Lately I have been immersing myself into the goings on and beliefs of the Emergent Church as a part of the church in the Post Modern era. Last semester and this semester in the college group I lead we have been studying how to minister to the "Post Modern" mindset. The way I would sum up the church in the "Post Modern" era is that it lacks an absolute and singular truth. I guess if I were post modern and wanted to define my beliefs by a bumper sticker, I call this bumper sticker theology, the "Coexist" bumper sticker would do it. For you see the "C" in coexist is the Islamic Crescent and the "X" is the Jewish Star of David and the "T" is the Christian cross. Now as a fundamental Christian I do believe in loving all people, believers and non-believers and from a "Coexist" stand point I do believe we should love one another, but, and here is the big but, this doesn't mean that we have a singular religion with a common God and that we are all saved by grace.
My question to you is "why do we fear a singular absolute truth?" Have we come to a point i our society where fear of offending has overwritten right and wrong? I mean think about it without an absolute truth murder can be justified. If you think this is far fetched just think about what happens when we all start to believe that we all can have our own "truths". It starts with religion and freedom of speech, but where will this lack of an absolute truth end?
If you are a believer take a look at your standards of living, your core values and run them through the filter of scripture. Do they measure up? The challenge here is not to "dumb" down scripture to justify a sinful lifestyle or sinful belief.
If you are an unbeliever take a look at the problem that exists when we have no absolute truth. Some of you may even know this is true, because the one attribute to the human being, your conscience, tells you right from wrong. Can a conscience be swayed or warped? Yes! But it takes time and a numbing of the conscience to the real right and wrong. So a question to you, "why no absolute truth?"
So, do we Coexist or do we coexist with the intent of seeing each other in heaven for eternity? Christ died so that we could have eternal life and so that we could coexist together for eternity. This requires a belief in a singular absolute truth. Do you believe?
29 comments:
This coexist symbol is slightly offensice to the bahai faith because it is not a pagan religion and does not have any affiliation with the wiccan religion. It is an independent religion just like Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc.
Oh, and this is anonymous answering your question too. I think we both Coexist and coexist with the intent of seeing each other in heaven for eternity.
Tom,
You miss the point of the coexist ideology (and the associate bumper sticker) all together. To "Coexist" does not imply that there is no "absolute truth". It implies instead that all of us, being human and failable, have only an imperfect and skewed perception of Truth. And since we can each only grasp a portion of that Truth, we can each entertain the possibility that another's perception of Truth is no more like to be wrong than our own.
No one is asking you not to believe in Jesus Christ, just that you do so with enough humility that you don't assume other people are stupid or ignorant or less spiritual just because their perception of the truth is different.
Great post. I have been seeing this as a bumper sticker all over the place and thought I would look into it more, that's how I found this post.
It is a very scary thing when Christians start dumbing down the Gospel so they wont offend.
We can't stop speaking Truth because it's offensive. The Truth isn't always popular, but it's always right.
Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life.
That's why it's also so important that we continue to decrease that He would increase. So the world would see less of us and more of Jesus.
Romans 1:16
Why can't you have both? That's what I'd like to know. Are you not capable of coexisting (i.e. tolerating and/or accepting) with people of other faiths without trying to convert them? Coexisting here on earth will make those you believe are damned more accepting of your faith since you are accepting of theirs.
Medea,
The Christian faith is not a faith to be lumped in with all others. We are called to accept Christ as our savior and the only way to heaven. As Christians we are called to be tolerant of all people because we are all sinners, but we cannot be tolerant of sin.
Being a Christian is a call to faith. When we accept all religions or some religions and mix and match the beliefs we like then I fail to see how that is faith. We also make ourselves the creator, because we tell the Creator that we know the right mix for us.
Thank you for the comment.
It is the creator, not us, that created the mix for us in the first place. We are all equally not God, but human. Only God can know which of our BELIEFS are THE absolute truth. No man can say to another who's is wrong. Rather, all men should encourage and support each other in seeking out and FINDING that truth. To do that we first have to coexist.
I Dunno where you got the graphic you posted, but the image in place of the letter "i" may have symbolic ties to paganism, but it has nothing to do with the Bahai Faith which is represented by a 9 point star. So I can see why "anon May12 4:47pm" might have been offended about Bahai being listed in cahoots with paganism. The symbols would have been fine by themselves without the misdirected text used to describe them.
Love your blog btw.
