Why stand up for what you believe?

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Apostle Paul- Romans 1:16

"For as long as a man does not discover something to die for he's not prepared to live." Johann Christopher Arnold

This is one of the last quotes, Cassie Bernall, wrote in her journal before she was shot. She is one of the teenagers killed in the Columbine High school tragedy. She was asked whether she believed in God and survivors indicate she said "yes". As a result she was shot in the head by one of her colleagues, whilst being held hostage in the high school library.

For many years I copied Arnold's quote from one journal to another to remind myself not to be ashamed of what I believe. Today I was reminded of it again. Cassie was 17 when she confessed her faith with a simple word, and in reading her life story she seemed to have been just as much of a messed up teenager as I was:-) But once she found God, Cassie held on to Him until the end. My friend and brother, Tim Skinner, shares many of my frustrations when it comes to the Truth, because Tim seems to be just as passionate as I am about speaking (writing in my case) of what we believe. There will always be the dilemma "When do I actually speak the Truth and when do I push my opinions on others?" I said it many times. I believe Truth has power in itself and you will only listen when you are prepared to hear it. As such I will not go to someone and try to convince them of what I believe. I am not saying it's a bad thing to do that, I am just saying I am not built that way. I write about what I believe and I put it out there. You are free to take it on board or dismiss it. My Lord is my treasure and in the same way I'm not gonna beg you to accept some gold, I will not try to convince anyone by pushing my opinions on them. Truth is not comfortable, political correctness is. Tim inspires me, because he's out there and speaks even with the risk of becoming uncomfortable (I witnessed myself what happened to him when he did become uncomfortable once), but he carries on speaking and standing up for what he believes. So I'll dedicate this blog to him and other people such as my sister who aren't afraid of not being popular or labelled "fanatics".

One thing I keep seeing the atheist getting frustrated about when it comes to us "the deluded fanatics" (at least according to Richard Dawkins who's face I keep coming across on British TV channels in shows such as "Genius of Britain" or "The God Delusion". Talk about pushing your ideas and political correctness, I don't see two many Christian or Jewish programmes which aren't either historically inaccurate or theologically messed up). Anyway, what seems to annoy the atheists about us is the "arrogance" with which we confess our truth as being The Truth. I have one question? What other truth than the one I believe would you like me to stand up for?

The other thing they keep throwing in our faces is-"I don't believe in God, but you don't see me going around telling everybody I don't believe in Him" I would say the Atheism's "spokesman", Richard Dawkins proves exactly the opposite, he almost seems "on a mission" to prove the non-existence of God. Like I was saying today, he seems so adamant to prove he doesn't have a religion that he turned atheism into his religion. But as an answer to "the accusation" perhaps the fact that God doesn't exist may occupy a secondary place in an atheist's life. The fact that He exists is everything to us.

I won't tap anyone on the shoulder and try to convince them of what I believe, but I will not stay quiet either and allow the likes of Richard Dawkins to call my God all sorts of names and spread lies about Him whilst I sit comfortably in my church pew.

"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Luke 9:26

Emanuela