Yesterday as I was surfing the web I came across an interview with Christopher Hitchens. Over the
past few years Hitchens has been on the lecture circuit pushing a new, in-your-face style of atheism.
He now has esophageal cancer which may be terminal. When asked whether people might expect a
re-evaluation of his beliefs as his life wanes, he doggedly insisted that, if ever such a thing should
happen, it would be the result of dementia, and not a real change of heart. He slammed that door
shut.
I have to admit I’ve felt a great deal of irritation with Mr. Hitchens over the past few years because of
his very abrasive and insulting tone toward people of faith. But after watching this interview I just felt
sad for him. I plan to pray for him. And this made me think that he’d do well to listen to a fellow
atheist of a more genteel time, Albert Camus, who once remarked, “I would rather live my life as if
there is a God and die to find out there isn’t, than live my life as if there isn’t and die to find out there
is.”
Hitchens’ compatriot in this new, sarcastic brand of atheism, Richard Dawkins, wrote a book called
The God Delusion, in which he pronounces: “Religion teaches the dangerous nonsense that death
is not the end.” Now, in all fairness to Professor Dawkins, I’m pretty sure he sees himself as a kind of
liberator from what he views as a dangerous and unhelpful delusion. But I strongly suspect that
there’s more afoot here than just a desire to spread the joy of pure rationalism. In my experience
people who are this dogmatic about their atheism usually have a very personal dog in this fight.
Usually something that has left them bitter about belief or believers.
But it’s hard not to compare their words to the first words of Jesus in today’s reading from St. Luke’s
Gospel. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
What remarkably different words! Don’t be afraid, my children, God, your Father, is delighted to
welcome you to His everlasting kingdom. How can it be that bright, attentive people can come to
such radically different conclusions about God’s existence and his love for the pinnacle of creation
on this earth—human beings? How is it that this man who preached freedom and peace, and who’s
very probably changed the world more than any human being in history, can say something so
completely at odds with two of the shining minds of modern science? By believing in God was Jesus
himself an ignorant product of His superstitious times? And was He self-deceived about who He
was? Or worse yet, was Jesus a deceiver who peddled pie-in-the-sky promises that He knew full well
were false? “Religion teaches the dangerous nonsense that death is not the end,” says Dr. Dawkins.
And for what it’s worth, if Dr. Dawkins were here now offering that sentiment, I’d be inclined to get
hold of a red letter Bible and read through all of Jesus’ quotes. Then I’d be inclined to ask,
“Are these the words of an ignorant or crazy man? Looking at all the instances in which he
confronted hypocrisy and lies and made some pretty in-your-face claims of truth, and paid for them
with his life, is this a man who was disposed to intentionally deceive others? And what about his
fulfillment of his own promise to rise from the dead?”
OK, so one might argue that this is simply false history. A myth. A story concocted to make people
believe in something that would give certain people power they wouldn’t otherwise have. If you kind
of let your eyes drift out of focus and ignore some data, this sounds like a sensible enough
conclusion. But there are a few problems with this idea. One of the biggest is that a bunch of utterly
defeated, terrified and dispirited disciples all suddenly became enthusiastic believers in something
that would have made no sense at all a few days before.
That they’d started proclaiming far and wide that Jesus of Nazareth had risen from the dead. Many
people—hundreds according to Luke the historian—decided to check it out. They met the risen
Jesus. They started gathering in joyfully amazed groups. This news swept outward in all directions
from Jerusalem. Person to person, accounts came from apostles and eyewitnesses, spreading
throughout the Near East and then the whole Roman Empire. And the wave is still spreading today.
There are somewhere around two billion people in the world who’ve become convinced that Jesus is
the Messiah, the Son of God, the Resurrected One who offers salvation and eternal life for all who
believe. By some accounts as many as 75,000 a day are being added to their numbers. And I
daresay that a good many of them could share some pretty plausible evidence of God’s action in
their own lives.