YH8,
I'm glad that you enjoy the blog. Please feel free to leave comments at any time.
I do agree with you in that the creator is the only one who knows absolute truth, but for a Christian the great thing is that He imparted it to us in the Bible. The only way to know absolute truth is by the reading of scripture and praying for God to give you the wisdom and ability to apply it to your life.
The problem with man is that we are to proclaim the truth in all humility and not in arrogance, because since we a re sinners our life is a living hypocrisy to the truths we claim. I can only pray that it is all humility that I proclaim the truth through this blog.
Tom
I think Kevin said it all. The bumper sticker makes a very valid statement that is totally relevant in today's society. And, regarding the "absolute truth" let me just say this. Most religions feel they are the "ultimate truth". My truth is different from your truth and I'm a Christian, raised Catholic and yes Jesus is MY savior. We all have our very different viewpoints on what is "truth". The fact that Christians are "lumped in" is just a condition of living (coexisting)on planet Earth.
Kate
The coexist symbol does not mean shutting up about your faith. It means agreeing to disagree rather than blowing each other to smithereens. I am a christian. At college i recently witnessed a fellow christian student who was in a heated argument with a young man who was hindu. It ended with the christian making the angry statement, "You're gonna BURN in HELL!!!" then he walked away.
That didn't help anything. That christian student needs to learn to coexist.
Wars are started and lost because people refuse to coexist. One group says that they are the only ones that are right and that all others are wrong and must therefore die! (The christians did it with the crusades, the muslim terrorists did it with 9/11, and more is to come) Every religion at some point has made it their objective to KILL or ABUSE anybody who disagrees with them. The coexist symbol is a appeal to SANITY! lets realize that we are all human and we all have our respective beliefs. Responding to each other with love and goodwill regardless of personal beliefs is a much better witness then yelling at somebody that they will burn in hell. Lets try to coexist. We're all in this together. Killing each other doesn't prove anything and it doesn't save anybody.
It doesn't mean being silent about your faith... it means not forcing people into it or calling them stupid names when they think differently. I want people to respect me and my beliefs, so i will do my best to respect others and their views. In the bible God does not call us to judge the world or to hold the world accountable to our christian standards. We are only supposed to hold each other accountable (as iron sharpens iron). In this way we will be good witnesses and reflect God's love. Let God judge. It's his freakin job. With most SANE people, respect begets respect. People HATE christians because christians constantly try to hold the world accountable to God's standard. That's not our job or commission. I am not ashamed of the gospel and I am a proud christian. SO i will coexist with my fellow man and by example try my best to lead him(or her) into the kingdom that i so undeservingly will inherit.
my two cents. take it or leave it.
:)
so... i agree with medea.
Vaodsi,
I somewhat agree with you. Here is where I agree, true Christianity should not hold the world accountable to Christian standards. How can a sinful world act like a Christian? They cannot and for us, Christians, to think that they have that capability is folly. So I am not an advocate for holding unbelievers to a believers standard.
I also agree that believers should not cram the Gospel down anyones throat. We are not God's advocate. True salvation is from God, so to think that we have any part other then that which God ordains is folly. What that Christian did in anger is wrong and I would never condone that. If someone chooses to go their own way then we are called to pray for them and model Christianity before them, hoping that not only through our words but through our actions they see the Gospel.
Lastly and this is where I would disagree with you. We are not called to coexist. We are called to be light in a dark world. we are called to share the Gospel with all those who do not know the Gospel. We are not called to accept other religions. If you call yourself a Christian you should remember that the Gospel is divisive. Remember Christ did not come to be everyones friend. He came to separate the wheat from the chaff. True Christianity believes that the only way to heaven is through Christ, not Budah, not Mohammad and not Joseph Smiths Jesus. At the same time I want to emphasize that the Gospel is not to be crammed down anyones throat. The biggest testimony to the world that we as believers have are our actions.
I think you misunderstand the coexist symbol.
To coexist does NOT mean accepting that all religions get you to heaven. That IS NOT what the coexist symbol stands for. It a call for us to get along.
