Let us talk about “Deconstruction” or deconverting – initial post

I came across a “deconstruction” video on YouTube a few days ago, posted by a pastor explaining why many people were leaving their faith. This then triggered the algorithm to bring me more posts about “deconstruction”.  I remember the term “deconstruction” from university, but this was the first time I had ever heard it used in connection with leaving the faith.

I hope to look into the arguments in more detail.

Firstly though, I would like to make a statement that I fully believe in the Bible, and in God, and in Jesus. I hope it is fair to say that my faith is quite strong.

However, there are two points that I would like to make here:
1. Firstly, I have thought about this a number of times, almost in passing, I mean that I have thought about what I am about to share: If for whatever reason I decided that I no longer believe in God, all the same my faith has brought me so many advantages that I would literally live in exactly the same way I do now!  Especially concerning guys and sex. In fact, I sometimes joke to myself that I would become stricter than ever! I would even continue to insist on Christlike character from a future husband. Possibly the only thing that would change is that I would resume going to church.  Yes, so if I stopped believing in God I would start going to church! As strange as that may sound, it is for the following reasons: the reason that I don’t go now is because I am holding out for something really good, for the sake of using my life to make a true and real impact in the world.

If this faith is not true, then guess what, it actually does not matter anymore! So I don’t have to hold out for something amazing, but I can simply go to the unremarkable church on the corner. That said, I don’t think I could stand for it if people were being exploited…So it appears that I would still have to be a little fussy about churches!

2. I am writing this for anyone reading this:  I hope to go into more detail on the next post about this subject:
If you are already a Christian, and you find yourself questioning your faith, maybe you have also watched a few videos, read a few things, and you are asking questions, you are seeing discrepancies, perhaps things you have previously been able to brush aside are arising to nag at your mind, let me tell you that even if the Bible was not true, it is in your best interests to continue to live a Christian life, pursuing Christian values.

One reason why I say this is because it is better to live life with a plan, a structure, even a bad one, or rather an incorrect one, than with no structure at all. This is why I am happy if someone is say, a Muslim, rather than nothing at all, because that at least gives their life a structure.  However, people might find that there are restrictions within their chosen structure, which to me would then mean that they have to keep pressing on to find something better.

The structure that Christianity gives our life is actually a great one.  The problem with people who decry faith, and try and find holes in it, is that they don’t have any plausible alternative to offer.  I can categorically state that there is no better ready made package to use to structure your life,  the way you think of yourself, the way you interact with others, the way you live your life, than the Christian faith as given to us via the Bible.  This is the problem I came across at University, when so many were trying to “prove” that Christianity is not true. OK, so tell me how I am to live my life then – oh what a surprise, you can’t!  Who am I?  What is my place in the world? How am I think of myself?

If you were to decide that Christianity is not true, then also throw away your Christian lifestyle, then what would happen is that you would be sitting there scrambling to cobble together an alternative way to structure your life, to structure your values, to structure your priorities. You might be able to get there in a few years, but you would be fumbling around in the meantime. Almost invariably you will borrow very heavily from Christianity: “Be a good person, be kind…etc etc”.

Atheists for Jesus
Did you know that atheists for Jesus are a thing?! Really!  I don’t know why, or I can’t remember now how it happened, but one day the idea just came into my mind to google “atheists who might believe in Jesus” and sure enough, atheists for Jesus are a thing! What “atheists for Jesus” seem to accept is that the teachings of Christ are very powerful, but they just don’t believe in all the supernatural stuff. So this is exactly the point that I am trying to make. Even if you remove the “religious” aspects from the faith, even God Himself, what this faith gives us is powerful enough to structure your life by, and even some atheists have recognised that this is literally the best framework that they can find to structure their lives upon.

The Christian faith is also stupendously positive about people, in that we are all of infinite worth, created lovingly by our all-powerful God.

The Christian faith gives us a way to be forgiven for our sins. We’ve all done things that have caused us guilt and shame. Jesus gives us a way to be forgiven, and to put our guilt behind us, and to press forward. The alternative that people seem to come up with is to act like none of us have done anything truly wrong…

So before you throw away your faith, at least have an alternative plan for your life to replace it with. However, I assure you that there simply is not anything that could give your life structure or meaning or beauty or peace to compare with Jesus. And ironically, that is because the faith of Jesus is actually true!

I’m sorry if this post is somewhat incoherent just now. Tired brain! I do hope to write a longer post about this later today.