What Christians Can Learn From Atheists

It's a pretty well-known fact that you deeply appreciate what you don't have. Those with little or no money have more respect for the value of currency than a celebrity or CEO who has more money than they know how to spend. People who live alone, or are simply lonely, envy those who have family. Conversely, those with a family may take it for granted that they have people with whom to live and celebrate. In a typical classroom, a student who has a hard time learning out of books may long to have the educational, academic prowess of a fellow classmate. A personal example for me is that those who have a hard time connecting with people are the ones who do it best. They don't have that skill, so they work hard at it and are aware of its importance, perhaps more than someone who was born with the ability to attract and connect with others.

Likewise, I think that Christians who have found acceptance and security in Christ often fail to appreciate what they have. We know that we are safe and loved by God, so we really don't appreciate the feelings of those who do not feel safe and loved. We can come across as mean, harsh, and judgmental as we go about our daily lives, if we are not careful. As I spend time on the internet, I have seen several examples of people outside the Church questioning the mean, critical attitudes of so-called Christians. Meanwhile, those whom we tend to judge, the atheists and 'spiritual' people of the world, tend to be extremely kind. They try their best to make people feel cared about, accepted, and loved. They have not found those things anywhere in the world, but know that they desire and need them, so they try to create it themselves.

Don't get me wrong. I know of atheists who are mean and critical, and many Christians who are warm, kind, and accepting. But, I think that we can get into a dangerous mindset when we forget what being out in the dark, confusing, and lonely world feels like. We steer clear from, or angrily confront, the person with the crazy, controversial ideas. We condemn gays, liberals, and tattooed rockers- or, really, anybody who has different ideas or lifestyles than we do. That is not to say that we must accept every aspect of humanity or every idea that somebody has. After all, as a crazy example, just because we're friendly with somebody who drinks Pepsi doesn't mean that we give up our belief that Coca-Cola is the best soft drink out there. We can hold onto our beliefs while reaching out a hand, a word, or a kind gesture to those who need it.

Because, in the end, people aren't looking to be given a list of criteria to meet. They aren't striving to be criticized or told what they are doing wrong. People are looking to find a place where they feel loved, a place where they can begin to fill the emptiness. And they find that through caring people, who live out the Gospel in their everyday lives, a Gospel that says that no matter how sinful, broken, fallen, or empty you are, you will find love and acceptance here in the arms of the God who bled, died, and rose again just for you.

"And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all thing... So now faith, hope, and love abide,these three; but the greatest of these is love." (I Corinthians 13:4-13)

What on God's Green Earth is This Thing Called Beauty?

I am, by nature, an introvert. I crave solitude and time to think. I sense things and feel other people's emotions intensely. Another aspect of my personality, which I have been discovering over the past few years, is that I crave beauty. It's why I prefer a dark, tree-lined country lane lit up with summer fireflies as opposed to crowded, smoke-filled city streets. It's why I clutch so fervently to soul-touching words and melodies. My desire for beautiful things spurred me to create a Pinterest board filled with breathtaking sunsets, crystal blue lakes and crisp, snowy mountains, and photographs that capture the beauty of the human spirit. I entitled this board "Beauty is the Handwriting of God," a modified version of the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Never lose an opportunity for seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament."

Jensen Ackles (image: http://wholelottahot.tumblr.com/post/63309069166/jensen-ackles)

But what is beauty? Is it "in the eye of the beholder?" If we look hard enough for beauty in something, are we bound to see it? Or is it simply something that fate hands out, not determined by human perception?

In my opinion, it is easy for people to agree on what is beautiful in, say, nature. We look at a field of wildflowers or a sunrise over the ocean and think to ourselves, "Now that is real beauty." A person standing on the edge of a mountain, seeing and feeling the wide world around them, may breathe in the fresh air and say, "Wow. Beautiful." But the real touchiness comes when we apply beauty to human beings.

