Changing the world - one mind, one heart at a time...

See the movie that is changing people's minds about life before birth.

What is it that changed their minds??? ...in seconds...

I want to invite your comments, criticisms, thoughts, questions... This is a serious subject, so please, keep your replies serious. Ad hominem attacks and immature silliness is reserved for other parts of the web, let's keep this discussion on a grown-up level.

With that said - I'm interested to know whether what you saw in the video changed your point of view on abortion. Whether you will think differently, vote differently, act differently the next time you consider your stance on the subject of abortion because of the effects of this short film...

Take a half hour to watch and consider the questions that are asked in the video and how they apply to you - then let's talk... No judgments, just thoughtful conversation...

Sin - it's not just about you…

(please note: I will repeat myself several times on certain points I believe are important to the topic - so, thank you in advance for bearing with me… -B)

I've come across many atheists who refer to sin as a "victimless" crime, while the Bible clearly portrays at least three affected parties...

First and foremost, the one who made the law that was broken; God, is more of an offended party than a victim per se. Much like a parent whose child disobeyed a household rule (about a million times) He is offended by our lawlessness when we sin.

Then there's the sinner - the Bible says that the wages (payment / reward / just desserts) for sin, is death… Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, the soul that sins shall die… And then, the judgment…

And finally, there is the person(s) against whom the sin was committed… So maybe you haven't stolen a particular person's prized possessions (I love alliteration) or killed anyone, or skipped a day of church in your whole life, etc… HOWEVER… if you were to step outside of your own skin and look at the bigger picture, you would see that ANY sin you commit, whether seemingly big or small, can and will have repercussions on a scale that is far wider reaching than your small point of view…

For example - today I went in to my local "Blood Bank Donation Center" because I wanted to share what God has so graciously given. Before they even took my blood pressure, I had to answer a whole page of questions that wanted to know practically everything I'd ever done, including a question that asked whether I was feeling well enough to give blood…

I thought to myself, "I'm here, aren't I? It made me wonder who gets to that question and thinks to themselves, "Well, now that I've made this appointment, taken time out of my day, driven down here and answered the first 20-or-so questions on this form, ya' know? I'm feeling a little out of it, and probably shouldn't donate today…"

But one question in particular that struck me as I was coming to the conclusion of the questionnaire was this one - "Since 1977, have you had sexual contact with a member of the same sex, even once?" Which brought the thought to the tip of my mind, "How often, in the debate over 'Don't Ask/Don't Tell' 'Gay Marriage' 'The Homosexual Movement' in general, is the topic of blood donation EVER brought up?

Sure, there are the religious aspects of homosexuality, whether or not it is a sin, or, as one popular speaker puts it, "Not God's Best." But when are we ever reminded that the homosexual community, no matter how big or small, cannot DONATE blood? Make no mistake, in an accident or medical procedure where they require any amount of blood whatsoever, they are able to RECEIVE as much as is needed… However, if they've even had sexual contact with a person of their same sex ONE TIME, no matter whether they liked it or not, without any consideration of what body part went where, they are not able to donate blood to the public supply.

It's interesting to me that even though our gov't and military are willing to turn a blind eye to an issue that is contentious and worthy of a pass when it comes to official, sweeping endorsement, that the medical community still looks at the issue for what it is; a health risk. One that is so very sensitive that it is not even worth considering on a case-by-case basis. If you have had sexual contact with even one person of the same sex, even one time since 1977, then they simply do not want/cannot use your donation, and will not even bother to take, your blood. For the sake of the life of the person who might have an actual life-or-death NEED for your blood, just ONE act of sexual sin is enough for them to cordially show you the door…

The Bible states clearly that just ONE sin is enough to warrant a death sentence from God - His Laws are THAT holy… Your local, and our national blood donor centers are adamant about just ONE sexual encounter with someone of the same sex - your blood is THAT valuable to the person who needs it today… In the same way they cannot allow you to give blood if you've had even one same-sex(ual) encounter, God will not allow you in to His kingdom if you've broken even one of His commandments…

(Un)fortunately, that is where the similarities end - you cannot "un-do" your sexual past, and regain your opportunity to donate blood. However, you CAN be forgiven of ALL of the sexual sins you've committed. And not only those, but the lies you've told, the seemingly insignificant items you've "borrowed" the disrespect you've shown your parents, that person who "did you wrong" and the contempt and bitterness you hold for them.

The Bible states that God is willing to forgive you of those offenses - it is the very reason why Christ was hung on the cross. One person suffered the punishment that we all deserve. While the blood bank cannot take away the potential effects of our sexual exploits, God can, and will forgive your offense against His holy law… If you did not know before, you now know - you are no longer ignorant of the facts.

Do not wait for the Day of Judgment to come before you examine the state of your soul only to find that your blood is insufficient for the payment due. Only the blood of Christ will save you - yours is tainted by sin and will not be accepted.

To learn Hell's Best Kept Secret and what it has to do with you, click HERE.

I'm just sayin' is all...

I've been involved in countless conversations over the issue of homosexuality. Is it a choice, or just how some people are wired at birth? Is marriage between same-sex partners a right they should be afforded in America? And the list of questions could go on as long as you'd be willing to scroll down this webpage.

For a change, I'd like to post a short and sweet blog entry in order to simply and succinctly set the record straight on the Biblical Christian's perspective on the topic commonly referred to today as "the homosexual lifestyle".

First and foremost, homosexuality is not, please allow me to repeat, NOT a lifestyle... Or a biological anomaly, or anything else other than a choice that a person makes in order to engage in what the Bible, in fact, Jesus Christ Himself refers to as sexual sin, or lust of the flesh...

And please also allow me to set the record straight - we Christians do not hate homosexuals, we are not, once again NOT "anti-gay" or "anti-homosexual marriage" in the same way that we are not "anti-liar" or "anti-theft" - our command from Christ is to seek and save the lost, as we once were...

We too, were once slaves to sin - the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, hatred, disobedience, dishonesty, idolatry, blasphemy, covetous behavior - and there are some of us who still struggle very hard against the temptations that arise every day to return to our past lives of wretched depravity.

However, we were warned that the sins we'd committed, for some of us, sexual sin was the least of our offenses against God, would incur His wrath on Judgment Day. And we came to the realization that if we were to die in our sins without forgiveness, that we would rightly deserve condemnation and hell.

And that is why we are not in any position to hate those who practice homosexual sin, anymore than we could hate ourselves over our own sins... We are not interested in denying anyone of their "rights" while at the same time, we are neither interested in legitimizing any of the other sins mentioned in God's moral law as acceptable.

People talk about how unloving we Christians are to tell homosexuals they are wrong, and that they should repent of their sin and turn to Christ for forgiveness. Consider this question - would you rather have a glass of cold water, or a handful of 1 carat diamonds?

I'm willing to bet, even though I'm not a betting man, that anyone whose not a skeptic at this point, would choose the diamonds... Why wouldn't you? They're MUCH more valuable and will bring you MUCH more pleasure and happiness in this life than any glass of water ever could... Now think of this - you're in the middle of the desert with the same choice to make, and you're dying of thirst...

That glass of water doesn't look so bad now, does it? And the diamonds? Who needs 'em? If you don't make it out of the desert, you won't be able to cash them in anyway...