You've probably heard the whole "religion is like a wheel and there are many spokes to get to the center" shpeel. I agree that is wrong and it is NOT what coexist means. Coexist means not forcing your religion on others or holding them to your own or god's standards. If the coexist symbol meant that all paths lead to the light, all religions lead to heaven, all roads lead to rome... etc.... i would vehemntly disagree with it. but that is NOT what the symbol means. it is a symbol of "wouldn't it be cool if people didn't kill each other cause they disagree?!"
yes... it would be very cool. So once again.... in the context of how the symbol is MEANT to be taken... I agree with it. However if i misinterpreted it the way you have (no offense... i'm typing this with gentleness ;) then i would disagree with it as much as you.
the symbol was originally created by a polish artist who was commissioned by an Israeli museum. originally it was just the muslim crescent, star of david, and christian cross. It was looking at three religions that have had very violent pasts with each other. the artist said he just wished they could agree to disagree instead of killing each other.
That may have been the original intent of the coexist symbol, but that is not the way the post modern Christians have interpreted this symbol. All you have to do is listen to Bono talk about "Coexist".
In an interview with Rick Warren at his leadership conference Bono claims this as a way to all religions being accepted by "g"od. Also when you listen to guys like Dan Kimball, Doug Paggett and Rob Bell talk about the coexist movement they definitely use it as a way to merge all religions.
This blog was not intended to say that coexist means one thing as much as people, primarily post modern Christians, are claiming this symbol as a way to devoid the Gospel of it's offensiveness. Understand that the majority of Christians that claim the coexist symbol do not know the history of the symbol.
I am pleased to know that you do know the history of the symbol. I am even more pleased that you understand the exclusivity of the Gospel. Please know my heart on this matter and it is to see people who are misguided by false religions to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Also, know that even though we are called to model Christlikeness through our actions, we are also called to the proclamation of the Gospel and not the silent acceptance of false religions.
Thank you for your comments, this truly is how iron sharpens iron!
Ha! I think its funny that even the christians on here don't have the same beliefs! The murderer senario doesn't have anything to do with common or un common truths. all religions a set of rules and morals. Christianity is not the only one that does not condone murderers. There are people who call themselves by all kinds of religions that commit murder and i can garuntee most of the people in thier faiths dont agree with them doing it. Thats a bit far fetched. That bumper sticker is about live and let live not live and force to to convert. That goes for all religions.
The thing is with the bumper stickers you are seeing... that is the movement that Bono is a major person in... This is a direct quote from the Coexist website.
"Why did he say at concerts around the globe "Jesus, Jew, Muhammad, it's true: all sons of Abraham"?
Bono’s call to coexistence is a plea for cultural reconciliation. Despite the differences between cultures and belief systems we need to remember what is essential: We're all human.
We should respect one another as
brothers and sisters."
It's not always about religion, it is about so much more than the popularity contest that religion has become.
If you are going to believe, then just believe. In the end, it isn't going to matter how many people you told, or how bright you lived in your religion. We're all going to die with our cause in the forefront of our mind.
Don't let yourself feel that you can't live your religion, but it also gives you no right to down other people for believing differently than you do, as a Christian.
I was Christian, with a Pagan best friend. We are still close friends, but I have also ended the labeling of what I believe. I believe, and that is all anyone needs to know about me. Not what I believe, not the way I give thanks or praise. I am merely living my life with the morals that Christianity calls "the Golden Rule" and Pagans call "the Wiccan Creed" It's the same thing in any religion, they just name it differently.
We're all living for the same thing, so there is no reason why we need to curse those who are different.
Not to burst anyone's bubble, but even with "one absolute truth" there will still be evil in the world, morals will always be compromised here and there, and the world will never be perfect. If one belief doesnt save someone, then maybe another might? Does that mean its wrong to have a different belief if it worked for someone else?
Another fact is that there has always been a mix of beliefs. People have waged wars just for a difference of opinion or belief, so at least we have outgrown that, right?
In my opinion there is something different that each of these beliefs can teach us. They can each tell us about ourselves, about human nature and about our lives. This is not a bad thing, we just all have to be open minded and of course, open hearted.
Great post, btw. It poses an interesting question.
I have read through all the comments and found many to be intriguing, but I find that what everyone seems to be missing is that man is a created being - by God - he chose to sin in the garden of eden and was cast out. That casting out, due to man's fallenness, gave man a void between him and God (sin) which in turn gave us the sense we can do what we want (free will).
