Listen More; Scoff Less
by Adam Porter
atlasmag(dot)com

Who or What is God? What is his nature? Purpose? Will? Is he really out there or just a figment of my speculation? Does he wish to be found or to remain safely anonymous? Does he even care? Can I even answer any of these questions or should I just give up and go on with my life? If I do will there be a reckoning when it’s all said and done. How can I know what the outcome will be?

This series of questions can be endless and man through the ages has addressed them all in one way or another. Some of the solutions were absurd and others so benign and noncommittal as to not really answer anything. Religion has always attempted to define God by man’s standards. Is it really possible that God has spoken to man directly as the Jews insist or interacted bodily as Christians assert? Does the evidence measure up to the speculation? In other words, can the preceding questions truly be answered?


Some people claim that devotion to God, or even the belief in Him, is out-dated, a system of lifestyle as obsolete as the Commodore 64 and the horseless carriage, treating Him as a quaint idea or whim of childhood fancy. Others scoff at “absurdity of it all”, leaving God to the snake handlers and snake oil salesmen of the world. Most claim a belief on God but stop short of admitted dependence on Him. These even shrink when some “learned man” postulates that God can not exist, preferring to believe both than to make a decision themselves. Their lifestyles are exercises in self preservation with one hand on a rabbit’s foot…until someone knocks down a couple of buildings. Then the rumblings of the assumed war between the supernatural and natural, God and science, are heard again.

It has been postulated that between God and science an unbridgeable gulf exists. If science is the study of the natural world, the search for its ways and means, and history is the search for facts of those that have lived and died within it, then these are pursuits in which God would take much delight. How much more appreciation for His creation can we show than to revel in it, to leave no stone unturned or cave unexplored? In our search to discover the secrets of ourselves and the world we live in, we unwittingly pay a great homage to its originator.


It is neither God nor science that has declared war on the other, but the ignorant men who line up on either side of their imaginary line and claim expertise in worlds far beyond their assumed intellect. No pastor or theologian can answer to all the designs of the Divine any more than a scientist could predict the next natural disaster or dread disease. In both of these fields we can only take what we have been given and examine it, search for truth among the clues we are offered. Scientists see the world around them and find it worth discovering. Theologians see God’s hand in it and find that worth examining. In the marriage of the two we would find the greatest wisdom, but instead we keep them at arms length. It might prove easier to convince Arafat to treat with Sharon than Gould and Hawking to parlay with Graham and LaHey.


The fault of this sad state can be first lain at the foot of the Church, both because it has a clear call to proselytize and in its pious ignorance has clung to church tradition than to read and study the Bible itself. Many of the Church’s misconceptions about the natural world over the centuries are clearly revealed by even a cursory glance through the Scriptures. Science, however also must shoulder the blame. Chagrined and embittered by the Church’s rejection of Copernicus and Galileo, modern scientists treat the Bible as if it were some horrible communicable disease. If they would, like many of their archaeological colleagues these past hundred years, consult the Scripture they would find that many of their “discoveries” we accepted as fact millennia ago.

The myth that science should and will replace faith in the mind of the wise and educated man has been the mantra of the day since the Industrial Revolution. If we could listen more and scoff less we would find an incredible common ground. As it stands we are no better than politicians who vote and think for the sake of their party’s ideology and not for the good of the world and its people.
God has given us evidence of Him and written to us of His desire to meet and dwell with us. We are His creation and He wishes to glory in us like a father with His children. Yet we stare at Him across the party line, some of us wishing He was not there and others that He would step to our side while all He wishes is that we would come to Him.

Adam Porter
atlasmag(dot)com

Recents in the news inspired me to write this article for my website, atlasmag[dot]com. Thoughts?

A Man's Responsibility
by Adam Porter

Be a man.
A child’s response to that directive weighs almost entirely on the examples his father provides him. Your life choices, attitude and actions along with those of the teachers, coaches and media figures form his template for manhood. This may not be news for most of us but we tend to live as if it was, hiding behind the excuses of stress and business. We dismiss our responsibilities with well-intended but often flippant ‘maybe later’ s or ‘not right now’ s.

Sometimes we wonder aloud, ‘can’t they see I’m busy?’ The answer to this question is more often than not “no”. Our children live in a world of their own creation. They place drastically different values on things than we do in the world as they see it. We might find this a perplexing complication, but it is one of our own creation. How many times do we allow them into our private world or venture into theirs when beckoned? A man will explore the intricacies of his favorite sport, spend hours even months researching his occupation, pour into a good mystery novel and cheer the cinematic successes of Indiana Jones, but we often fail in our commission to understand and motivate our children.

