you trough your e-mail, but I coudn`t find it on this site, so I`ve picked randomly a topik and wrote my ,,greeting” at comentary section.
God bless you…forward :))
I started to read your books soon after my husband of 40 years died after a dreadful illness and much suffering. He is with his Lord and Saviour, and I am healing partially due to your wrtings. I started with Disappointment with God. I couldn’t put it down and I searched for more and found six more. Intrigued by Soul Survivor and The Bible Jesus Read just to name two more. Just finished What Good is God , and I am full of the grace of God and know His love on a higher level because of your own journey. As you call yourself a pilgrim, so am I as I continue to see a holy God laugh at our plans when He is dismissed as not to depend on Him for all the necessities in life.
Oh how I wish to meet Dr. Brand in heaven one fine day. Loved Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. I am a nurse only gifted be God with mercy and understanding in a worshiping manner in what we are as created beings, sinful yet forgiven through His gift of Salvation.
I talk about you and what I have learned about the world outside my comfort zone and how our God is so worthy of praise and adoration. Your sense of what Job went through as we sat in the audience knowing the plot but unable to tell Job what was up behind the scenes. I embellished your account of Handel’s Messiah at the end of one of your masterpieces. I read also What’s So Amazing about Grace and have so much more grace myself as I try to see through Jesus and His love.
This is a thrill to spend time talking about all you know and how you have affected me to a point that I have grown in my walk of faith. I am stronger through my loss, even though my life is extremely lonely without good manly hugs and a spouse’s love.
Thank you for the web site and hope you stay well for many more adventures. Can I ever come along? I could help in some way.
Forever grateful, Sherry
Hi Philip – we met a while back after you spoke at Rhema, I’m a CS Lewis nut.
I’m acutely aware of the hostility toward Christians from the educated and privileged, amongst whom I am numbered, and where I sheltered as a fundamentalist atheist until 1970, when something happened that shattered the shelter. As a mining engineer, I’ve also had to confront this issue of the literalism in scripture, especially earth-age and evolution, and as a pain-in-the-butt fanatic for answers, I’ve experienced contempt and isolation from within the faith as well as from without. I’ve come to the conclusion that nobody really makes decisions rationally – though I like to think that I do more than most, since I’m aware of the issue. We’re carried by our passions, and when these are dominated by pride, fear, greed or lust, we interpret or ignore the information to satisfy that driver. Unfortunately, having a passion for God doesn’t work any better than having a passion against Him, since if our concept of Him is twisted or limited, we attribute to Him incorrect demands or insensitivities.
Again as an engineer, I’m strongly driven by “What works”, and “What is real?” – not “what do you want to be real?”
CS Lewis is one of my passions, for the above reason, and I see your books in the same light. I’m re-reading “Disappointment with God” (I think for the 4th time) and pondering on whether people realize how important it is to re-read good material, not keep rushing on to the next publication. This is still a landmark book on the issue of facing reality and getting expectations right – the real critical issue behind much of the derision in which Christianity is held by those who should be thanking the faith for their privilege.
I’ve gotten bored with the evolution-new creation debate. It’s only relevant because of the ridiculous division it causes within the faith, and the ridicule it brings to the whole faith from outside, as well as turning off those who would otherwise listen and be healed.
I’m looking forward to getting the new book – have heard good stuff about it.
Philip, I just wanted to drop you a note and thank you for your honest and sincere work. I have been working my way through your books (my original intro to you was from your CNN article, which really grabbed my interest) and they have given me some great insight and helped me in my faith.
Please continue to “ask, seek, and knock”, we are all the better for it.
Thank you, Dwain
Dear Philip,
Thank you for your advice.
I’ll try to make a small group in my church with some Christians who fell the gap between the church and the world, in another word, the graceful world and the anti-grace world.
My pastor agreed my opinion already.
So please pray for this group.
One of the main concern I have seen is the historical accuracy of your comment on Sweden and Vikings… please read recent hisory books that will show you the Viking society was probably much more civilized than ,ost of the barbarian tribes living on the old roman empire that had been converted to christianism… as pointed out VIkings for example had juries by their peers and allowed women to take part in the social elite. Do you think they had a nice view of christianity knowing what happened to their Saxon neighbours when they refused to convert and got slaughtered by Charlemagne?
