I still need time to consolidate my thoughts. PLC is over and, thank God to all those who have lifted up their prayers for it. I still can't quite believe its over, it felt like a dream when I woke up this morning, lying in my own bed, and the only reminder I had of it left was my sprained toe from night games, and at that moment suddenly I was so thankful for that injury. When I walk, I feel it, I am reminded of PLC and just how mighty God is.
Im going to say this, as much as so many year 5s and even the year 6s have taken away much from this camp, the exco definitely did so as well.
Campers don't know this, but the steerers and the comm will know. PLC was, well I cant call it a camp headed towards disaster, it wasnt that bad, but, it wasnt going to be very good either. We would know. This camp was a miracle in itself. To the exco, our biggest takeaway was simply this: 'not my will, but Yours be done'.
I will talk about it in another post, I need some more time to think about everything.
---
The Japan tsunami. I dont have much details about it, im still not very sure what happened, but I remember being at PLC pre camp night and grace suddenly told us that tsunami warnings were being sent out to all over the world, and she was going on and on about a list of countries that received the warnings. It was pretty depressing, and I personally didnt really want to hear about it either, especially on precamp night. At caleb's house, some countries were apparently hit already, though there was no news about Japan yet, I dont know why. Only thing we knew was that it was going to be hit, and then we went for camp and I didnt hear of it anymore.
I just returned from camp, and its all over the news. It worse than I thought it to be, having dismissed it previously because there was just so much on my mind. Its disastrous, and I dont know what to think of it.
I guess I wont comment on it though, there really isnt much to comment about it, just, keep in prayer, for there isnt anything else we can do.
---
Im going to say a little bit about the interaction between Christians and atheists here. Sensitive topic, won't go into too much detail but this is something I feel that is important and needs to be addressed.
Im sure the AC y6 facebook and twitter users would know that someone recently went on a rage against Christianity. If you dont know about it, never mind.
What I wanted to say was this. Even if we Christians think that he was being quite unreasonable and saying alot of wrong things, there was one thing that he was definitely right about and that many of us who may have commented on his posts were wrong.
All everybody can ever seem to do is take offense to things, your solution to everything is to get offended and tell me in the angriest way possible. X wrote an angry note about Christianity? Oh no, it's not like he bashes on everything under the sun, this is special, I'm the f-ing batman now and I will save the day. I don't know, if I saw somebody going on a drunken rampage on facebook, I would think one of two things:
"This guy must really have a reason to be angry. I'll shut up."
or
"What the f- happened, dude, you're pissed."
This is why X, X and X are smart and reasonable people and also why the vast majority of the rest of you are complete and incurable f-heads. Even while reading this I can say with almost complete certainty that you're trying to think of ways that I'm wrong rather than the other, equally and probably more plausible option of how I'm actually right.
I admit that initially I belonged to the category of one of those people who simply dismissed him and thought of him as being a retard going on a drunken rage and not worth listening to. Though I didnt scold him or comment on any of his posts, in my mind I saw the whole episode as him being in the wrong and just letting him be.
I came to realise though, that this attitude we may have in Christianity is simply wrong, and its the reason why so many people out there think of Christians as proud people, especially when Christians are supposed to be humble. Its the reason why sometimes people hate Christians and the things they do so much. And perhaps the most interesting thing is, its was never something God advocated, it was something He warned against, but perhaps nowadays in society our emotions get in our way and we forget that sometimes.
As Christians, we hold on to our beliefs strongly. It guides our lives, it is the very reason that we live. This is why perhaps when someone attacks it, we get so angry about it. If I told you I loved gummy bears and you told me you hate it and will go about destroying every last gummy bear in the world, I couldn't care less. Yet here people are attacking the very essence of our lives and that stirs up emotions within us, and defensive, we want to fight back.
But why? Why are we fighting back, lashing out in anger, when what God feels for these people who turn against Him is instead profound sadness. Why should we pour contempt on those whom Christ died for, and the Father is seeking for them to return from being prodigal sons back into His kingdom.
Frankly speaking, there were many ways in which I feel his points were flawed. Yet, what would we have achieved if we were to throw those at him? Would he have listened? Or would he then feel like we were attacking the essence of his beliefs. How is our angry rebuttals an act of love, how does it mirror Jesus whom when arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, did not resist but allowed himself to be brought away, who healed the one who got injured. How does it reflect our Lord Christ who upon the cross had prayed “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”?
These are not the things I say, these are the things that come from the very word of God, that so many of us nowadays seem to have forgotten. Why are we arguing? How do our arguments glorify God? Are we really trying to fight for God or are we simply trying to show ourselves to be right? Will our arguments and taking offense at people who attack Christ in anyway help serve to bring them to our understanding?
Tell me, where in the Word of God does it say 'when people insult your Lord Christ, you must stand up and fight back and prove them wrong'.
Instead what I find is this.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
- 1 Peter 3:15-16
I feel strongly that this is the attitude we should have towards apologetics and perhaps sadly, this does mean that if we arent given an opportunity to use apologetics without offending others, then we shouldnt. I frankly dont know what to do about atheists sometimes either. Sometimes, I feel such a strong urge to argue with them, but I dont want them to get pissed off at Christians. At the same time, sometimes I feel that if im tame, they think we're pushovers and think they are right in thinking of us as mindless idiots.
This is what I feel, we definitely need to know apologetics. I feel strongly that too many Christians dont know about apologetics and as such we give off the impression of having a blind faith, not knowing what we believe in, having our beliefs come across as unfounded, pathetic little ideas. That is not true, yet that is what we sometimes come across as. Yet at the same time, sometimes the other extreme is that we wield it like a weapon trying to go around to slay atheists with it. If we begin to use apologetics as a weapon to beat down others, then we have sinned.
What I feel is that the only time we should ever use apologetics is when people are readily willing to discuss about it. Then, they too can have the clarity of thought and mind to discern for themselves if Christianity is truly the illogical nonsense that so many people claim it to be.
In the light of the tsunami, there have been some discussion about these as well. Still, let us walk in the ways of the Kingdom of God, live righteously, that those who accuse us may repent when they see the goodness of God. Through PLC, some things have happened that made me realise just how powerful the love of God is as an evangelical tool as compared to our petty arguments. No matter what, know that our God is in control.
---
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- Romans 12:14-21
---