Brad Pitt discussed his view of religion and God last week in Parade magazine. He basically said he thinks religion is fine for a crutch to comfort you for any little crisis you may face but he “didn't understand this idea of a God who says, 'You have to acknowledge me. You have to say that I'm the best, and then I'll give you eternal happiness. If you won't, then you don't get it!' It seemed to be about ego. I can't see God operating from ego, so it made no sense to me.”
Here's my rebuttal, as I'll address both sides of Brad Pitt's view of God and religion. First, about religion being a crutch, to some people that would be a correct analysis. There are many elements of religion that can be considered a crutch--sympton relief as I would call it. And symptom relief is an epidemic today. Symptom relief is sought in religion, caffeine, alcohol, drugs, relationships, anti-depresants, affairs, careers, fame, movies, money, distractions, busy-ness, really ANYTHING that distracts you from thinking about your problems, sadness or emptiness at any given time is symptom relief or "a crutch." So many people are so empty inside that they are pursuing anything and everything to fill this huge void they feel inside and nothing satisfies--not money, not fame, not anything, except a relationship with Jesus.
I get the whole disappointment with religion view. But there is a difference between religion and a relationship with Jesus. A personal relationship with Jesus is far from a crutch. He is real and does indeed give you true meaning. To know that you were actually created deliberately and for a purpose is quite awe inspiring. Just read Psalm 139 (right in the middle of the Bible if you were to drop it).. Every single day of our life was known by God before we lived one of them. God loves us, regardless of the love of our parents. Read the book of John (4th little book in the New Testament about ¾ the way through the Bible. There’s man-made religion and then there’s God, who created the world and sent Jesus to save us from the mess we’ve made of our lives. That’s not a crutch, that’s a solution.
Okay, now for Brad Pitt's other view about God and ego when he said “I didn't understand this idea of a God who says, 'You have to acknowledge me. You have to say that I'm the best, and then I'll give you eternal happiness. If you won't, then you don't get it!' It seemed to be about ego. I can't see God operating from ego, so it made no sense to me.”
First, I find this humorous coming from a celebrity, when Pitt himself admitted he pursued acting for fame. You pursue fame for ego. I’m not judging that as bad. I’m just making a point.
When I (Victorya) was a little girl I had a vivid imagination, especially when playing with my Barbie dolls. I remember one time I was trying to understand God when I actually pondered this very topic that Brad Pitt talked about and I came to a complete different conclusion. I was thinking about how much fun I was having creating this whole little world for my Barbie, Ken and Skipper dolls (I mean I had the camper, the house, the pool and the whole bit) and I started thinking—“Hey I’m doing this all so they can have a really great time and be really comfortable, and live happily ever after.” Then I thought, “What if they started making fun of me and giving credit to someone else for what I did for them and not appreciating anything I did for them. In fact instead, they complained all the time that they wanted more and they hated me and pretended I didn’t exist….hmmm, I would just stop playing with them. In fact, I’d get rid of my dolls and have nothing more to do with them, so there.”
This was the thought of me as an 8 year old girl, but I still remember it. And I wasn’t thinking that was because my ego was bruised. I was thinking about God and how we treat him. I was thinking “Wow, if God really created us and we all keep treated Him the way we do and talking bad about Him and not appreciating Him and we keep giving any and everyone ELSE the credit, it is amazing that God just hasn’t blown us all up yet, because we deserve it. That is amazing love that He gives us with all these 2nd chances when we don’t deserve it. And to think He sent Jesus, His only son to DIE for us when we were making fun of Him. That is crazy love. But the Bible says God did exactly that. That is far from ego. That’s giving undeserved love, also known as grace, and something I am honored to receive. Anyone who asks Jesus to come in and live in them will be welcomed home just like me. That well known verse John 3:16 and the one that follows it John 3:17 tells it all—For God loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us and if he believe in him, we’ll be His. Then He clarified that He didn’t send Jesus from some ego or to destroy or condemn us but to save us from ourselves.
Forget religion, crutches or other symptom relief. If you have an emptiness inside, get to know Jesus. He promises to save you.
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Could it be that God wants us to know and love Him because He wanted to share those infinite attributes of His with His creation because He knew how much they would benefit us? I don't think He gets "mad" at us or is sad for Himself that we choose to block ourselves from His continual blessings and grace. God is beyond petty human emotions.
ReplyDeleteInstead I believe He gives us free will to choose to benefit from His love and grow spiritually because how could we ever say we truly love Him if He never gave us the choice? Should we choose, as Brad Pitt does, to not believe, that is Brad Pitt's loss, not God's.
I think it is very dangerous to think you can have a personal relationship with someone who is not another person. Someone you can have a real conversation with over lunch. Go have a plate of calamari at some restaurant at a table for two, one for you and one for Jesus. You will do all the talking and all the eating. And think of the smug arrogance as you order, The LORD will have the rueben sandwich and I will have the fish tacos. You look indistinguishable from a child talking to an imaginary friend.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't mind if you do this if that is the extent of action one takes on behalf of their personal relationship. Just as I don't mind or criticize those who believe in alien abduction. However, you seem to think based on your emotional sense of relationship that you can tell others how to conduct their sex lives and make pronouncements about abortion while 10 million children under the age of 5 die from poverty EVERY YEAR (World Health Organization).
And then their's the thing about Jesus dying for us. Let's remember that his message was not about going to heaven and salvation in the earliest gospels. He was an apocolyptic Jewish prophet as were many others at that time including John the Baptist. In Mark, Ch 9 he tells his followers that some of them yet standing would not taste death until the 'son of man' had come to this world in power to establish God's kingdom. The message changed in John because it was written some 30 yrs after Mark, which was itself written 20 yrs after the life of Jesus, and the early christians started noticing the apostles were dying and no son of man was coming. So they did what religious believers have been doing for centuries when predictions fail. They re-interpret the original message. If the world was a helter skelter of waring tribes and civilizations and then there was the life of Jesus and ever since there has been peace, then I would acknowledge a deity-like presience and power and I would offer my eternal gratitude for such a wondrous deed for humanity. As it is, all we have are statements about his forgiving imaginary crimes so we can go to imaginary places.
It is time the world grows up. The faithful and irrational here and around the world have caused enough death and horror for the desert sky gods of their choosing and they are assuredly planning more.
Right on the money! Upon first reviewing his statemnts, I noticed that he stated,"...idea of a God..." only to state a few sentences later, "I can't see God..."(ego). Not "I can't see a God..." In a few moments, he went from no belief to an acknowledgement. It almost appears that he may have been speaking to speak. Of course, this was my take...
ReplyDeletePlese let us pray for Brad Pitt. God loves him and can change his heart.
ReplyDeleteThe belief in s suprmeme being requires an open mind, whereas the thoughts of an atheist are closed. All newborns are atheist, or better defined, they are without belief in God. This may also apply to the majority of very young children or toddlers. So as we see, the atheist hasn't advanced much from that stage.
ReplyDeleteAs for Christianity being a crutch, this statement isn't based on fact or logic. Christian faith requires a hard walk. Jesus even used the term "Carry your cross", to indicate the spiritual strength required to follow the Lord to the fullest. The Atheist??? Well there's no moral reason to resist anything.
No will power is required because sin as we know it is derived from Judeo/Christian teachings. They need not resist it. Life is easy when there are no rules.
Let's keep praying for Brad and Angelina, they both need to know that their healing is in Jesus!
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