Finally as a little detail on history you should note that it was reported that many Franks and other western Europeans were jealous of the Vikings, who took care of their body by bathing and using perfume… I guess you might say the byzxantine empire (with whom Vikings traded as well as the arab world) had a much better influence on their society than the dark age western Eurpoe! History is turning more and more against Rome and showing barbarians were not the one we imagined (look at the Vandals kingdom)
I believe it was your book on the historical Jesus that planted a seed for my deeper relationship with Jesus that I have now and I just want to say thank you! – Calvin
Dear Phillip,
rather than ignoring those unbelievers who say mean things, I’d be interested if you wrote a book about why religion is regarded with such hostility, the foundations of the belief that it is bad and how a believer can respond. You often write about the problems caused by the church, what about the problem of unbelief? Do you experience it on a regular basis or do you live in a christian cocoon? Perversly, I hope the former. Though I can understand your criticisms of the church, I have found it to be a haven of decency and light compared the unbelieving world. It marvels me that they regard religion with such disgust yet accept the destruction wreaked by alcohol, drugs and organised crime as requisite, even welcome elements in society by comparison. By the way, I love your books and would love to have a meal with you some day. Please don’t die before that happens!
Yours sincerely,
Mark Fitzgerald.
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Dear Philip! Me and my wife Tanya thank God for you and Janet! My wife bought all books we can buy in russian. I have read all of them. Most of all I want to thank you for clear vision of Who God is. Knowing God – is the core, you shared very well. Thank you!
Dear Mr. Yancey,
Since I became a Christian in 2004, I have lost 2 fathers (my own and my husband’s) without having a chance to save them or bringing them to Jesus. I have just finished reading your book about Prayer and have committed to praying for the rest of my family that so dearly need Jesus in their lives – just like I do.
Thank you for being such a blessing to so many, especially to my family – I have truly benefitted from reading your books as it has given me insights on Christianity, that perhaps I alone would not have discovered. Thank you for bringing me closer to my Father in heaven (whom I will not lose).
Thru the many challenges and trials and testing that I have gone through since becoming a Christian, one thing has been clear – the “drawing close to God” bit has been the best decision I have made. Leaning on Him has made me see – the “other side” of things a little clearer and I keep working on this during my quiet time with God.
My husband recently (well not so recently) changed his mind about being a Christian and the day he told me, I felt like a knife had gutted me, I wept and ranted and raved at God, I felt so hurt and I felt so devastated. A part of me died. I could not for sometime even look my husband in the eye. I stopped going to church and found it so hard to pray with my kids. I focussed too much on my own outrage, without even realising that my husband too must have been wrestling and struggling with God. I bet he asked all the same questions – where are you Lord? where are you when I need you? why do you not hear my cry? how can I reconcile suffering? what on earth do you mean by patience?
One day – a vision of the prodigal’s son came to me in my heart. Something happened that day – I wept some more but then I decided to start praying and stop crying. I prayed, alone, I prayed with my kids and boy did we pray. Prayer does indeed work at softening the pray-ee and the pray-er. I can happily report that all is now well at home. The prodigal’s son has returned and indeed something has changed. My life can never be the same again after this experience. I have indeed drawn closer to God, so has my husband and my kids. We have seen God at work – even in such undeserving lives as ours.
Dear Philip,
What Good Is God? is like water for thirsting development workers in tragically poor communities around the world. I would like to see copies of this book and the daily encouragment of Grace Notes distributed to people working in the trenches along with the time for discussion groups and personal faith growth. I work with Opportunity International, and I can’t tell you how applicable your book is across cultures. — Best regards, Beth Houle
Please let me introduce myself.
I became a Christian when I was the Collage student. After graduating my collage, I feel the something wrong like a Gap between the church and world.
From the collage student, I love your books, I read almost your books which was translated to Japanese.
Starting my working as an Engineer, I read your book again and again.
It is something wrong,I feel gap every service in Sunday.
So God’s talent pool is abundant, but there is luck of the pipe through out God’s grace to the World.
What do you think of this?
So I live in Japan, so the circumstance is special. I’m wondering.
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After years of trying to put flesh on the person of Jesus I’m coming to the conclusion that it may be too difficult and perhaps even misdirected. The only sense I have of a divine presence is how we respond / treat others and to tread lightly when it comes to our own humanity. I have enjoyed reading some of your books and also the calm and gentle manner in which you accept those who struggle with belief.
Mr.Yancy !
I was first introduced to your books by my brother Mr.Victor, I love the style and the way you present God’s message for a common man to understand. I read several of your books, and every book is inspiring and tells me who really I am how much I owe the Good Lord for all the blessings. Good luck with your writings and GOD BLESS.
-john wellsely.
I’m a late-comer to Philip Yancey’s books. Right now I’m reading “Disappointment With God”. Another favorite is “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”.
Wow, what a fantastic writing style!! It is so interesting and so thought-provoking. I’m amazed also by the in-depth biblical understanding that are in these books!
Mr. Yancey-please ignore those nonbelievers (and ‘believers’) who say mean things. Your writing provides some very important spiritual food for the remnant. So please don’t become discouraged by far-out and crazy comments!
i just wanted to say thank you. God has given you a great talent to communicate some awesome things.
blessings.
I’m a 60 something convicted sex offender, an almost lifetime sex addict, and was looking for an e-mail address to contact Phillip, when I read comments from a sister who implies that she defines her true nature to be lesbian.
