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about the author...  Avril Speaks is a freelance writer originally from Piscataway, NJ. She enjoys spending time with her family, writing, and making movies. Avril is currently in the process of writing a screenplay on living life as a Christian single woman in today’s society. For more information about Avril, visit her here >>>.
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The Distorted Truth About God by Avril Speaks
I once got into a discussion with a friend of mine about meditation as
she informed me that she gets answers to life’s problems by lighting
candles and praying. Because of our friendship and knowing that she is
not a believer, I asked her “Well, when you pray, who are you praying
to?” “The Universe”, she answered. She insisted that God hears her
because she is connected to the universe. “But Jesus said, ‘I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
Me,” was my response. And her response was “Well, I don’t believe in
the Bible so that means nothing to me.”
Sometimes I struggle with the question of whether or not truth is really relative. It is very easy for me as a Bible-believing, born-again Christian to tell people that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. But that belief comes from my truth. A truth that is grounded in the Bible as the word of God, and if someone does not even believe in the basic tenet of the Bible, how can we have equal dialogue? Although every person may not agree that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, I believe that there is truth in the fact that every person longs to be connected to something. Every person wants to feel like they belong, to be committed to something or to someone. That’s why people join clubs and leagues, go to parties, and develop relationships with others—everyone is looking for a soul connection. Most people believe in the truth that God (or as non-believers may say “a god”) exists. Unfortunately, the truth that mankind often ignores is the truth that the Creator of the universe, this very same God, longs to embrace us, love us, and accept us. And one of the greatest truths is the fact that there is a possibility for a relationship with this Creator. In some cases, this truth is distorted by forms of idol worship, such as valuing objects or images of God more than God himself. In American culture, even gang members freely and boldly wear crosses around their necks as decoration or as status symbols. And these days the phrase “God Bless America” is tossed around so frequently, that the words have almost become meaningless. One day as I was watching the evening news they did a story on a Catholic church in New York that was burglarized. Not only did the thieves take money from the church, but they also broke the legs off the crucifix. I watched as the people of the community were interviewed, each of them shocked that anyone could deface such a religious symbol. At that moment I thought to myself, “These people are so upset because a piece of wood was destroyed. I wonder do they even care about the man on that cross any other day of the week? Do these people even know who the real Jesus is?” The question wasn’t intended to judge anyone. I was just curious—were they really that concerned, or were these people believing in a distorted truth about who God really is, similar to my friend and her candles. Did they believe that God was just a symbol, or a mystical figure part of the overall universe? I then began to reflect on my own spiritual journey. I grew up in a religious household, went to church every Sunday, was active in church, and even went to a Catholic school. But I did not have a relationship with Christ. When I went away to college, I began to question my religious beliefs and felt a need to search for truth in religions other than Christianity. After receiving more knowledge from the world and from academia, I slowly began to resent my religious upbringing. I had concluded that God was a myth, that he was oppressive, and that my parents and everyone else who believed in Him was misguided and unenlightened—my own distorted truth about God. As I tried and tried to sow my religious oats, one day I found myself in the depths of depression. I felt alone, and none of my philosophies were working for me. What I needed was a soul connection. I turned back to Christ, but this time I made a conscious decision to receive salvation, to whole-heartedly accept him and to take up my cross and follow him. Several people have probably believed distorted truths about God prior to becoming a believer. But those distorted views became clearer once we discovered our need for a soul connection. In times since the conversation with my friend about her meditation, she has often shared with me how much she admires the fact that I am connected to a church, and that I have people around me for support. What she fails to realize is that I have this connection because of a bigger connection, a connection with God, the Creator of the universe. As many times as I try to invite her to church or talk to her about God, she cannot seem to let go of her own distorted truths. As the body of Christ, we need to be aware that our culture has already formed their own version of the truth, one that may clash with our belief system that holds the Bible as the ultimate measure of truth. But perhaps if we deal with the inner need for connection, and for fellowship, the world might be a little more open to hearing the real truth that God is real and He is personal.
I like your ability to ask questions. What if your friend really was connecting with Jesus and she didn't know it? If the Bible is true when it says that Jesus is the creator of the universe and holds it all together (Col. 1:16-17, Heb. 1:2-3) then maybe she is encountering him even though she does not recognise him. This could be your little secret with hopes that Jesus will connect with her heart and someday she'll recognise who he is. Meanwhile, keep loving her and listening to her and being Jesus' hands and feet.
With thoughts of this very good article, the following is a definition of the typical faith of a teen which came from the 3-year extensive study by Dr. Christian Smith. It is called Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. That defined is "there's a God who created the world, but that God is not particularly involved in my way of life. I live my own life apart from God except when I have problems. Then I can call upon God to come solve those problems for me. (Moral Therapeutic Deism asserts that) people should be good--and that basically means not being a jerk. God is something like a divine butler or cosmic therapist who is there to meet your needs but doesn't get too personally involved with you and certainly is not demanding. Religion's main benefit is that is applies therapeutic satisfaction, that it meets therapeutic needs." Excellent article. Many of the previous responders are missing your point. The DISTORTED truth about God. We distort the truth about God whenever we think of Him as who or what we want Him to be, not as who He revealed Himself as - in the person of Jesus Christ and through the Bible. Anything else is distorted truth. Once distorted the truth is no longer the truth. Sorry, but to call it any other way is just twisting the meaning of words and avoiding facing God as He is. It could be that your friend is actually connecting to God through her candles and meditation. Yes, Jesus said he is the way the truth and the life. But _how_ is that so? Is he only the way if someone explicity acknowledges him to be so? Or can he be the way/truth/life even when we do not recoginize that...even when we cannot name the specific mechanics of how that works through him? I think his divine power to be the way/truth/life exisists and functions even when we do not recognize that action, even when we cannot not name him as part of our personal experience of God. The redeeming acts of Jesus ripple out into the universe, whether I chose to name the as "his" or not -- and I believe that seekers can and do access that. Furthermore, the religious/spritiual experiences of God-connected (but not explicitly Jesus-connected) friends are often deeper and more life impacting than my many years of repetedly singing and saying the name of Jesus. I just read your article about truth and the distorted beliefs about God. Very good article and some cords are very true. I am quite upset about your reference to Catholics and how they were upset that "wood" was broken, "Do they even know Christ" If you are going to write articles you should do some Christian research and know that since the time of Christ, icons, object and things in the physical world represent a higher truth and demension. We are made physical people and not just mystical. All through the beginins of Christianty paintings and crucifixes were used to focus prayer. And I am sure if you asked those interviewed, they would answer that they do know the man in the wood. Perhaps that's why they were so upset. If you house was broken into and something was broken I am sure you would be upset as well.
Oh how I believe this is true! In my life alone I have seen this. In my students life I see it everyday. It breaks the hearts of all who follows my Jesus. The world and the things in it will past-but the arms of Christ will NEVER. This article has brought attention to our youth ministry. Our D-Now is coming up and the theme "believe" will certainly fit our hearts cry. "I am the way, the truth, the life, the light in darkness, the chosen lamb, the carrier of wood, the hand that loves to hold, I am Jesus Christ"-that my friend is our duty, to be mistaken for Jesus-to love on those who are crying out for love. Avril, Print-friendly version of this page Mail this article
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