the soured milk conundrum

Unbeknownst to you, the reader, I have actually written many rough drafts of this post. I have spent the better part of the last month trying to pinpoint exactly what it is that I want to say, and exactly how I want to say it. I've struggled with my answer to this question for far too long, and I am determined now to finally post something. Even if it is not perfect. 

Before I address the actual question, I want to start off with where I began.

I was initially pondering the paleocontact hypothesis; a theory which inspired the History Channel Special “Ancient Aliens,” which in turn has developed a cult following as a television series. More specifically, I was attempting to address the idea that the events in the Bible which are attributed to God could have been acts of technologically superior beings - perhaps even aliens.

This may seem a leap to some, but the idea is not all that unreasonable in principle. Put it this way: if someone from the early first-century AD suddenly found themselves in twenty-first century America, they would of course be startled at the large metal birds in the sky.

Now, just for a moment, make the assumption that extra-terrestrials exist and that they have the necessary technologies required for interstellar travel. And that they have had it for thousands of years. Just what would our first-century time traveler think of such technologies had they landed in his day?

I may address some of this theory later, but after further consideration and dialog with the original inquirer, I decided to address the core issue. The same core issue, I believe, of every objection to the God of the Bible. The issue of rationality itself - what is rational and irrational.


The question:

“Isn't it possible that the events described in the Bible were not God-related, but simply things that didn't have a rational explanation for those who wrote about them?”


Rationality is often the determining factor when modern society considers what is acceptable to believe in. Maybe it’s the view from my window here in Bellingham, Washington - where a myriad of irrational beliefs are held - but doesn't it seem like this is a serious problem?

"I never got good at predicting what millions of people will suddenly decide is rational."

-Larry Niven-

We cannot consider something to be rational or irrational unless we have a full understanding of the situation and the circumstance of what is in front of us.

For example, letting milk sit out on the counter for a couple of days may be considered an irrational decision if you intend to drink the milk. But if you were hoping to make cheese, this might be the first step in your recipe and may well be a rational decision.
(author’s note: you can’t just put out a mug of milk on Tuesday and come back Friday to a block of cheddar.)

Without knowing the situation and circumstance behind the decision to let the milk sit out on the counter for a day or two, we have no way of knowing if it was a rational or irrational decision. 

Now let’s bring God into it. Great, because that’s what we need. Let’s bring the utmost decision of what we believe our very existence to be and/or mean under the scrutiny of rationality when we can’t even figure out if you wanted to make cheese.

Before I say anything else, knowing what is rational and irrational is of course necessary. And any rational person knows that milk will spoil if put on the counter over a couple of days.
My point is that in asking if something was God or if it was simply something being perceived as irrational when truly having a rational explanation, you are asking a loaded question. I would first need to define the exact situation and circumstance behind the decision to record an event as being related to God.

Personally, I believe the events in the Bible are God-related and are true as written. Not because I have any rational or tangible evidence in front of me that would say so, but because of faith. And to quote the author of the book of Hebrews, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith, as it is defined in this very book which requires faith to be believed, is a highly irrational concept. As defined in the Bible, faith would be inadmissible as evidence in a court of law. Yet here we are told that is not just evidence, but the evidence. Faith is what drives this belief, and is all the evidence I need. 

To be sure, there are proofs and certain evidences which can establish plausibility concerning the events in the Bible. But these are secondary and unnecessary evidences to the Christian. While they can encourage and help us in our beliefs, the only true evidence we have for our belief is faith. And even this is a gift. Only by God do we have faith in God.

"God always takes the simplest way." 

-Albert Einstein-

So, for my answer to the question. 

“Isn't it possible that the events described in the Bible were not God-related, but simply things that didn't have a rational explanation for those who wrote about them?”

I suppose it is possible. In the same way I suppose it’s possible that aliens exist. Both of these suppositions are made by my measuring different “amounts” of rationality.
But the Bible’s evidence is not rational, rather it is faith-based. And faith is not something we can measure or quantify or attain on our own.

