One of the big advantages, which America possesses in comparison to Europe is its great common sense and developed pragmatism. While Europeans struggle with others and themselves about theoretical solutions, Americans have enough courage to take the risk of the unknown and discover new avenues. Europeans want to know everything beforehand and only want to start acting after having made up a “perfect” plan, which gives them a feeling of security, a feeling of having everything under control. America on the other hand always was more courageous and bold in doing what must be done than losing itself in fruitless discussions and philosophical considerations. And as experience shows, America is much more successful than Europe, which can blow up a question of minor importance to a question of heaven or hell, very easily. So what do I mean by the title of this post, when considering the issue of belief? Europe very easily sticks to non-working systems although every rational mind must see, that it is not working. Europeans fall in love with their own ideas and concepts and try to force the world into them, no matter how much reality lets them run against a concrete wall. Best examples to mention are socialist, communist, atheistic and nihilistic thinking and the worldviews which were given birth by them. Once an American friend told me: “You Europeans never get it right! You are too afraid of the reality to act freely and accept the possibility of failure. Look, when it comes to religion and belief I have a very practical way of thinking. If I die and I did not believe in Jesus and his teachings, I got a big problem – and it cannot be solved any more. But on the other hand, if the bible is not true, I have nothing lost, for living according to the Scripture is not a bad life. So you have nothing to lose but everything to win! Who would not agree? Such a guy must be a moron!”. This kind of thinking is convincing for many atheist. But not so in Europe. Such arguments are seldomly heard here. For I think it would be an interesting approach towards the people unsaved. Most people are pragmatists deep inside their heart. But they where forced for many decades by ideologists to not consider the benefits, the advantages and the disadvantages of systems and ideas. For what ideologists hate most is to be confronted with a reality which does not confirm their mindset. As long as everything is in the mind and other people are infected by the same mindset you can feel comfortable. But facing the hard reality can make life hell for people who always want to be right, which is a typical characteristic of an ideologist.
So, what about believing, lets say believing into the bible for example? What does living a life according to the bible mean? People have a clear set of values, a tool for making decisions, a moral code in behaviour and the reassurance of a life in heaven (the last one is very important, but for a solely pragmatic person, it is of lesser importance, at least living in the here and now). The big questions of live like “Where do I come from?”, “Where do I go to?” and “What is the sense of my life?” become answered. I am sure, that living a live according to the bible burns away every neurosis, every personality disorder and every psychosis. The first question is: “What happens to a person, who is living according to the scripture?” In the beginning it is thinking, it is theory. Than you can observe the reality of living such a lifestyle in the life of other people who already live this way. But do not be too critical, for the bible leads to happiness and a good live in Christ for sure, but many people struggle and fail. God is not condemning failure, that is what the world does. The best of all ways to get insight is of course is personal experience! Once you change your life, and start living the new way, you will notice how the quality of your live is increasing. Such is true and you can see evidence in a two thousand year old history of Christianity and if you add the Hebrew culture you come up with more than three thousands years (Abraham – the first Hebrew - approximately live about 1750 – 1800 before Christ). If you asked me for an example of a man in the bible who had such a good live I would pick out king David, the great Leader of Israel. His life was blessed, he was successful in whatever he did, was rich, wise and beloved by the people. I think most people would like to have a life like king David. But, and that is the good news, David and the other great personalities of the bible where human beings, they where no super humans, angels or the like, but man and women who made mistakes, who had ups and downs, but a heart full of god. We can identify with them and we see the great love god has for all his children.
One thing I want to mention here: Belief and religion are not the same and there is a lot of confusion about the difference in some people. Belief means to honestly await things you do not see and very often your mind cannot imagine how they will happen. Religion on the other hand is a system, an institution made up by human beings. As important as a human church, a religious community is, there is always the danger to stick to traditions and convert them into a dogma of belief. We shall not worship anything or anybody but god! How do we see, what we are worshipping? That is very easy: Just look at the content of your heart. Whatever your heart is full of, that is what you are worshipping. How do you spend your time? What are you thinking most of? Where are your concerns? For example, if you are worrying and full of sorrows, that is what you are worshipping. You are worshipping your sorrows, not the Lord, not god father.
In the end do not be afraid of your own belief, if you see what you are doing and what you are thinking. Just stay in the word of god and if you fail, don’t do it again. That is all: See what you did wrong, make a clear decision, be determined and don’t repeat the wrong action. Not every question is about life or death, about heaven or hell! Live, what I would call “serious easiness in belief”. If belief is for you like a heavy load, instead of making you free, you are not in the true belief. Get rid of your load and pass it over to the Lord, for that is what he wants you to do. Be free, be happy and most of all, be fulfilled!
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