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Within Reason Podcast - Women, Slaves & the Unforgivable Sin

Nov 25, 20249 min read

Host: Alex O’Connor Guests: Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle (@givemeananswer) Date of publication:

Straight into the Deep end Alex asks what is the definition of Christianity:

title: Explaination of Christianity (Cliffe Knechtle)
_That God created us to love him with all out hearts, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbours as ourselves, at times we've done it, at times we haven't.
When we don't that is called sin and it leads to a consequence and separation from God, death and hell. But God loved us so much that he sent his only son Jesus to bleed and die on the cross to forgive us, to offer us a free gift Grace Forgiveness and Eternal Life.... and now as we put our faith in him he gives us that gift and we begin life with him now and for eternity._

Why are people in need of Jesus? God shaped hole in peoples lives - more suffering through Covid, busyness, anxiety, suicide etc Need something that has a higher calling. Is this a meaning crisis in a more secular view? News feeds are filled with bad news.

Interesting point that there have been studies by Harvard showing the positive benefits of going to church vs social clubs…need to find the research:

Attending religious services linked to longer lives, study shows

Regularly attending religious services associated with lower risk of deaths of despair

Religious upbringing linked to better health and well-being during early adulthood

Charles Taylor’s concept of the “buffered self” contrasts modern identity with the “porous self” of pre-modern societies. In “enchanted” societies, people experienced a porous self, with a permeable boundary between the self and the world, often attributing emotions and experiences to external forces. Modernity, however, brought the buffered self, characterized by a strong boundary separating inner life from external influences, emphasizing autonomy and self-control. Taylor’s work reflects the shift toward secularism and individualism, offering insights into the balance between personal autonomy and interconnectedness in contemporary selfhood.

Is Christianity just a solution to the problem of existential dread?

Interesting view on Buda and suffering being perception that can be transcended vs the Christian View. In Buddhism, suffering is seen as an inherent part of life caused by attachment and ignorance, which can be transcended through self-awareness, compassion, and the pursuit of enlightenment. In Christianity, suffering is viewed as a consequence of sin, but it also has redemptive value, offering a path to spiritual growth and a closer relationship with God. While Buddhism emphasizes overcoming suffering through inner transformation, Christianity finds hope in faith and the promise of eternal peace with God. Both traditions view suffering as a catalyst for deeper meaning and transformation.

Notes on Christ’s Suffering

  1. The Suffering God:
    • Christianity uniquely presents a God who suffers. Jesus, as God incarnate, experienced the full extent of human suffering—physical, emotional, and spiritual.
    • This suffering culminates on the cross, where Jesus endured profound physical agony and spiritual abandonment, crying out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
  2. Christ as a Response to the Problem of Suffering:
    • Unlike views such as Buddhism’s, which describe suffering as an illusion, Christianity acknowledges suffering as a real and painful part of existence.
    • Jesus’ suffering provides a framework for understanding human pain: it exists because of a broken world but will ultimately be redeemed.
    • God’s humility is displayed in Christ, who suffers alongside humanity and offers the ultimate solution—eternal life and redemption.
  3. Life is Unfair, but God is Fair:
    • Drawing from the Book of Job, the unfairness of life is contrasted with God’s fairness. In Jesus, God does not remain distant but enters into the human experience of injustice and suffering, affirming His presence even in pain.
  4. Hope Through Suffering:
    • Christ’s suffering leads to the hope of eternal life. Revelation 21:4 promises an end to suffering, where God will wipe away every tear, erasing death, mourning, and pain.
    • This future hope reframes suffering as temporary, meaningful, and part of a greater redemptive plan.
  5. Comfort for Humanity:
    • Jesus’ suffering offers comfort to those in pain. The Christian standing by the bed of a suffering child can draw strength from the knowledge that Christ endured suffering, bringing hope and the promise of resurrection.
    • While the atheist might see suffering as meaningless, the Christian finds assurance that God is present in suffering and has provided a way to overcome it.
  6. Contrast with Secular Perspectives:
    • Christianity doesn’t dismiss suffering as random or meaningless; it acknowledges the depth of pain but places it within a narrative of restoration.
    • This stands in contrast to secular or atheist views, where suffering may lack a redemptive framework, leaving only the randomness of existence.
  7. Jesus as a Model for Endurance:
    • Jesus’ response to suffering—trusting God’s plan and forgiving His enemies—serves as a model for believers facing their own pain.
    • The cross demonstrates both the seriousness of suffering and the profound love and humility of God in addressing it. This perspective on Christ’s suffering underscores the Christian hope that pain, while real and often overwhelming, is not the final word. It offers a vision of redemption and meaning that transforms the experience of suffering into a pathway to eternal hope.

