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Dr. Sipus,
I just finished watching the movie, "The God Who Wasn't There", in which you made a brief, unwitting, appearance.
And though I don't agree with your view of the world, I also don't agree with the method by which the filmmaker gained the interview.
I found, from what part of the interview I did see, that you were a quite eloquent and intelligent about both religion and education. You cited your past involvement with public schools, which just added more credence to your points about how your school was different from those in the public sector.
Aside from the manner in which he gained the interview, I really wish you would have let it go on. Your viewpoint was by far the most important, as it was the most contrary to the subject. You mentioned better preparing the students for the outside world than public schools, but then you didn't accept a challenge to your own beliefs from the filmmaker, who, from what I could tell, was completely unarmed when it came to a true theological discussion, comparatively.
Again, I completely understand if the reason you backed out of the interview was because of the auspices under which it was gained, but do you think you would have accepted if he had told you his true motives? I think it's more important, especially for Christians, to face challenges like this head-on, rather than ignore them. Some people say that addressing them gives them credibility, but I say the reverse is true. If you ignore it, you allow it grow unchallenged. If you take an example from science, if a bad theory comes out, it's challenged and quelled. In the case of science, experimentation, precedence and the laws of the universe are brought to bear against the theory. In your case, the word of God and your faith would be your weapons.
The two other Christians in the movie, one was a Christian atheist (whatever that means) and the other was...how shall I say...simple. He resorted, by rote, to the rhetoric which is often iterated by those who don't truly understand what they believe, just that they're supposed to believe it. That sort of Christian doesn't sway people, especially the people watching this type of film. You struck me as someone who truly understood as well as believed what you said, which could sway those to your side, even if briefly, make them question their un-belief.
"If ours is an examined faith, we should be unafraid to doubt. If doubt is eventually justified, we were believing what clearly was not worth believing. But if doubt is answered, our faith has grown stronger. It knows God more certainly and it can enjoy God more deeply." - C. S. Lewis
Sincerely,
Lee Poirier
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Your Lovely Letter
By: Kristin () on 16-01-2012 04:07