Are you there?
During our brush-up program we had a session on Opus Dei. Opus Dei is an organisation within the Catholic Church that believes that all honest work can and should be used to serve God. It was instrumental in the founding of the School, and its religious influence can be found all over the premises. The large artwork on the ground floor speaks volumes. It shows a fish who swallowed ‘Jonah’ but somehow also seems to have swallowed his work tools. Art enthusiasts would have a field day interpreting that. There are also crucifixes hanging discreetly in almost every room. The doctrinal influence is subtle, almost invisible, but it is there hiding in plain sight.
But how can you be so sure?
Is God really in our work? It is a romantic notion that has appealed to millions around the world and still appeals to them.
a. That there is an immortal being up there.
b. That this immortal being is interested in what you do to earn a living.
c. That he wants to use your seemingly ordinary life to make some kind of statement.
Wait, hold up. Points b and c are predicated upon the truth of the a; that He actually exists. Does he?
The problem with African Ancestors
I was taught a Christian faith that said if I believe in Jesus, I will be saved from all my sins and go to heaven, but if I reject him, I would go to hell.
So I once asked, “My surname is Odiawa. The man whose name I bear, never knew of any Jesus or Allah. He lived and died for the most part, an honest working man leaving behind 4 wives, 16 children and a large farm. Since he never got to even hear incredulous stories like the virgin birth or the resurrection, will he still go to heaven?”
- If your God will not accept him into heaven because he never ‘believed’, then your God cannot also claim to be a just god. In fact, he can hardly be called fair.
- On the other hand, If your God accepts Odiawa into heaven despite a lack of belief, then what is the point of belief? That means there are other ways to access heaven without belief in the resurrection or confessing anything.
Either way, there is a problem. If he does 1 above then it means that all Africans born before the 1600s are currently in hell fire. All your ancestors are in hell and this your God is not a just God. But you tell me that justice is one of the foundations of his throne! If you are wrong about that, I wonder what else you are wrong about.
If on the other hand he does 2 above, then it means he lied when he said Jesus is the only way. Or someone lied when he said ‘he that does not believe is condemned already’.
Quite the pickle we find ourselves in isn’t it?
You are not alone