11 July 2009

I found myself watching the movie Contact yet again last night. I love a good movie that seeks to answer one or more of the Big Three Questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? And Where do we go when we die?

The movie is one persons thoughts on our origin, purpose, death and afterlife. And it does a fairly good job of running that view (very scientific) parallel to the opposing religious/spiritual view.

If you haven't seen it yet you should check it out - if for no other reason, to reacquaint yourself with the fact that the scientific community is searching for the same answers we are as Christians.

But that isn't why I'm blogging this. During the movie the characters quote Ockham's Razor:

Taking all things into consideration, the simplest answer is usually correct.

As Christians we believe the Bible includes the answers to our questions. I tend to clump Biblical truth in the following ways:

1. Absolute Truth: Stuff that is black and white and easily identified as such.
2. Shielded Truth: Stuff that is symbolic and metaphoric at best (like prophecy). The sort of thing a non-believer wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole but those sold out for Christ can understand with the Spirit's guidance.
3. Withheld Truth: Stuff that we and our mortal minds wouldn't begin to understand so God is vague or silent (concepts like eternity and the Trinity).
4. Absent Truth: Stuff that I believe God expects us to understand because it just makes sense. If we were to come to any other conclusion it would likely be due a lack of common sense or an overinflated ego attempting to write it's own reality.

This last area is where I apply the statement by Ockham. I've had conversations with very intelligent people that seem to lose sight if this. Something that makes perfect, logical sense in light of the rest of the Bible is thrown out with statements like, "God is God, therefore He can do whatever He wants." Or, "We're not God, so the simple answers is probably the wrong one."

Are you serious?

Of course my logical thought process is to bring it all back to what I do - communicate via the web to those asking the Big Three Questions.

So are we making Contact? If so, I'm betting it's because we use the right mix of the four things listed above.

Hit hard on what is absolute. Don't force what is shielded (as it will only alienate people). Don't even try to explain what is withheld. And help people see that what is absent is really quite important in light of the rest of the truth in the Bible.

I think if we follow this recipe for communicating we'll do well.