And so reader, my answer is yes. But that doesn't rightly matter.

the journey of a thousand miles...

Why am I writing this? Because I don’t know everything I’d like to know, and because for a while I forgot what it felt like to yearn for knowledge of the unknown. When I was a kid I was always asking questions. In all the hubbub of growing up and maturing into a twenty-something year old, I think we’re all allowed to forget what it feels like for a while - or, if we’re not, we do anyway. 

The one thing we’re not allowed to forget is Jesus. 
Well, let me rephrase that. 
We are allowed to forget Jesus. It’s just really not all that advisable. 

"God is dead."

-Friedrich Nietzsche-

Nietzsche is dead.

-God-

I grew up in a small town on the border of Canada filled with banks, coffee shops, tulips and churches. I heard once that we were in the Guinness Book of World Records for more churches per capita than anywhere else in the world. That could just be local folklore/wishful thinking, but it wouldn't surprise me if it turned out to be true. 
Somehow, in the middle of all these churches, there are still those that not only fall from grace, but swan dive into the muck that is outside.

I love Jesus. In my spirit and my heart, if not always in my mind and actions (tell me that you do twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and you’ll have my sympathies; you don’t realize that you don’t)

I believe in the trinitarian Godhead: God the Father, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit all in one, all in perfect unison. I believe that Jesus was God incarnate, born as a baby to a virgin. And that the baby grew up into a man who lived a perfect life and died on a cross in our place because of the ways I screw up, and everyone in the world who has ever lived, or will live, screws up. And that the God-man Jesus who died on the cross somehow rose Himself from the dead three days later, and ever since then, to this day, calls all people to love and know Him - as He loves and knows us.

Not exactly a traditional Apostle’s Creed, but there it is.


Back to my original question, because I don’t think I actually answered it all that well. I’m writing this because I want to be a bridge of sorts. I grew up without talking to anyone about the things I want to talk about today. That is, the things that make Christians squirm uncomfortably and non-Christians point to say “Aha! There’s where you’re wrong!”

Because I want to talk about the truth. Not the “Well the sky’s blue because God made it blue” kind of truth. But the “Why evil men live long lives and innocent children die” kind of truth. 
The kind of truth that doesn't have an easy answer. The kind of truth that doesn't always make you feel better. The kind of truth that doesn't change according to perception.

In some ways, I want to be a contradiction. Much as Christ was and is a contradiction: 
A man who was and is God,
a servant who was and is King, 
a sacrifice that refused to stay dead.
I want to know truth - but question it; and question it - knowing that it is still true.

"Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer?"

-Erik Lensherr-

I’ll probably expand more on the whys of my writing as I continue them, but for now let me explain what I plan to write about:

I am inviting everyone, Christian and non-Christian, to ask what they consider to be the most challenging and/or confusing questions they have concerning the Christian faith. 

What will I do with these questions? I promise only to address them. In a way I wish someone would have addressed them if I dared to asked them growing up. Not as a scholar, not as a pastor, not as a generally pretty great guy. But as a young man who has seen what both sides of grace can bring, and what both sides cannot bring. 

I will be asking for questions from a variety of sources, social networking, in person, posting in forums, and of course from the comments on this very blog. If you are reading this and already have a question in mind, email me, Facebook me, give me a call/text, or ask me next time we see each other. Once I decide on a question I’d like to explore, I’ll do just that - explore.
Understand this, that I am a Christian. Fundamentally and thoroughly. And whatever I write will reflect this. However, what may make sense to a Christian may not make sense to a non-Christian and vice versa. That is why I’ll be looking into it from all angles. How else am I going to learn what I don’t know? That is, after all, my reason for doing this.

Please be patient with me if I let you know I’ll be addressing your question in this blog. Much like Treebeard, I don’t want to say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.

Now, without further ado I present Unapologetic Apologetics.