The Humanists are advertising now...ho hum...

One of two things are true.  Either the economy is so robust right now that a group of humanists has spare cash on hand to spend on humanist advertisements, or humanists believe so strongly in their cause that they will sacrificially give toward its promotion even when things aren't going so well.

I speak facetiously, but you can check it out for yourself: Humanists launch huge godless ad campaign

What to make of it?  Is it going to convince anyone?  Unlikely, but it is revealing that when humanism attacks Christianity (it also attacks Judaism and Islam in this case, but they can speak for themselves), it usually makes some kind of moral argument.  The message in this case is loud and clear: picking and choosing passages from the Bible that depict God acting and/or speaking immorally and contrasting those passages with quotations from 'humanists' that show a higher morality gives credence to the idea that belief in God is not the morally superior option.

There are plenty of responses available to Christians.  Some would be tempted to respond to the accusations directly, perhaps trying to justify God's words or actions based on the specifics of the situation or the bigger picture of God's unquestionable justice.  That's a lot of work, and even if it's true, it doesn't address the major issues we should have with the image of Christianity that these advertisements address.  Others might posit that the humanists employ a flawed hermeneutical formula (interpretive lens) when it comes to Scripture.  Still others could ask probing questions about the presuppositional bias of the humanists themselves.  What is the basis for the employed standard of morality?  How is it possible to approve the conduct or attitude of one over another in the absence of an absolute and unchanging moral standard?  Is an unchanging, absolute moral standard even possible apart from a supreme authority who gives and upholds it?  Even still, though, it all avoids bringing the discussion to the proper place.

The point of Christianity is not that we live moral lives.  It is not that we work to improve our moral conduct throughout our life.  It is not even to have the perfect moral code nor is it to attain moral perfection. 

We have an enormous problem called sin.  We cannot conquer our sinfulness nor can we perfectly keep it from expressing itself in sinful deeds.  We all fail in light of God's moral code (which is, incidentally, perfect - because it is from God).  We are all the hypocrites we are accused of being in that we hold up one moral standard and our actions fall short. 

The point of Christianity is for you to live with God forever.  How is this possible?  Not by having a perfect moral code nor by living perfectly morally, but by faith.  The Father, in the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus of Nazareth, forgives the moral failings of the world.  They are ascribed to Jesus and on account of them Jesus suffered and died.  The Son of God did not stay dead, however; death has no dominion over him.  Jesus rose from the dead to the glory of God the Father to demonstrate to all his power over sin, death, and the devil.  By the power of the Holy Spirit we are called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified in the one, holy, Christian and apostolic Church.  God mercifully forgives our sins and graciously gives us everlasting life.

So do the Humanists have a point?  Do they really show people the fallacy of faith in Christ with their advertising and self-promotion?  Of course not.  What they uphold is utterly pathetic in light of what true Christianity proclaims and teaches.  The point of Christianity is everlasting life, and God grants this by forgiving immoral humanity on account of his perfect Son. 

What humanistic teaching can compare with this?  When a humanist fails (and they most surely do), they become just as hypocritical as the failed Christian.  Then what?  Is he or she excommunicated from humanism?  Are they no longer permitted to be humanists?  Of course not - humanism will usually rewrite its moral code to encompass this now 'enlightened' conduct and justify it to the world.  It gets old and tiring.  With God, the moral code does not change even when everyone fails to uphold it.  We all want to uphold it, and we even hope to improve our conduct throughout our lives, but at the same time we acknowledge our human limitations.  The problem is not with the Law, but with the failing people.  Thankfully with God, the remedy to cure failing humanity also never changes - forgiveness from the Father is ours through the death and resurrection of Christ, which is delivered to us through the Means of Grace by the Holy Spirit!