I do not condemn her in the least, because it is very easy for me to claim that MY true nature lies in my sexual addiction and lust – “after all this is how God made me!” could be the battle cry of every sinner struggling with besetting sin of any kind or nature. I, too, FEEL like my nature should justify my actions of just doing what I feel like doing. But I need salvation exactly because my human nature is flawed and will lead me to do things God says isn’t OK for me to do.
Our true HUMAN nature may be whatever it is, but the central requirement of Christ’s call on us is first: REPENT, and second: be BAPTIZED. He has come to bring us new life . . . . . AND . . . . a NEW NATURE.
Our new nature may be like a space suit – it is good for nothing unless we wear it when we are in a hostile environment.
Repentance is doing things God’s way, whether we like it or not – whether it is incredibly hard or not – or whether it is in our human nature or not. Baptism is symbolic, not magical. Baptism is our public confession of our inner conversion. Symbolically, we go under the water which washes away our old nature and causes us to rise in the cleanness of our new life . . . IN . . . . our NEW nature. My baptism is not an event, rather a process through which I choose to continue participating. There is neither cheap . . . . nor easy . . . . . salvation.
I hate the chains of addiction that are enmeshed in my unregenerate nature, but they exist, and THEY ARE MINE – and therefore mine to deal with, in the power and in the newness of life.
We are responsible for our own woundedness, people.
We are responsible to “work out our salvation with trembling and fear – for it is GOD . . . . . . . who works in you to will and to act according to HIS good purpose” Phil 2: 12 &13
Mr. Yancey,
I am a native of CO several generations deep. We are friends of Lyle and Mary Dorsett whom you may know with your Wheaton connection. Back in the early 80’s he taught history at Denver University before moving on to Wheaton and the Wade Collection. They are now retired in Birmingham, AL.
My wife, Marian, and I spent the summer of 1974 in inner-city Chicago working with youth from Cabrini Green. One of those who oriented us to the city was a young Jim Wallis. I pastored United Methodist Churches here in CO, in FL and my wife’s native, IL, for 32 years. In retirement, I serve St. Paul’s Congregational Church here in Greeley.
Before my conversion and call to preach I was planning to enter politics. I did graduate work in Political Science at the U of CO Boulder which is where I met Marian. I have kept a hand in politics through writing editorials, speeches for politicians and later blogging for Ken Buck here and Bill Brady in IL under the pen name Eutychus. The site is REDROCKSRIGHT.COM with a background of the beautiful Rockies which you obviously appreciate with your climbing our hightest peaks. I attended Asbury Seminary. When I met our pastor, Dr. David Seamands, and told him I was from CO he said, “Ah, CO. I think God was in a good mood when he created your home state.” No argument here.
And for the past 17 years I have contributed 6-8 times each year for the U Methodist bulletin insert, Our Faith Today. I share all this to say that I admire the depth of your writing, like to write myself and felt this might be of interest as we both reside in this beautiful state.
God Brightest Blessings for you and yours in the New Year. JL Penfold, Greeley
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Thank you for all of your wonderful books, Phillip. I am considering facilitating a book study at my church with your book, “Disappointment With God.” I love your honesty the depth of your commitment to address difficult “faith busters.” If you were conducting a book study, what would you want it to look like? Ideas? Here is my favorite prayer to begin my meditations each day, and a great way to begin a group study, I believe:
Father, you created me and put me on earth for a purpose. Jesus, you died for me and called me to complete your work. Holy Spirit, you help me to carry out the work for which I was created and called. In your presence and name–Father, Son and Holy Spirit–I begin my reflection. May all my thoughts and inspirations have their origin in you and be directed to your glory. author: Mark Link, SJ
I have been very hurt by God..I have screamed and cried and railed against Him.
and then I start all over again…..a God who gently woos us as a lover….
Keep up the great work and let me know if you are ever in St. Louis…
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Philip,
I can’t begin to tell you what your books have meant to me.
Your books opened the real world of a Christian, the one with struggles with life and about faith.
Yes, you let me know that it was okay to acknowledge the struggle with faith and a God that many times hides Himself from us, and that we don’t have all the answers just because we are believers.
Your books are deep, and people that may not have had the crisis of faith that comes to most Christians if we are honest, or allowed to be honest by the churches we attend, so what you write sometimes cannot be fully appreciated
God bless you for giving us encouragement, understanding and being someone that does understand the struggle.
Thank you, thank you.
First and formost, Phil Yancey’ is one of my favoirte authors. His books are very thought provocative. Each has been an easy read.
I believe the question “Is religion good or bad?” is tied more to how people practice their faith than to the intrinsic nature of religion.
