I stumbled upon a blog post this week by a guy named Derek Miller, who died on May 3rd.
He had his family put his last blog post live after he died:
It’s a nice final post that has received millions of visitors since last week. He declares pretty confidently what he thinks will happen (or rather NOT happen) after he dies, which stimulates a lot of conversation in the comments on his site, and as usual, the Christians make fools of themselves doing more to hurt the cause of Christ than to help it. I usually find myself wishing Christians would just SHUT UP or stay off secular sites because they never seem to remember that Jesus said we are to known by our LOVE not our mean-spirited holier-than-tho argumentedtiveness. Sigh. How do these “Christians” ever think the lost will come to Christ if we are yelling at non-believers on websites comments and in forums?
Anyway – here was my comment on the site:
I very much enjoyed his post – since I’m also 41, it was very sobering. I found it sad he didn’t have any eternal hope of any kind, but find the mean spirited posts by Christians even sadder. (Jesus said we should be known by our love) I enjoyed his expressions of peace and love for his family, and as a techie myself, especially his wondering what technology he’ll miss out on – that will be my longing too should I get to see death coming slowly. (Also what movies I’ll miss! LOL) A good post that should get ALL of us to consider life after death regardless of the conclusions Derek made.
Just wanted to share it with you. It gives us all pause the thank God for our families and every day that we have here to enjoy our family and the gifts we have.
I posted about another Last Lecture a few years ago and my thoughts on that.
Every day is a Gift. It’s why its called the Present.
Breath Deeply.
Wow, Karl. I don’t know why I continue to be surprised when you surprise me with your thoughtfulness, but I do. :)
Thanks Josh, means alot. I think it surprises you because you may not realize that most Christians aren’t like the ones you may encounter in the media and on website, who are jerks – as an atheist, I think you get to meet too many of the obnoxious Christians on websites where Christians try to argue non-Christians into their faith, and fail to realize that while there is a place for good debate (we’ve had ours!), you’ll never argue someone over to this side. While I DO believe the evidence is stronger on this side – you don’t win someone like yourself over to this side by trying to beat them down with arguments. So it puts me in a tough spot – I think the evidence for God and creation is stronger, but until someone takes that step of faith, they won’t see it.
What drives me NUTS (and how we met on that Scientific American site I think it was) is that Jesus said Christians should be known by their love… (or kindness so I don’t sound too weird) so any “Christian” being obnoxious on a website, is not of Christ! (or at least not behaving in a way that would please Him!
While as a Christian I am sad to read of Derek’s lack of faith, it is not my place judge him – I rather enjoyed his expression of peace and know that it is only God who judges and am content to leave that to God alone. Christians job is only to pray for others, like Derek’s family in this time of loss, the share hope of eternal life to those who remain, and be an example of God’s grace realizing that we are the last to deserve heaven ourselves before we point our fingers at anyone else.
I am so embarrassed to be a Christian sometimes when I get online – and think “who’d WANT to be a Christian when we act like this?” LOL
So please ignore my moron brothers and sisters who call themselves Christians and remember, Jesus was at odds with the religious establishment his entire time on earth because they didn’t get it either, and in it fact it was they who killed him, not the secular Romans (!), if you read the Bible! Jesus was not judgemental like the people you are experience online. He was merciful and loving.
I’m so sorry Derek’s family has to see idiots like that on his blog. I apologize on their behalf.
And I’m glad you and I are friends even though we disagree on many things. That is the way it should be. If I truly believe you are “lost” I wouldn’t be a friend if I didn’t try to convert you – and you’d be a good friend to put up with that a little, but at the same time, there is no need for me to be obnoxious about it, and respectfully allow you to make your own decision, and when those conversations come to a close, I bet we could enjoy discussing some movies and other things too.
That’s what too many Christians don’t understand. We don’t have to scream and yell at each other. There is a place and time to debate and discuss, and lets have at it – but then, lets respectfully agree to stop, and chill out and enjoy other aspects of life and still treat the person as someone God made. (If we truly claim to believe that.) Otherwise, we contradict the very thing we claim to believe – that they were made in the image of God and are worthy of respect therefore!
Your friend,
Karl