Comments on: “Everyone’s bad”: A guide to optimism

By: Marshall Jones Jr.

Marshall Jones Jr. — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:19:30 +0000

Yes, thank you for sharing that. I think the main problem I have with the Anne Frank quote is that it doesn’t acknowledge God as the reason for continued hope.

I’m all for loving others, but what’s the motive? Like you said she was able to “look beyond her circumstances and see mankind as redeemable (not by their nature, but by grace).” Is that really what she thought? To me, it seems more like she actually did assume people are good by nature.

It seems like a subtle difference, but it’s huge. People are redeemable, yes, but only through Jesus. Continuing to hope in anything apart from Jesus is worse than giving up hope altogether, at least in the long-run.

That said, I really don’t mean to beat up on Anne Frank. It’s a human problem, not an Anne Frank problem. Like you mentioned, I used the quote to illustrate a more general point. Thank you for catching that.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

By: Marshall Jones Jr.

Marshall Jones Jr. — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:53:08 +0000

Thank you for your encouragement. Always appreciated.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

By: Dale

Dale — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:38:01 +0000

I know that from a theological/scriptural position you are right, “We have all fallen short…..There is only one who is good”.
What we think is amazing about Anne Franks quote is that she was saying (despite all that has transpired) “I refuse to hate mankind”. If she had focused on the evil nature of the men and women around her and summized that indeed “all is evil, our best is as filthy rages in the site of God”, then her blacken heart might have hated the evil and the men and women who performed evil. Anne Franke’s ability to look beyond her circumstances and see mankind as redeemable (not by their nature, but by grace) is amazing and nothing short of the wonder of God. The knowledge of evil has limited value to we who believe in Jesus and redemption. It illuminates what we know about ourselves and it defines what we can expect from this unredeemed world. Now, what do we do with that broad brush once we have sweap the canvas with it and laid in the background? What do we do with the foreground?
We continue living as the light and salt. Lifting up Jesus that he might draw all evil men to him. We press on towards the prize. We maintain within the “high calling”.
I think Anne was saying, “I still love them”. Exactly what God said from Calvary’s hill. “I still love Dale “.

By: Matthew Roda

Matthew Roda — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:28:37 +0000

I would like to say “a great posting” what a interesting post. This is really great. Keep doing what you’re doing
Matthew Roda\’s latest: Lucidus Euismod Gravis Ea Blandit Quae Blandit

By: bondChristian

bondChristian — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:29:08 +0000

You’re right on, Jason. “Everyone” includes Christians.

I think in general, people don’t think Christians are perfect. It’s mostly my fault – our fault – that people think Christianity is about acting perfect because that’s how I often present myself, which is a shame because it seems like we’re fighting against ourselves here.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

By: jasonS

jasonS — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:12:48 +0000

What’s hard too is that even if some understand people in general are bad, they think Christians should be perfect. I tell our congregation often that I don’t want to, but I will at some point disappoint and may hurt someone’s feelings. Others in the church will do the same because we are fighting against that old nature. It’s not an excuse to do whatever we want, but it is realistic and doesn’t set people up for massive disappointment after seeing the imperfections.

Interesting thoughts here, Marshall.