Now consider the sinner - and we've ALL sinned and fallen short of God's glory, and deserve His wrath - he is like the person standing in the middle of the desert, with a handful of diamonds, wishing he had a glass of water... And there is the Christian, standing there with the life-sustaining glass of water, and yet, the sinner does not want it - because of his hatred for everything the Christian stands for and represents, he clings tighter and tighter to the diamonds and the clock ticks away, closer and closer toward his demise...

Some will say I gave this illustration in order to scare some into believing - not true, I used it to show how foolish a person can be who clings to the things they love, even though they will lead to certain death, rather than to deny themselves the temporary comfort of this life in order to ensure salvation in the next...

Well, so much for short and sweet - more than anything I was hoping to clear up a common misconception or two. We love homosexuals, and thieves, and liars, and disobedient children, and idolators, and those who drag the Lord's holy name through the dirt... Just don't be surprised when we speak out against that which we ourselves were once held captive to.

Because we have been forgiven of and delivered from those sins, we are not willing that anyone else should be held prisoner, serving a death sentence for crimes that Jesus Christ gave His life to satisfy.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: "Preach the Word!" Be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Atheists only believe in their own superiority...

BY CHARLOTTE ALLEN

I can't stand atheists - but it's not because they don't believe in God.  It's because they're crashing bores.

Other people, most recently the British cultural critic Terry Eagleton in his new book "Faith, Reason and Revolution," take to task such superstar nonbeliever as Oxford biologist Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion") and political journalist Christopher Hitchens ("God Is Not Great") for indulging in a philosophically primitive opposition of faith and reason that assumes that if science can't prove something, it doesn't exist.

My problem with atheists is there tiresome - and way old - insistence that they are being oppressed and their fixation with the fine points of Christianity.  What, did their Sunday school teachers flog their behinds with a Bible when they were kids?

Read Dawkins, or Hitchens, or the works of fellow atheists Sam Harris ("The End of Faith") and Daniel Dennett ("Breaking the Spell"), or visit an atheist Web site or blog (there are zillions of them, bearing such titles as "God Is for Suckers," "God Is Imaginary" and "God Is Pretend"), and your eyes will glaze over as you peruse - again and again - the obsessively tiny range of topics around which athists circle like water in a drain.

First off, there's atheist victimology:  Boohoo, everybody hates us 'cuz we don't believe in God.  Although a recent Pew Forum survey on religion found that 16 percent of Americans describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated, only 1.6 percent call themselves atheists, with another 2.4 percent weighing in as agnostics (a group despised as wishy-washy by atheists).  You or I might attribute the low numbers to atheists' failure to win converts to their unbelief, but atheists say the problem is persecution so relentless that it drives tens of millions of God-deniers into a closet of feigned faith, like gays before Stonewall.

In his online "Atheist Manifesto," Harris writes that "no person, whatever his or her qualifications, can seek public office in the United States without pretending to be certain that . . . God exists."

The evidence?  Antique clauses in the constitutions of six - count 'em - states barring atheists from office.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled such provisions unenforceable nearly 50 years ago, but that doesn't stop atheists from bewailing that they have to hide their Godlessness from friends, relatives, employers and potential dates.  One representative of the pity-poor-me school of atheism, Kathleen Goodman, writing in January for the Chronicle of Higher Education, went so far as to promote affirmative action for atheists on college campuses:  specially designated, college-subsidized "safe spaces" for them to express their views.

Maybe atheists wouldn't be so unpopular if they stopped beating the drum until the hide splits on their second-favorite topic:  How stupid people are who believe in God.

This is a favorite Dawkins theme.  In a recent interview with Trina Hoaks, the atheist blogger for the Examiner.com Web site, Dawkins described religious believers as follows: "They feel uneducated, which they are; often rather stupid, which they are; inferior, which they are; and paranoid about pointy-headed intellectuals from the East Coast looking down on the

m, which, with some justification, they."  Thanks Richard!

Dennett likes to call atheists "the Brights," in contrast to everybody else, who obviously aren't so bright.  In a 2006 essay describing his brush with death after a heart operation, Dennett wrote these thoughts about his religious friends who told him they were praying for his recovery:  "Thanks, I appreciate it, but did you also sacrifice a goat?"  With friends like Daniel Dennett, you don't need enemies.

Then there's P.Z. Myers, biology professor at the University of Minnesota's Morris campus, whose blog, Pharyngula, is supposedly about Myers' field, evolutionary biology, but is actually about his fanatical propensity to label religious believers as "idiots," "morons," "loony" or "imbecilic" in nearly every post.  The university deactivated its link to Myers' blog in July after he posted a photo of a consecrated host from a Catholic Mass that he had pierced with a rusty nail and thrown into the garbage ("I hope Jesus' tetanus shots are up to date") in an effort to prove that Catholicism is bunk - or something.  Myers' blog exemplifies atheists' frenzied fascination with Christianity and the Bible.  

Atheist Web site after atheist Web site insists that Jesus either didn't exist or "was a jerk" (in the words of one blogger) because he didn't eliminate smallpox or world poverty.  

At the American Atheists Web site, a writer complains that God "set up" Adam and Eve, knowing in advance that they would eat the forbidden fruit.  A blogger on A Is for Atheist has been going through the Bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse in order to prove its "insanity" (he or she had gotten up to the Book of Joshua when I last looked).

Another topic that atheists beat like the hammer on the anvil in the old Anacin commercials is Darwinism versus creationism.  Maybe Darwin-o-mania stems from the fact that this year marks the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth in 1809, but haven't atheists heard that many religious people (including the late Pope John Paul II) don't have a problem with evolution but, rather, regard it as God's way of letting his living creation unfold?  Furthermore, even if human nature as we know it is a matter of lucky adaptations, how exactly does that disprove the existence of God?

Then there's the question of why atheists are so intent on trying to prove that God not only doesn't exist but is evil to boot.  Dawkins, writing in "The God Delusion," accuses the deity of being a "petty, unjust, unforgiving control freak" as well as a "misogynistic, homophobic, racist . . .bully."  If there is no God - and you'd be way beyond stupid to think differently - why does it matter whether he's good or evil?

The problem with atheists - and what makes them such excruciating snoozes - is that few of them are interested in making serious metaphysical or epistemological arguments against God's existence, or in taking on the serious arguments that theologians have made attempting to reconcile, say, God's omniscience with free will or God's goodness with human suffering.  

Atheists seem to assume that the whole idea of God is a ridiculous absurdity, the "flying spaghetti monster" of atheists' typically lame jokes.  They think that lobbing a few Gaza-style rockets accusing God of failing to create a world more to their liking ("If there's a God, why aren't I right?" "If there's a God, why didn't he give me two heads so I could sleep with one head while I get some work done with the other?") will suffice to knock down the entire edifice of belief.

What primarily seems to motivate atheists isn't rationalism but anger - anger that the world isn't perfect, that someone forced them to go to church as children, that the Bible contains apparent contradictions, that human beings can be hypocrites and commit crimes in the name of faith.  The vitriol is extraordinary.

