I believe a unique process must take place for someone to make a major life-view change. Specifically with faith, this process is one that involves searching, questioning, doubting and pain. In many modern faith circles, a conversion experience is one that is drummed up in a moment, often accompanied by a frenzy of emotion. The problem with this approach is that no major decisions are made in a moment, or at least decisions that last.
I would argue that for a person to go from an anti-theist or a non-believer (pardon the term) to a theist requires a process in the mind and heart. In Christianity, which is my spiritual background and study, the very foundation of the faith is a process. Jesus taught that it began with believing that he was who he said he was. From there, the faith is fleshed out by the process of following him and taking part in the new way to live that he represents.
Many times, people believe that a life-view takes place when someone has discovered a new insight or realized a truth they didn’t know previously. While these could be used to describe the Christian conversion experience, they seem a bit abstract and vague. Rather, I believe the heart of the Christian conversion experience takes place when someone grasps the nature of God.
It is when people experience something greater than themselves, and encounter a love that goes beyond what they have experienced before. I have heard people make claims along the lines of, “I don’t know if I buy the Jesus story, but what you guys are doing is something I want to be a part of.” What they come to understand is that the very thing they couldn’t put their finger on was the nature of a loving and generous God. It isn’t a rationalized, calculated equation that leads someone to changing a life-view that leads them to theism, but rather an experience of the heart.
RESPONSE:
I think I agree with you too much for this to be a Conversation with a clear-cut controversy. But a conversation need not be controversial, eh? I read your views here as coming from first-hand experience, even though they weren’t written as such. I almost wish they had been; I feel like this is such a gray area in which to find footing for a nice counterpoint. I definitely have some questions though. Maybe those will spark conversation enough. Anyway, that being said…
Yes. Naturally, any change of perception is going to be, as you said, a process of the mind. I would say, however, that a process involving “searching, questioning, doubting and pain” is not specific to faith, but is an integral part of finding one’s place in the world (i.e., a necessary part of life). There’s one exception I would have on that list, though: pain. I see pain as more of a stimulus, a reason to start searching, questioning, etc.
And in my experience, faith was one source of that pain. Or at least the source of enough discomfort in discrepancies to trigger the process of reconciling them. The preliminary seeds of that divergence were sowed while studying world religions in college. (Actually earlier, if you count those little doubts we all had as to God’s existence, but this was the first “macro” view, if that makes sense.) Like, “Shoot, I just happen to be of the predominate faith of my geographic region. Interesting…” And those thoughts weren’t fleshed out until a bit later in life, but for me it highlighted further what I (probably still subconsciously) saw as a lack of authenticity amongst those of the Christian faith.
And let me talk about that for a sec. I’m not talking about the lack of authenticity as it’s increasingly discussed in newer churches across the United States. The odd, self-conscious, youth-oriented push for accessibility that has everyone scrambling to almost change the Christian doctrine at times. I’m talking – and I don’t mean to offend here – about the inherent ability, yea, necessity, of faith to alienate its adherents from what the vast unwashed see as reality. Sometimes I wish (likely in vain) these people would act more like what they’re apparently trying to attract: fuck-ups who found their own way to deal with things. I mean, they’re onto something in terms of realizing that the whole “in and not of the world” thing hasn’t always been the most effective/endearing cover, but they’re missing the point that “authenticity” and not being “of the world” are mutually exclusive for those they’re trying to get through to. I suppose this is also an issue of scriptural interpretation.
Which brings me to another thing you wrote: “I believe the heart of the Christian conversion experience takes place when someone grasps the nature of God.” This makes me wonder. How do you know their “abstract and vague” truth is not the real truth? Or conversely, how do you know yours is The Truth? Does this again boil down to how you interpret the Bible? How do you know, as you seem to, that you have indeed grasped the nature of God? How is this different from one who has grasped the true nature of a different God, or perhaps, an equal love from a different source? Would you say that someone who finally recognizes this one true higher power is instantly converted, or are more factors involved? Just some of the questions you brought to my mind.
