Christianity or Bust

A few years ago, I was at a Bible study that covered part of Ecclesiastes. At the time, I felt it was the most overwhelmingly depressing thing I had read.

The key themes of Ecclesiastes is that life is futile and to fear God. There’s also a healthy reminder that life (on this world) can be unjust eg (Ecc 10:6 “Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.”

2007 was an annus horribilus for myself and many other people. So maybe that’s why I see Ecclesiastes as pointing out the sad state of the world we live in more than being depressing.

Anyway, a friend of mine once expressed that he felt Christians wasted their efforts on social justice issues that don’t include evangelism. I think I almost became a nihilist after 2007. Part of me just doesn’t care anymore since at some stage of our lives, we’re going to have to deal with misery on some level. Yes, everyone. I just can’t care about people killing each other for coltan.

Ecclesiastes ends with this:

¹³ Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

It’s not an ending that seems overwhelmingly joyous, is it? Yet, I think it is comforting to know there will be justice in the end for everyone.

PS: My brain is too tired to think but read this: Atheism and Child Abuse. It’s pretty interesting but my brain is too tired to tie these things together right now.