There are many things about Christianity
which I understand, and not a
few which puzzle me.
By Christian Stuhr
I understand that Christians in general believe in non-physical entities
such as a soul, or a god. The problem is that various denominations make
assertions about these entities which are inconsistent with each other.
How can an objective outside observer possibly verify (or falsify) these
mutually inconsistent claims? The methods of science (observation and
experiment) are unsuited to the study of the non-physical realm. The
method recommended most often by my Christian friends -- close reading
of the Bible -- notoriously yields widely differing conclusions, as the
multiplicity of Christian sects demonstrates.
I further understand that most Christians believe that our spiritual
essence or soul continues to exists after the death of the physical
body.
The location of that continued existence may be Heaven, Hell or (for
Roman Catholics) Purgatory. Of these, Heaven is said to be the abode of
God, and hence the most desirable. Hell is, well, on the wrong side of
the spiritual tracks altogether! Opinion among knowledgeable Christians
is divided: is Hell a place of wailing and gnashing of teeth? a place of
"rest and hope", as some Jehovah's Witnesses have assured me? a
continued existence but totally separated from God? a state of utter
annihilation?
And what must I do to go to Heaven? Once again, mutually contradictory
opinions abound. I am not in the least surprised that one sect, the
Dutch Reformed Church, is split over the vexing question of whether
acceptance of Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ is necessary for
admittance to Heaven, where we may expect to dwell for all eternity in
the presence of God.
I predict that this sort of controversy will continue to bedevil
Christians. Systematic methodology for reliably resolving conflicting
claims may be the hallmark of modern science, but it has not exactly
been a strength of their religion.
What does surprise me is that anyone would even want to spend eternity
in the presence of an ill-tempered tyrant who is on record in the Bible
of having killed many innocent babes, and who is strongly suspected of
arranging eternal damnation for others who fail to follow his orders.
Christian Stuhr