Why ‘must’ people change minds about Jesus?

In last week’s Courier Mark Jasper wrote: ‘However offensive it is to hear, we must turn from sin and change our minds about Jesus. He rose from the dead, therefore we must listen to what he says.’

With respect Mark, as someone who used to be a committed Christian, I’m not offended to hear this. But I would take issue with your double-barrelled use of the word ‘must’.

That word has strong implications which you only back up with faith-based assertions or with reasons that are in themselves assertions.

After considering the evidence and the impact of belief on my own life over a number of years, I did change my mind.

I stopped believing in the things you imply

I ‘must’ believe in. Likewise, billions of other people worldwide do not believe, in all good conscience, that Jesus rose from the dead or that the Christian faith, as an all or nothing package, is relevant to them. Why ‘must’ they change their minds about Jesus? Even if you believe with all your heart it is true.

We live in an age when many people, quite rightly in my opinion, refuse to accept the words of authority figures simply because those words are said with conviction. This undoubtedly makes life more complicated.

We would all like to have black and white answers to everything. But life and truth is complicated and I don’t believe it is healthy to ever ‘change our minds’ based on someone else’s certainty. Even if they happen to be a nice fella like you Mark.

David Fee, Campbeltown.