Last Friday Lecture

As a Christian, I have to admit that last Friday's lecture created some doubts for my belief. When Dave talked about how the four gospels from the Bible were not in sync with each other, I felt my faith was a little shaken right there. But I have a personal relationship with God, so they were cleared up by then because I prayed and asked God on what to do with them, and He showed me to sources that would explain my doubts. For instance, I read my Bible and Chritian intellectuals' books to clear up the doubts that I had.

I feel that my faith has been strengthen because of the doubts I had after I heard last Friday lecture. Instead of being an individual who accepts a belief because he or she was taught at an early age, I realize that I made the right decision to believe in God in the first place. I appreciated how Dave really opened my mind to see Christianity from a different angle.


Response from a classmate from the Yahoo Group:

"Doubts can sometimes be harmful, breaking ones faith when there is no obtainable answer for, or against it. Blind faith can be needed to trust in what can't be seen, while embracing what can be felt. Believing that you shouldn't believe in anything you can't explain prevents you from touching anything that is greater than we are. Isn't it entirely possible that, for a believer, the rules of God lie on top of physics, rather than on the bottom, even though humans can't observe them.

However, a believer who pokes their eyes out, in an attempt to avoid challenging their faith, is doing themselves an injustice. One can't grow, or be confident in their faith without being willing to give the effort to research doubt-founding questions.

Although Prof. Lane often says that he is making points about general religious belief, rather than one specific one, I don't quite buy it. However, this doesn't mean I resent it. I appreciate a voice for stimulating questions. It is much more common for me now, to research a question raised about my beliefs, than before the class."

-tylersullivan636

"Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World" reading

In "Appeal to teh Colored Citizens of the World", David Walker talks about how Christians slave owners will not be forgiven by God for the sufferings that they inflicted upon the slaves. One can argue that Christians are hypocrite by looking at Christians' past trangression toward the African Americans. One can argue that the white slave owners were similiar to the Egyptians who put the Jews into slavery. However, the problems and the trials that the slaves experienced were ways for God to reveal Himself. He wants His people to see that he is always there to help them during trials and problems.

religion in the military

This article is about whether a pro-Christian culture permeates military. Many soldiers depend on God to comfort them. For instance, faith helps military staff to dealing and preventing depression and suicide. Having faith is like going to a free psychologist session. I strongly believes that prayers heal the body.

Even if an individual is a Christian, he can learn how to meditate which is similiar to praying.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/washington/01church.html?_r=1

Religion and health

This article is about how doctors view religion as beneficial to patients'
health.

I want to be a nurse, and this article tells me how important is a patient's faith. Furthermore, I want to understand my patients and talk to them in a way that will not offend their religious belief. The brain is an important part of healing. Religions help the brain if a patient has a strong faith.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/17/health/17faith.html?scp=35&sq=religion&st=cse

coming to America means to abandon religion

I found this article about a Hispanic family abandoned their Catholic practice
after they came to the United States.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/us/15hispanic.html?scp=22&sq=religion&st=cse