Go Blue and Happy Easter!
I think if God had to choose between attending the church service I attended this morning and the Michigan basketball game I watched this afternoon, I suspect God would have chosen the basketball game and skipped church. The service I attended offered no life – which is ironic because that’s what Easter Sunday is supposed to be about – Jesus’ victory over death, and living life to the fullest – or as you wrote, “living in the moment.” I saw one girl twirling in the aisle during one of the songs. I think she and a few other kids in the church understood life and celebration, but as for the adults – probably not. (I say this about the church in Michigan; I feel differently about my churches in LA and in NYC.)
To update you, I’ve been bouncing between LA, NYC and Michigan since last summer. While in Michigan I stay with my parents’ on a lake located in the Irish Hills. Down the shore from me is this guy named ______ who happens to be my same age, and also a graduate of the University of Michigan. We didn’t start hanging out until this past summer, but we’ve become friends over the course of the year and his company has been good for me. He hates Christianity, so spending time with him has been particularly enlightening. I’ve been challenged by our conversations, and have come to the realization that Christians, in general, have done a really shitty job of presenting what it means to follow Jesus.
I’ve been working on a masters degree – somewhat in leadership, but also on the Christian faith. I’ve been at it for 10 years and just finished up last week. (I failed the course a while back and had to retake it, so no celebrating for me until it’s official with my grade.) Through my final course I learned about the various ways people have explained Jesus’ death on the cross throughout the ages – and, to my surprise, the early church fathers thought very differently on the matter than what has been presented in the last 1000 years.
With that having been said, I think there’s A LOT more mystery to God and the universe than what men have insisted upon and argued over the years.
This however, doesn’t answer your question – is there a God? I can point people in the direction of intellectual arguments for a grand designer of the universe, but I don’t think that is necessarily helpful - because ultimately belief in God comes down to faith, which tends to be less of an intellectual matter and more of a heart or gut matter. You know, kind of like when you fall for someone. It kind of just happens. And other times it doesn’t. Even when you know on paper someone seems like they’d be a great fit – yet, if the chemistry isn’t there, there is nothing you can do to make yourself feel something you don’t.
But Enoch Olson felt faith and believed in his core that God is real, and so that’s why he founded Spring Hill. A youtube video was recently posted of him sharing one of my favorite stories he use to tell at staff training. Take a peak sometime when you have the chance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1awXaaEaKE
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