When I read about Mr. Yancy’s assertions stirring up a hornets nest of protest, I thought the verses in Matthew 19 where the rich man asked Jesus what good thing he should do to have eternal life.
21Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Jesus simply spoke the truth to a man who vauled wealth and possessions above all else. When the rich man balked, Jesus didn’t cajole or debate; He simply told him like it was, and the rest was up to him – just like it is for the rest of us.
On the one hand I feel sorry for the hornets. On the other, it’s their God given choice.
I, too, am a fan of your books. I was thrilled to receive your latest this Christmas. The fact that God chooses (uses) human people like those you mentioned, as well as you and me, gives me tremendous hope. If only the best of the best were chosen (if there truly are any), then what would become of us, the fallen, the broken, the human? No, ‘My ways are not your ways…’ When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples he knew full well who they were, when he shared his Body with Judas, he knew full well what lay ahead. God is not frightened by our actions (our sins), he can bring good, healing, love out of any situation.
Andie
I assume you may never read this, but I see no way to send an e-mail. Growing up in a devout Christian family in the 50’s and early 60’s, I was shocked to find myself in love with the girl down the hall at college instead of the perfect boyfriend I had just found. I am now a 60-something woman, and I have more than 4 decades to contemplate what it is like to grow up as the golden girl in a Christian church, to discover oneself suddenly an outcast, and to know that embracing ones true nature is as blessed by God as any other God-given human trait. I have read many of your books at my mother’s house, and it came as a shock this morning as I googled something else on the Internet and found your comments on homosexuality. It strikes me as so sad and self-righteous to see people, even including you, saying love the sinner, hate the sin. Each of us who loves a person of the same gender was created with that nature. It is only a choice for certain people. I long ago ceased caring what supposedly-Christian people thought about homosexuals, because I saw that cultures takes a long time to change, that ministers used Biblical passages to support owning another person as a slave, that all manner of things in the Bible are ignored — particularly the same verses in Leviticus used to condemn homosexuals — and that cutting ones hair, eating pork, wearing red, all kinds of things are culturally accepted now in Christian churches. So I am grateful that my mother, a true Christian, weighed all she had been taught when I shared with her my awful secret, and she chose love, not judgment. I believe really only the two greatest commandments, “Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Whoever does read this comment before deleting spam, I let you know that it is immaterial to me whether you accept me or allow me in the military or allow me to marry. All these things are cultural judgments, and God don’t make no junk. I am, however, sorry, to have to constantly separate myself from people who represent themselves as Christian, when I know Christ would make a comment about lilies of the field, moats in ones eye, love as the greatest gift God could ever give.
Philip,
Your book has provided so many “Aha” moments about how to be an actual participating Christian in the “today” in which we live. The non-religious attackers on your material have conveniently closed their eyes to the parts of history where Christains have elevated the downtrodden and changed the world in the last 2000 yrs because of the powerful love of one God-person. As always, your books make a difference in my thought life and hopefully in my everyday living out life.
Oi, Philip.
Aprecio o seu trabalho como escritor há muitos anos. Você tem uma sensibilidade impressionante para fazer com que os ensinamentos de Jesus se tornem parte das nossas vidas.
Deus o abençoe muito.
Marcelo
São Paulo, Brasil
I’m so glad I’m part of that that “talent” pool! 🙂 Oh, how He forgives and makes up for my lack there of! Ha! God bless you, Philip and I hope the neck is still healed and well! Tell Janice I said hi!
Philip, God has blessed you with insight, humility, honestly and courage – a rare combination. I am sure I am one of millions who have been profoundly impacted by your gift/s.
Hang in there my friend!
As C.S. Lewis once so aptly wrote, we live in “enemy occupied territory.” If the message is too readily accepted, it’s likely a palatable, watered-down or dressed-up version of the truth. I don’t expect the authentic truth of the gospel message to ever be popular–even those directly affected by Jesus, (feeding the multitudes) turned away at His hard message. And the Old Testament prophets didn’t make the list of 100 most influential people, either–even then, nobody wanted to hear the truth. We don’t change–it’s all about us–and our society, even the church, unfortunately, has perpetuated that false ideology. I don’t mean to be a cynic, I just think we want it to be easy while God wired us for a life of challenges. We’re butterflies struggling to find wings to fly, temporarily living in the cocoon of flesh and bones and blood. I love your books! This world desperately needs to hear what you have to say. If you make people think, or challenge their comfort level, or call them to a higher standard, you’re doing something right–where I come from, we used to call that holiness.
Philip,
I appreciate you response and your book. Remember-
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:10)
What else should those who point to Jesus expect?
A few Christians will try to engage these Atheist Online Slacktivists in conversation on message boards, but after wasting hours of wasted effort and having their words twisted, many redirect their energies into alternative and more profitable activities, e.g., praying. Keep up the good work, Philip Yancey. You are an encouragement to the Body of Christ.