The Soultown! Volume III: Issue 9 SEPTEMBER 2019 | Page 21

God is Very much alive WATERLOO, IA - “Woman, why influence on the contemporary intellectual weepest thou? She saith unto them, landscape. Nietzsche made the statement, Because they have taken away my Lord, “God is dead!” and I know not where they have laid him.” His Parable of The Madman begins – John 20:13 with this inquiry. “I seek God! I seek God! This was the question asked by Mary Has he got lost? Did he lose his way like a Magdalene to the “angels” standing at the child? Is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has Tomb of the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth. he gone on a voyage? Whither is God?” I have a feeling that this same question is he cried; “I will tell you. We have killed him being asked today by many skeptics of the DR. RAINEY -- you and I. All of us are his murderers… Gospel who question the existence of God. Faith Enthusiast Do we smell nothing as yet of the divine I make mention of this for several Learn more from our Faith Enthusiast at: decomposition? Gods, too, decompose. reasons. American churches have seen http://www.thesoultown.com/in-matters-of- God is dead. God remains dead. And we attendance drop by at least 25% in the faith.html have killed him.” last half-decade. I am a ‘baby boomer’ Email Me: [email protected] This writing of Nietzche ends making so I witnessed the explosion of the Jesus an interesting conclusion of the sort. Movement in the 1970s followed by “What after all are these churches now the charismatic movement. Suddenly it if they are not the tombs and sepulchers became fashionable and a social validation of God?” when converts proclaimed, “I am born I think that in the decline of church again. I am a follower of Christ”. But now, attendance, a form of this question is being in the second decade of the 21st-century asked in September 2019. churches are closing at the rate of 8,000 to I say that God is very much alive. A 10,000 a year! look into the stars at night attest to the 2001 was my last year of pastoring after ‘uncaused infinity’ of the Creator of all beginning a church work in my community things. The seen universe is evidence of and that continued for 18 years. So now, I a deliberate Designer Who has not only am beginning to examine the issues of faith created but sustains the universe. This and church more objectively as opposed to Deliberate Designer created within us the subjectively. desire to know Him. Look deep into the I remember the days when the wheels heart of every believer and you will witness ~ Dr. Rainey of commerce halted on Sundays to that God is alive and well. observe what is called “the Lord’s Day” deeper issue I think. but now the work habits of American has I am Dr. David Rainey, Faith The last month or so I have been changed; that Sunday has now become a Enthusiast for The Soultown reading the ideals of Friedrich Wilhelm workday, as well. This, too, has affected International Magazine. I’d like to Nietzsche, a German philosopher and Sept. 2019 • The Soultown International Magazine • Celebrating 2 years • Connecting Our Cultures to Our Cyber & Conscious Communities • thesoultown.com church attendance but there is a much thank God for having SOUL! , cultural critic whose work has an ongoing ‘What after all are these churches now if they are not the tombs and sepulchers of God?’ 21