Sisterly Help From Dr. Brothers

RELIGION IN THE NEWS

A report and comment on religious trends and events being covered by the media. This week’s item is from Dr. Joyce Brothers’ advice column as it appeared last January in the Los Angeles Times.Dear Dr. Brothers:I’m a very religious person.I wasn’t always.It took me awhile to find my god, but he’s with me now every day.My two children, both in their 20s and my husband all kid me about my religion.Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to make them “see the light.”I don’t know what more I can do to win them over.Do you have any ideas?NX.

Dear NX:Personally I believe the best way to win anyone over is by setting an example in your own daily life.Part of this involves respecting their right to believe in whatever way seems right to them.Religion, even religion in families is a very personal matter and I don’t think anyone should be forced to accept any particular creed.As long as your family members are good and considerate of others, as long as they are loving human beings, I wouldn’t be concerned.I don’t think people should ever be teased about their religion however.You should let them know this and then drop the subject.It isn’t so important what a person’s faith is.If that person’s faith is strong, it’s going to help that individual cope with the many problems in life.Faith in God is comforting.If a person translates this faith into action in his daily life, it helps to center the individual, helps him to know what’s meaningful and helps him to know what isn’t.It helps the person to cope with anger, frustration and despair.It serves as a guide for a good life.You are fortunate.

Tom:

Dave this is Dr. Joyce Brothers.She has her own ideas and these are very psychological.Some of these are very common sense and they’re fine, but others missed what faith is completely.

Dave:

Well she’s offering her gospel.She is giving a definitive declaration of faith and of religion or whatever and of one’s relationship with God and in fact she’s saying it doesn’t matter.Whatever God you believe in, so long as you are a nice person, a good person, but the Bible says there are none good, no not one!So in being broad-minded she in fact is being narrow-minded.Because she is saying well it’s not right for you to say there is only one way, Jesus was wrong when he said I am the way, the truth, and the life.She says there are many ways, so don’t push that on me.Now, we don’t force someone, but we ought to give them the opportunity and we ought to tell them the truth.

Tom:

And your life ought to reflect your belief.That should be a witness.

Dave:

Absolutely, but she’s saying your life is what is important, not what you believe.On the contrary, Paul, the very first thing he says is when he talks about his life in 2 Timothy 3, he says you have known my doctrine, manner of life, faith, patience and so forth.So doctrine comes first.I live out of what I believe.Now she is saying it doesn’t really matter what you believe, so long as you live a nice life.

Tom:

Well faith is not faith in God or faith in truth….

Dave:

Well it’s faith in something, whatever, so long as you have a faith and that Tom, is tragic.Because if you give that gospel, that’s really Satan’s gospel.I’m sorry Dr. Brothers, but this is what Jesus talked about.He said well, way back in Proverbs: There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.That’s what the Bible says.So you’re saying so long as it seems right to you, that’s okay.Jesus said strive to enter at the straight gate.Straight is the gate, narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it.For broad is the road that leads to destruction and many there be that go in there at.So Dr. Brothers, and she’s not the only one, [there are] many others.It’s popular today.

Tom:

Oh this is popular psychology.

Dave:

This is the popular idea.Now you’ve got your truth, I’ve got my truth.If it feels good for you that’s okay, don’t hassle me about it.Well, that is the broad road that leads to destruction.That is the way that seems right unto a man and the end there of are the ways of death.Now who are we dealing with?Ultimately we have to face God.Well then why don’t we find out what God has to say?In other words for me to impose my views—what they’re saying is don’t you impose your views on me.Yes, but you are imposing your views on God.You are saying that God is going to have to go along with whatever I come up with—that is a great delusion.So what we’re saying is that there is one God, one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus and He has given us His Word and He’s given us (Paul calls it the gospel of God).Then let’s find out what God has to say—in other words—Dr. Brothers wouldn’t it have been so much better if you had said well let’s see what God has to say about this.We won’t force ourselves on anyone but we will all go to God and to His Word and see what He has to say.When Jesus said I am THE way, THE truth, THE life, no man comes to the Father but by me.Then in view of the fact that Jesus is God, who came to this earth to become a man and die for our sins and He loves us so much—doesn’t want us to perish—maybe we ought to give heed to what He has to say.Let’s all turn to Him instead of to our own ideas.

Tom:

But the problem Dave is that what God says doesn’t agree with what so many others say.

Dave:

That’s right.

Tom:

And if we are going to appeal to the masses; if we are going to try and find some common denominator; something that will bring everybody together; we just can’t have one viewpoint.

Dave:

So we all go to hell together and that’s not going to help Tom.

Tom:

Yes.The delusion is—the mind set is no they are all going to end up okay.

Dave:

Tom, all I can say is—it doesn’t make sense.We’re not only trying to be biblical we want to be rational.And it doesn’t make sense that I am going to launch out into eternity and I am going to tell God well this is the way it looked to me and this is what I decided upon.So God you are going to have to accept my standards.That doesn’t make sense!Now either God exists or He doesn’t exist and as we look at this universe you put a couple of chemicals together in a test tube, you get a constant reaction, it always works the same.Gravity works.You don’t jump up in the air and sometimes you just don’t come down, you just keep going.I mean that would be a horrible world.So from everything that we can see God is very particular about the physical laws that He has imposed upon this universe.He’d be just as particular about the way to Heaven.And to please Him and serve Him we better find out what He has to say.That’s all we’re standing for.

Tom:

Right.