Doesn’t this make God an egomaniac?

A Twitter friend of mine recently re-tweeted the following:

When I read it the first time, I was simply confused. I wasn’t sure it was even a coherent claim. But I think that’s because the grammar is horribly awkward. Craig (who I don’t know and don’t intend to bad mouth in anyway) is saying that the reason God’s love for us is derived from God’s own love for glory. I’m still not convinced that’s a completely coherent claim, but this is Twitter, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

But my concern isn’t ultimately about coherence. My concern is what this claim says about our understanding of God.

What if I swapped some words around and said something like,

“My father loves his own reputation more than he loves me, and that is the foundation of his love for me.”

If a child approached me and said that, I would be very concerned for that child. If a father is more in love with his own reputation than he is with his children, what would that say about his ability to be a selfless, loving parent? I would think that such a father has his priorities completely backward, and at minimum, needs to take some parenting classes.

P.S., Fortunately for me, this statement is false when applied to me. My dad (and mom) love me and my siblings more than anything else in the world. I’m incredibly grateful that this is true; they’ve made incredible sacrifices for all their children.

Pat Robertson’s Predictions for 2011

Funny how God sounds a lot like a tea party candidate…

What would Jesus do? (Humorous)

Excellent collection of Love Wins reviews

I have not read the book yet, but many people have, and there are plenty of reviews floating around the internet.

Here is the best collection I have found:

Rob Bell Reviews | Jesus Creed

http://www.patheos.com/community/jesuscreed/2011/03/19/rob-bell-reviews/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PatheosJesusCreed+%28Jesus+Creed%29

Martin Bashir asks Rob Bell really hard questions

 

I don’t like the way some of the questions are phrased, because the questions themselves assume certain dichotomies (that I would want to quickly label as false), and those dichotomies lead to binary answers that I think Rob is trying to avoid in the first place.

Still, I’m really glad someone pushed Rob really hard.

I can’t see Jesus doing anything like this

 

I’m not sure offering a rational response (informed by the stories in the bible about Jesus) would make a difference to protesters like this. If it would, though, I would point them to the stories about Jesus’ interactions with Samaritans.

It’s not a perfect analogy. Christians and Muslims do share some history in a similar way to Samaritans and Jews, however, enough so that I am convinced that people who protest like this get Jesus totally and completely wrong.

Why do so many people want Rob Bell to be wrong?

LOVE WINS. from Rob Bell on Vimeo.

I’m late to the game on this one. I blame my work schedule and Call of Duty Black Ops.

More seriously, though, Rob Bell is once again stirring the waters, driving out the money changers, and <insert your bible analogy pun here> of the American Fundagelical Church™ by releasing a very short video that makes only one simple claim: “Love Wins.”

The doctrine of hell, when you think about it, is a horrible teaching in the literal sense of that word. It’s shocking, extremely unpleasant, and dreadful to consider that the majority of the human race will suffer eternally without even a moment of temporary respite. It’s almost unimaginable. If it doesn’t make your stomach churn (or worse), it should.

Enter Rob Bell, who seems to be suggesting that maybe Christians have gotten it wrong (he’s not the first to say this, of course, if he is in fact saying this). Enter several Evangelical heavyweights, including John Piper and Josh Harris, who seem to be willing to count Bell among Hell’s population before the book even comes out. Shocking in a very sarcastic, not literal way.

But let’s not get too sidetracked. This post isn’t about supporting or refuting Christ-centered universalism (which Rob may or may not support himself), and it’s not about casting stones at Piper and Harris. Lots of people are making cases for and against what Rob may or may not be saying. E.g., for. E.g., against. Or, an excellent book on the topic that I’ve read through multiple times.

Instead, I want to ask a much more basic, simple question that in my view permeates, informs, and steers the entire conversation, often without people even realizing it ought to be asked.

Why would any Christ follow want the doctrine of hell to be true?

Thoughts?