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[Chaplain]

New resources:

Video: Prof John Lennox on Suffering, Hope and Intelligence

What does human and artificial intelligence tell us about the existence of God and our place in the universe? We mention Dr. Jordan B. Peterson several times during this discussion as well as Timothy Keller. Few people are really challenging the roots of our defective modern culture more than Peterson, Keller, and Lennox. The goal is to stimulate people to really think.

What can Genesis teach us about Artificial Intelligence? (John Lennox)

Genesis tells us that when God created humans in his image, he linked intelligence and consciousness together in one being, for he is himself like that – a conscious intelligent being. However, God, who is Spirit, links consciousness and intelligence together in a non-material being. The fact that God is Spirit shows that neither consciousness nor intelligence necessarily depend on a material substrate – another reason to think that humans will never be able to make a conscious material machine.

Podcast: Do Not Love the World

The coronavirus continues to affect the lives of countless people around the world. But notwithstanding the casualties the COVID-19 pandemic has left in its wake, God is using that adversity to expose some things about the hearts of His people that some may not want to acknowledge or admit. Darrell and “Omaha” (Virgil) expound on that thesis in this timely and heart-penetrating episode of the Just Thinking podcast, titled “Do Not Love the World.”

Mental Health

This Spotlight article looks at mental illness and Christianity, in particular, depression. Can a Christian suffer from depression? What does it mean when you don’t experience the joy of the Lord as your strength? The article is an excerpt from a book ‘A.S.K.’ by former pastor David Robertson.

Systemic Racism, God’s Grace, and the Human Heart: What the Bible Teaches About Structural Sin

Sin corrupts every institution and every system because, one way or another, sinful human beings are involved. This means that laws, policies, habits, and customs are also corrupted by sin. We are called to do everything within our power to expunge sin from the structures of our society. Christians know that the justice of God demands that we do so. At the same time, we cannot accept that the structural manifestations of sin are the heart of the problem. No, the heart of the problem is found in the sinfulness of the individual human heart.

Video: Racial Reconciliation - Ephesians 2:10-11 | Dr. Voddie Baucham

In recent years we have a growing concern about “social justice.” What is meant by that phrase, however, varies widely among those who use and promote it. What is too often missing—even in the calls for “social justice” coming from Christian leaders—is a clear understanding of biblical justice. Justice exists because God is just and righteous. He is the One who defines justice and He has revealed what true justice is in the Bible.

Video: The Amazing Power of History to Make a Difference - Charles White, Jaroslaw Lukasik, Daryl McCarthy

By telling the story of what God has done in the past, we can see more clearly what He is doing today. As we see how followers of God served Him in the past, we learn lessons for what we should be doing today. Showing the footsteps of God in history provides a bridge for communicating the Gospel with unbelievers today. This video includes a panel of three Christian leaders who have effectively used history to communicate with believers and unbelievers alike. This will encourage each person to learn the history of Christianity in their country or region and find ways to effectively tell that story today.

Video: Harari’s Fiction: Where Does the Israeli Historian’s Story Go Wrong - Adam Szabados

Yuval Noah Harari became famous for his two best-selling books on human history: Sapiens and Deus Homo. In these two engaging books he gives a short summary of history and where he thinks it is leading. Harari's books are widely read and have earned praise from the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Barack Obama, and Bill Gates. In this talk we will look at the main arguments behind Harari's historical vision and subject his vision to an evangelical criticism.

Video: Witch Hunts, Crusades, and Inquisitions - A Church Historical Apologetic - Dr.Fabian F. Grassl

Hundreds of thousands of witches burned at the stake? Crusaders wading ankle-deep through streets of blood? Torture, dread, and death in the wake of the Inquisition? Popular accounts provide us with a shocking picture of Christianity’s history, and the argument from past failures is a favorite one employed by critics. Subjecting these phenomena to sober scrutiny, we will not only discover how much truth there actually is to some prevalent charges leveled against the Christian faith, but also learn more about God’s transformative power throughout history by transforming…us.