Hitchens thinks that "religion spoils everything."  Dawkins contends that raising one's offspring in one's religion constitutes child abuse.  Harris argues that it "may be ethical to kill people" on the basis of their beliefs.  The perennial atheist litigant Michael Newdow sued (unsuccessfully) to bar President Barak Obama from uttering the words "so help me God" when he took his oath of office.

What atheists don't seem to realize is that even for believers, faith is never easy in this world of injustice, pain and delusion.  Even for believers, God exists just beyond the scrim of the senses.  So, atheists, how about losing the tired sarcasm and boring self-pity and engaging believers seriously?

__________________________

Charlotte Allen is the author of "The Human Christ: The Search for the Historical Jesus" and a contributing editor to the Minding the Campus Web site of the Manhattan Institute.  This column first appeared in the Los Angeles Times, and more recently in The Stars and Stripes Mideast Edition on Sunday, May 24, 2009.

A double standard?

There seems to me to be a bit of hypocrisy among the detractors from the faith of Christianity... The nay-sayers who profess that they'd rather go to hell than worship the ego-maniacal tyrant of a god that their parents pushed on them while growing up... And if it wasn't their parents, perhaps it was another family member or friend...

Now, not all, obviously, who have a problem with Christianity, but easily 9 out of 10 people who hold some modicum of animosity toward the worship of Christ in particular, hold an irrational and uninformed opinion and understanding of the faith itself...

One criticism is the belief that Christians "brainwash" their children... To which I would reply, if your accusation is that we indoctrinate our kids with our beliefs, then I would readily admit it... That is what any society must do in order to further the education of those who are part of it... (Proverbs 22:6)

Much the same way Muslims bring their children up from birth to chant that there is only one god, Allah, and Mohammad is his prophet... or someone practicing witchcraft might bring their little one up to care more about the well-being of a tree than a human life...

Another criticism is that we are "hate-filled" with our beliefs - to which I would pound my fist on this desk and scream using the foulest language I could think of that they're $%^&* wrong... I'm kidding of course...

On the contrary, I would suggest to you that the true Christian can and would demonstrate no more hatred than any other person you might meet walking down the street today... Outside of the common grace that God provides to each and every one of us, we ALL have the potential to carry out GREAT evil deeds, as well as good stuff too... (1 Cor. 6:11 - Isaiah 64:6)

However, its not our "good stuff" that is going to earn us our place in heaven when we die... Which brings me to another area of contention when it comes to your common atheist vs. Christian debate...

If God is "good" why did He create Hell? Why would He send people there? I cannot believe in God because everyone I meet who calls themselves a Christian keeps telling me that I'm going to Hell... (Romans 6:23)

And that's because... short of God forgiving us for sinning against His law (The Ten Commandments - lying, stealing, coveting, adultery, idolatry, hatred, murder, disobedience, rebellion, blasphemy...) we are all HEADED for Hell... the place He has prepared for those whom He will punish for eternity...

It only makes sense, doesn't it? That, if He would reward those obey Him, that He would likewise punish those who don't? His reward for those who obey His Word, and humble themselves through repentance and faith in His son, He rewards with everlasting life - those who continue in their rebellion against Him, He rewards with Hell... He resist the proud of heart, and gives grace to the humble in heart... (James 4:6 - 1 Peter 5:5)

Before God forgives a person, there is a LOT of tendency to cry out "now that's not fair"... Until that person considers the fact that God came to Earth in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, to give Himself as a sacrifice for our sins... He took our place in death, that we might join Him... (John 1:29)

Instead of holding a grudge against Christ because of the actions of some of His presumed followers, consider your own state in His eyes, rather than theirs... How does HE see you, how will HE judge you in the Day of Judgment... (Romans 2:1-16)

If you're guilty of breaking even one of those laws listed above, you'll be in danger of the judgment, and it will be everlasting... If anyone's ever tried to warn you of this fact, perhaps it wasn't because they were filled with hate, rather they loved you enough to tell you the truth - it was simply the truth that you didn't want to hear that caused you to consider their words to be hateful... (Romans 2:4-16)

If you hear the voice of the Lord, do not harden your heart - this is the day of salvation... Admit that your a sinner in need of His forgiveness - listen to your conscience, then cry out to Him for mercy, and the same Bible that says He is filled with wrath toward sinners, says that He is also rich in mercy toward those who are broken in their spirit... (Proverbs 16:4-5)

A famous atheist demonstrates a bit of common sense...

While I have been saddened by some of the comments Mr Gillette has made regarding Christianity in the past, it seems that he has a bit of understanding after all...

One more reason to continue to pray for the salvation of his soul - that God might open his eyes and ears to His truth...

Why are YOU voting Democrat?

Why I'm voting Democrat. . .:



. . . because Barbara Walters is my idol and so is P.Diddy.


. . . because it's the COOL thing to do. I'm hip and in the majority.



. . . because English has no place being the official language in America.


. . . because I want America to be Europe's prosthetic limb.


. . . because I think we all should be equal...equally unhappy and unsuccessful.


. . . because the government knows how to raise children better than parents do.

. . . because Barack Obama is better than you, and he knows it!

. . . because skin color and good oratory skills are more important than judgment and experience.



. . . because I'd rather pay $4 for a gallon of gas than allow drilling for oil off the coasts of America.

. . . because oil companies' 5% profit on a gallon of gas are obscene, but government taxes of 18% on the same gallon of gas are just fine.



. . . because I think the government will do a better job of spending my money than I could.



. . . because when we pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq, I know the Islamic terrorists will stop trying to kill us because they'll think we're a good and decent country.



. . . because I believe people who can't tell us if it will rain in two or three days, can now tell us the polar ice caps will disappear in ten years if I don't start riding a bicycle, build a windmill or inflate my tires to proper levels.



. . . because it's alright to kill millions of babies as long as we keep violent, convicted murderers on death row alive.



. . . because I believe businesses in America should not be allowed to make profits. Businesses should just break even and give the rest to the government so politicians and bureaucrats can redistribute the money the way they think it should be redistributed.



. . . because I believe guns, and not the people misusing them, are the cause of crimes and killings.



. . . because when someone with a weapon threatens my family or me, I know the government can respond faster through a call to 911 than I can with a gun in my hand.



. . . because I believe three or four elitist liberals should rewrite the Constitution every few months to suit some fringe element that could never get their agenda past voters.



. . . because illegal aliens are not criminals, are not sucking up resources through government aid, hospital services, education, or social services, but are just people trying to make a better life by coming to America illegally. We can't blame them for that, can we?



. . . because the same teacher that didn't teach my child to read can reasonably educate them about sex.



. . . because my trial lawyer's crippling multi-million dollar lawsuits against doctors, hospitals, drug companies, and HMO's will make health insurance and medicine much more affordable.



. . . because Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, and Jesse Jackson will end racism once and for all.



. . . because Christians in the Republican Party are intolerant, theocratic warmongers and atheists like William Ayers have never hurt anybody.



. . . so that no family member of mine will die in a hospital bed. They will still be waiting in line for Obama's socialized medicine, so they will never actually make it into a hospital bed.



. . . because I like eminent domain and big business and government kicking me out of my home and taking my land.



. . . because everyone knows that raising taxes at the top won't hurt people at the bottom.



. . . because protecting barren wasteland is more important than energy indepedence.



