I saved the draft for this over the weekend while I was picking through archives to see if I could find something to write about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe I can elaborate a bit more after the entry, but I think saying that my approach about the issue really hasn’t changed that much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back then, I couldn’t say that I believed. With more information, I’ve made a decision, and that’s my choice. I’m not going to try to convince you one way or the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Listening to a replay of Art Bell, he asked the guest, “Do you believe in the God of the Bible?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it reminds me of the dream I had yesterday\u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was sitting in a situation where I would have been expected to wholeheartedly believe and I didn’t. It was almost a classroom setting, and for some reason, I was required<\/em> to believe. So the teacher\/whatever asked me\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Do you believe in God?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n And again, what am I supposed to say to that? Giving the typical wishy-washy answer that’d get me by in life wouldn’t work in that situation. I had to answer yes or no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t answer. I don’t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or, maybe looking at this from another perspective\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since I was in a situation where I was required<\/em> to believe and I didn’t\u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe I do know and I’m not being honest with myself totally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I still don’t think it’s okay to force\/require someone to declare either way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If that makes me a bad person, regardless of what I believe (or don’t), so be it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m willing to let you make your own decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’ve become, however, very opposed to what I’ve dubbed “Evangelical Agnosticism.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you hold that there’ll never be enough information for you to make a determination, that’s a problem with you. Your decision might change as you get new evidence; that’s fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m also okay with you saying that you don’t think you’ve got enough information to make a decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But saying that it’ll forever be impossible to make one — that’s a problem with you.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Did Han shoot first<\/a>? Three possible answers: yes, no, or I don’t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But you can’t say it’s impossible for you<\/strong> to make a determination one way or the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do I believe that Jesus was a real person? Absolutely. Do I believe that he was executed by the Romans? Seems pretty likely. Do I believe that he rose from the dead three days later, and is the son of God? That’s where the matter of faith is. (And if you happen to be reading this, and really want to know, feed me beer, and find out in person.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n On to the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today’s big story? Barr’s interrogation by the House. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The reporting started with an analysis of his opening statement yesterday<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was listening some of the testimony while I was working. I think he, along with a lot of the folks’ whose opinions I value, have reached the same conclusion; this isn’t about police racism anymore, and the riots need to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, it goes back to the fundamental reason government exists — to protect life, liberty, and property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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