Barriers

I’ve had this blog for nearly four years now, but I’ve been writing commentaries of one sort or another for many more years than that…mostly letters to the editor of our local and major metropolitan newspapers. I freely take advantage of the opportunity to voice my opinion in a public forum from a private location. In fact, I apparently had my say a little too often for at least one reader who wrote in to the local paper bemoaning, “What can we do about Caroline Smith, she of the overflowing pen…self-appointed queen of the moral high ground?” Ha! I hope someday to meet this man and introduce myself this way.

In my letter writing I focus primarily on social and moral issues but I have much more freedom here to get theological, not just in making a case from a Christian perspective but in making a case for the Christian worldview. Some skeptics and unbelievers are dead-set against the faith and glory (wallow?) in their unbelief, and no attempts to reason with them will succeed. But others have more integrity and are genuinely open to consider the arguments but are hindered by barriers of one kind or another.

So my concentration in this public/private forum has been on trying to remove those barriers so that the truth of Christianity which has compelled and convinced me can be more clearly evaluated by the honest skeptic and unbeliever. Some of them are more formidable than others and require multiple attempts. A few are quite easily demolished with simple clarification.

My recent three-part barrier-buster addressed one of those more formidable ones…the injustice of a plan of salvation that is perceived to exclude millions. (What about the unreached?) Laboring over that, and the importance of it, prompted me to gather forces for a combined attack on the other major stumbling blocks as well. Perhaps if they are close together the damage done to one will compromise the stability of the others, making them easier to take down.

So from now until Easter I will be taking aim at what I see as the primary barriers to appropriating and embracing the Christian worldview. Most of my posts will be ones I have previously published, but since most of them are from several years ago, they’ll probably be new to you. 🙂 If you are one of the aforementioned honest skeptics or unbelievers, I hope you’ll give me a chance to address and hopefully remove any barrier(s) you have to Christianity. If you’re a fellow believer, perhaps some of my “ammo” will be helpful to you in leveling barriers hindering faith in some in your circle. A few quick clicks and you can share my posts on your preferred social media site.

Here are the barriers I intend to mark for destruction:

-“Christians” who act nothing like Christ

-a God who’s pulling all the strings

-the problem of pain and suffering

-the Bible…is it reliable? Is it effective?

-the doctrine of original sin

-does faith mean you have to check your brains at the door?

-is God a moral monster?

-Jesus…man, myth, deluded, or divine?

Please consider interacting with me in the comments if something I say rings true for you or if you believe I am mistaken. I can take correction, but please be kind. And I promise to be kind in return.

The demo starts tomorrow.