Winning Words 3/6/12
“I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn’t, than to live my life as if there isn’t to find out there is.” (Sent by Paul Harrington) I like Bill Maher as a comedian, but his theology is not my “cup of tea.” Faith is difficult for some people to grasp, because they want proof. Old flat-earth map makers would come to the edge of their map and write, “Here is God.” ;-) Jack

FROM MT IN PENNSYLVANIA: Love this quote! :-)////FROM JACK: There's a simplicity about it. There's a hymn that has this verse.
If our love (faith) were but more simple,
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all sunshine
In the sweetness of our Lord.

FROM RG IN ARIZONA: I love your metaphor: Faith begins where reason can no longer be mapped out. Even still, Faith can flourish amidst that which can be seen and proved. I am regularly in awe with a Creator that could generate such a system that a science can dissect, identify, and understand. Just because one can prove something doesn't mean there isn't a Faith in the One who created the system in the first place! Even what we can "map" is really quite incredible.////FROM JACK: Faith can be very complex, so as to intrigue the theologians. It can be very simple, so that even the most common among us can grasp it. God is continually trying to reach out to us.

FROM BP IN NAPLES: WOW, I'm shocked that you would make the statement you like Bill Maher. He uses foul language to excess, denigrates God, women and anyone who disagrees with him to an extreme extent. His humor is most often at another's expense and not in a nice way. Frankly I find him to be vulgar and disgusting. Its one thing to disagree but another to use God and Jesus in graphic vulgarity. WOW.////FROM JACK: The quote is not about Bill Maher, but it's about being a part of God's heaven. Be sure to read some of today's blog comments. Does it surprise you that I'm weird? Don't give up on me. As usual, there's a madness to my method...or is it the other way around?

FROM SHARIN' SHARON: Just read also the scripture verses the ELCA sends out each morning. Today's is the part where Abraham is asked to sacrifice Isaac but then he doesn't have to because "God will provide." For me, faith that there is a God goes out to struggling with to really believe that "God will provide" whatever the problem I am dealing with and there is where the actions in my life become focussed. Sometimes it is a strain to do some actions believing at the same time that there is a God and that God is at work and this whole big problem isn't going to last forever--that things are changing and changing for the good because God is providing. When things get happy again, I draw some conclusions from what seems like "proof." Your WW today are interesting again.////FROM JACK: I like that story in Mark when a father comes to Jesus asking for his son to be healed. Jesus asks, "Do you believe?" The man responds, "I believe. Help my unbelief." Faith is not always an easy thing.

FROM ILLINOIS LIZ: Bill Maher ceased being funny a long time ago. He is the left's Rush. "Faith" means believing in what u can't see. U can't make urself have faith; u either have it or u don't. Faith can come 2 those who never had it b4 & it can grow. Bill Maher, I think, wants 2 believe bc he doth protest too much & has become so angry. ////FROM JACK: I wonder what Bill looks like when the mask is removed?

FROM BBC IN ILLINOIS: I feel sorry for Bill. Think he must’ve really been bruised as a child over religion to be so caustic and vehement about all expressions of faith.////FROM JACK: Congratulations on being able to read my mind.

FROM MEDD-O-LANE: He is not only not my cup of tea, his sense of humor is always in the toilet.////FROM JACK: When you get to heaven, would you be surprised if he were there?

FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Not all people accept the gift of faith, of course.////FROM JACK: Not all people have the same opportunity to choose to believe or not to believe. As children come to school from different home environments, they will respond to teaching, in large part, because of what happens outside of the classroom. I'm thankful for what I learned in the home.