Perceptions on the ideals of human beauty or ugliness have been in flux for centuries. An easy example of transient human opinion on what beauty is that in some civilizations, larger people are considered "beautiful." The more flesh you have on your bones, the more desirable you are. In other civilizations, the exact opposite can be seen, as the less flesh you have on your bones, the more "beautiful" you are considered.
I, too, admit that I have a standard for outward beauty in humanity, which has probably been shaped by my culture and exposure to a set of ideals over the years. And in my mind, one of the most stunningly beautiful people I have seen is Jensen Ackles, the former model and Days of Our Lives actor, and current Supernatural star. Honestly, I couldn't explain why in any sort of scientific manner, but Ackles's features are very aesthetically pleasing. He has jewel-green eyes, a firm jawline, shapely lips, a generous sprinkling of boyish freckles, and a gorgeous smile, all of which combine to make his features very attractive to the eye.

Lizzie Velasquez (image: http://www.aboutlizzie.com/)

So, does his aesthetically pleasing face make him more beautiful than, say, Lizzie Velasquez (who has received a lot of attention lately, due to her story coming to light)? For those unaware of Velasquez, she has a condition where she is unable to gain weight or store fat, a condition which has made her aesthetically unpleasing. Because of her features, she was once promoted "the ugliest woman in the world." Recently, I found myself looking at her picture and pondering, "Is this woman truly ugly?" I had to admit, even to myself, that Velasquez's features are far from the norm, and can be described as not pleasing to the eye (although she does have some jealousy-inducing hair).

But there is much more to beauty or ugliness than a person's appearance, although that is certainly a part of it. I would agree with Emerson and say that there is beauty to be found in people if we choose to look for it. Velasquez's beauty may not manifest itself in her outward appearance, but it certainly manifests in her gentle, forgiving, fighting spirit and her warm wit and humor. And Jensen Ackles's beauty is not just found outwardly, but is also seen in his love for his family and friends, and the passion he has for creating and sharing stories with the world.
 
In literature and film, there have been many characters who look less-than-beautiful. Quasimodo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and Erik (The Phantom of the Opera) are two especially popular examples which spring to mind. (Interestingly, both of these stories are set in France!) Erik and Quasimodo are men who, from birth, were considered hideous monsters, less than men. They are given away and abandoned by their families solely because of their looks. Erik locks himself away from society, and hides his face behind a mask. In the darkness of society's rejection of him, he comes a dark and twisted soul, losing almost all of the beauty that he ever possessed, besides his voice. When Erik sings, his voice entrances those around him, even to the point where he sounds like an angel. Quasimodo, meanwhile, is locked away in a bell tower and exploited by his master, but he still retains the beauty of his soul in his desperate love and care for Esmeralda. And in the story of The Hunchback, some people wanted Esmeralda to return Quasimodo's love, rather than pine away for the handsome Phoebus. In both of these stories, the hideously, horrifyingly ugly men had something beautiful to offer the world - but it was something that ran deeper than their misshapen outer appearances.

Just as beauty is more than skin-deep, so is ugliness. Ugliness, or unpleasantness, may be revealed in a person's features, or it may be hidden inwardly, in vices like haughtiness, anger, and self-absorption. A man or woman may be aesthetically pleasing, but if they go home and neglect their families or do other horrible things, can they truly be called beautiful? In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian is a gorgeous young man who is slowly corrupted by pride, lust, and a host of other vices. As his soul grows more hideous, his portrait - his reflection - grows more hideous as well. Just because their ugliness is not seen right away, it does not mean that it is nonexistent.

In my worldview, all humans contain ugliness, because all humans are sinners. We all have vices and sins that make us misshapen and, dare I say, hideous. But I also believe that we can all exude beauty, because we are creatures of the Creator God, molded and shaped to reflect Him. Even though we have been tarnished and stained, we still retain a part of that reflection. Any beauty in this world, any happiness or love or joy or light, is truly the handiwork of God - and, I believe, if we look hard enough, we can see that beauty in most anything.