Still, without direct proof in front of our faces, belief can be a pretty hard thing. I think we can
probably all agree on that. I mean, aren’t there times when this all seems like it could just be a big
fairy tale? If we haven’t seen Jesus in the flesh, how are we supposed to really believe?
You know, Jesus wasn’t exactly silent on this issue, either. Before His crucifixion Jesus lamented
people’s unbelief. In His story of Lazarus and the rich man, He said of skeptics, “If they don’t listen to
Moses and the Prophets, they’ll not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
And you remember the disciple named Thomas. Jesus finally convinced him of His resurrection by
having him place his hands on his scars, and Thomas replied, “My Lord, and my God!” Then Jesus
said this: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have believed." In these words lies the whole key: Jesus is talking about having faith. He
knew long before His death and resurrection that people would have trouble believing these things.
After all, they were entirely unprecedented in history. Yet He urges us to stretch our arms toward
Him in faith. To receive and believe.
It’s interesting that, in a recent debate with biochemist turned theologian Alister McGrath, Richard
Dawkins lamented that, in debates with Christians, “the trump card of faith is brought up, and there’s
no arguing with that.” Jesus would say, “Exactly! That’s the whole point!”
Faith opens doors to realities that wouldn’t otherwise be accessible. In today’s epistle lesson the
writer of Hebrews writes that faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things
not seen.” These aren’t weak, wishful words. He’s encouraging us to have so much confidence
that we’re sure that the wonderful features of our faith are indeed real. And he likens people of faith
to those journeying to a new homeland. He says, “They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly
one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for
them.” Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure
to give you the kingdom.” There’s no tentativeness at all in Jesus’ words. It’s a promise given with
authority and delight.
And I’m tickled to report that it is “dangerous nonsense that death is not the end,” to use Dr.
Dawkins’ own words. You see, the scriptures have something to say about what seems like
dangerous nonsense to human minds. Paul says, “We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to
Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ
the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.”
But to proclaim the reality of forgiveness, an afterlife and a heavenly city isn’t enough for Jesus.
What He’s really saying is that this is actually the deeper reality. It’s the most permanent dimension
of God’s creation. Jesus is saying that all of the priorities we have in this life should reflect the fact
that we are creatures of eternity, and this fleeting life is a preparation for the eternal life He has for
us. This follows up on what we heard last week.
He says, “Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an
unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.” All the purses and piggy banks of this world will one day
crumble and pass out of existence. All of our possessions are subject to theft and decay.
In doing our monthly work with the homeless at Coronado Park, I’ve often wanted to hear each
person’s story of how they got to where they are. There’s an old song by the Grateful Dead called
“Wharf Rat.” And don’t hide your faces, I know there are some former Deadheads in here. Anyway,
the song starts with these words: “Old man down, down by the docks of the city. Blind and dirty, he
asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee. I’ve got no dime but I’ve got some time to hear his
story.” (The price of a cup of coffee shows just how old this song actually is.) The rest of the song is
the old man’s story of how he ended up on the docks in San Francisco. I’ve heard more than one
poignant story of someone having had a comfortable home and family, and having lost it all.
These stories tell us two things. One is that some of us are called to practice our faith by getting into
the streets and showing them Christ’s love and hope. This is something that atheism doesn’t offer.
There’s an old Christian rock song called Renaissance Man with a line that says, “It’s from star stuff
that he’s made. It’s the cosmos that gave him life. How does that help him feed the poor? How does
that help him love his wife?” Living inside the box of ‘scientism’ can only take us so far.
The other thing is that the riches of this world are fleeting. So Jesus urges us to spend our energies
on things that are more lasting in nature, like kindness, charity and the spread of the good news of
Jesus. Let us make purses for ourselves that don’t wear out! When we seek first the kingdom of
God, and live lives that reflect its priorities, Jesus assures us that we’ll have an unfailing treasure in
heaven, that land where theft and decay are things of the distant past. For where our real treasure
is, there our hearts will be also. Our treasure lies in heaven, and Jesus is urging us to confidently
set our hearts in that place he has prepared for us.
