On Understanding

New England is a rather unique place.
Historically, we have a high percentage of liberal activists, dating back to colonial times... that's what puritans were, after all... they wanted change in the way things were done, and kicked themselves out of england for it.
Modern times are different times, though.
We have socialists, anarchists, canadians, and Hillary supporters.
As a senior at my school once put it,
"Its like our school is off the rictor scale when comparing divisions. We mostly have moderates(conservatives), then we have extremists(the liberal majority). Our perspective is just skewed geographically."

The other group of kids at my school would appear to be those whose parents are catholics [read: kids from Exeter], who have been through ccd and all that... but have grown up with it simply thrust upon them.
For that reason, they know all about catholicism, (the religion part) but they don't really know how to be christians. Refreshingly, they're conservatives.

ANYway...
when it comes down to it, most people, at least around here, have NO IDEA what's in the Bible.
when the 4th quarter starts up i'm gonna start doing some kind of bible study or something to try to get people interested in what's inside them leather bindings.
But what's also interesting is how, when you try to explain something, they completely don't get it.
People have been taught ignorance about the Bible, so they have these predispositions on what christians believe... which are totally false.
And it's as if they don't want to hear the truth from an actual christian; they just want to prove themselves right.

Did i already say that it's frustrating?
Well, it is.
There was a verse today in Bible study about people having a veil over them so that they can't understand the Word... i wish i could remember it...

But, check out 1st Corinthians 1:18 & 19...
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.'"

See.
People of the world simply can't understand why Christians believe the way we do.
In fact, a lot of christians [read: them religious catholics] don't understand why they believe the way they do.

As a side note, i think its interesting how Paul used the present tense in there... "us who are being saved".
It's worth pointing out that we aren't just saved and then that's it.
Salvation is an ongoing process that never stops. Hence why it's ongoing. And hence why Paul used the present tense, rather than say, the perfect (simple past).

Linguistic subtleties aside, Jesus said a pretty powerful statement in Luke 10:21.
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." [NIV]

So everyone who's seen Jesus Camp knows how easy it is for little kids to understand the Gospel. Contrarily, people who are regarded as "learned" (giggle) have no grasp on it whatsoever.
Who do we consider Learned?
How about my teachers who are all incredibly intelligent and well-versed in the world, but who are completely clueless towards Christianity.
Or politicians, doctors, scientists... so many of them just don't get it.
And Jesus praised God for this!
He was glad that God lets little children understand the Truth, whereas hardened, learned people of the World just can't grasp it.

You could also tie this back to the attitude of "childness"...
Luke 18:16
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

The great irony with this whole thing is that we typically associate children with a lack of understanding.
How many times, when talking to a six year old or such, you have to be careful of how you say things so that you don't go over their head?
You can't talk calculus to a 5th grader.
You can't talk politics to a 7 year old.
BUT.
You can absolutely talk about the Kingdom of God... which is much more important.

God's got a pretty cool way of doing things.