Forgot Your Password?
Most of us are familiar with the use
of, and need for, password protected accounts and websites. The more we adapt
to the technological age, the greater the need. I keep telling myself that I am
going to generate one password for all of my various website accounts; that
will make remembering my password simpler. Unfortunately different sites
require different combinations of letters, numbers and/or symbols. One account
requires the "@" symbol somewhere in my password. Other accounts
allow only numbers and letters. One site calls for at least one capital letter;
another small caps only. The list of requirements for generating a password for
the multitude of websites that require an account and password is varied, to
say the least. With the variation in the requirements for passwords comes a
proportionate inability on the part of the account holder to remember a given
password for any particular website. Thankfully the gurus who develop those
wonderful website accounts that require you "log on" to gain access to
your "account," have also developed a way to recover or reset a
password when you forget it. A link is provided next to the place where you
enter your password that, when selected, will take you through a process by
which you can eventually get access to your account and reset your password.
Most sites are very particular about security, and the difficulty of gaining
access to the account increases in proportion to the information stored in that
website account. In an effort to cut down on having to use the "Forgot
Password" feature, I have developed a little database to keep track of my
"username," "password," and "website" with which
each is associated. Presently I have 123 websites, and with each one an
associated "username" and "password" that enables me to
access my account information. It is inevitable that, from time to time, I will
forget one of those passwords. Last week was one of those occasions when I
needed to access a rather insignificant, seldom used, online account. When I
attempted to log on, I was told that the password was inaccurate. I checked my
database of passwords and tried again. I got the same message: "You have
entered either an inaccurate username or password." After three tries I
decided it was time to hit the panic button: "Forgot Your Password?"
What unfolded was frustrating, and really quite comical. First, I was asked to
provide a means by which a "code" could be sent to me. It could be
sent to my phone, or to an email account. I would then take that code and enter
it into the blank provided which would then enable me to access my security
questions to enter my account-like "What is the name of your oldest
sibling?" or "What is your favorite ice cream?" I had the code
sent to my email address, returned to my computer website and entered the code.
So far so good. My "security question" popped up, and after entering
the proper answer to my security question I got this message:
"Congratulations, you have answered the question correctly. We need one
more thing to guaranty your security. Please enter your old password." But
I did not know my old password! And there next to the instruction to enter my
old password was the link: "Forgot Your Password?" I pressed it, and
it took me through the same process, arriving at the same point where I was
told to enter my old password for security purposes. I'll tell you now that I
never got access to the account; it would be much simpler to just set up
another account, with a different user name and password.
The runaround I got in the afore mentioned incident is characteristic of some other things in life. Automated telephone menus are just one example; but I'll not dwell on that right now. Right now I am thinking of someone who thought life was nothing more than one gigantic runaround: "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun? One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again. All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun (Ecc. 1:1-9). Although Solomon did not have computers, internet, websites, or passwords to remember, I have the feeling that he must have felt the same sense of frustration that often comes with all of these marvelous technological amenities we enjoy when they don't work as we would like.
Working with people often produces the same kind of frustrations that come with forgetting and/or retrieving passwords for some online account. If you have ever tried to reason with someone caught up in error, and who apparently have no desire to come to a knowledge of the truth, the experience is quite frustrating. You find yourself on a "merry-go-round" of circular reasoning. Paul must have been thinking of the same kind of people when he asked the brethren to pray "that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men" (2 Thess. 3:2). Such people jump from one topic to another, "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7). Attempting to teach such individuals is like my vain attempt to recover and/or reset my password; I find myself right back where I started, my patience wearing thin.
Evolutionists are often guilty of circular reasoning. A classic example is the evolutionist's dating of fossils according to the rock strata they are found in, while at the same time dating the strata according to the "index fossils" they contain. Dating a rock based on the fossil it contains only works if it is assumed that evolution is true. As one paleontologist admitted, "For most biologists, the strongest reason for accepting the evolutionary hypothesis is their acceptance of some theory that entails it."
