Recently I was given these questions by my teenage daughter. I would appreciate it if you would comment on these questions, as they are probably similar to questions other teens may have. -- Mark (concerned father)
1. "Love one another is said to be the supreme law. What power made it so? Upon what rational authority does the gospel of love rest? What is good?"
2. "Why should I love my enemies? Doesn't loving them put us at their mercy? Is it natural for enemies to do good to each other? Can the torn and bloody victim "love" the blood-spattered jaws that rip them limb from limb?"
3. "Aren't we all predatory animals by instinct? If humans ceased wholly from preying upon each other, could they continue to exist?"
4. "Isn't 'lust and carnal desire' a more truthful term to describe 'love' when applied to the human race? Isn't the "love" of the scriptures simply a euphemism for sexual activity or was the "great teacher" a glorifier of eunuchs?"
First, I might address the cynical tone of your child. And the hurt that might lie behind it. People with these sorts of views have difficulty with relationships, and are disillusioned. Usually this does not happen at so young an age, though I suspect it is becoming more common these days. Also, to me, it sounds like she got her questions from a humanist association tract. I personally doubt these are the sorts of questions many other teens have. Anyway, let me offer a few responses.
* God is love (1 John 4:7), and in the Trinity there has always existed love and relationship. It is a fundamental part of the universe. Love may not always appear rational, just as falling in love can be mocked as being "unscientific." But it is highly irrational to resist the fundamental power of the universe, to swim upstream and flout the basic laws and principles governing social life. We believe in good, which is why we also believe in evil. If there is no good, then there is no evil. Good is rooted in the very nature of God. It is an inescapable part of the cosmos. Those who reject moral absolutes have no ground to stand on when they criticize others. Even when they are robbed, they cannot and must not condemn the robber. Finally, everyone believes in the existence of good, despite what she or he may say. Everyone makes value judgments. No one can live consistently in a world without moral absolutes. (Look what happened to Nietzsche!)
* Why loving enemies? Because God does, because Christ loved his enemies. No, by loving them we are in a position of influence; by hating them, we let them dictate the agenda and so fall into their power. No, it is not natural for enemies to love one another. But then we believe that, though humans are part of nature, we are called to transcend nature, just as God transcends nature. (He is immanent as well as transcendent.)
* By instinct, no, I do not think all humans are predatory animals, though that instinct may be present to some degree in quite a few members of our species. For a biological look at this, your daughter--if she is as academically minded as her questions suggest--may enjoy a book I have nearly finished reading, Wesson's Beyond Natural Selection.
* We are right to distinguish love and lust, because in our world the distinction has been horribly blurred, and with painful consequences. Help her get her idealism back. Show her how to love by loving your wife, showing her honor and respect. Psychologists say the father-daughter relationship is determinative for the daughter's perceptions of men in general. The answers to some of these questions are not intellectual, but practical. Aim to grow as a dad. Finally, Jesus was not a glorifier of eunuchs. He chose not to marry, probably because he would have soon left a widow. He knew his time on earth was short. The Bible advocates celibacy for the few (1 Corinthians 7:7), not for the majority.
In short, try to answer her real questions, not just the presentation issues. The real blocks to her faith are not academic objections--not that a few well-placed answers will not smooth the way for faith. The real blocks are emotional. Strive to address both levels. Love your daughter; answer her questions.
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