Too often we throw up our hands in exasperation, blaming the terrible twos or adolescent rebellion. In truth the mystery of our wives and children is a gift from God for the man who needs real challenge and adventure. They offer endless motivations to try again, learn more and grow wiser. But we cling to our sports heroes, detectives and swashbucklers. We buy the lie that flash means excitement, danger means intrigue. Is there any quest more fulfilling than living with a soul mate that finds us irresistible and completing, children who call us their heroes? For the man of God there should not be. These fairy tales don’t fall from the sky or only exist under the glossy lights of Hollywood. They are made, relationships carved from the raw material of yet to be fulfilled marriage vows and a child’s wondering, attentive eyes.

The excuses we hide behind are left empty and without merit in the face of the actions of One who echoed the character of our Heavenly Father. Jesus set an example any man should be proud to follow. We often see him as a cardboard cutout, a facsimile. He is either the passive wimp shouldering a lamb or the loquacious authoritarian snapping a whip made by his own hand. We seem content to exile Him into one of these categories but protest when our loved ones and friends paint us with a similar brush.

Who hasn’t cringed upon hearing “you ol’ softy” or balked at “hypocrite” and “that’s not fair”. By nature we refuse these titles and find reason to dispute them. Why then do we only allow Christ to enter our lives in one of these molds? Our children need more than that. They need a human father who provides them with a much closer jumping off point to understanding their heavenly One. Though he fathered no children of his own, the Son of Man adopted twelve and fostered hundreds in his time on earth. Daily he loved, taught and cared for those he knew would deny him in shame and others who would betray him to his death.

He focused not on their actions, though, but on His purpose. He opened opportunities to them and exulted in their successes all the while knowing they would all fail the greatest test they would face while he was among them. This is a father’s greatest fear: that his child will turn their back on all he has done for them and taught them through the years, defying the legacy he has left for them. Jesus did all that he did knowing this would take place. He understood that one simple act of obedience (wait in Jerusalem) and the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit could turn these prodigal children into heroes. We must exercise that kind of faith and commitment when approaching our own kids.

A few years ago my wife and I attended a Growing Kids God’s Way parenting course. One of the tools shared with us had found a place on my refrigerator door ever since. It is a list of imperatives called the Father’s Mandate.

1. A father must cultivate an attitude of family.

2. A father must demonstrate ongoing love for his wife.

3. A father must build memories.

4. A father must learn to respect his children’s private world.

5. A father must teach his children how to build friendships.

6. A father must keep his promises.

7. A father must give his child the freedom to fail.

8. A father must encourage.

9. A father must touch his children.

10. A father must build his relationships on God’s Truth.

These mandates should be welcome on every dad’s fridge. The correction, direction and encouragement they have given me have been priceless.

There are other mandates we need to consider as men as well. Much has been made the last few years of the simple phrase ‘what would Jesus do?’. I offer another question, one that cuts a little closer to the bone. How would Jesus live your life? Given your gifts and talents, hopes and hindrances, family and friends: what would he do with them. From my reading of scripture I have made a list (however incomplete) of guidelines that I strive for myself. I hope they can encourage you as well:

Love your wife and honor your mother.

Put the needs of your wife and children above the wants of your self.

Spend equal time imparting your world to them and listening to their heart.

Do not make snap judgments based on their comments or answers to your questions.

Prayerfully consider a course of teaching and direction that will lead them in the development of their
character. Do this specifically for each of your children.
Intentionally seek out opportunities to bless others.
Meet those needs without trying to stoke your own ego.
Do not treat people as investments. Love with no expectation of return.

At least once a day inconvenience yourself for someone else.

Be a man.

Never Look Back
by Adam Porter
atlasmag[dot]com


In high school I used to spend a great deal of time both in and out of class writing stories. These were not publishable mind you, merely diversionary mind candy, devoid both of plot and character exposition. These epics of adolescent imagination were hen scratched into smallish five subject notebooks that even now litter my bookshelves and bottom dresser drawer.


It became a sort of right of passage for these stories to be skimmed and appreciated by my classmates who would then share their comments, advice and favorite bands and movie lines on the cardboard back covers of the notebooks. One such entry reads: ‘good luck in all you do in life, go for your dreams and never look back’. This kind of advice is rampant on high school and college campuses. It resonates in music and movies and can be heard in most commencement addresses, but is it good advice or just an overused cliché?



The reality most of us face is one of constant glancing over our shoulder. The multi-million dollar therapy industry in the secular and equally lucrative inner healing ministry permeating our evangelical churches bear this out. We live our lives punching the clock and substitute true inner reflection with dissecting the events of the past. We spend hundreds of dollars on counselors who take months and even years to remind us that forgiveness is the only way to move on.


