Easter for Athiests

Dear atheist, and agnostic friends. I know this may be one of the most annoying days for you. So on behalf of Christians, I'm sorry for that. It may be simply "curious" or "weird" to you, and if that's the case I'm going to try and break down the background of "He is risen!"

It's been a journey for me to get to a personal acceptance of Jesus beyond just what I was taught growing up. I don't have a problem believing in a "higher power" simply because there is "food chain" that I can accept we are a part of - just like rats don't understand things to the degree of what we understand, to me it's reasonable that we don't understand things to the degree of a "higher power." But Easter is about Jesus which is tougher to comprehend.

There are two things that help me understand the incredible claims of Jesus. 1. God had to "condescend" to our level of understanding - a term for this is "anthropopathism." Basically God could never explain the universe and plan in philosophical, theological or scientific terms that we as finite humans could grasp. God is so far beyond our capacity that this would never work (like humans explaining to rats). The best possible way for God to show us what he is like to give us an example of how to live. This is what he did with Jesus. This is better than trying to "prove" his existence by writing his name in the sky or tattooing "made by God" on every human because God is a relational God and love is his language. Jesus personified love by his life. Also, God gives us free will and God doesn't want to be "in our face" so much that we have a relationship of fear. 2. The second thing that helps me understand why a higher power would communicate to us in a human form is because it's reasonable to believe that the highest truth in the universe is love and relationships.

We're in an a culture where scientific and mathematical knowledge are considered superior forms of knowledge (despite the fact that math is still man made - any coincidence the decimal system is based on 10 and we have 10 fingers?) - but personally I believe science will only answer the "how" questions but not the greatest "why" questions of why we exist. Science can observe, and can re-create, but never will it create. Science will observe God - that's all it can do.

In a world where we are constantly grasping for love and relationships it makes sense to me that God would use love and a relationship to direct us to him, and show us that we don't need to fear death because relationships are soul-deep and don't need these old raggedy bodies forever. With that said - I hope you have a great Son- day (;

Puzzle

(Originally posted on Facebook) Please read this. I know that I overshare already on Facebook, and I already ask a lot of you to put up with seeing my stuff in your Newsfeed already, but this is actually an important and non-trivial post.

This post isn't about a political agenda, religion, or a social cause agenda. This is bigger than that - this might sound like a bold claim but let me explain.

A little background first. Last night I had the opportunity to see a movie called "A Place At The Table." It's a fantastic documentary about the issue of hunger in America, and it displayed how simple, yet complex a problem hunger is in our own country. It was sobering because I have never had to worry about where my next meal will come from. But this isn't the main thought that this movie provoked for me.

What this movie highlighted for me is how much we rely on each other for our basic human needs.

Let's use hunger as an example.

Hunger in America is a very complex problem for many reasons. A key part of the problem with hunger in America is our dysfunctional Department Of Agriculture. Mississippi has the highest rate of "food insecurity" - not knowing where your next meal is coming from - but also the highest obesity levels in America. A main reason for this is because the DOA subsidizes large farm corporations that churn out a ton of processed food -- all of the stuff with a laundry list of chemicals as ingredients. Poor people live on this stuff because it's the cheapest way to get calories for themselves and their children. They're overweight, but chronically hungry and oftentimes chronically sick.  Hungry kids also get worse grades in school when they're hungry, hopped up on sugar and can't pay attention in class. Hunger easily turns into a generational curse for families and communities.

So how do we fix this massive problem? Government reform? More domestic jobs? Better paying jobs? Better education? More faith-based community involvement? I would say all of the above and more.

Hunger is just one issue where the well-being of every human being hinges on the varied roles and responsibilities of every other human being.

When just one gear in the machine is out of place, the whole thing jams up. When one piece is missing from the puzzle, the whole thing looks bad.

Life is this way. The saying goes that "It takes all kinds to make the world go round" and I think in this simple saying there is a deep truth. If we don't recognize what "kind" we are and if we don't take action with our "kind" of gifts and talents, then others will suffer. This is true for big societal issues like hunger, and it's also true that others will suffer if we don't accept our role and use our gifts in our community and even in our families.

You are the gear in the machine that others depend on. You are the piece in the puzzle that they are looking for.

Are you the person that can affect government reform to make school meals healthier and healthy food more affordable? Are you the person that can educate children outside of the classroom? Are you the person that has an hour or two this week to help out at a food shelf? Do you have a dollar or two to meet the immediate need of someone that needs a meal this evening?

Or.

Are you the person that can be a big brother to the child who has no dad? Are you the employee that has the gift of boldness to stand up for what is ethical? Are you the person that can mow the lawn for the single mom down the street so that she can focus on her child? Are you the artist that can create a work of art that will inspire even just one person to have hope to make it through their struggles in life? Are you the friend that can show someone that there is a greater love?

You are the gear in the machine that others depend on. You are the piece in the puzzle that they are looking for.