Response to Local Newspaper Ad "A World Without Jesus"

Sir,

Do you really believe that those who do not believe in Jesus have no morals?  Do you think all the Jews, Moslems, and Hindus of the world have no morals   If you think those who do not accept Jesus live with no meaning to life then you are truly part of the American Taliban.  This kind of intolerance for others is why our brave children are fighting and dying in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Shame on you for disrespecting the very values of religious tolerance that were sacred to our founding fathers including a fellow Virginian, Thomas Jefferson. If you were really true to the teachings of Jesus you would not encourage such blatant intolerance on the part of your followers. People who follow such ignorant teachings are the same kind of people who fly planes into buildings to kill "non-believers" .  Shame on you - you do not represent the America that I believe in - Christian or otherwise.  It's unfortunate that you give those of us who believe in freedom another reason to be ashamed of those who claim to speak for us in Virginia - much like the shameful, un-American statements of Virgil Goode.  Maybe we should take your beliefs one step further and have all non-believers rounded up and put into camps. 

What do you think ?   

Mike & Toby
Charlottesville, VA

Larry's Response

Dear Mike,

I want to thank you for taking time to respond to our short newspaper ad “A World Without Jesus” that ran in the Daily Progress. I never intended to suggest in the article that “those who do not believe in Jesus have no morals.” I would join with you in opposing that view! Let me explain what I was attempting to communicate in the ad.

As a Christian, I believe that the historical Jesus was God “in the flesh”
(Jn 1:1-3, 14). Hence, if there was no Jesus, then there would be no God. I wanted then to examine a world where there was no God, no Bible (or any other revelation of His will) and thus no moral restraint given from God. In this very hypothetical premise, I then explained the consequences.

Most world religions would accept the conclusions that I made, i.e. that if there was no God then the world would descend into chaos and immorality. In the Bible there is a description of the loss of morality when men turn from God
(Rom 1:17-32).

I am trying to point others to examine the evidence for the existence of God and then to encourage them to find His word. I believe there is a desire in every man to know our creator. I do, however, acknowledge that men have perverted that innate desire of man to seek God into a source of much evil. When we have the Taliban, suicide bombers, and mind-controlling cults, then we can see how any religion can be perverted. Some of our church members previously lived in Saudi Arabia and experienced this mindless use of religion to enslave men and promote a political structure.  I would also join with you in opposing such.

As a Christian I do not believe my efforts are best spent in the pursuit of politics and specific political candidates. I will pray for whoever enters into public office (1 Pt 2:13-17).  

I am a relative newcomer to this area. From my observations many here take their politics more seriously than religion. In Alabama, the state where I moved from, many take college football more seriously than religion! It is my goal to leave those things for others to dispute.

If you wanted to reread the ad it is posted on my blog here:

http://larryrouse.blogspot.com/2006/10/world-without-jesus.html

Also, if you wish to examine what we teach then we have a website with all of our sermons and classes posted here:

www.cvillechurch.com

I again thank you for your response, and hope that you will have a different perspective concerning what I was trying to communicate. These short ads are a real challenge to clearly communicate a message.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

In Christian Love,

Larry Rouse