Many religions wear symbols of their dedication or “religiosity”.  Despite their sincerity, some may wear prayer beads, crosses, or tattoo themselves as reminders or as objects of worship.  Yes, it is wrong to worship anything but God; however, is it wrong to wear a cross just because it’s pretty?  Or would it be an unwise idea due to the societal connotations?

Sincerely,
A Little Glam

Dear A Little Glam,

Wearing a cross is not inherently a sin, but there are some principles that reveal it to be not a very good idea.  The problem with crosses and other religious garb are threefold:

1. As you stated, some people use crosses, rabbit’s feet, rosary beads, etc. as forms of worship and superstition.  This is wrong.  God soundly condemns superstition, the occult, and idol worship (1 Cor 10:7, Acts 19:19, Matt 4:10).
2. God tells us that it is our character that should proclaim our Christianity – not our clothing (1 Pet 3:3-4).  In an attempt to look the part of being faithful, many people wear crosses, slap “WWJD” bumper stickers on their cars, and tattoo themselves with the words “Jesus Freak”… which rarely leaves the impression they intended.  Let the world know you are a christian because of who you are and how you live.
3. Crosses are designed to be beautiful, ornate, and elegant nowadays – which thoroughly negates the message of the cross.  The cross of Christ was anything but pretty.  It was a torture device intended to inflict the highest degree of pain possible upon the Son of God.  We here at AYP sometimes wonder if Jesus had been killed by electrocution if everyone would have little electric chairs hanging around their necks…

Suffice it to say, wearing religious jewelry, at best, sends a mixed message – at worst, it sends the wrong message.

What are Christ’s teachings and Biblical views on capital punishment?  I was always taught the viewpoint of an eye for an eye.

Sincerely,
Ready To Strike

Dear Ready To Strike,

God authorizes governments to punish its citizens as it deems fit.  God has given governments the ‘sword of terror’ to bring wrath down upon evildoers (Rom 13:3-4).  God allowed the government of Israel to stone criminals (Lev 20:27) for various acts of wickedness against man and God. Stoning definitely would count as capital punishment!

Government authority and individual authority are different things, though.  God tells us that we aren’t to take vengeance upon ourselves (Rom 12:18-19), but instead, we are to do good to our enemies (Rom 12:20). We are to turn the other cheek (Matt 5:39) and go the extra mile with people (Matt 5:41).  The government has the right to punish ‘an eye for an eye’, but we as individuals do not (Matt 5:38-39).

I often say things that hurt the people I love; for example, I said to my sister today that she should have not planted a tree so close to another, and it hurt her feelings because she worked hard and was proud of her achievement.  She told me I was cynical just like our mother.  This, in turn, hurt me deeply.  I don't want to be cynical; I want to be edifying.  I work on it through Christ, but nothing seems to change.  I see the works of Christ in other areas of my life, but this root seems to be at the core of my being.  How can I have lasting healing from this?

Sincerely,
Glass Half Empty

Dear Glass Half Empty,

There is no miracle pill that will make you become better at interacting with people; kind words and a gentle tongue are skills acquired through practice and time.  Since you say that you’ve seen improvements in other areas of your life, you know that growth takes time – but eventually bears wonderful results.  Here are some things to consider as you try and improve your speech.

1. What we say comes from our hearts (Mk 7:18-23).  How you feel about people matters.  Spend time trying to think of life from the other person’s perspective.  Jesus was the master of compassion.  Even though He had nothing in common with the sinners He preached to, He still had a deep-seated love for them (Mk 2:16-17)… and it came across in how He spoke.
2. Sometimes the kindest thing you can say to someone is nothing at all.  If in doubt, keep your mouth shut.  Even a fool looks wise when he remains silent (Pr 17:28).  Nobody is offended by a kind, generous (and silent) smile.
3. Remember that words have power.  The old saying that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is a lie.  The human tongue has the ability to set the world on fire (Jas 3:5-6).  Think before you speak; what you say makes a difference.
4. Remember that God is watching the words that we use.  He hears everything and is displeased when we use the same mouth to praise Him and to curse our brother (Jas 3:9-10).  Speak like He is listening.

We wish you the very best in your journey to improve your speech.  We all need to fight the good fight of controlling our tongues.

Is going after a top-paying career or position in life the ‘love of money’? Many christian college students I've seen have either chosen or have shifted their majors to those that would produce more money.  Are they not being motivated by the love of money?  To me it seems they are no different than how people in the world act.

Sincerely,
Business Degree?

Dear Business Degree,

Making money is not a sin… nor is being wealthy.  It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil (Heb 13:5).  Solomon was an extremely wealthy man, but he was also righteous and wise (2 Chr 1:11-12).  God teaches that we should save and leave an inheritance for our children (Pr 13:22).  Saving, investing, and making money to provide for our families… those are all good things (1 Tim 5:8).

Wealth isn’t a sin unless it leads to covetousness and greed (Lk 12:15).  We must all work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Php 2:12), constantly examining ourselves (1 Cor 11:28) that we might make sure that our heart is pure and free from greed.

Please explain how there are different races in the world when we are all supposed to be born from Adam and Eve?

Sincerely,
Ethnic Diversity

Dear Ethnic Diversity,

We all came from Adam and Eve (Gen 3:20).  Eventually, mankind was scattered across the whole earth after the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:9).  Different races were created as these scattered groups became more isolated.  This is very similar to how you see parents and children looking alike – they share noticeable physical traits because they are closely related.  The groups that were scattered from the Tower of Babel were isolated by their language differences, and therefore only married amongst their specific language group.  This isolated intermarrying created distinct physical characteristics that differentiated one group from another (i.e. skin color, eye shape, face shape, hair color).  The different races of the world are nothing more than large family groups created after the Tower of Babel.