We all drive cars and live in houses that are subject to entropy. Cracked stucco, rusting swamp
coolers, cracked windshields and oil leaks. Just think of what it will be like in a place where there is
no more decay! Where the mansions prepared for us by Jesus are both beautiful and permanent.
Where there’s no more crime, or sickness, or heartache, or tears, because all the faithful are now
attuned to the ways of God, and are living in complete harmony and joy. By living lives of obedient
faith we’re depositing equity in the eternal real estate of heaven, our Father’s kingdom. Jesus says
that nothing can be more important than this. So He returns to a theme we’ve seen before. He says,
“Be ready.”
This is where Jesus’ role comes in. As He says these words He knows that His time to leave this
world has just about come. He knows He’ll be delivered over to the authorities of this world to die.
And that then He’ll be raised again to life, and will leave this world for a time. And He also knows that
He’ll come back again to bring His work to completion. To finalize the construction of the kingdom of
God. This is the event of all events. This is the beginning of the greatest banquet of all time. This is
the irrevocable giving of the deed to your place in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus says, “Be ready.
Don’t be like those who scoff and doubt and write this all off as a silly fantasy. Don’t be one who’s
overcome by the worries and distractions of this temporary life. Instead, be ‘dressed for action, and
have your lamps lit.’ Be ready to open the door when the Master knocks, for He’s coming at an
unexpected hour.” Jesus says, “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds alert when he
comes.”
My friends, we all face a choice. Who will we believe? Either we can give in to our darker doubts and
chain ourselves to a life of godless defeat, or we can do what Jesus urges us to do and take the risk
of investing our faith in the One who says He’s known the Father from before time. Either we believe
that this cosmos, in the words of Carl Sagan, “is all there is, ever was, or ever will be,” or that it
stands as the loving work of a Master Artist. And that even greater gifts await those who invest their
time and resources in those things that will never wear out. It’s us to whom Jesus says, “Do not be
afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” In the name of the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
past few years Hitchens has been on the lecture circuit pushing a new, in-your-face style of atheism.
He now has esophageal cancer which may be terminal. When asked whether people might expect a
re-evaluation of his beliefs as his life wanes, he doggedly insisted that, if ever such a thing should
happen, it would be the result of dementia, and not a real change of heart. He slammed that door
shut.
I have to admit I’ve felt a great deal of irritation with Mr. Hitchens over the past few years because of
his very abrasive and insulting tone toward people of faith. But after watching this interview I just felt
sad for him. I plan to pray for him. And this made me think that he’d do well to listen to a fellow
atheist of a more genteel time, Albert Camus, who once remarked, “I would rather live my life as if
there is a God and die to find out there isn’t, than live my life as if there isn’t and die to find out there
is.”
Hitchens’ compatriot in this new, sarcastic brand of atheism, Richard Dawkins, wrote a book called
The God Delusion, in which he pronounces: “Religion teaches the dangerous nonsense that death
is not the end.” Now, in all fairness to Professor Dawkins, I’m pretty sure he sees himself as a kind of
liberator from what he views as a dangerous and unhelpful delusion. But I strongly suspect that
there’s more afoot here than just a desire to spread the joy of pure rationalism. In my experience
people who are this dogmatic about their atheism usually have a very personal dog in this fight.
Usually something that has left them bitter about belief or believers.
But it’s hard not to compare their words to the first words of Jesus in today’s reading from St. Luke’s
Gospel. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
What remarkably different words! Don’t be afraid, my children, God, your Father, is delighted to
welcome you to His everlasting kingdom. How can it be that bright, attentive people can come to
such radically different conclusions about God’s existence and his love for the pinnacle of creation
on this earth—human beings? How is it that this man who preached freedom and peace, and who’s
very probably changed the world more than any human being in history, can say something so
completely at odds with two of the shining minds of modern science? By believing in God was Jesus
himself an ignorant product of His superstitious times? And was He self-deceived about who He
was? Or worse yet, was Jesus a deceiver who peddled pie-in-the-sky promises that He knew full well
were false? “Religion teaches the dangerous nonsense that death is not the end,” says Dr. Dawkins.