We leave the counselor and head directly to our neighborhood investment broker to ‘plan for the future’. A few dollars to him every month and we feel secure. Our lives have become fragmented exercises in which we sate our fears and console our egos in lieu of real change. Consider this: we purchase everything on credit or payment plan and complain about aggravating telemarketers and bill collectors we in turn fend off with a few bucks until payday.


We send money to political parties and buy bumper stickers supporting politicians who will take our money and funnel it away as they spend days and weeks deciding on whether to decide something. Nothing ever really gets done, but we feel vindicated because we have done ‘our part’ by writing a check or holding a sign or circulating a petition. We drop money in the plate at church shooting smug glances down the row for those who did not contribute to the cause. We listen to inspirational messages about winning souls and helping people but silently watch our money go to buy new song books, sound equipment, buildings, church signs and community potlucks that always seem to draw only the church members while the community waits at home to be invited.


The neighborhood kids still play ball on the bent basketball rim on a back lot longing to venture into your sparkling new gym and your neighbor whose kid is in drug rehab and spouse just ran off still hasn’t been invited to church.



Do we ever really think about what today holds and tomorrow brings? Most of us will refuse to forgive so and so because ‘we just can’t’ and end up dying slowly in a nursing home, because so and so is our only surviving relative or friend. Our kid’s college fund we planned with our broker will be long gone because we emptied it to meet this month’s debt collector roll call due to jumping at the chance to accept all those ‘great offers’ from the telemarkerters. The cars you just traded in on a wonderful new leased vehicle that you can’t afford still bear the bumper stickers supporting some politician who is languishing away his vacation days in Maui after another eventless session of congress.


The signs you bore shamelessly at traffic stops and highway medians to help him ‘earn his chance to make a difference’ now gather dust in the garage next to your other car whose lease is up in two years. The car already carries too many miles and sports a stylish bumper sticker trumpeting the virtue of your new favorite political hack. Your church has a glorious new building ‘for the cause of Christ’ and your pastor drives a new Caddie, presumably for the same cause. The basketball rim that was broken is now gone and the neighborhood kids have deserted the naked backboard for the city courts where they learn about gangs, drugs and how to steal your pastor’s new Caddie. Your neighbor has begun to drink heavily because she can’t find her son and her habit has emptied her bank account. She needs twenty dollars by Friday or they will come to turn off her lights. She would come to ask you and you would be more than happy to give it (what a great ‘testimony’ for church it would be) but she will not ask because her mama always said that you don’t start a relationship, especially after two years, by asking for money.


Time is always the excuse given when we are presented with these issues. We let our day planners look ahead for us, not our hearts. Our newsmen, pastors, therapists, teachers and politicians think for us even though we know they gave up debating for the common good a long time ago. It’s the system, we argue, and we can’t change it. That lie is the seed of perpetual failure. Politics will not work, money management and church programs alone are not solutions and payday advance will not solve your neighbor’s problems. Only people, one at a time, deciding to better someone else’s life, to help them find freedom, salvation and abundant life will change the world.


Jesus offered this solution; both our churches and country were founded on it. We have ignored it because we believe that we must ‘never look back’ and plan for the future while the present remains an endless stream of monotonous irritants and mini-catastrophes. The past may not be pretty but we must remember it. The present may not be convenient despite you best efforts, but inconvenience really ain’t that bad. The future may be unsure and has not been written, but a piece of that puzzle fell into place while you read this essay. The remaining pieces are dropped on every ‘today’ you live to form a puzzle you wonder so much about. What will your picture look like to those who see your completed puzzle? Learn Truth from the past. Live Truth in the present. You won’t have to worry about your future. That is truth you can bank on. Look at it.
atlasmag[dot]com

Note: thought I'd post a article that I wrote for my website (atlasmag.com)....

Pimpin' Jesus
by Eddie Po


What if the gospel was as accessible on the internet as porn is.   When you clicked on your provider page you would see offers of life abundant and overflowing instead of a bustier in the same state.   You might see an advertisement pop up telling someone how much Jesus loved them and understood their struggle for fulfillment instead of some airbrushed fiction trying to incite them to cease struggling, to give in to her digital facade.   Fulfillment would be more than a euphemism again.   Then again...there's no market for that.   I must be crazy.


Seal reminded us a few years ago that to survive we all needed to be a little crazy, so in that mind I may as well press forward with this insanity.   Why can't Jesus become the most downloaded image on the net instead of someone's attention starved little girl.   No, I'm not going there, different bat time different bat channel.   Click on this:   a site that causes you to see things you've never seen before...that sets a standard for beauty that leaves you breathless, longing for more.   This site will never cause you to hurry and clear your cookies before your wife gets home.   Does this site exist?   If it did, would you go there?   Daily?   Me too.   So why has it still not taken the net by storm.   Could it be that this site does not exist?


