Every now and then, when my life feels too easy, I read Gordon Howie. Gaaacckk!
Gordon’s fuzzy Sunday devotional has him wondering how all of us turmoil-stricken souls can reject Jesus, “the only solution to their life’s problems”:
The thing that kept me from God during the early part of my life was the fear of what I would “lose” and the things I could no longer do if I were a Christian. The marvelous thing I discovered is that when I gave up everything I held dear, and yielded to Christ, I actually GAINED. I just could not see it from the other side of salvation. Thank God that He chose to snatch me out of the dismal state of my own circumstance [Gordon Howie, “Rejecting God,” The Right Side, 2017.10.29].
I’m curious about what young godless Gordon (imagine that!) thought he would lose, and what Gordon thinks godless guys like me dread giving up if we board the Jesus train. Drinking to excess? Sexually harassing women? Stealing money from the government? Sleeping in late on Sunday?
If atheism is supposed to be one long, thrilling hedonist debauch, I’ve apparently misplaced my invitation. (Heck, I’m still up every Sunday driving my daughter to church.) But the Christian world doesn’t seem to be filled with people who have given up their sins for turmoilless bliss, as evidenced by the largely professedly Christian South Dakota Legislature after hours.
I’m glad Christianity is working for Gordon. I hope it kept him out of trouble when he was a legislator. I hope it keeps him happy, healthy, and functional (and maybe makes him a better, more specific and practical writer). But so far, I don’t find myself in a “dismal state” without Gordon’s God. I enjoy life’s pleasures, fight my battles cheerfully, and seek the true and the good, as I hope all my friends and neighbors do. I don’t think I’d have to give up any of the things I hold dear to join Gordon in the pews… but it also seems I can live my mostly happy, mostly moral life about as effectively as anyone else around me without the faith behind fuzzy Sunday devotionals.
Maybe drugs or alcohol had the effect of finding a higher power, happens to a lot of people. We all remember the charges on his wife for Driving Under the Influence, so who knows. I am sure that he has some devoted nuts in his camp so he has that going for him, which helps keep the lights on.
What exactly did Gordon give up that he held dear?
His wife, family and friends?
His house and car?
Material acquisitions we gather throughout life that help define who we are?
Or, immoral behavior that would be wrong whether or not you believe in God or not.
Some people say that Gordon Howie was a boozer and a video poker addict – before he found Jesus.
I don’t care which religon a guy uses to get himself out of a serious addiction – I’m just glad Gordon found the one for him.
Cory writes:
In defense of Gordon, he only suggested that he wondered how someone whose life is in turmoil could continue to reject Christ. That doesn’t necessarily imply that the life of every person who rejects Christ is in turmoil.
In criticism of Gordon, the suggestion that Christ solves all of His followers’ problems on this side of eternity is misleading.
I pray, to the Lord, that my football team wins the next football game, against the other team, even when/where some/most of the other team’s players are also praying for the same thing.
So, Kurt can prolly shove it where the Sun don’t shine.
One thing Howie didn’t gain was a clue.
You must give up most of your accountability and a large portion of your ability to reason. I admit, I do hold these things quite dear and I would be afraid to lose them.
So far, I have not found a fair trade from any religion.
I’ve wondered about that, Ryan. It seems that, under theology done right, one still bears accountability for one’s action and must still reason vigorously to discern good from evil.
One of my comments apparently didn’t go through. This one is only a test.
I wasted a few hours at a local church advertising a “Gospel” performance, Gordon and others sang hymns and C&W jesus songs, but the real Gospel singers I expected in town weren’t there. Jackley’s people were. I left when it was finally clear it wasn’t going to be the real deal. Gordon admitted he was a scoundrel before he was saved. the event turned out to be an anti-abortion fund raiser. gaak!
Leslie, when was that event?
Kurt, that comment will not go through.