Throughout the bible you see people exercising that free will - Christian and Non-christian - cane and able, corrupt people on the earth in Noahs day, sodom and gamorah, David and Bathsheba, Samson and Delilah, Judas Iscariot, and many more.. God reigned judgment on some (flood, fire and brimstone) but also allowed others to reap the consequences of their actions. His word tells us that God is a jealous God and his first commandment is 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me', the second ' thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image'. The Christian religion is based off the scripture passed down year after year after year from the beginning of time and is the absolute truth. Judaism was the first religion using these scriptures, but Judaism does not recognize Christ as the promised Messiah even though his birth fulfilled 'ALL' old testament prophecy of it, thus Christianity was born with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - God's one and only son. all other religions listed and throughout this world were born out of man's desire to interpret his own law and satans desire to steal and destroy as many souls as possible. God's word says satan is the great deceiver. I believe that satan uses anything he can to twist peoples thinking and I believe a bumper sticker like this is his way of trying to lump them all together so as to make non-believers rationalilze in their minds there is no difference.
Christians have to stand out from the world - God's word said we are a light to the world and we are to be the salt unto the world. Think about the world being one big rotting pit (sinful man). Prior to refrigeration, what prevented meat from rotting - salt - that is Christianity or the belief in Jesus and the acceptance of Him as your saviour, it is the only belief system that can prevent your soul from rotting - it means Christ in us.
I coexist with many people of different religions - I am not abrasive to them, but am a friend - I let Christ live through me so they can see his love. I talk to them about their religion and tell them about Jesus - all I do is plant seeds - I do not try to bring the harvest - that is for God to do. So yes I coexist with them but I refuse to COEXIST as the sticker implies !!
One other thing - yh8? said 'It is the creator, not us, that created the mix for us in the first place.' - that is wrong - God create the first man and woman in the Garden as perfect beings that were sinless and only worshipped Him - Adam and Eve chose sin by disobeying God and that got them thrown out of the Garden of eden and caused all their descendents to be born into sin. From that point on - man created the mix of religions due to his own deisires to make his own laws and not follow God.
Love...love...love...
Is not the whole point of Christianity to love everyone, neighbor and enemy? The Coesxist idea is not to 'dumb down' the Christian Gospel, but rather to enforce the idea that we all must love one another and be tolerant of each other. As Christians, we strive to become more like Jesus- to walk in his footsteps, to love as he loves, to forgive without question as he does. Jesus is love. God is love. We are supposed to be tolerant of everyone- pagans, muslims, followers of ba'al. This is the point of the Coexist idea. I don't understand those so-called Christians who wage war on other religons and say that is it for their own good, and that we must convert them so they may be saved. Humans have no right to judge other humans, we have no right to 'save' others. We are saved by the Grace of God, and that Grace alone, which is given out by God at his discretion. God and God alone judges.
Christianity is love and tolerance. If this is too far over your head, then maybe you should rethink how you see the Word of God.
PS- I do firmly believe that there is only one absolute truth. God is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. That's what faith is- having no doubt whatsoever that your truth is the only truth. That's what I have- faith. I do NOT believe that coexisting means we will all be taken to Heaven; rather, I believe that if we all learned, or tried to learn, to at least be accepting, we could make Earth more peaceful. We could, as Christians, show people of other religons the love of God. Maybe God could choose us to minister to others- God is love, God is the Way. I plant seeds of God's love. I show others what He has done for my life. And I pray that God will take it further, and that He will choose to save those he finds worthy.
Peace be with you.
Anonymous,
Just for clarity. Christians are called to love all people, no matter what faith or gender. We are called to love homosexuals as well as straight people. What Christians can not love is sin.
In that Christians should believe that there is only on true God and to believe in any other god would be a sin. The act of homosexuality is a sin. Christians are called to be tolerant of people, but not sin.
Everyone is really over thinking this. The Coexist bumper sticker is very simple, what it means is no religion aught to be offended by another one's beliefs. No religion should embark onto a holy war. Instead we must accept others. It's not that hard.
I appreciate the coexist symbolism each time I see it. I find it off balance that as we learn to accept one another and live together as brothers and sisters there are still pointings under the name of coexistence as to what life is right and wrong.
I found I needed to laugh at the argument against homosexuality linked on your sight. So much for acceptance and coexisting.
What else is under target?
be well-
To Steve:
You said in your post "...man is a created being - by God - he chose to sin in the garden of eden and was cast out. That casting out, due to man's fallenness, gave man a void between him and God (sin) which in turn gave us the sense we can do what we want (free will). "
My first question is: Who's God? The Jewish God? The Christian God? The Hindu God? The Buddist God?