And for what it’s worth, if Dr. Dawkins were here now offering that sentiment, I’d be inclined to get
hold of a red letter Bible and read through all of Jesus’ quotes. Then I’d be inclined to ask,
“Are these the words of an ignorant or crazy man? Looking at all the instances in which he
confronted hypocrisy and lies and made some pretty in-your-face claims of truth, and paid for them
with his life, is this a man who was disposed to intentionally deceive others? And what about his
fulfillment of his own promise to rise from the dead?”
OK, so one might argue that this is simply false history. A myth. A story concocted to make people
believe in something that would give certain people power they wouldn’t otherwise have. If you kind
of let your eyes drift out of focus and ignore some data, this sounds like a sensible enough
conclusion. But there are a few problems with this idea. One of the biggest is that a bunch of utterly
defeated, terrified and dispirited disciples all suddenly became enthusiastic believers in something
that would have made no sense at all a few days before.
That they’d started proclaiming far and wide that Jesus of Nazareth had risen from the dead. Many
people—hundreds according to Luke the historian—decided to check it out. They met the risen
Jesus. They started gathering in joyfully amazed groups. This news swept outward in all directions
from Jerusalem. Person to person, accounts came from apostles and eyewitnesses, spreading
throughout the Near East and then the whole Roman Empire. And the wave is still spreading today.
There are somewhere around two billion people in the world who’ve become convinced that Jesus is
the Messiah, the Son of God, the Resurrected One who offers salvation and eternal life for all who
believe. By some accounts as many as 75,000 a day are being added to their numbers. And I
daresay that a good many of them could share some pretty plausible evidence of God’s action in
their own lives.
Still, without direct proof in front of our faces, belief can be a pretty hard thing. I think we can
probably all agree on that. I mean, aren’t there times when this all seems like it could just be a big
fairy tale? If we haven’t seen Jesus in the flesh, how are we supposed to really believe?
You know, Jesus wasn’t exactly silent on this issue, either. Before His crucifixion Jesus lamented
people’s unbelief. In His story of Lazarus and the rich man, He said of skeptics, “If they don’t listen to
Moses and the Prophets, they’ll not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
And you remember the disciple named Thomas. Jesus finally convinced him of His resurrection by
having him place his hands on his scars, and Thomas replied, “My Lord, and my God!” Then Jesus
said this: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have believed." In these words lies the whole key: Jesus is talking about having faith. He
knew long before His death and resurrection that people would have trouble believing these things.
After all, they were entirely unprecedented in history. Yet He urges us to stretch our arms toward
Him in faith. To receive and believe.
It’s interesting that, in a recent debate with biochemist turned theologian Alister McGrath, Richard
Dawkins lamented that, in debates with Christians, “the trump card of faith is brought up, and there’s
no arguing with that.” Jesus would say, “Exactly! That’s the whole point!”
Faith opens doors to realities that wouldn’t otherwise be accessible. In today’s epistle lesson the
writer of Hebrews writes that faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things
not seen.” These aren’t weak, wishful words. He’s encouraging us to have so much confidence
that we’re sure that the wonderful features of our faith are indeed real. And he likens people of faith
to those journeying to a new homeland. He says, “They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly
one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for
them.” Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure
to give you the kingdom.” There’s no tentativeness at all in Jesus’ words. It’s a promise given with
authority and delight.
And I’m tickled to report that it is “dangerous nonsense that death is not the end,” to use Dr.
Dawkins’ own words. You see, the scriptures have something to say about what seems like
dangerous nonsense to human minds. Paul says, “We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to
Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ
the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.”
But to proclaim the reality of forgiveness, an afterlife and a heavenly city isn’t enough for Jesus.
What He’s really saying is that this is actually the deeper reality. It’s the most permanent dimension
of God’s creation. Jesus is saying that all of the priorities we have in this life should reflect the fact
that we are creatures of eternity, and this fleeting life is a preparation for the eternal life He has for
us. This follows up on what we heard last week.