It is possible that a devoted, faithful child of God can be guilty of circular reasoning. In an attempt to teach a non believer why we believe the Bible is the word of God we might find ourselves thinking, "I believe the Bible is true because the Bible says it is true." There are plenty of evidences to substantiate the inspiration of the Bible, the existence of God, and the deity of Jesus Christ. In our efforts to reason with the lost, let's use very precaution to avoid leaving them with the feeling that they are the victims of circular reasoning. Their honest attempt to reset their "password of life" should be answered with a sound and solid "thus saith the Lord." Peter put it this way: "but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15).
The runaround I got in the afore mentioned incident is characteristic of some other things in life. Automated telephone menus are just one example; but I'll not dwell on that right now. Right now I am thinking of someone who thought life was nothing more than one gigantic runaround: "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun? One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again. All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun (Ecc. 1:1-9). Although Solomon did not have computers, internet, websites, or passwords to remember, I have the feeling that he must have felt the same sense of frustration that often comes with all of these marvelous technological amenities we enjoy when they don't work as we would like.
Working with people often produces the same kind of frustrations that come with forgetting and/or retrieving passwords for some online account. If you have ever tried to reason with someone caught up in error, and who apparently have no desire to come to a knowledge of the truth, the experience is quite frustrating. You find yourself on a "merry-go-round" of circular reasoning. Paul must have been thinking of the same kind of people when he asked the brethren to pray "that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men" (2 Thess. 3:2). Such people jump from one topic to another, "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7). Attempting to teach such individuals is like my vain attempt to recover and/or reset my password; I find myself right back where I started, my patience wearing thin.
Evolutionists are often guilty of circular reasoning. A classic example is the evolutionist's dating of fossils according to the rock strata they are found in, while at the same time dating the strata according to the "index fossils" they contain. Dating a rock based on the fossil it contains only works if it is assumed that evolution is true. As one paleontologist admitted, "For most biologists, the strongest reason for accepting the evolutionary hypothesis is their acceptance of some theory that entails it."
It is possible that a devoted, faithful child of God can be guilty of circular reasoning. In an attempt to teach a non believer why we believe the Bible is the word of God we might find ourselves thinking, "I believe the Bible is true because the Bible says it is true." There are plenty of evidences to substantiate the inspiration of the Bible, the existence of God, and the deity of Jesus Christ. In our efforts to reason with the lost, let's use very precaution to avoid leaving them with the feeling that they are the victims of circular reasoning. Their honest attempt to reset their "password of life" should be answered with a sound and solid "thus saith the Lord." Peter put it this way: "but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15).
~~~~~
One paragraph sermon: Brook Benton had a 1962 hit titled, "Walk On The Wild Side." It was an attempt to get a lukewarm and worldy Christian to give serious consideration as to the life he was living. The refrain in that song contained these words: "Sinner, hear what I'm sayin'; Sinner, you've been swingin', not prayin'; One day of prayin' and six nights of fun, The odds against goin' to heaven, six-to-one." The inconsistency of one's claim to be a Christian and his life style is evidently what made the song so popular. Ironically, today a large number of people seem to think that you can actually take one day and live like a saint, and spend the remaining part of the week living like the world, and when it comes time to stand before the judgement seat of Christ, they expect to be ushered into heaven along with those who dedicated their whole life to the Lord. Some evidently think that you can even take just one hour out of your week to pray, partake of the Lord's supper, listen to a 25 minute sermon, and then greet a few folks, and shake some hands while making a hasty departure from the presence of fellow Christians, and then take the rest of the week to have "fun," and somehow hear the words of Jesus on that final day, "Well done, enter into the joys of heaven." The problem with such thinking, as expressed in the words of the song, is that the odds are not six to one that you won't go to heaven; it is more like seven to zero. Think about it.
--by Tom Wacaster
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