When porn stars and atheists remind us of God’s grace

As of April 8, the Internet has become a sea of ​​doomsday theories. News articles and the platforms of Christian commentators are awash with apocalyptic reminders, prophecies and urgent calls to “read the signs.” We are on the verge of a solar eclipse, and obviously that must mean we are on the threshold of a solar eclipse. thisRevelation.

Those who refute these views are ridiculed or accused of being indifferent to the current state of the world. After all, we have to read the signs!

But this argument needs careful examination. Reading “horoscopes” shouldn’t be strangely reminiscent of reading horoscopes or obsessively shaking a magic eight ball.

Matthew 24:36 reminds us, “No one knows that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, but only the Father.” Justifying superstitious behavior on the grounds of “reading signs” can quickly turn into evil things. We are called to prepare for death every day—to maintain a state of grace and pursue holiness. We cannot determine the date of the Second Coming or even the moment of the end.

Ultimately, God is in control.If we allow the constant scrolling and revisiting of private revelations to convince us us If we knew better, we risk denying God’s will. This is a slippery slope that can easily lead to egotism or despair. Furthermore, when we dwell in horror and catastrophic contemplation, we begin to overlook the true and beautiful signs of God’s outpouring of grace.

Two stories making headlines on social media involve porn starsBoth women left the industry and converted to Christianity. Both stories are full of hope and beauty. But oddly enough, the vast majority of conservatives (and Christians) question and attack these women, believing these transformations are for attention or just money ploys – considering these women are financially successful and have a lot going for them , this statement makes no sense. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice that vices are more popular than virtues.

Still, it’s disturbing How many “Christian conservatives” feel it is their duty to judge the state of these women’s souls. One has to wonder, why is such cheering news met with so much skepticism and ridicule? Are we simply so obsessed with “dire prophecies” and believing the worst that we so quickly overlook the truly shocking stories of redemption?

Another interesting development comes from the world’s most famous atheist, Richard Dawkins. “I love hymns and Christmas carols and I feel at home in the Christian spirit and in that sense I feel like we are a Christian nation,” Dawkins told LBC radio recently. He added that while he was happy that more people didn’t believe in God, “he wouldn’t be happy if we lost all our cathedrals and beautiful parish churches.”

Dawkins believes that Christianity is a “fundamentally decent religion” that should not be replaced. So while he remained an ardent atheist, he made a strange confession: “I call myself a cultural Christian, and I think it would be really terrible if we replaced any other religion.”

Christianity is the great civilizer, and although Dawkins does not say so directly, he alludes to the inherent goodness of faith. More than that, he recognized the beautiful fruits of passionate faith in God: from art to culture, a life built for Christ is an elevated life.

Is it possible that Dawkins worried that the world he was fighting for might actually lack the beauty and grace of God that make life worth living? Could it be that God, while recognizing the savagery and hedonism of this godless society, a world without culture, tugged so tenderly on the heartstrings of this old man?

During Holy Week, Christ the King became a trending topic on X (Twitter). Yes, it does cause controversy, but the fact that the teachings of Christ’s social kingship appear from time to time in political and religious debates is truly alarming. Now, log into X and you’ll find countless users proudly promoting their Christian faith – it’s everywhere and it’s amazing.

We’ve also witnessed many seemingly impossible conversions of faith, from Shia LaBeouf to Tammy Peterson. Does Russell Brand’s admission of saying the rosary every day mean he’s almost home? I hope so.

As St. Augustine said, “Believe in God’s mercy in the past, believe in God’s love now, and believe in God’s will in the future.

These are real events happening around us, and they all lead us back to God.

God’s grace is at work. It’s impossible to read these stories without recognizing that God is in control and He is changing hearts.

It would be complacent to ignore these surprising stories. They lead us back to truth, to the divine will of God. They remind us to pray that more people will open their hearts, fast, and remain vigilant in their pursuit of Christ.

After all, as Chesterton once wrote:

Orientals can spell out stars;
Era and victory mark,
But these people signed the cross of Christ
March happily in the darkness.