Oh Really?
I Did Not Ask to be Born
...and I don't owe you (parents, society, government, etcetera) for a choice I didn't
make. My parents had me because they wanted a child. Maybe to get meaning with
their life or let their genes live on, or maybe feel immortal. I don't know. Something in
me hates them for bringing me into this world. And I think it was selfish of them to
have me actually(quoted from the internet). It surprised me a good deal when I
put the title of this essay on an internet search and found a large amount of input
from a variety of sources addressing this point in one form or another. However,
thinking about the statement a bit more deeply, my initial surprise waned
considerably when recognizing that much of the malcontent expressed in the
published ponderings came from Western sources, from individuals in societies
which had lost their Judeo-Christian roots in which Christians still find their reason for
existence, find reasons for thankfulness in recognition that the Creator-God is also
the Redeemer-God, rich in mercy to an undeserving race. (Of course, the fact that
internet access is also more readily available in that part of the world may play a role
in the manifestation of Western dominance.)
In a place where the God of our existence is not recognized as such any longer,
search for meaning, search for answers to the question why someone is here, why
someone exists at all, are not to be found to the satisfaction of the soul. Forum
reactions (on various websites visited) were replete with sympathetic non-answers
void of any hint alluding to an almighty and sovereign Creator Who has absolutely no
obligation to justify why He brings anything or anyone into existence. The vanity of
which the Preacher speaks in Ecclesiastes becomes oppressive and depressing;
desperate individuals see void rather than fullness, meaninglessness rather than
meaningfulness. And thus, a singer like Rick Derringer
([Link] will logically
declare in his song:
I didn't ask to be born
Nobody asked me if I wanted to be
I didn't ask to be born
But since I was I'm gonna live my life for
me.
(For the full version see the website.)
The question Why I am here? is as old as
the world, at least from the time Adam and
Eve perceived alienation from God, resulting
in pseudo-solutions concretized in many forms of idolatry. It is a question with which
the Apostle Paul was confronted in various forms as well. In Romans 9 he responds
to those who ask why God makes them like He did, But indeed, O man, who are
you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have
you made me like this?" John Calvin declares regarding the creation of human
beings by God, Bear this in mind, that as the potter takes away nothing from the
clay, whatever form he may give it; so God takes away nothing from man, in
whatever condition he may create him. Only this is to be remembered, that God is
deprived of a portion of His honor, except such an authority over men be conceded
to Him as to constitute Him the arbitrator of life and death. John Gill describes the
man who puts Gods dealing with him in the court of human reasoning insolent and
strafes the questioner with verbal bullets.
The focus of the questioner is self. There is no consciousness regarding the
metaphysical under which man has been given a destiny beyond his momentary
humanity by One Who has almighty power over all that He called into existence.
Essex comments on the text of Romans 8:19-22 which says,For the earnest
expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the
creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in
hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole
creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. He writes (The Place
of Humanity in God's Purpose, J.H. Essex, page 45), "Thus humanity is made the
vehicle through which the reconciling of the universe is to be effected, even though
all efforts of humanity itself are in vain and come to nothing, and it is left to God to
provide, in the person of His Son, the one effectual means by which this
reconciliation is to be accomplished."
God has decided to make humanity the vehicle through which all will be made right
again climaxing in the Messiah Jesus Christs sacrifice on Calvarys Cross,
redemptively continuing through those whom He has elected as vessels unto honor
(Romans 9) until the Day of Judgement. To that end He chooses to create all and
sundry for the higher purpose of harmonising the universe back to God, all the while
manifesting the glory of the Potter (Romans 9) in the processes of redemptive
history.
The following dialogue gives some interesting twists of thought to the topic under
study ([Link]
Kevin Harris: Dr. Craig, in what way is it justifiable for a single person to suffer hell
when that person could ultimately say, When did I ask to be born? I didnt choose to
be born. When did I choose this responsibility? or I dont want to have lived, as in,
not suffer hell or enjoy heaven, just never have existed. Is it fair that we never were
given that option?
Dr. Craig: We certainly were not given that option, and I remember as a nonChristian, Kevin, feeling bitterly the fact that I existed, and I never asked to be born, I
never asked to have this responsibility. And this is a phenomenon or an existential
experience which philosophers like Martin Heidegger have called being thrust into
existence, the thrustness of our being. We didnt ask to be born, we didnt ask to be
here, but we find ourselves thrust into existence, and now we must manage.
Kevin Harris: Thrust into existence thats a good way to put it.
Dr. Craig: Yes, well, and we are; we are that way. But when you think about it, it
could be no other way. Its incoherent to say that we could be given the option to
exist because if we are given the option to choose then we already exist right? so
its logically impossible to give someone the option whether or not he wants to come
into being. So its up to God; God is the one who chooses whom to create, whom to
thrust into existence, and this is not unfair because this is a tremendous gift the gift
of existence, the gift of life. It is a tremendous blessing to exist, and to find the
fulfillment of that existence in relationship with the infinite God, the paradigm of
absolute goodness and love. It is what we were made for. The tragedy, Kevin, is that
so many find themselves, given this gift of existence, existence is bestowed upon
them, and then they squander it by ignoring Gods drawing and conviction to come to
him and come to know him. They thrust life from them by holding God at arms
length. And for them existence becomes a curse when, in fact, it was a tremendous
blessing and ought to be a tremendous blessing, if they will only receive it.
In a society where self-harm and suicide among young people is endemic, where
bullying, binge drinking and drug use slam society as a murderous wrecking ball, it is
important to be able for Christians to verbalize a meaningful response when a
remark as per the essays title is overheard. Such a remark is more often than not
uttered by someone who exhibits a serious measure of despair. A response beyond
platitudes or stutters is called for to give such a one at least a meaningful answer to
enable redirection of the spiritual compass.
There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can
never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made
known through Jesus Christ.
(Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662)
Dr. Herm Zandman
01/10/2015
