Angels and Demons--Dan Brown
So, I read Angels and Demons this week.
Don't start, I know, but I believe in being fully prepared for any conversation that I may get into about religion. And with the popularity of Dan Brown and his books currently, it seemed a good way to go. That and I'm a sucker for a psychological thriller. :D
As a writer, I loved the book. Perfect blend of history and fiction, and it gave you plenty of opportunities to go "WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!?!" I recommend it for anyone who can take their fiction with a grain of salt.
As a Christian, there were, obviously, parts that I disagreed with. I'm not here to talk about that, as there are a plethora of other sources smarter than I, that have taken care of that.
What I did notice, and loved, was a tiny conversation that the antagonist had with an underling in the church. The man asked him: "If God loves us so much, why do bad things happen? Why does He allow us to be bad?"
I must admit, I ask myself this regularly. Whether it's a pitfall in my own life, or some tragedy I see on the news, I can't help but wonder why. And I don't know a single Christian, Jew or Catholic that doesn't ask the same thing once in a while. So, I don't feel bad.
The answer that the young Father gave was one that made me smile. As a mother, I see this all the time with my son. He said (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Imagine you had a son. Would you let him have a skateboard?" The man said yes, and that he would instruct his son to be careful. The Father replied, "So, you would give him some solid advice and let him make his own mistakes, right? That's what God does for us."
I loved that. And it's never been explained to me in such simple, yet wonderful terms before. God allows us to make mistakes and disappoint him, because He loves us. If He prevented everything bad that could happen, then we wouldn't be living. We couldn't learn, and we couldn't grow.
And out of all the things I want in my life, I most want to grow.
Don't start, I know, but I believe in being fully prepared for any conversation that I may get into about religion. And with the popularity of Dan Brown and his books currently, it seemed a good way to go. That and I'm a sucker for a psychological thriller. :D
As a writer, I loved the book. Perfect blend of history and fiction, and it gave you plenty of opportunities to go "WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!?!" I recommend it for anyone who can take their fiction with a grain of salt.
As a Christian, there were, obviously, parts that I disagreed with. I'm not here to talk about that, as there are a plethora of other sources smarter than I, that have taken care of that.
What I did notice, and loved, was a tiny conversation that the antagonist had with an underling in the church. The man asked him: "If God loves us so much, why do bad things happen? Why does He allow us to be bad?"
I must admit, I ask myself this regularly. Whether it's a pitfall in my own life, or some tragedy I see on the news, I can't help but wonder why. And I don't know a single Christian, Jew or Catholic that doesn't ask the same thing once in a while. So, I don't feel bad.
The answer that the young Father gave was one that made me smile. As a mother, I see this all the time with my son. He said (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Imagine you had a son. Would you let him have a skateboard?" The man said yes, and that he would instruct his son to be careful. The Father replied, "So, you would give him some solid advice and let him make his own mistakes, right? That's what God does for us."
I loved that. And it's never been explained to me in such simple, yet wonderful terms before. God allows us to make mistakes and disappoint him, because He loves us. If He prevented everything bad that could happen, then we wouldn't be living. We couldn't learn, and we couldn't grow.
And out of all the things I want in my life, I most want to grow.