That’s all I got for now, though. I’m sure you and others will add plenty to make me think some more and maybe ask some more awesome questions!
I agree with Steve’s point that pain is often a catalyst for changing a person’s worldview one way or the other. I always find it interesting when you see someone on TV (I’m randomly thinking specifically of Mary J. Blige on Oprah) who has gone through some absolutely horrible and painful life experiences who has “found God” at the end of their journey and will not stop insisting that others “find God” as well. If it took all that for you to become a believer, what makes you think I’m going to just because you said so? I’ve always found this part of “witnessing” or preaching or whatever to be interesting if not ridiculous. Like Sam and Steve have pointed out, the journey one way or the other tends to be a long, difficult, and personal process. Does the church or Mary J. Blige really think that can sincerely and seriously move people along with personal accounts and altar calls? Can these things do more harm than good, Sam?
Also, very much enjoyed the following: “Sometimes I wish (likely in vain) these people would act more like what they’re apparently trying to attract: fuck-ups who found their own way to deal with things.” I feel the same way.
Nikel, I would say the attempt to move people along with personal accounts and altar calls can potentially do more harm than good. You can’t turn a process into a moment. However, like Mary J. Blige, those who have encountered what they believe is God or Jesus, usually want to talk about it. This is seen over and over and over in Scripture. I wouldn’t say it’s an effective evangelism tool, but it tends to be inevitable. When we try to manipulate it, it becomes a dangerous thing.
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Ok, I might want to play a little bit on the other side here my friend. You lay claim to a “process” for conversion but give no biblical backing. I can site several instances throughout the new testament that point the conversion to a moment not a process. The lame man in front of the Temple, the woman at the well, Paul on the road to Damascus just to mention a few. However I do agree with a process but the process comes in sanctification not salvation. Conversion comes in a moment. Becoming like Christ takes a lifetime. I have more I would like to discuss but I prefer to do it off line. Love you my friend. Praying God speaks through you this weekend.
Jaime,
While I agree that conversion happens in a moment, ultimately, it never occurs out of the blue. The issues you cite are instances of miraculous encounters, which may be the exception to the rule. Many times, when people in our culture decide to follow Jesus in their lives, it comes out of a process of some sort.
That process leads to the moment where they make a decision to follow Christ. Sanctification is a never-ending process, I agree, but that process only happens once the first process that leads to conversion has taken place.
I think we play with semantics to a degree. It’s mostly a play on words and in some way we could come around to the same thought or page. Life is a process and people go through things, have conversations, debate theology, and salvation could be a culmination of events in ones life. One thing salvation will always be is miraculous. It is not an “exception to the rule” it is the rule. The only thing that could have taken me out of my circumstances of self was a miracle. Every instance in the Bible of salvation was a miracle. When we take the miraculous from salvation we bring God down to our level and that is a very secular, and not so biblical, take on God. We can intellectualize the miraculous to make God accessible and acceptable to the masses but His very words were “narrow is the path that leads to eternal life.”
We must guard our hearts as we navigate the process of revealing Jesus to the world. Sam, you know my heart and I am for you, believe in you and love you. I hope you know this is not me criticizing you, only challenging you to take this to the cross and weigh it against the word.
True. I don’t discount the miraculous nature of someone experiencing heart change. My thought is that the church has placed a lot of emphasis on building a programmed moment where people make a decision for Christ in corporate gatherings, which is fueled by hype and emotion. Decisions based on those factors have a track record of not sticking.
When we acknowledge the process that leads someone to conversion, and then fully embrace and understand what following Jesus means, I feel we will see more disciples than hands raised on Sunday mornings.
“Go into all the world and make disciples.”
I hope that as my generation begins to take leadership roles, we will pour our effort into making disciples. Those who follow relentlessly after Jesus and are soaked in his Shalom.
P.S. thanks for hanging around here! Appreciate the conversation.