I think what I am trying to say is that, to my mind, beauty is not only an outward qualification, it is a way of life. Beauty comes when a person loves, gives, overcomes, and laughs. Beauty, real beauty, is like a gentle ray of sunshine falling on your shoulders. It is the father kissing his newborn baby daughter. It is the woman who throws back her head and laughs like the world isn't watching. It is the face of the one you love dearest in all of the world. It is a kiss on the forehead, a friend listening when they have better things to do, an unexpected act of kindness in a world that is often harsh and cruel to those who live in it. I think that, in this life, beauty is something that we can create, no matter how we look.

Fandom and Christianity: The Line in the Sand

(*I do not claim to know everything - these are my thoughts and opinions. Feedback is welcome, if so desired!!)

Today was, in a word, rough. I was tired, I was out of it, and my luck had reached its end. When a bad evaluation finally put me over the edge before the clock even struck noon, I sank into myself, as I am wont to do. I put on a chilly front to the rest of the world, but inside myself was a swirling mass of despair and frustrated anger. It was a horrible feeling, really. Thankfully, I had a few minutes' break in the middle of the day, so I popped in my headphones, closed my eyes, and hit play on some "Boston." The lyrics "I just want to have my peace of mind," and "I lost myself in a familiar song/
I closed my eyes and I slipped away" flooded into my ears, I felt a tiny edge of that dark mass melting away. Not a lot, but enough to make it through the rest of the day.

And isn't that how a lot of people use music? It's an escape, a place to go when we can't take the real world any longer. Whether we're air drumming along to Journey, or shaking our hips to some One Direction, or belting out the music of Les Miserables, music helps us to escape ourselves and our lives, at least for a few minutes. In the chords and lyrics we find an understanding voice, words that seem to be meant for us alone, and a freedom and release that is seldom felt in reality.

It is not just music that people use to escape the confines of this world and its problems, however. Sports, art, dance, television, hunting, working on cars, studying history - all of these things have been used by people to find a relief from a constant bombardment of stress. And most of the time, these are not seen as bad things. I mean, who hasn't plopped down on the couch on a Monday night and just let the newest episode of [Enter Show Name Here] filter into their minds? In getting wrapped up in the fictional characters and their plights, people forget their own problems for a time. They may even find that their own problems are somewhat silly by comparison - at least they aren't getting chased by killer robots or fearing that their ex-husband's ex-wife's dog's former owner's cousin with lung disease is going to run them over in their yacht. These fictional (e.g. sometimes completely unrealistic) scenarios can help people to make it through the day in a way that is perfectly acceptable to society.

In my life, my escape has normally come at the hands of fiction. This trend of mine started during my middle school years. At school, instead of focusing on all of the drama, I would read. I escaped into world of fantasy and magic, and developed a love for such things that has never left me. When I went to college, due to time restraints in between bouts with homework, I turned to other forms of media after a rough day or week: movies, TV shows, and more recently, Pinterest (that wonderfully addicting blight of humanity!). Through browsing the "Geek" side of Pinterest, especially, I became aware of this thing called "fandoms," which to non-Geeks is a term used to identify those who are - you guessed it - fans of a certain TV show, movie, or book series. There are Potterheads (the Harry Potter faction), Whedonites (all things Joss Whedon), Psych'Os (for those who enjoy Psych), and Whovians (for the awesome people who obsess over Doctor Who), among a myriad of others. I mean, there are probably hundreds of these fandoms. And when I use the word "obsess," I don't mean a vague obsession. I mean, obsess. These people know everything to know about the actors, follow every move they make on Twitter and Facebook, pin hundreds of pins of their favorite show or book on Pinterest, spend thousands of dollars on merchandise or the chance to meet their favorite actors, and completely revolve their lives around what happens in the story.

