It's been about a week since the death of Steve Jobs.
Let me start by saying that I am currently blogging on my macbook pro, with my iPad next to me, while listening to music on iTunes.
I have been a Mac fan since the very first Macintosh computers came out back in the 80's.
There is no doubt that Steve Jobs was an amazing innovator and leader of Apple Computers. Contemporary life in America has been impacted by the life and work of Steve Jobs.
Steve Job's early death is a shock to many and his life and innovation will be missed.
That's not why I am writing this blog.
The reason why I am writing is because the first time I saw a cartoon like this after his death, I thought it was funny and a fitting tribute to Steve Job's life.
But I began to see cartoons like this all over the place on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
And the thing was that lots of people were posting such tributes. And increasingly more and more Christians and pastors were putting up cartoons like this on their pages.
I can't help but wonder and ask, what are we saying about the absolute exclusive claims of Jesus Christ when Christians and pastors post cartoons like this?
Do we still believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through him?
Many people know that Steve Jobs was a devout Buddhist.
He was a man of great influence. Even a man of great importance. He single handedly changed the way we listen to music and how we use a smartphone.
I'm not debating that.
What I am questioning is the easy way universalism creeps into our world view.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think my Christian friends and pastors are universalists. But, I am stating my discomfort with how easily we participate in perpetuating some of the confusion of our culture.
I pray for Steve Job's and his family. I pray that God will be both merciful and just and loving with Steve Jobs.
But I also know, as hard and difficult and insensitive as this sounds, that Steve Jobs by affirming Buddhism rejected the invitation of Jesus Christ.
If Jesus isn't the only way, then I need to start looking for another calling. It's because Jesus offers the only pathway to eternal life that I do what I do.
Let me start by saying that I am currently blogging on my macbook pro, with my iPad next to me, while listening to music on iTunes.
I have been a Mac fan since the very first Macintosh computers came out back in the 80's.
There is no doubt that Steve Jobs was an amazing innovator and leader of Apple Computers. Contemporary life in America has been impacted by the life and work of Steve Jobs.
Steve Job's early death is a shock to many and his life and innovation will be missed.
That's not why I am writing this blog.
But I began to see cartoons like this all over the place on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
And the thing was that lots of people were posting such tributes. And increasingly more and more Christians and pastors were putting up cartoons like this on their pages.
I can't help but wonder and ask, what are we saying about the absolute exclusive claims of Jesus Christ when Christians and pastors post cartoons like this?
Do we still believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through him?
Many people know that Steve Jobs was a devout Buddhist.
He was a man of great influence. Even a man of great importance. He single handedly changed the way we listen to music and how we use a smartphone.
I'm not debating that.
What I am questioning is the easy way universalism creeps into our world view.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think my Christian friends and pastors are universalists. But, I am stating my discomfort with how easily we participate in perpetuating some of the confusion of our culture.
I pray for Steve Job's and his family. I pray that God will be both merciful and just and loving with Steve Jobs.
But I also know, as hard and difficult and insensitive as this sounds, that Steve Jobs by affirming Buddhism rejected the invitation of Jesus Christ.
If Jesus isn't the only way, then I need to start looking for another calling. It's because Jesus offers the only pathway to eternal life that I do what I do.
4 comments:
Yes, good point. I noticed that too. And agree. Still, the situation begs for punchlines such as Jobs introducing Harp 2.0. In these cases it's more about the theology getting overwhelmed by the delight of thinking what Jobsian innovation would look like in heaven.
I agree also-perhaps I shouldn't say so since I have never owned a Mac: ) But seriously I think we need to follow a straight line in our faith-it is only Christ who makes the difference-on the other hand we will not know this side of eternity what God has done. I did not find out until a month after my father died that he had committed his life to Jesus. And he had done so a month before he died.
no need to worry, people automatically know, he didn't do this all by himself. there will be dark stories along the lines of praises that he recieved. it's like saying one man ran NASA... no, you had a control room full of dedicated people,(they didn't show the women much) but you KNOW, loving hands were involved... lots of UNSUNG HEROS in this world.
Dave, you're right. For the most part I think it's more lighthearted. And at the same time, I was getting more nervous as I saw more and more posts of similar kinds of cartoons and posts.
Viola, it's like the frog in the kettle. We don't notice how much we have allowed relativism, pluralism, universalism, etc. to seep into our world view because it happens so gradually. But that's the danger. Thank you for sharing about your dad. And that's the grace and mercy part, we will never know until we all meet God face to face.
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