. . . because my college professor told me that America is evil and should give up its place in the world.



. . . because I believe that Cuba, Russia, and China should be on the United Nations Human Rights Council.



. . . because I believe that everyone is essentially good -- even people like Ahmadinejad who call for the destruction of Israel. He just needs a little understanding.



. . . because we should all be forced to drive ugly cars with the horsepower of a riding lawnmower.



. . . because I believe in change; although I don't know WHAT the change will be, or HOW it will happen, AND I am pretty sure that I won't WANT to actually change anything I do, but still....I believe in change.



. . . because I want the rich to work harder, give me their money, and pay for my services so I don't have to.



. . . because I don't give to charity or do volunteer work and then I complain about how selfish everyone else is.



. . . because I've seen welfare help so many poor people become self-sufficient and upwardly mobile.



. . . because I'm not driven enough to realize my dreams without the government holding my hand the entire way.



. . . because life just isn't fair and I deserve what other people have without working for it.

. . . because for some reason "change, change, change"..is the mantra for the obama camp... even though he won't explain what 'change' is...



. . . because I like hearing the word "Change" 50 million times in presidential debate, seeing the word on celebrities' t-shirts and bags, on signs outside of million dollar houses, and know that the only change that is going to happen is that the big white house in Washington D.C. is going to say good-bye to one politician, and hello to another... And you know what they say... "how can you tell if a politician is lying?"



. . . because I like how democrats can cause financial crises' like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and have the temerity to blame them on Republicans.



. . . because Obama was endorsed by Hamas and terrorists endorsements are a must to achieve world peace.



. . . because I listen to and believe all the celebrities/actors who so passionately want Obama to win because I can't think for myself at all. The same celebrities who WE make rich because we GO SEE their movies and watch their T.V. shows put millions of dollars into their pockets! but...these multi-million dollar celebs are so disheartened by AMERICAN ways and the capitalistic economy we have and the world will come to and end if another Republican comes into office...hmmmmm...



. . . because "Hillary said I should still vote Democrat no matter whose on the ticket."

. . . because of the War on Terror. We have not been attacked once since Sept. 11, 2001, but I still don't feel safe.



. . . because communist economics always work. Look how well off the Soviet Union is right now. That wall in Berlin has never looked better.



. . . because I agree with Joe Biden, that it really is patriotic to pay more taxes. So I'm going to pay a "direct tax." Instead of wasting time giving it to the government for redistribution, I will give my money to derelicts who loiter outside of liquor stores and methadone clinics. That's where it ends up anyway. 

YES WE CAN ... screw up this country like never before.

A Simple Conversation

Recently, I've gotten myself into a bit of an exchange with another atheist while online...  She made a statement about Senators Obama and McCain and the politics of America - I commented with regard to the political and religious views as well as the issue of the "Separation of Church & State" (which is not part of the Bill of Rights mind you, rather a letter from President Jefferson to the Baptists in Danbury Connecticut - a fine little community, though not very Baptist anymore) But I digress...

She wrote back, and I'll let her speak for herself here...

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benjamin, the thing about Christianity is that there are so many varieties of Christians and all varieties accusing other varieties of not being "true" or "real" Christians. The Bible is NOT a clearly written book, most of it can be interpreted in so many different ways and most Christians cherry-pick what they want to take from the Bible and what they want to leave behind. Take the book of Leviticus, for example. Thank human goodness that most Christians choose not to take that book literally. Some, do however, take certain things from the Bible to use to oppress others and discriminate. They take what they want and interpret parts to support whatever cause he or she wants to justify.

Senator Obama has professed to be a true Christian, accepting Christ as his personal savior. From what I can see he is very devout in his beliefs and since the god beliefs are so important to Republicans and evangelical voters, the Dems found a candidate that will pander to these voters, hoping enough to get him elected for the good of the party.

As for the Separation of Church and State, the Constitution is quite clear. There is no misunderstanding unless you have a religious agenda and wish to interject religion into a secular government:

"The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a national religion by the Congress or the preference of one religion over another, or religion over non-religion. Originally, the First Amendment only applied to the federal government. Subsequently, under the incorporation doctrine, certain selected provisions were applied to states. It was not, however, until the middle and later years of the twentieth century that the Supreme Court began to interpret the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses in such a manner as to restrict the promotion of religion by state governments. For example, in the Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Grumet, 512 U.S. 687 (1994), Justice David Souter, writing for the majority, concluded that "government should not prefer one religion to another, or religion to irreligion"."

Separation of Church and State must be upheld to protect the religious and non-religious alike. We are a secular nation full of diverse people with many different beliefs and many who hold no beliefs in supernatural entities. Religion belongs in the churches, mosques, synagogues, and private lives of believers.

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So here is the part where I beg your forgiveness because I tend to get a little long in the tooth with my replies...  And believe me, I'm working on that.  I feel that I should, at this point, state for the record that what you are about to read is neither an endorsement nor an admittance of support for either of the "presumed" Presidential candidates...  I know I'm not going to vote for Senator Obama, however, whether or not I'm going to write someone in is yet, in my mind "Undecided" - anyway, here is my response...

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Stardust:

With all due respect, your ideas regarding Christianity are skewed. No doubt you would consider the Roman Catholic Church to be a "Christian" church simply because they refer to themselves as such. When in fact, their faith is based upon doctrine that is not even found in the Bible, but rather the imaginations of 265 men who considered themselves to be the rightful successors of the Apostle Peter himself.

The "church" holds Mary the mother of Jesus in a role she was never (according to the Bible) meant to be in. Sinless, and venerated alongside of Christ Himself. Which is idolatry, and clearly condemned by the Word of God - which disqualifies the RCC from any claim to being actual, or as you put it "true" Christians.

A real or true Christian is one who is a follower of Christ and His teachings... That seems pretty clear to me, no reason to muddy up the water by throwing my own opinions on the matter... Acts Chapter 11 defines those who were Jesus' followers (His disciples) as Christians...

Now, you ARE right, the Bible can be interpreted in many different ways, however, there is only one way to interpret it in order to understand what it is try to say... Which is to read each verse, chapter and book for what it claims to be... Considering who wrote the words, who they were writing to, what was happening at the time, what the culture was like, and what was there motivation, the reason they were writing it?

Genesis was explaining how God created everything - the first chapter tells us the chronology of the events, the second chapter steps away from chronology and explains with a little more detail. He tells of how life began, where it began, and the steps He took in the actual creation of man (and woman)... Chapter 1 says that He did it, and in what order - Chapter 2 tells us how and why...

To borrow one of your phrases with a little editing... "there is no misunderstanding unless you have a man-centered or evolutionary agenda and wish to interject billions of years into a 6-day story..."

Now, with regard to "cherry-picking" a term my mother used a couple of years ago that's just never quite sat right with me, however, after talking with dozens of atheists over the past couple of years, I've grown very familiar with it... I would not, and no Bible-believing Christian I know would suggest that you cherry-pick your way through God's Word... Because every word of Scripture is inspired by God and is therefore useful for teaching us what is true, and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. Every word, verse, chapter and book is important for understanding God's Will because every word is good for instruction in righteousness... (2 Timothy 3:16)

Some Christians believe that Jesus' words (the Red Letters) are more important than the other passages of the Bible, however, when we consider that Jesus IS God, and that God inspired every word therein, one passage is therefore not more important than any other...