But I can't separate myself from "these people." I've always had a bit of an obsessive streak. I finished the Harry Potter series (movies and books) in two weeks. When I read the Redwall book series in middle school, I went to the library every couple of days to check out a new one. Even now, if you look at my Pinterest boards, you can see an abundant overflow of my newest obsession, Supernatural. Because honestly, it's a great show. I enjoy the characters and the storylines. I found something in the show which speaks to me and entertains me, and yes, helps me to escape from the worries of the world - the story of two brothers, a struggle for family, a struggle for redemption. I love stories - stories are the air I breathe - and this story, I have developed a particular love for.

Now, in the eyes of the world, Geeks and fandoms are looked-down-upon fringe elements who are a little crazy and a lot weird, although we are making a comeback, and are one step closer to ruling the world (muahaha!) through big events like the Avengers and The Hobbit. However, with the smaller fandoms (anime, video game, and MMORPG fans, perhaps), people who like such things are regarded with suspicion and distaste. It's not socially acceptable to be that "into" anything. Society's picture of a geek or nerd is a 30-something-year-old man wearing unwashed wizard robes and wasting away in front of the computer in his parents' basement.

And in retaliation, the relatively powerful Geek community has responded with books like Fangasm (two college professors who become obsessed with Supernatural) and statements like this one by the great Simon Pegg: "Being a geek means never having to play it cool about how much you like something." Through fandom, many lonely people find a community where their likes and interests are accepted. As Jensen Ackles reportedly stated, "People are different everywhere but there's this one little show that brings us all together." It's like another world, a whole other family and support system, which lessens the pain and hardship of the life people have to live day-to-day.

I freely admit to being a part of this world. However, being a Christian, should I be comfortable with such a statement? Should I not find my comfort and family in Christ and the Church?

I believe that yes, I can be part of this world, and find my comfort with Christ and the Church at the same time. But, I have to be careful of that line between fan and FAN in the Geek community. Which is a small degree of difference; but a larger one that people probably think. There is a difference between enjoying something and letting something run your life. I am not personally convicted about my love for stories, because that is not running my life. My life is fully in the hands of God (although, like most, I struggle with letting him have control), and my love of stories, which goes to my soul, is one of those extra things he has given to me. It is not the only thing.

Sometimes, the anticipation of the newest episode of my favorite show helps me to make it through a particularly hard day; and there is nothing wrong with that, just like there is nothing wrong with listening to Boston when I'm feeling a little down and out. Sometimes, we need to escape for a short time - honestly, I feel as if I didn't, I would go crazy. There is a part of us that was never meant to live in a world so messed up by sin, and I personally think that part of us craves sanctuary at times. But that doesn't mean I let those small bits of entertainment or enjoyment run my life. At the end of the day, they are just stories - they aren't my life. My life is what I live day-to-day when I get out of bed in the morning. It is touching other people's lives with the gifts God has given me. I have a mission, and that mission is not enjoyment, entertainment, or escape. It is the Gospel. There is a time and place for everything. There is a time to get lost in a good book or TV show, and there is a time to face the real world with its invisible monsters, dragons, and rapscallion hordes, in order to shine the undying light of Christ to those lost in darkness.

In conclusion, there is a line constructed in society about just how far a person can go with liking something before it becomes uncomfortable; but that barrier is being slowly beaten back by various fandoms becoming more mainstream and powerful. There is also a line with regards to being a Christian and being in a fandom, the main principle being, Christ should be at the center of everything we do (even fangirling over the latest picture of Tom Hiddleston or episode of Supernatural). If ever those things control our lives or take the place of Christ in our hearts - then, we have crossed the line. But if there is anything that Zachary Levi, a well-known Christian actor who runs the convention Nerd HQ and gallivants around with the likes of Tom Hiddleston and Nathan Fillion, has proved, it is that one can, in fact, be a Christian and a committed nerd at the same time. So enjoy away, fellow Christian fans - but remember who owns your life and holds you safely in his hands!!