My Friend Jorn

I have a good friend named Jorn (pronounced something like "yearn"). He is German scientist with impressive letters behind his name. He is also quite a talker. I love to get him going on just about any subject--he can philosophize almost endlessly. Do you know someone like this? If you don't, you should pray to God that you meet one, for they can provide a powerful vaccination against the mindless conversations about sports and weather we so often find ourselves in.

Jorn is an agnostic with strong atheistic leanings. He is a molecular biologist and an Evolutionist. Therefore, he disagrees with me on a great many things. We have differing worldviews, different backgrounds, and different passions. For example, he called me the other day and passionately explained how he bought a book and was going to make his own cheese. Fabulous!

What I love most about our friendship is that we can disagree with each other, strongly at times, and not be disagreeable. He reads my blogs and says, "Wait, you have a problem!" And, instead of bristling like a porcupine, I rub my hands together and say, "Now this is good conversation!"

I think our friendship is rare. People gravitate toward each other for different reasons these days. Too often we huddle up (Nietzsche would call it "hurding") into little groups that think just like we do. How can your mind be expanded without bumping into someone with differing opinions?

I believe there are two reasons Christians huddle up and set a laser fence perimeter:

The first is fear. What are we afraid of? Losing our faith? Are we afraid our faith is weak?

The second is a misunderstanding of verses like the one where Paul told the Colossians, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (2:8, NIV) Does this verse tell us to stay away from anyone who disagrees with us? I think not.

The remedy for both of the above problems is discernment. We must know what we believe, and why. Does your faith stand the test of reason? If so, then you will not be carried away. Otherwise, get motivated to lay a foundation under your fragile faith that can stand the tests of skeptical waves.