When it comes to taking Leviticus literally, I would suggest that you only do that if you are a member of the nation of Israel in that time period that those laws were given... Once again, we need to consider who was writing the words, when the words were being written, what was happening in the culture and why...

I'm trying to assume that you are familiar with the Bible because most professed atheists I've spoken to are quite versed in scripture, it's just that most of them have cherry-picked the parts of the Bible they'd rather not agree with, and have decided that God could not exist if those particular verses hold any truth. Therefore, I'm not going to get into the finer points of Hermeneutical study with you because I'm sure you're familiar with the term, even if you don't understand how to use the skills of interpretation.

When it comes to the reason why Christians would ignore the ceremonial and levitical laws, and continue to embrace the Mosaic and Moral Law is found in the concept of Progressive Revelation... The Old Testament Laws were put into place to help govern the people of Israel, so that they would have a guide as to how to judge the different activities and offenses that would occur in the lives of the nation. They also gave instruction for the atonement of the sins that were being committed... The covering of the sins, not the forgiveness... There was a difference.

Then, just as the prophets said He would in more than 40 different instances throughout the Old Testament, and later confirmed by the New Testament writers, Jesus became the atonement, the very sacrifice that was necessary for the nation of Israel (God's people) to be forgiven (have their sins cleansed - not just covered). Jesus said that He did not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it... He was speaking of Moses' Laws (the Moral Law - the Ten Commandments) How do we know? Because He spelled it out for us in Matthew Chapter 19:16-22 / Mark Chapter 10:17-22 & Luke Chapter 18:18-23...

Now, I noticed that you consider God / The Bible to be mythology, yet you believe the scientific opinions regarding the earth's origins, man's origins, and presumably the origins of the universe written by people who could not have possibly observed any of the events in question, and refer to it all as facts... I'm not trying to insult your intelligence here, so please don't insult mine...

You assert the idea that some people take things from the Bible in order to oppress others and discriminate - and again, you would prefer to believe that these people are actual Christians simply because they claim to be so... While at the same time you would not believe for one second that anyone who was beating a cow with a cattle-prod was a member of PETA, even if they showed you a card... Or perhaps, an illustration that hits a little closer to home... You would not allow a person who seriously professed to believe in some sort of higher power to refer to themselves as an atheist - because that belief would disqualify the person from the truest definition of the term atheist...

And such is the case with Christianity... Jesus never taught His followers to oppress or discriminate. Therefore, anyone who comes in His name, in order to oppress or discriminate is not, once again as you put it a "real" or "true" Christian. If what they are choosing to use to justify their actions does not line up with the rest of the Bible - then it is heresy, and the person should be considered a heretic - and there are plenty of them out there... The Apostles ran into them in their day, and you know yourself that there are no shortage of them running around with their own Sunday morning, Divine Healing, send us your love offering, charlatan programs today...

You said it yourself regarding Senator Obama, he is a panderer... By his own testimony, he is not a follower of the Christ of the Bible... He is a follower of the jesus of his imagination, which makes him an idolator, which means that he might as well be catholic... I don't hate the man, I simply know a wolf when I see one, no matter what political party supplied the sheep's clothing... I do not like John McCain's "Christian" testimony either, however, he is at least standing for ideals that are more Christ-like than Obama's. To be in favor of abortion, and gay marriage goes against Biblical teaching - and that's all there is to it...

Now, I'm not suggesting that we shoot all the abortion doctors and put all of the would-be mothers in prison for murder, however, I am saying that killing ANYONE who has not yet had a chance to live for the sake of convenience or guilt, etc. is not right... Senator Obama supports a woman's right to kill her unborn baby, Senator McCain opposes it. Their religious beliefs don't really have to have anything to do with it... But at least Obama claims that his do... And his beliefs contradict those of the Bible...

Neither am I saying that "God hates fags" as other self-professed "Christians" have chosen to do... I do not think that homosexuals are any worse than heterosexuals or any other human being for that matter... I myself was guilty of a boat-load of sexual sins before God showed me mercy and saved me - and I believe that ANYONE living in the midst of sin can be redeemed without discrimination - simply by hearing the Word of God preached rightly, and responding in kind. (Romans 10:14)

Senator Obama believes that whoever wants to get married should be allowed to get married, no matter who they are. Senator McCain has stated that he believes that marriage is the union of one man and one woman... Without invoking the name of any deity, that sounds pretty cut and dried to me... Outside of all of the statistics of disease and psychological problems incurred by the children of "same sex unions" or marriages - the sexual relations between two men, or two women are contrary to that of the Bible that Senator Obama says we should all be reading...

He specifically quotes that we should all remember that Jesus said "whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me (Christ)" And ignores the rest of the Bible... Your accusation of cherry-picking falls squarely upon the shoulders of one you consider to be "very devout."

The only "true" or "real" Christian votes he might get are those who have either not read their Bible, or did not understand what they were reading when they did... Because anyone who would vote for a candidate who believes in the murder of the unborn, or is in support of the literal dismantling of the traditional family is not a follower of the Jesus of the Bible...

And finally, I've gotten around to the "Separation of Church and State" issue... I am sincerely going to attempt to make this short this time...

I never suggested, nor do I believe that there should be any establishment of a national religion... I'll be honest when I say that I did appreciate the House of Representatives did to recognize Christianity (H.R. 847 I think it was) But I digress - I'm not going to dispute the idea that the original intent has been redefined over the past 200+ years. One only has to travel to Washington D.C. or Philadelphia in order to witness how history is being revised to cut God out of American culture everyday...

I thank God and our founding fathers for the foresight they had in writing journals and establishing a Library of Congress where original history could be preserved for anyone who is interested in knowing the truth, and is willing to look for it, rather than just take another person's word for it.

While I will agree that this nation is not the "Christian" nation many would like to believe it is, it was certainly not founded based upon "secular" ideals... The original Mayflower Compact will tell you that much.

I feel it necessary to correct your statement that there are "many who hold no beliefs in supernatural entities" when in fact, there are only "some" perhaps even more accurate to use the word "few" as the percentage at last glance was hovering somewhere around 5% of the American population depending on whose numbers you go by... And 15 million is not a very big number in evolutionary terms.

I'm not trying to say that numbers should be a determining factor in how our country is run, I was just having some fun with numbers - at your expense yes, but fun nonetheless.

Here's one that'll kick you in the pants - I would suggest to you that the percentage of "true" or "real" Christians in America is only slightly higher than the number of atheists... No matter what the polls show... Bring me 100 professing Christians and a Holy Bible, and I'll bet you that right around 10 of them, maybe one or two less would respond rightly to the criteria of a true Believer as laid out in the Word of God...

What's unfortunate to me is that atheists are the fastest growing (non?)faith in America... While Christianity is the fastest growing in China and Africa... And we won't even talk about the decline in America - but we're working on it... We just need to be reminded of the fact that our faith, not our religion, needs to be lived out and preached in the streets, not just hidden in our hearts...

