God Is Not a Christian - by Desmond Tutu

[kpete]

God Is Not a Christian
by Desmond Tutu

The following is excerpted from the Archbishop Desmond Tutu's new book, 'God Is Not A Christian: And Other Provocations.'

...............

Surely it is good to know that God (in the Christian tradition) created us all (not just Christians) in his image, thus investing us all with infinite worth, and that it was with all humankind that God entered into a covenant relationship, depicted in the covenant with Noah when God promised he would not destroy his creation again with water. Surely we can rejoice that the eternal word, the Logos of God, enlightens everyone -- not just Christians, but everyone who comes into the world; that what we call the Spirit of God is not a Christian preserve, for the Spirit of God existed long before there were Christians, inspiring and nurturing women and men in the ways of holiness, bringing them to fruition, bringing to fruition what was best in all. We do scant justice and honor to our God if we want, for instance, to deny that Mahatma Gandhi was a truly great soul, a holy man who walked closely with God. Our God would be too small if he was not also the God of Gandhi: if God is one, as we believe, then he is the only God of all his people, whether they acknowledge him as such or not. God does not need us to protect him. Many of us perhaps need to have our notion of God deepened and expanded. It is often said, half in jest, that God created man in his own image and man has returned the compliment, saddling God with his own narrow prejudices and exclusivity, foibles and temperamental quirks. God remains God, whether God has worshippers or not.

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the rest:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/desmond-tutu/god-is-not-a-christian_b_869947.html

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[Arugula Latte]

2. Or just ... God is Not

[Lucian]

4. ...

:thumbsup:

[fascisthunter]

3. religious extremist only believe a god is in their own image(egocentricity)

if there is a god, these idiots will the first to be sent to hell.

[rustydog]

5. Well said.

[razorman]

6. I choose to be a believer, if for no other reason than the fact that

there is no penalty if I am wrong.

[GOTV]

9. One can choose to claim to be a believer but how you can choose to be a believer ...

... or choose to not believe is beyond me. You believe what you believe, not what you wish to believe.

If you have been convinced of something, say the existence or nature of God, or that the earth moves around the sun, then you believe it. If you've been convinced, how can you choose not to believe? It would be a lie. And if you could not choose not to believe how could you call it a choice? If you have not been convinced, you can claim to be a believer, but that's not the same as believing is it?

In either case what does choice have to do with it?

If I believe that the earth moves around the sun because science has convinced me, and I believe in God because I chose to believe in God the two "beliefs" don't really seem equal enough to warrant the same word to describe them.

It's like being able to choose whether you will like the taste of beets or not. You eat them and you like them, or you don't like them or you don't care one way or the other. Either way the verdict was handed to you by your nervous system and your choice doesn't factor in.

Not trying to be antagonistic. I just hear that kind of statement often enough and it always strikes be as odd that something that seems so utterly impossible to me is also widely claimed.

[trotsky]

13. Ah, Pascal's Wager.

It just never gets old, does it?

Actually there is a penalty if you're wrong. Many of them. Not the least of which is what happens if you've picked the WRONG god.

[dana_b]

7. I will probably buy this book

thanks for the link and paragraph!

[tabatha]

8. Love the man - or should I say, his thoughts.

:loveya:

[JustAmused]

10. Thank you

I will have to get this book. This reminds me of a few lines from one of my old favorites, Even Cowgirls Get The Blues. The Chink tells Sissy...

If all these religions are talking about The One, it has to be the same "One". Otherwise there are two...lol.

[provis99]

11. not only is he not a Christian, he doesn't even exist.

[laconicsax]

12. Win. n/t