Summary of the Scenario: The Child on the Bed

The discussion presents a scenario where a child lies gravely ill, suffering from a debilitating disease. Two individuals stand on either side of the bed: a Christian and an atheist. Both seek to comfort the child, but their perspectives shape how they perceive and address the suffering.

  • The Atheist: Views suffering as a natural, random consequence of existence, with no overarching purpose or resolution. Comfort may come from empathy and shared humanity, but there is no promise of redemption or meaning beyond the immediate moment.
  • The Christian: Sees suffering through the lens of faith, believing in a God who suffers alongside humanity and offers ultimate hope through the promise of eternal life. This provides not just comfort but a framework for meaning and redemption.

Key Ideas

  1. Christian Perspective:
    • Suffering is real and deeply painful but not meaningless.
    • The Christian worldview holds that suffering exists due to human rebellion (the Fall) but will ultimately be redeemed by God.
    • Christ’s suffering and resurrection provide hope for eternal life, offering a solution to the problem of suffering.
    • Revelation 21:4 encapsulates this hope: a future where there is no death, mourning, or pain.
  2. Atheist Perspective:
    • Suffering is a natural outcome of life, with no inherent purpose or higher meaning.
    • Comfort may be offered through empathy, but suffering and death are final and lack redemption.
    • The absence of hope beyond the grave can make suffering feel fundamentally meaningless.
  3. Core Contrast:
    • The atheist sees suffering as an unfortunate fact of existence, while the Christian sees it as part of a broken world destined for restoration by God.
    • Christianity offers a redemptive narrative, giving suffering meaning and hope, which the atheist framework lacks.
  4. Philosophical Tension:
    • Christianity’s ability to provide meaning and hope in suffering raises questions about its origins. Is this a psychological construct created to address existential despair, or is it rooted in truth?
    • The Christian faith invites investigation into its claims, such as the resurrection of Jesus, as evidence of its validity.
  5. Takeaway:
    • The scenario highlights the profound differences in how faith and secular perspectives approach suffering and meaning. It invites reflection on whether hope and redemption are constructs or deeper truths about existence.

Suffering of Job

  • Irony in Job’s Suffering: Job never learns why he suffers, while the reader knows it’s part of a challenge between God and Satan. His friends try to explain his suffering but fail, leaving the reasons unresolved for Job.
  • God’s Response: God speaks from the whirlwind, not offering answers but highlighting Job’s limited perspective and God’s sovereignty. This moment can be seen as a profound revelation of God’s presence or as a stern rebuke.
  • Comfort in Presence: One interpretation suggests Job finds comfort not in answers but in experiencing God’s overwhelming presence. Others see God’s response as harsh, more about asserting power than offering reassurance.
  • Personal Reflection on Suffering: Links Job’s story to real-life grief, like the loss of a loved one, where comfort comes from believing God is present, even when reasons for suffering remain elusive.
  • Doubt and Evidence: The story resonates with Doubting Thomas, where faith is preceded by evidence. Job’s encounter with God parallels Thomas’s encounter with the risen Jesus—both moments demand faith but also provide a tangible experience of God’s presence.
  • Takeaway: Job wrestles with the tension between divine mystery and human longing for understanding, offering layered insights into faith and suffering.

The lesson from Job that “God is with us” highlights that while Job never learns why he suffers, he experiences God’s overwhelming presence. God’s response from the whirlwind doesn’t provide answers but reveals His sovereignty and care. This teaches that comfort in suffering comes not from understanding the “why” but from knowing that God is present, sustaining, and walking with us through pain, offering hope and assurance beyond the suffering itself.

Notes on Doubting Thomas vs Job

  1. The Story of Doubting Thomas:
    • Thomas doubted the resurrection of Jesus until he could physically see and touch Jesus’ wounds (John 20:24-29).
    • Jesus provided evidence—inviting Thomas to touch His hands and side—before encouraging faith: “Stop doubting and believe.”
  2. Faith and Evidence:
    • The narrative parallels Job’s experience, where evidence of God’s power and sovereignty is given before rebuking doubt.
    • Both stories highlight that while faith is encouraged, it often comes after some form of tangible or experiential encounter with the divine.
  3. God’s Response to Doubt:
    • Jesus’ approach to Thomas is compassionate, meeting him where he is in his doubt but also calling him to move beyond it.
    • This demonstrates that doubt is not condemned outright but is part of a journey toward deeper faith.
  4. Relevance to Believers:
    • Like Thomas, believers may wrestle with doubt and seek evidence of God’s presence.
    • The story reassures that God responds to honest doubt with understanding, often providing what is needed to strengthen faith.

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