BTW, search the Bible for the phrase "accept Jesus as your personal Savior" it's not there. If he was a "true" Christian, why would he refer to the time when he realized his sins before a Holy God, and dropped to his knees in repentance toward God, and put his faith in Jesus Christ alone for his salvation?" I mean, I realize that it's a little wordy, but at least that explanation is found in Scripture...

Potty Mouths

The topic of decorum within the constraints of the "Blogosphere" is one that has been on my mind lately...  If you've been reading the comments on my particular blog or those of any Christian on the Internet who is attempting to carry out Christ's Command to "seek and save that which is lost" you have no doubt, encountered the venom of the atheist.

a-the-ism |ˈāθēˌizəm|
noun
the theory or belief that God does not exist.

DERIVATIVES
a-the-ist noun

a-the-is-tic |ˌāθēˈistik| adjective
a-the-is-ti-cal |-ˈistikəl| adjective

ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from French athéisme, from Greek atheos, from a- ‘without’ + theos ‘god.’

Now you know what they believe, at least according to the Oxford English Dictionary.  I would post their comments here, however, the language simply is not in good taste, nor is it constructive to the points they are attempting to make.  I'm simply going to post my response, in part, to one post in particular which I concluded was particularly vile...

It's difficult to really decipher what you are trying to say when your posts are so riddled with profanity... Perhaps science has come up with a pill for that or something...

Here's one you'll all love - maybe I'm just some dumb Creationist, but I've learned how to form sentences without alienating certain members of my audience with words that shouldn't be used in a general audience...

You know, I've just had a thought (limited though you might think that could be) perhaps that's why Flinging Dust [another atheist] has removed herself from your presence...

I realize that what I'm writing right now, could be likened to any one of you mis-using the name of Christ - which, based upon the content of this very post, is not a far flung assertion... BUT...

I'm thinking that Ms. Dust simply didn't want to be associated with people so filled with hatred and rage toward another group of people - and rather than take the next year of her life to try to fight the powers that be, she simply chose to remove herself from the situation...

I know that some of you are truly worried that she's "crossed over" and while I can only speak for myself, I'm sure that I'm not the only person whose been praying that she would see / hear the truth with ears wide open to hearing the voice of God (found in His Word - not some televangelist) humbling herself, repenting of her sins and trusting in Christ for her salvation...

And while I hope and pray that she did just that, I'd be surprised if she did simply grow weary of all of the hate-filled, venomous campaigns against a man [Ray Comfort] who, whether he's as smart as any of you are - has a purpose that helps people, rather than steeps them in blind ignorance...

And while your ignorance is always changing - ours has stayed the same for almost 2,000 years... There's over 25,000 articles [Biblical manuscripts - The Dead Sea Scrolls, etc...] of evidence that attest to the fact that the Bible has not changed...

I know that I've allowed the topic to drift a bit within the bounds of my own comment, so I'll wrap up now...

Dirty Words - only make your point appear childish... Flinging Dust - probably just embarrassed by you all and took some time off to gather her thoughts, though I pray she is part of the Body of Christ and that all of your worst fears have been answered - that would just be fun, and God would get the glory, not Ray... And finally, the Bible - True to the Author... Many have tried to do away with it - perhaps you'd like to give it a try - though, it will be around long after you've died and are experiencing your own version of God's Judgment...

whew... Got through a whole comment without mentioning hell - whoops, there it is...

Now, I wasn't trying to be a rabble-rouser, just trying to request that the person writing the post would use less profanity, and inject something worth reading...  Is that so wrong?

True Christians?

More and more frequently, I and many other believers have been accused of committing the "No True Scotsman" fallacy when it comes to marking those who are preaching a gospel other than the one we were taught... (Galatians 1:6-10)

I've gone out on a limb and suggested that those who would speak and act in a fashion that is contrary to that which the Bible says would be typical of a person whose heart had been regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit, are most likely not truly Christians to begin with.

Consider these words from the Book of Acts 4:12 - in light of Matthew 1:21

Wait a second!!!  How can this be???  How is it possible that a person could call themselves a Muslim and not believe that Allah exists???  How is it that 92% of us can be considered to be "Strongly Religious" yet only 63% of those people actually believe that the "Sacred Texts" (presumably the Bible) is the true Word of God?

On another note, how is it that any less than 100% of ANY faith believes that their particular way is the only way to the promise that lies after this life...  I mean seriously folks - if you're a Muslim whose read the Koran, and believes what it says, that the only way to be assured of your place in Paradise is to be martyred for the faith, how is it that you could possibly go on in the rituals or the "strife" (Jihad) without believing 100% that you are right?

The debate fallacy referred to as the "No True Scotsman" argument isn't even applicable when it comes to a person being, doing and talking in a manner consistent with their profession of faith.  An atheist who overheard or read that another professed atheist prays once a day, would undoubtedly refer to that person as an agnostic at least, perhaps even a deist - though, they would not allow that person to be identified under the same banner as the rest of their (un)group...

Perhaps another example with a little more meat to it...  Imagine for a moment that you're a member of PETA - and the President of your local chapter of fellow PETAns has been caught on camera kicking his cat on more than one occasion.  Would anyone be able to convince you that he was necessarily a "true" person "for the ethical treatment of animals?"

If you want to get technical, and we all know how the atheist / evolutionist crowd relies on technicalities...  the No True Scotsman argument is based, from the vantage point of nationality in Mr. Flew's illustration - my point is made upon the basis of identification with Christianity as it is defined within the 66 books of the Holy Bible.

If you're curious about the definition of what a "true" Christian looks / acts like - start here...  1 John 2:3-6 / 1 John 2:9-11

There is plenty more that has been written, this is simply the start...  

Taking into consideration the video above, take a listen to the following message...

For my atheist friends...

Dr. Will Provine...  Featured in Ben Stein's new movie, eXpelled released in April of this year, is a name that I have not often heard in evolutionary circles...  Though, I am not an evolutionist, and I don't study evolution to the extent that some do...

However, the name Richard Dawkins is prominent, and some guy named Higgins, not to mention Charles Darwin who, as it turns out, is going to have an 18-month celebration carried out in his honor in good old England from the 200th Anniversary of his birth, until the 150th Anniversary of the publication of the Origin of the Species...

So, as I was reading through Ray Comfort's Blog I referenced Dr. Provine several times in comment posts, therefore, I thought I would share a video snippet that I will no doubt be accused of taking out of context...  

However, I want to bring your attention to the final 15-30 seconds of the video where he lists his views of what "modern evolutionary biology tells us" which he asserts are, "basically Darwin's views..."

Now, I've spoken to many, many atheists who claim that atheism has ethical foundations, and that the meaning of life is to "enjoy it now, 'cause it's all you've got."  And invariably, when attempting to share the Truth with an atheist, they will invoke the idea that man has free will to make whatever choices they want with their lives.

In my opinion, those statements, like the assertions that "there is no god or purposive forces" and "there is no life after death" would be, as in a Summary of Biblical Understanding, considered essential beliefs of those truly committed to the cause...  Yet evolutionist and atheists disagree...  Why?

From another Blog...

I recently wrote a comment on another Christian blog that I wanted to share here because it encompasses what is currently sprinting through my mind regarding the endless debate that rages on in the minds of Christians and atheists...  

flinging dust said...