I was raised Catholic. Went to Catholic school for 12 years. I remember my Senior year in HS, I asked my Religion teacher "How do we know WE are right?" I don't remember her answer, but I do remember the look she gave me. She didn't like that question.
I've been a "recovering" catholic for a while. I used to belive that there was a "higher power" and that different people/culture prayed/worshiped in a different way. However, the more I began to ponder the issue, I've realized that the Bible, the Koran, all of the books/writings/teachings of EVERY religion were created by MAN.
Basically, I have found that I have an issue with ANY kind of organized religion. Especially in today's day and age or corruption and shadiness (for lack of a better word). Churches (especially "Christian") are more political than ever before.
But I digress.....
The one lesson my dad taught me that I will NEVER forget is the Golden Rule:
Do onto other as you would have done onto yourself.
This is how we can Coexist in this CRAZY scrwed up world. If people treated other people with kindess and respect, imagine how much better of a place this world would be.
I know there will always be "bad" people in the world, but there will always be "good" people in the world as well.
Throw up the duece (peace sign) when someone lets you in traffic. Say Thank You when someone holds the door open for you. Say Excuse Me if you bump or walk in front of someone. Basically have manners.
I also believe in Karma. EVERYTHING we do in our lives will come back to us 10 fold.
Sorry... went on a bit of a rant. To sum it up:
Treat people how you want to be treated. Be nice, be cool... just Be.
Peace
T
Teresa,
You are right in that we should treat people as we would like to be treated. The Bible tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. To me this is the key to living a Godly, Christlike life.
As to knowing which God? Not all the gods you listed are the same. I want to apologize first for your Catholic school teacher, I was once Catholic myself. I left the Catholic church because the priests did not want to answer any of my questions in regards to the origin of God and such.
I don't know if you have ever read the Bible in contrast to the other religions books, but one thing you will find is that all other religions a based on the fact that man is inherently good and that he can obtain salvation on his own. This is where Christianity, in it's most proper and pure form differs. In the Christian religion man needs God. Man needs Christ. Man is inherently evil and can do no other outside of God. Thus, the necessity for the cross.
So as to how do we know God exists? Look all around you. Evidence of God is all around you.
I hope this helps. Please consider reading the Bible and going to a good local church.
Peace!
Two things:
1. The reason that Christianity cannot simply tolerate other religious views AS IF they are just a valid... is Jesus. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no comes to the Father except through Me." That is an exclusive statement. Furthermore, Jesus is the one who commissioned the church to... make disciples of all nations, to preach the gospel to every creature.
2. When someone says that it is wrong to tells others they are wrong, he has just contradicted himself. Hello!
Teresa,
Sorry have not been on here in about 8-9 months, but in response to your question - I completely agree with Tom, there is a huge difference between Christianity and other religions. We rely on the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to save us. Hinduism, buddhism and all the others rely on your own works and abilities to get you to heaven. That is impossible, there is not one of us that can get ourselves to heaven, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the father but by me. By the way, the Jewish God is the Same as the Christian God, the difference is the Jewish God sent his Son Jesus as the Messiah, to come and give a permanent sacrifice for all our sins, but the Jews would not accept that, even though Christs birth, life, death and resurrection fulfilled "EVERY" old testament prophecy regarding the coming messiah. The Jews are still looking for Him, but he already came and they are now rejecting him. Also remember God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit are the Trinity and they are 3 persons in one so the Jewish God and Christian God are the same.
Your dad is a wise man - you should always do unto others as you would have them do unto you, that is why I tell others about the savior, Jesus Christ, because if I were drowning and did not know it, but someone could tell me about a life ring that is right beside me, but I didn't see it, but they chose not to, I would die and my blood would be on their hands. I love everyone and I choose peace with people, but if someone challenges my belief, I will stand up and fight for Christ. God's Holy Word, written by man's hand, but scripted by the Holy Spirit, tells us that this life is a not a battle of flesh and blood, but a battle of spiritual warfare. Our lives are consistent spiritual warfare with the cares of this world taking place of our worship and service of God, with the desires of this world taking place of God, if you truely look at life it is spiritually driven and is a battle to make the right choices, that will exemplify and lift up God at all times.
For all those on here that read and think we are not to be witnessing and trying to help people see the light, you need to read the King James Version of the Bible and understand the Great Commission that Christ put forth and that is to go into all the world and witness about the saving grace of Christ Jesus.
God Bless each of you !!
Steve
Greets dude!
It is my first time here. I just wanted to say hi!
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