He says, “Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an
unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.” All the purses and piggy banks of this world will one day
crumble and pass out of existence. All of our possessions are subject to theft and decay.
In doing our monthly work with the homeless at Coronado Park, I’ve often wanted to hear each
person’s story of how they got to where they are. There’s an old song by the Grateful Dead called
“Wharf Rat.” And don’t hide your faces, I know there are some former Deadheads in here. Anyway,
the song starts with these words: “Old man down, down by the docks of the city. Blind and dirty, he
asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee. I’ve got no dime but I’ve got some time to hear his
story.” (The price of a cup of coffee shows just how old this song actually is.) The rest of the song is
the old man’s story of how he ended up on the docks in San Francisco. I’ve heard more than one
poignant story of someone having had a comfortable home and family, and having lost it all.
These stories tell us two things. One is that some of us are called to practice our faith by getting into
the streets and showing them Christ’s love and hope. This is something that atheism doesn’t offer.
There’s an old Christian rock song called Renaissance Man with a line that says, “It’s from star stuff
that he’s made. It’s the cosmos that gave him life. How does that help him feed the poor? How does
that help him love his wife?” Living inside the box of ‘scientism’ can only take us so far.
The other thing is that the riches of this world are fleeting. So Jesus urges us to spend our energies
on things that are more lasting in nature, like kindness, charity and the spread of the good news of
Jesus. Let us make purses for ourselves that don’t wear out! When we seek first the kingdom of
God, and live lives that reflect its priorities, Jesus assures us that we’ll have an unfailing treasure in
heaven, that land where theft and decay are things of the distant past. For where our real treasure
is, there our hearts will be also. Our treasure lies in heaven, and Jesus is urging us to confidently
set our hearts in that place he has prepared for us.
We all drive cars and live in houses that are subject to entropy. Cracked stucco, rusting swamp
coolers, cracked windshields and oil leaks. Just think of what it will be like in a place where there is
no more decay! Where the mansions prepared for us by Jesus are both beautiful and permanent.
Where there’s no more crime, or sickness, or heartache, or tears, because all the faithful are now
attuned to the ways of God, and are living in complete harmony and joy. By living lives of obedient
faith we’re depositing equity in the eternal real estate of heaven, our Father’s kingdom. Jesus says
that nothing can be more important than this. So He returns to a theme we’ve seen before. He says,
“Be ready.”
This is where Jesus’ role comes in. As He says these words He knows that His time to leave this
world has just about come. He knows He’ll be delivered over to the authorities of this world to die.
And that then He’ll be raised again to life, and will leave this world for a time. And He also knows that
He’ll come back again to bring His work to completion. To finalize the construction of the kingdom of
God. This is the event of all events. This is the beginning of the greatest banquet of all time. This is
the irrevocable giving of the deed to your place in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus says, “Be ready.
Don’t be like those who scoff and doubt and write this all off as a silly fantasy. Don’t be one who’s
overcome by the worries and distractions of this temporary life. Instead, be ‘dressed for action, and
have your lamps lit.’ Be ready to open the door when the Master knocks, for He’s coming at an
unexpected hour.” Jesus says, “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds alert when he
comes.”
My friends, we all face a choice. Who will we believe? Either we can give in to our darker doubts and
chain ourselves to a life of godless defeat, or we can do what Jesus urges us to do and take the risk
of investing our faith in the One who says He’s known the Father from before time. Either we believe
that this cosmos, in the words of Carl Sagan, “is all there is, ever was, or ever will be,” or that it
stands as the loving work of a Master Artist. And that even greater gifts await those who invest their
time and resources in those things that will never wear out. It’s us to whom Jesus says, “Do not be
afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” In the name of the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
August 8, 2010
The Rev. Dan Tuton
The Rev. Dan Tuton
Dangerous Nonsense
(Luke 12:32-40)
(Luke 12:32-40)
 |
| |
 |