Just because one atheist commits a crime doesn't mean they all do. All you did there was stereotype atheists.

So how is that different than when an atheist blames anyone here for the crusades? or slavery? or genocidal acts that have nothing to do with Christianity...

The same way you might throw out your saying that "[you Christians] obviously know nothing about evolution..." when we talk about primates evolving into human beings - I would suggest to you that you know nothing about true Christianity.

The same way we are merely taking what we have seen and heard from someone in the "scientific" community who puts forth an opinion one week that says evolution is gradual changes over long periods of time, and compare that to someone else from that same community coming along the next week suggesting that the opposite is true...

Your complaints about Christianity come from the actions of those who were acting upon their own whims and those of the masses when true Christianity says that is the absolute wrong path to take...

At this point, we're just sharing the same whiney excuses - while the Christian can say that your the information you are using is based upon information that doesn't apply to the crux of the material found in the Book... and the atheist says over and over, we'll just have to see what next week's opinion is because that's what science is... A series of assumptions, tests, conclusions and revisions...

The main difference is that we are asserting that our source of Truth is complete... Test it all you want to, it needs no revision, though, the occasional update for those who no longer want to speak the King's English is welcome... The only thing we need to assume is that anything we don't already understand because it's been clearly documented for us, is something that we will learn about when we meet God face to face. And yes, conclusions... We can conclude that it is true because He who has begun His work in us, will complete it. We have His promise on that.

Whether you would suggest that mere men wrote it, or that power-hungry overlords of some type put it down in print so that they could oppress people. The same could be said about atheism and evolution.

You take the assertions of the authors of your religions by faith... And the Author of our faith tells us that it is by faith alone...

...hoping you can see what I'm trying to clarify - not just taking it as an attack...

eXpelled...

A good friend of mine... er, a guy I know... wait, this actor... now that's not exactly accurate either.  Hmmm; let me try it this way...  A man who used to write speeches for President Nixon, then played a bit part in a cult-classic 80's teeny bopper movie and coined a cultural phrase that will live on in infamy, went on to host a very popular quiz-game show where he gave away his own money, only to end up hocking eye drops...  has decided to make a movie...

Ben Stein asks the question, 'if, in the United States of America, we are guaranteed the Freedom of Speech in our Bill of Rights - why does that not extend into the arena of asking

 questions?'

You'll have to see the movie for yourself because my explanation of the movie could never do it justice.  Ben simply asks Evolutionists what is wrong with admitting that they might be wrong - and he interviews University Professors and Scientific Scholars who have asserted that the human body, plants, animals, the Universe, etc... are much too complex in their design and function to be the result of "billions of years of incremental changes."

For the record, as far as I know at this point - and after having seen the movie all the way through, Mr. Stein is neither a Christian, nor a Creationist in his scientific point of view.  He is, from everything I can gather, a Jewish intellectual who simply wants to know the Truth...  Not the most popular opinion...

If you see the movie, please leave a comment - I'd love to know what you thought.

Common Sense is Dead

One Nation - under God?

A couple of months ago, some students walked out of their classrooms refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance along with other students.  Some of those walking out were simply not satisfied with the words "under God" being included within the phrases - others were not happy saying any part of the pledge because of America's participation in the war.

As I looked into the story, and read through the comments of some of the students involved, I came across this image and it immediately caught my attention, and honestly... broke my heart!

I understand that this illustration is simply a parody, however, it is also a misrepresentation first and foremost.  The caption isn't funny at all, in fact, to a Christian, it's actually offensive...  Though, we're not allowed to be offended - that benefit is relegated to the homosexuals, those women who are oppressed, vegetarians, animal lovers, and anyone who has a stake in the success of the (green) propaganda machine that is Global Warming...  Oh yeah, and any "religion" that does not refer to itself as fundamentaly Christian in their practices.

From what I've read in the Bible, we are not supposed to force anyone to do anything...  We are however, commanded to persuade people to believe the Truth of the Word of God, but that does NOT include holding a gun to people's heads and forcing them to "ask Jesus into [their] hearts," or to say some sort of prayer.  In fact, I'm going to make this request...  If you're reading this, perhaps you might share it with someone...

The next time someone in your vicinity sneezes, say nothing...  I mean it...  I know that the polite thing to do, according to how you were brought up is to speak some sort of blessing in the general disguise.  But for those of us who say what we mean, and mean what we say, if you've got a problem with the words "under God" being in the pledge - on the one hand, don't say it - because honestly, it doesn't bother me.  If anything it causes me to watch you more closely...

But at the same time - be curteous enough to refrain from the meaningless blessing you just toss out there to anyone who gets a tickle in their sinus.

Thanks in advance!  Next time, you don't have to walk out, just sit in your chair of discontent and wait for the rest of us to finish with our indoctrination.

-Benjamin

HAP-py New Year!!!

Whew, another countdown and Y2K still hasn't hit... All you Windows Users can breathe easy for another year or so - or until the next time you click on a link from an email you never signed up for...

But seriously folks, I was just thinking back on all of the things we all saw and heard over the last year. And most people say, "try to think about the good and not the bad" and though I'm not some sort of fatalist-type of person, I cannot help but remember the bad things that happened because we were commanded to watch for the signs of the coming of the End of the Age.

And at this point, I could talk about the sectarian violence in the Middle East, the Government corruption at every level, the hypocrisy in the "Christian" religion from TV Preachers being investigated by Congress to False Gospels being spread by some of the most popular personalities in radio and television...

But I don't want to, believe it or not, I'd prefer for this to be one of the shorter posts I've written. The reason being, because as we enter into this new year, we face both types of news all over again! Good AND Bad...

And you know what most people will say once again, "Okay, give me the bad news first..." Sure thing, I'd be glad to...

First off, there is going to be more violence, wars, false Messiahs, etc; perhaps more hurricanes, maybe even a tsunami here in America on one of our fine coastal regions... Jesus said that there would be weather phenomena occurring "in diverse places" [everywhere] in the End Times - so the true Believer is not surprised when 16 tornadoes pop up in Wisconsin in January... I'm just a weather Observer, not a Forecaster - just a Sower and a Witness of God's Word, not a Prophet...

When I mention violence, again, I am not surprised when a person takes up a weapon to kill Christians, whether they are wearing a turban on their head, or they were simply sent out from the flock because of their on-going sin. Either way, Jesus was referring to them in that same chapter in the Gospel of Matthew. (24)

Witnessing all of these occurrences does not give us a date for Christ's return, they simply remind us that our time here on Earth is short, and that He is coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Acts 10:42 (ESV)

And that's the bad news for all of mankind... God is going to have His Day of Judgment... We are going to be held to account for every sin we've ever committed against Him when we've broken His Laws, His Commandments...

Every time we've told a lie, every time we've stolen, every time we've used His Holy Name in a way that was anything less than honorable, giving Him the respect that He so rightly deserves as the One who gave us life and every good thing that we have...

If we are honest with ourselves, and the Book of Ecclesiastes is accurate, we must admit that none of us is "good" for the very reasons listed above, and that we've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God as the Book of Romans declares.

The bad news is that we all deserve God's wrath and judgment in Hell's lake of fire. We are adulterers, fornicators, murderers at heart, lying, blaspheming, disobedient thieves.

