There was a particular work of art from a 17th century painter named Thomas Cole I stumbled across today. Cole painted a series of pieces he entitled "The Courses of the Empire". This series basically chronicles the rising and falling of civilization. The first piece showcases a beautiful mountain range in the background surrounded by clouds. In the foreground you see lively trees alongside cliffs and streams. If look closely, you'll even see a deer prancing across a stream. My description doesn't do it justice, so here is the picture:
At the end of this series of paintings, you see something very different.
In this final piece there are ruins of a civilization, an Empire, constructed by the hands of humankind. Rubble is the only word that comes to my mind. The title of this final piece is "Desolation". It's a morbid, almost pessimistic note to end on. But there's something in this final piece that I find both sobering and hopeful.
You might say it's a reality check to look at the ruins of a once thriving Empire laid to waste. This piece screams out the truth that the material things we build, the Empires we construct, and, truth be told, the things we hold dear to on this earth, will eventually become desolate. Not a thought we enjoy entertaining, but a truth nonetheless.
But in a strange sense, it is hopeful. While much of what man had constructed was destroyed, elements of the original creation God designed is still very much intact. Compare and contrast both of these pictures, and see for yourself.
Ultimately, what I find hopeful is this:
No matter how bad, or how bleak the world around us gets, we can rest confident that this is God's world and He is interested in it, loves it, and ultimately wants to see it restored to the original masterpiece He intended it to be.
The problem I have with Christianity, is that they all concentrate on our little marble of a planet, when, obviously, there is a bigger picture. The Creator has a plan not for the earth, but for the whole multitude of universes and dimensions (the Multiverse). Another problem I have with it is that people don't question things logically, and they blindly believe what they are told, or they ask the right questions, but they stay inside that bubble of Christian belief and are limited to what they can know. Also, they seem to just adopt the mindset of throwing away who they are to be a "Robot For The Lord".
ReplyDeleteI choose Deism because it is natural and logical for humanity. There is no judgement or false hope, or superiority in it that it claims. I used to be Christian, but I grew into a Deist naturally.
I get where you're coming from. There is plenty of ignorance and narrow mindedness among Christians. Just try not to confuse Christianity with Christians...one is a faith; the other is a messy group of humans attempting to live out that faith, who are naturally imperfect and prone to not seeing the "big picture" all the time (Besides, no one can see it except God).
ReplyDeleteAnd whether we like it or not, we are a part of this world. And while Christians are far from perfect, I think it's a very natural, human thing to put our focus on this earth, since it is where God has chosen to place us, which by default, there must be a reason for...that is one of the main ideas Christianity posits, which is why I love it.
Yes, God does have a purpose and a plan for the universe, but He did chose to put us here on earth where there's gravity instead of letting us float around aimlessly in space. And the really exciting thing for me is that each and every one of us has this opportunity to join God in His redemptive work on the earth...which affects our interactions with other people, the environment, and even ourselves. How cool is that?
Christianity, while it may not be liked by everyone and is definitely full of messy, imperfect people, in my opinion has provided the best answers to the fundamental questions of how we function on this earth God has placed us in, which (coming back to your point) has a bearing over everything God has created.