Faith Meets Life: Seeing a different perspective through homelessness
Richard Dawkins' book, The God Delusion, has, among other things, a lot of people taking a second look at the arguments for Jesus Christ rising from the dead. I hope to say a few things about that book in a future column. But for now I just want to note that it's always worth taking another look at the claim that Christ's resurrection took place.
If it didn't, then the Christian movement, drawing in one third of the world's living people — and, by the way, resulting in the existence of hundreds of Christian communities and Christian serving organization in the London region alone — is a deluded movement. If it did, the situation is entirely different and the way is clear to join his movement.
The resurrection of Jesus from death is what Christians celebrate every Easter, next weekend this year. I want to make a comment about proving that it did really take place, but only after making a few observations about some students I've worked with the past few days in Halifax.
We spent time working with street people and others who are poor. On Tuesday night we did some debriefing. One of the students spoke about John (I'm not using any real names). Gene first met John panhandling outside a coffee shop and later talked with him at a shelter. John weighs only 117 pounds. He has been given about half-a-year to live. He told Gene about his past, the times he stole and about his addictions to alcohol and drugs. But for the time remaining he wants to live a different life. His encounter with “a higher power” has moved him to look at the positive, to cease complaining, and to cheer people up when he can. Gene said that John broke all his stereotypes of street people.
One student wrote about an experiment he and the others did. They were given fifty cents and told to survive on it for one day. They learned that street people could be very resourceful, looking for stores that hand out free samples and memorizing the hours of food banks.
They discovered that the poor could be very patient, going to malls to warm up, but not being able to buy any of the clothes on display. They discovered that living on the street makes you cold in March. They saw where some of the homeless sleep and were amazed at their endurance.
This past morning we sorted food at the Parker Street Food Bank (it's not really on Parker St., but that's another story). The leader for the morning, Alex, had us stand in a circle with his staff. Everyone talked about what was troubling him or her. Alex pointed out that Jesus was present with them and prayed for all their troubles.
Finally, there's Ben. His girlfriend and landlord were worried because he hadn't answered them for two days. We entered his apartment and I talked with him alone for a while. Ben told me about his depression and the sexual abuse he'd endured as a child from a police officer. He cried a lot. I said I would look in on him again (he lives not far from me). He prayed with me, asking Jesus for a better day.
The students I worked with this week are trying to help people because they believe that a Jesus who was genuinely raised from the dead teaches them to do that. The people in difficult situations, praying through their tears, are looking for help from a living Jesus. He's their hope.
If these students and the people we met all trust that Jesus rose from the dead, so do I. What they are doing with their lives, in my view, is proof, maybe the very best kind.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
If it didn't, then the Christian movement, drawing in one third of the world's living people — and, by the way, resulting in the existence of hundreds of Christian communities and Christian serving organization in the London region alone — is a deluded movement. If it did, the situation is entirely different and the way is clear to join his movement.
The resurrection of Jesus from death is what Christians celebrate every Easter, next weekend this year. I want to make a comment about proving that it did really take place, but only after making a few observations about some students I've worked with the past few days in Halifax.
We spent time working with street people and others who are poor. On Tuesday night we did some debriefing. One of the students spoke about John (I'm not using any real names). Gene first met John panhandling outside a coffee shop and later talked with him at a shelter. John weighs only 117 pounds. He has been given about half-a-year to live. He told Gene about his past, the times he stole and about his addictions to alcohol and drugs. But for the time remaining he wants to live a different life. His encounter with “a higher power” has moved him to look at the positive, to cease complaining, and to cheer people up when he can. Gene said that John broke all his stereotypes of street people.
One student wrote about an experiment he and the others did. They were given fifty cents and told to survive on it for one day. They learned that street people could be very resourceful, looking for stores that hand out free samples and memorizing the hours of food banks.
They discovered that the poor could be very patient, going to malls to warm up, but not being able to buy any of the clothes on display. They discovered that living on the street makes you cold in March. They saw where some of the homeless sleep and were amazed at their endurance.
This past morning we sorted food at the Parker Street Food Bank (it's not really on Parker St., but that's another story). The leader for the morning, Alex, had us stand in a circle with his staff. Everyone talked about what was troubling him or her. Alex pointed out that Jesus was present with them and prayed for all their troubles.
Finally, there's Ben. His girlfriend and landlord were worried because he hadn't answered them for two days. We entered his apartment and I talked with him alone for a while. Ben told me about his depression and the sexual abuse he'd endured as a child from a police officer. He cried a lot. I said I would look in on him again (he lives not far from me). He prayed with me, asking Jesus for a better day.
The students I worked with this week are trying to help people because they believe that a Jesus who was genuinely raised from the dead teaches them to do that. The people in difficult situations, praying through their tears, are looking for help from a living Jesus. He's their hope.
If these students and the people we met all trust that Jesus rose from the dead, so do I. What they are doing with their lives, in my view, is proof, maybe the very best kind.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