Ludicrous!   There are Christian sites caught in every strand of the web.   What do we find there?   Anything worth adding to our favorites?   Worth printing and slapping up on the fridge?   Could the content of a site like that make a calendar without being sponsored by the Painter of Light?   Would we sell the calendar with Pay Pal?   Would you buy one?   Nah, me neither.   I still gravitate towards the ones that come book ended by man's commentary on the opinion of the Creator of Light.   No reason for it, really, I just don't seem to think God's word can stand alone.   I always grab the verses that come embossed on a mountain or beach scene.   Post card Christians unite!   Wish you were here...


How many toes you got left?   Me, I'm not doing so well.   So, back to my original question.   After all, I was beginning to feel responsible for the lack of genuine Jesus in society.   Can't have that, might get depressed, end up on Prozac or something.   Hard to buy fish tee shirts when you're dropping all your cheese on the pharmacy counter.   Well, maybe just one bottle...I can still afford to put a fish on my car.   Those things are great too!   I hear they sanctify my cruise control.   It stops exactly five miles per hour over the limit...OUCH...that was my driving foot too...    


So where is all this going?   Like a snowbird in the left lane with their right blinker on I won't know till we get there.   Don't hop out, though, the car's still moving.   Jesus on the net--that's where we started.   When all this began I was wondering what kind of site could accurately portray who Christ was, is and should be to the everyday wanderer.   Is it possible for this thought to become reality?   Can the web really reach its true potential for good?   I began this journey wondering how we might get all this started.   I decided where this conversation would start.   In the interest of fairness, where it ends is up to you.

God Bless America?

Is God's hand truly on America?   Many people profess this, but few seem willing to take a second look.   This great country was built on the principles of God guiding us.   God is mentioned in almost every one of our founding documents.   Our Presidents have closed their speeches and letters with God's name on their lips and from their pens.   Our forefathers openly depended on God to guide them and their new country.


Today God is not commonly accepted in our society.   God has been driven from our public schools and government buildings in deference to the few and in defiance of the majority.   Our forebears never meant for God to be separated from this country.   To interpret our Constitution any other way is to believe a blatant lie!   To embrace personal freedom to practice religion without persecution is a vital, defensible right.   To subvert this practice in an attempt to withhold offense is criminal.   God has granted everyone the right to choose to worship Him in His way or to deny Him that reverence.   To remove that choice violates God's law while it undermines the very core of our nation.  


It is true that we must keep the state out of the church.   No citizen should be forced to neither worship the government's god nor be subject to religious governance.   Separate church and state if you must...but never remove God from our country!


Our political correctness has smothered our better judgment as a society.   It has stifled our ability to make sound decision and choked out good reasoning.   We are outraged if security stops a suspicious Middle Eastern man in an airport and we rail against a president who fires a university professor who has proven terrorist links, yet we watch as our courts pass laws to prosecute seven year olds who profess God when they pledge allegiance.   We refuse to hire more qualified people based on race in the name of fairness while supporting those less able to do the job to fill a mandated quota.   It is time that we gave all races their due respect.   To assume that a person is less able to excel due to ethnicity or social standing only heaps another layer of despair onto the grave of the overcomer.  


We cower at the thought of offending our neighbor but think nothing or offending, even alienating God.   Every day I wake up and I thank God that a man who loves and honors God leads this country.   George Bush daily prays for God's protection and guidance and encourages all of us to do the same.   He has the strength to make unpopular decisions that are essentially the right ones.   He is a man who will stare evil nations in the face and name them, a man who directs our nation to break the grip of evil on another and see that its leader is brought to justice.   This is the true spirit of America!   We are not a country of people that should slink to church only when something terrible wakes us from our stupor only to return to our blissful selfishness when our lives return to normal.


American needs to wake up and come to grips with where we are as a society and where God fits into our lives.   Should we really erase His name from our schools, chisel Him off of our monuments and wash Him out of our lives?   Other nations...great in their time...began to mock God, to ignore His will for them individually and collectively.   They in their turn were destroyed.   Are we so unlike them?   Is America so special that it stands immune from God's judgment?   No.   We are not greater than God.   We must make this choice personally and publicly...as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord!

My name is Adam Porter. I am an aspiring writer and the owner/creator of a Christian webzine, Atlasmag.com.

My purpose in life is to spread the word of Christ in any way possible. After all, Jesus told the world in John 14 that he is the way, the truth and the life. No one will ever see heaven without him. For all of us the ultimate goal Is to reach the destination. That's why I started my webzine, to draw people to the Road and help them maintain a true course.