Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Modern/Ancient Hedonism

Bart Ehrman is a former evangelical pastor, now making a good living as an avowed agnostic/atheistic/apostate author. "Why?" we ask:

"I knew I didn't really belong in church anymore when I was standing there reciting the Apostle's Creed: 'He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, dead and buried." That was it. I realized I couldn't say the rest... I think this life is all there is, and if this is all there is then you should really enjoy living. I drink better wine and eat better food since becoming an agnostic."

Shortly after the resurrection of Jesus (the part of the creed Ehrman can't say), Paul wrote: "If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that we are then found to be false witnesses about God... If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead... if the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.' Do not be misled ... Come back to your senses as you ought and stop sinning."

2 comments:

jered said...

Sad for Bart in the end, but God prefers him to some others.

Anonymous said...

It's great he has found a new way and it's funny he emphasises the mirror of the words. To eat and drink better.