And it's only when we consider that God does indeed love us and showed us His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, He sent Christ to die for us... that we can see a glimpse of the sacrifice that He made for us on the Cross, when He was "bruised for our iniquities [lawlessness]" and He gave His life that we might live.

That's when the "Good News" is made truly "Good" God has provided a way for us to be forgiven of those sins that we've committed against Him. He has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him through His Son, whom He sent to save us from our sins, and from His wrath...

And He commands all men everywhere to repent and believe on His Son, Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 13:14 (ESV) If you were standing in the doorway of a plane, you wouldn't simply "believe in" the parachute you were handed - in order for your life to be saved from the jump to come, you would have to "put it on." And that's what it is to "trust" and to "have faith in" Christ. For we are saved by grace through faith in Christ... Ephesians 2:8,9 (ESV)

For those who have repented of their sins, turned away from their old life, and submitted to God's Will using His Word as their guide - He promises to bring them from darkness into the light, (1 Peter 2:9) from death into life, (John 5:24) that He will give them a new heart with new desires (Ezekiel 36:26) they will begin to hate the things that God hates (sin) and love the things God loves (righteousness).

As promised, the Good News and the Bad News... Jesus said that no one may enter heaven unless they are born again of water and the spirit. When you were born the first time, it was a radical experience - you went from breathing liquid to breathing air, from a warm and cozy, protected home to a cold and cruel world where you were vulnerable to disease and sin through temptation...

Think about these things as you go through your new year, and know that if you die without Christ this year or any other, without your sins being paid for by the sacrifice Christ made on the Cross, you will go to Hell for all of eternity - you have God's promise on that... Revelation 21:8

If you have repented and put your faith in Christ, I want to encourage you to check out a couple of spots online that you might find edifying to your walk as a Christian:

Living Waters Ministries - Way of the Master Radio
Answers in Genesis - StudyLight.org
Firefighters.org - The School of Biblical Evangelism

May God Bless you and yours, and have a safe, prosperous, blessed and fruitful new year as you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...


-Benjamin, The Sower

Questions, questions, questions...

What's going to happen when I die?  

Invariably, whenever I am involved in a conversation with someone where important issues are brought up, the dialogue steers toward eternity... Whether there's a heaven or a hell the way the Bible says there is - and ultimately, the question of whether they believe they are good enough to get into heaven...

The Bible says a couple of things that are worth noting in order to begin to answer "the big question." First off, we are told that, "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..." (Hebrews 9:27) So, according to God, and His Word, reincarnation is out... We also see that, "...the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) If the wages of a day of work is a paycheck, then the answer to the question "why do we die" becomes an easy one... We die because we've sinned...

Perhaps now you're asking yourself the question, "well, I've heard the word 'sin' used a million times, mostly flipped about by televangelists and those weirdos yelling on street corners, but what IS sin?" Well, once again, the Bible gives us the answer... "sin is lawlessness." (1 John 3:4) And the law the Bible is referring to is God's Law, the Ten Commandments.

Now, if you're honest with yourself, you'll have to admit, as I have, that you've lied, stolen, and used God or Jesus' name as a swear word, or in a fashion unbecoming of your Creator - but do you realize that Jesus said that if you hate your brother, or even call someone a fool, that you're in danger of being condemned to hell? (Matthew 5:22)

And most people think that the command "thou shalt not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14) refers only to people who are married meaning that they're not supposed to have an extra-marital affair - but check out what Jesus said... (Matthew 5:27-28) You see, God is not merely concerned with what we do with our hands or our mouth, in fact, the Bible says that God requires truth in our inward parts... (Psalms 51:6) In the Day of Judgment, God is going to look at our hearts and our minds, and without holiness, and righteousness written thereon, He will turn His back on us as though He never knew us... (Matthew 7:23)

But that's not the end of the story - in fact, there IS Good News! You've been told before that "there's 'good news' and there's 'bad news'" and then you've been asked which you'd like first... And, like most everyone, you most likely requested the bad news first - well that was it... You, like me, are a sinner in need of a Savior - like a criminal walking into a court of law, you have a fine to pay, and believe me, you cannot afford to pay it.

Then what's this "Good News" already? You're asking, and here it is... 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ, God Himself came to Earth in the form of a man - the Bible says that he "became flesh" (John 1:14) and lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:25) a performed many miracles and wonders to establish His deity. Over 700 years before Jesus' birth, the Prophet Isaiah wrote about what He would go through for those who would believe in Him...

"...There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins—that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave.

But it was the LORD's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief..."             Isaiah 53:2-10

So you can see, perhaps for the first time, that Jesus went to the cross, to bear the punishment (pay the fine, if you will) for the sins you committed against God. The Bible says that God showed His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, He sent Christ to die for us. (Romans 5:8) God knew you were going to break His laws, and His judgment, as powerful as it is, cannot be appeased by our own 'good works.' We need to have a 'fine payer' a representative in that heavenly courtroom. And that is what Christ has done for us - He stepped forward and offered Himself up as a ransom (1 Timothy 2:6) for those who would believe.

You've read or heard no doubt that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Please note that "He gave His only Son" for those "who believe[s] in Him" and not for the WHOLE world... Therefore, everyone is not going to heaven - remember up above? The soul that sins, it shall die... (Ezekiel 18:20)

So how do we get this "eternal life"? Do we just "believe" and poof, we're Christians bound for heaven when we die? Well, it would be fun if it were that easy - a LOT more people would be bound for glory, and a lot fewer headed for hell. Jesus' first words of public ministry were "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 4:17)

Now, a lot of people claim that they are "OK" with God - they grew up in church, maybe they were even baptized at some point - but the question is, "is God 'OK' with you?" If you were to drop dead right now, before even reaching the end of this writing, and the next thing you know, you're on your knees before The One who made you - would He be 'OK' with you, or say He never knew you?

Have you repented (realized your sins against the Creator God - and turned away from them) forsaking your sins, and turned toward Christ in faith for the forgiveness of your sins? I put it that way because many people believe that because they haven't killed anyone, or because they go to church, or give money to charities, that their good will outweigh their bad (Ephesians 2:8-9) they are therefore, trusting in their own goodness, and not Christ's sacrifice to make the payment I referred to above...

If you've never done that - repented of your sins, and put your faith in Christ, I want to encourage you to do that right now, right where you are... Contrary to what many people might tell you, it is a GOOD thing to question your faith if you're not 100% sure that you'd go to Heaven if God were to take you right now... (2 Corinthians 13:5) You cannot do anything to save yourself, Christ has already done everything necessary - and He calls you to repent of your sins and trust in Him alone.

The Bible says that when you cry out to Him for mercy, He will save you - you will begin to hunger and thirst for righteousness, and He will fill you with it... (Matthew 5:6) Whereas you once loved the darkness and hated the light, He will cause you to step out into the light and shun the darkness... (Isaiah 5:20)

If you believe that God is preparing your heart, then do not let another day go by without making your calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1:10) For today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) and even if its not your last day, it is undoubtedly the most important.

May God Richly Bless the prayers of your heart - I hope to see you heaven one day.

Sincerely,

-Benjamin