It
is a very interesting time to be a Christian Massage Therapist. There are very few resources for a Christian
who is also a Massage Therapist to utilize that are specific to my discipline. The only one I am aware of is a small
Christian Massage Therapists group on Facebook that I am a part of. Aside from that we have to depend on
resources that are not specifically dealing with the issues we face.
One
of the newer things we are facing is the emergence of science based massage
therapists who consider themselves to be Scientific Skeptics. They even have their own group on Facebook
but a number of them are active in other groups as well. Many of them are very articulate and appear
well educated.
I
often appreciate the contributions they make in threads. They frequently deal with massage related
issues using the tools of logic and the scientific method. They frequently post or at least mention
specific articles and research. I think
we need more of that in our profession.
As
Christians, we too appreciate logic and science – or at least we should. The problem is that we place a different
value on these tools and we use them differently. Let me explain.
A
Christian worldview entails that we believe what the scriptures teach. We accept that on the authority of God’s word
revealed in the Bible. It gives us an
interpretive grid. Our goal is to, in
the words of the Apostle Paul, “Take every thought captive to the obedience of
Christ.” Let me try to explain.
If
you were to enter my house from any of its 3 doors you would see certain
indications of where you are at. If you
come through my basement door immediately on your left would be an old VCR tape
of my wedding. A little farther is a
case with medals I earned in my time in the Army Reserve. Surrounding
you would be bookcases on 3 of the walls with my name on the inside of
many of those books. If you entered by
the garage door you would find a number of filing cabinets with my files inside
and yes…another couple of bookcases.
Coming through the front door you will pass a mailbox with my name on
the mail. Immediately coming through the
door you would find my computer with my documents and a few more bookcases –
again- with my name on the inside covers.
You
could try coming in by landing on the roof and rappelling in through the
windows. If you come in through the
bathroom window my name is on my toothbrush and on the prescriptions in the
medicine cabinet. It would be similar
coming in by the other windows. There
are marks of my ownership everywhere from the name on my diplomas and my
recently earned degree to the message on my phone.
It
would be incredibly difficult to come into my home and to think it was anything
other than my home. You could not
pretend otherwise and be believable. It
simply is not sensible to think anything else. It
is that way with the world we live in and how we know of God. Psalm 19:1-6 tells us:
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals
knowledge.
There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not
heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their
words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And
rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to
the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
The
very heavens declare God’s glory – they testify of him. The passage tells us that this information is
inescapable. It is everywhere we turn to
look. A similar passage appears in
Romans 1:18-32 (I won’t quote the entire passage):
For the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what
may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For
since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they
did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their
thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened…..(there is a long list of
sins here)…who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice
such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of
those who practice them.
This
passage goes even farther and tells us that all men everywhere know 4 things:
o God exists
o He is powerful
o He has a law
o They deserve to be
punished for breaking that law
This
knowledge is a guilty knowledge because they hold down or suppress this truth –
in unrighteousness. Verse 28 is
particularly telling, “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” I
mention this in regard to scientific skepticism because the Bible teaches that
they are deliberately holding down the truth in unrighteousness and denying the
first principles that should inform life in this world. Yet they are walking around in God’s world
with all of the evidences of his ownership and creation and they pretend that
He does not exist.
The
tenants of scientific skepticism include atheism and a belief that only the
material world actually exists. This is
no worldview for a Christian – and it is a worldview. People accept a worldview at face value. It is a foundation that all of their thought
rests upon so they do not question it.
This
is where we must part company. We know
from scripture as well as from creation that The God of the Bible created all
things and that all 3 members of the Trinity were active in it. Rather than holding down the truth in
unrighteousness – we acknowledge that “The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…(Prov. 1:7)” The entirety of
our worldview arises from God’s revelation of himself to us.
This
God has created a world that makes sense.
It is a cause and effect place.
It is a reflection of him and as such it manifests order and we can make
sense of it by applying the laws of logic that arise from his character and
apply the scientific method to understand his creation. Creation is his house and the facts are not
there for just any interpretation. Much
like you can’t come into my house and deny it belongs to me and give a history
of my possessions that has no basis in reality – so the Skeptic has no business
falsely interpreting God’s creation.
The
Skeptic believes that they can use the scientific method to understand
reality. As Christians we would agree because
we ground this understanding in the fact that God has created a cause and
effect world and it is understandable.
The Skeptic can’t justify his use of the scientific method. The method requires that we live in a cause
and effect world. They have nothing to
base this on – it is an assumption. They
do not know if they will run into a new fact that will disprove what they are
saying.
If
reality is only physical we have no grounding or foundation for the laws of
logic. The law of contradiction – A is
not non A - is the foundation of logic.
It is only possible to ground this concept in the character of God
himself. It is not physical and can not
be subject to the scientific method. It
simply has no reason for existence.
We
know from God’s revelation of Himself in his creation and in his word that
there is non-physical existence. The
laws that govern our thought are revelatory of his character. We use them regularly as he expects us to.
What
does this have to do with massage therapy?
It has a good deal to do with what we think about the person on our
treatment table. I can look at them as a
unique creation of God that I have an opportunity to help. I believe that my actions during that time have
significance and will have predictable results.
If the Skeptic is right that person has no more significance beyond any
other thing that happens to exist. They
are just there and meaning is an illusion.
At
the end of the day we have to ask ourselves – can I live according to what I
believe? As a believer that is an easy
answer. God has created me and I have a
purpose. Skeptics can only deal with
physical existence. At the end of the
day they want to believe they have meaning and purpose. Their worldview does not allow that. Jesus does.
He died for sinners and paid the price for unbelief.
