Christ in charge

Alas, it seems that one can't go to a simple street festival without someone handing out some sort of religious handouts. Once again we found ourselves at the Shippensburg, PA Corn Festival. Last year an old veteran was handing out letters. This year there was a woman rushing about and handing out little business cards to everyone she could. And unlike the older man last year, she did not wear a friendly veil. Instead she seemed oblivious and like she was in a hurry to hand out all her cards. She somehow didn't realize that she offered my wife and I a card three times within just a few minutes time, even though we had already taken one (for blog material).

So what did the little business card have to say? On the front was the very direct suggestion to "GIVE Christ charge OF YOUR LIFE He's 1st" I find it odd that believers would put so many words in all caps yet fail to add that extra emphasis to their 'almighty' Christ, but maybe that's just my design background talking...

The reverse side is far more wordy and introduces it's incredibly tiny type under the header "HOW TO GIVE CHRIST CHARGE"

STEP 1 - ACKNOWLEDGE MAN'S PROBLEM

What problem is that? Oh wait, I think I know what it is! It's that we can't seemed to be compelled to actually give a damn to care about or make a real concerted effort to combat climate change, right? Oh, and I can see that the all caps thing is going to be a theme...

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

There's a couple problems here... Both sin and God haven't actually been proven to actually be real existent things. You really should prove that first as that is vitally important to how much weight this argument does or doesn't have.

The wages of sin is death (separation from God.) Romans 6:23

And the alternative is? Best I can tell, everyone dies. Even popes and priests. Also, how can one be separated from God? He is supposed to be everywhere at all times as well as all powerful. If he is everywhere, he's not separated from even the most ardent critic of faith. If you are claiming that God can't reach a non-believer, then that throws his infinite power into question.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8

Except that sin has not yet been established to be real. If there is no such thing as sin, and I say I have no sin, than the claim that I am a liar is false. This is why establishing things first is vitally important.

STEP 2 - ACCEPT GOD'S ONLY REMEDY

Only remedy? He's supposed to be all-powerful and limitless. He can make any number of remedies to this imagined problem as he wants. So why just this one remedy?

I am the way...the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me, Jesus Christ. John 14:6

You see, here's the same problem yet again. You claim that Jesus is the answer to the problem (a problem that is yet to be proven to be real), and the very solution is also something that hasn't been shown to have existed. Also, his claims (had he existed) have not been verified. Sorry, but I'm not a fan of building my entire life around hearsay.

Christ gave himself to God for our sins as one sacrifice. Hebrews 10:12

Proof please! Also, why a human sacrifice? How does 'die for our sins' logically follow? Like the comedian Doug Stanhope said, that makes about as much sense about saying you hit yourself on the foot with a shovel for someones mortgage. One doesn't affect the other.

Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Again, no proof is provided for this claim. Prove this is true and then I will take notice.

If we confess our sins...Jesus will forgive us. 1 John 1:9

Please provide some proof please... Also, why does Jesus forgiving you matter? Shouldn't having the person you wronged forgive you matter much more?

By grace you have been saved, through faith - it is the gift of God - not by works. Ephesians 2:8-9

Basically, being a good person doesn't matter... all that matters is faith. By that reasoning Hitler would be in  Heaven since he was a Christian while Bill Gates (the worlds most generous philanthropist) would go to Hell because he doesn't believe. That hardly sounds reasonable or fair.

STEP 3 - GIVE CHRIST CHARGE

Ammonite

Give charge to a being that hasn't even been shown to exist? No thanks. Would you turn your life over to Sid the all-loving elf just because someone told you he exists and is great?

I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in. Revelations 3:20

I don't hear any knocking... At least when Odin said he was going to get rid of the ice giants he must have delivered. After all when was the last time you saw an ice giant?

Offer (give control of) yourself to God. Romans 6:13

Only if you turn your life over the Thor. You go first!

Orthoceras

It then offers a prayer. The entire card can be condensed into essentially this... Turn your life over to Christ, because Jesus. How inspired! Luckily the rest of the festival was fun, and my mother-in-law got a kick out of them handing us cards. Which admittedly was funny given the knowledge of who they were giving them to. All in all a good time, good food, plus I scored Ammonite and Orthoceras fossils for my collection.


-Brain Hulk

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