The astounding conflagration effecuated by reality and pride...

Well, it's been a while since I last posted something on here. Life has been busy and I've been working like a madman...that, and getting back into some semblance of discipline with my life. I'm starting to really understand the relationships between faith and stress though, and I'm seriously wondering how any non-Christian survives a single day living on this earth without the Lord. I realize that all pagan lives are overrun with vices that, in all reality, are feeble efforts to replace the Lord. I'm just amazed how so many people keep on persevering in living such aweful lives (Hmm...I sense some minor key reflections incoming).

Not to sound too negative, but maybe I'm starting to rekindle my evangelistic passion. In reflecting, I've started to remember how completely lost non-Christians are. How does anyone deal with a real stressful situation/trial/'struggle of life' without relying on God? If one doesn't have an infinite strength to rely on, what does one do?

I'm guessing that one basically either does one of two things. First, one distracts oneself from one's weakness. Some people use alcohol. Some people use entertainment (tv, sports, magazines, porn, etc.). Some people use work and 'busy-ness' (or is that business?). Some people use church and religion (committment to a 'higher purpose'). Some people use 'good deeds' to distract themselves from their predicament (compensate for the negative in life by contributing some positive...). Some people use sports, fitness, or some physical form of 'release'. Some people use pleasure (sex, money, etc). Some people get counselling and go to 'stress management', except their counsellors are in the same aweful predicament that they are in...that's like one puddle talking to another puddle and asking for advice on how to stop being wet... Uh, yeah. Not happening.

Obviously none of these ultimatley work. Distractions won't fix the real problem.

So, the other option is to face the reality of one's weakness. Others do this and become depressed, despairing, nihlistic and suicidal. Much of the 'underground' side of pop culture (you know, like, emo-bands, Eminem and most of Christina Ricci's movies) rides on this realization and profits from 'identifying' with people's pain. I remember reading an interview with Evanescence and explained the purpose of their band being something along the lines of 'our band exists to let people know that they're not alone in facing pain'. Holy Crap!? What kinda comfort is that? "Hey, don't worry! Your life is a steaming pile, but don't worry...mine is too!" No wonder adolescents are shooting up the school and mom and dad can't stay married. Why bother living if half the culture is distracted from the reality that mankind (and consequently life) is horrid and the other half of the culture is unified in their dissatisfaction with creation? Unity in distraction or unity in despair? Talk about a crappy selection.

After a little pondering, I'm growing increasingly convinced that, outside the Lord, men are lost. Not kinda lost, but uber lost. Like, lost to the point of being absolutley hopeless. Hopeless like falling out of the space shuttle, buck naked, while in re-entry. In the movies, a person could survive that. In reality you'd freeze solid in around 5 seconds (it is like -150 or so in space), you'd suffocate immediately and then, if you some how hung on for a minute or two, you'd burn to carbon upon re-entry.

Reflecting on the utter lostness of man, I'm all the more thankful that "he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." (Titus 3:5) God is good and it's not up to me. Also, I'm SO thankful that "...we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. (Heb 4:15)" Jesus is the perfect man for the job. God's grace has saved me and he really takes care of me where all other things fail. Until next time,

The Armchair Theologian