Comments on: Death and Nobelity http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/10/16/death-and-nobelity/ Lecturer, geologist and author: official website Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:39:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Catherine Brislee http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/10/16/death-and-nobelity/comment-page-1/#comment-676 Catherine Brislee Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:52:48 +0000 http://www.chriswalley.net/?p=335#comment-676 I have lost several friends in the last couple of years and I am certainly still lacking wisdom when it comes to talking to their families. However I would like to make an observation about so-called "secular" beliefs. I think that the majority of people believe that their relatives have gone somewhere "nice" after death, and are now happy and at peace, and they find this thought comforting. So I would say that society has not lost the hope of Christian resurrection, because society's interpretation of reality is that every reasonably good person goes to "a better place". Sharing Christian hope of eternal life then becomes a problem because most people believe we all have it anyway. I can't help noticing that many Christians tend to divide the world into Christians, followers of other religions, and people with no beliefs. This is unrealistic. Atheists are a rare breed, despite the antics of a certain outspoken professor! I have lost several friends in the last couple of years and I am certainly still lacking wisdom when it comes to talking to their families. However I would like to make an observation about so-called “secular” beliefs.

I think that the majority of people believe that their relatives have gone somewhere “nice” after death, and are now happy and at peace, and they find this thought comforting. So I would say that society has not lost the hope of Christian resurrection, because society’s interpretation of reality is that every reasonably good person goes to “a better place”. Sharing Christian hope of eternal life then becomes a problem because most people believe we all have it anyway.

I can’t help noticing that many Christians tend to divide the world into Christians, followers of other religions, and people with no beliefs. This is unrealistic. Atheists are a rare breed, despite the antics of a certain outspoken professor!

]]> By: Boaz http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/10/16/death-and-nobelity/comment-page-1/#comment-675 Boaz Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:45:24 +0000 http://www.chriswalley.net/?p=335#comment-675 There is a hymn that I love that speaks somewhat to this: Horatio Spafford's "It is Well With my Soul." I would have to agree that the best time for such rehearsals ('Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, "It is well, it is well with my soul."') is when things are going well. However, what of the ill, the dying? If they have a last opportunity to hear it, shouldn't someone give them the words to hear, in prayer under the guidance of the Holy Spirit? There is a hymn that I love that speaks somewhat to this: Horatio Spafford’s “It is Well With my Soul.” I would have to agree that the best time for such rehearsals (‘Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.”‘) is when things are going well.

However, what of the ill, the dying? If they have a last opportunity to hear it, shouldn’t someone give them the words to hear, in prayer under the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

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