Why Arguing Your Faith Won’t Save the Day

Last updated on: March 13, 2024 at 11:15 am by Jordan Hathcock

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Why Arguing Your Faith Won’t Save the Day 2024-03-13T11:15:45-07:00 Jordan Hathcock

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Pull up a pew and let’s have a good old-fashioned chat about the fine art of arguing over matters of faith. Super freaken productive, right? HA! Now, before we get too deep, let me make one thing crystal clear: I’m no theologian. Nope, just a humble soul (pretty humble of me to mention that right?) trying to navigate this crazy world with a sprinkle of comicality and a dash of irreverence. What a damned recipe for disaster, huh? Nah, I don’t think so. So, buckle up and prepare for a rollercoaster ride through the wacky world of Christian debates.

Just imagine you’re sipping your morning coffee, scrolling through your social media feed, when suddenly, BAM! You stumble upon a heated argument about atonement theories. It’s like watching two squirrels fight over the last acorn in the forest – entertaining, yet utterly futile. And let’s be real, folks, arguing about faith is about as productive as trying to baptize a cat. It just ain’t gonna end well.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for healthy discussions and respectful debates. But when those discussions turn into all-out wars with holy hand grenades flying left and right, well, it’s time to pump the brakes. Because here’s the cold, hard truth: arguing to convince someone to share your same beliefs will never bring about authentic spirituality and unity. Nope, not in a million Sundays (especially on Social Media).

Let me break it down for you, straight from the Good Book (and some days: bad book) itself. In the book of Corinthians, it says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Notice how it doesn’t say, “And now these three remain: arguments, debates, and Twitter wars”? Yeah, didn’t think so.

See, authentic spirituality isn’t about winning arguments or proving who’s got the holiest halo. It’s about embracing love, compassion, and understanding – even for those who drive you up the god damn church steeple with their differing beliefs. Because God didn’t give us two ears and one mouth just so we could shout louder than the person next to us.

The next time you find yourself knee-deep in a religious debate, take a moment to pause and reflect. Ask yourself, “WWJD?” Would he whip out his theological sword and start slaying unbelievers left, and right? Nah, I don’t think so. He’d probably whip up some fish tacos and invite everyone to the table for a good ol’ fashioned heart-to-heart.

And here’s another nugget of wisdom for you (my pearl of great price, if you will hehe): unity isn’t about everyone singing Kumbaya and holding hands around the campfire. Nope, it’s about embracing our differences and finding common ground amidst the chaos. Because let’s face it, life would be pretty damn boring if we were all cookie-cutter copies of each other.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the comedic genius of the Apostle Paul (long shot maybe, but bear with me):

Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

The Corinthians, a badly divided church in his day (sound familiar?). Paul is using some healthy sarcasm to bring about the point of the unhealthy tactic of using tribalistic theology when pursuing an authentic unified front. It’s not about your specific beliefs being exactly inline with everybody else but how you LOVE everybody else.

Whether you’re a devout believer, a skeptical skeptic, or somewhere in between, let’s make a pact, shall we? Let’s agree to disagree without turning every conversation into a theological battleground. Let’s embrace love, kindness, and understanding, even when it’s easier to throw verbal grenades from behind our keyboards.

Because at the end of the day, faith isn’t about winning arguments or proving who’s got the biggest bible brain. It’s about walking the walk, loving thy neighbor (even the annoying ones), and maybe – just maybe – sharing a few laughs along the way.

So, here’s to unity in adversity, authenticity in faith, and a whole lot of grace to go around. And remember, when in doubt, just ask yourself: What would Jesus meme?

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