Video: How the Enlightenment Was Invented - Daniel von Wachter

It is generally taught the Enlightenment happened between 1680 and 1800 and that this time therefore is “the age of Enlightenment”. While the church had prevented the development of reason and progress during the “dark ages”, the natural sciences developed, philosophy came to flourish, and freedom of opinion and freedom of religion were introduced. This talk will demonstrate that there is nearly no truth in this widespread and powerful story.

The Fallacy That Christian Art Generally Portrays Christ As A Northern European Man

We do not know for certain what Christ looked like. However, I suggest that the tradition is old enough and geographically widespread enough to cast doubt on the assertion that the familiar bearded Christ with a light complexion arises from a Western European cultural prejudice.

Video: A Biblical Response to Social Justice: Live Conversation with Thaddeus Williams

How should Christians think about social justice? What is a Christian response to injustice? In this video, I interview Professor Thaddeus Williams about his upcoming book: Confronting Injustice Without Compromise.

 

[Chaplain]

"Many people take for granted that Systemic Racism and White Privilege are realities, but what if they aren't? And is God's Word sufficient to deal with this question? We sat down with our good friend, Samuel Sey, to address this and comment on the ethnic turmoil and confusion seen in our world today." (6/27/20)

 

[Tesseract]

excellent work itt Chaplain

we're not worthy of this level of content

 

[Chaplain]

excellent work itt Chaplain

we're not worthy of this level of content

You're welcome, brother!

I am thankful to our Lord that for instilling in me a desire to share resources that equip and build up His body. Enjoy it quite a bit. ^_^

 

[Tesseract]

You're welcome, brother!

I am thankful to our Lord that for instilling in me a desire to share resources that equip and build up His body. Enjoy it quite a bit. ^_^

based and blessed, please keep it coming

i read all your posts before bed, goes a long way to maintaining my sanity

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources​

Video: How can I relate to God? (Exodus 32-34, 6/28/20)



Video: Black Lives Matter & Marxism

Watch this powerful new sermon from Apologia Church. Dr. James White and Jeff Durbin both preach to the congregation about the recent events, #BlackLivesMatter, #Marxism, and #Communism

Internal Evidence for John, the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved & Gospel Author

Extrabiblically, Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.) quoted from the Gospel of John in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, while Polycarp (70 ~155 A.D.) included quotes from 1 John and 3 John in his Letter to the Philippians. Polycarp studied under John, as reported by Irenaeus. Inenaeus also reported that John remained at the Church of Ephesus until the times of Trajan. Pliny the Younger documented the torture of Christians in his letter to the Emperor Trajan. No early church fathers or other extrabiblical authors have attributed the Gospel of John to anyone other than John.

White Fragility Training and Freedom of Belief

"...the belief system around these concepts of whiteness, privilege and fragility includes the truth claims that: An invisible power system exists that perpetuates racism throughout every aspect of society...only white people can be racist and all white people are racist...It is impossible for white people not to behave in racist ways...Whiteness results in white people being privileged...Any attempt to disagree with this definition of racism, whiteness or privilege is simply a manifestation of this fragility...White people therefore have two choices: they can be racist and admit it or racist and deny it... Critical Social Justice is a very specific belief system, which revolves around several core truth claims, which have not been shown to be true. It requires an admission of inherent racism and regards all disagreement as evidence of the problem." (Humanities scholar Helen Pluckrose, 6/26/20)

White Fragility Theory Is a Bullying Rhetorical Tactic

DiAngelo, however, either fails or refuses to recognize a basic rule of intellectual inquiry for anyone who is interested in learning rather than indoctrination: listening is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for understanding. In other words, asking questions, examining disagreements, and carrying on with a healthy skepticism are key parts of rigorous investigation and analysis.

Podcast: Ep32 More HolyWokeness, Collectivizing Sin, Saboth

Ep32 More HolyWokeness, Collectivizing Sin, Saboth by with Dr. Everett Piper

Video: Christopher Yuan | Our Sexuality is Shaped by God | TGC Podcast

Christopher Yuan delivered a message during a breakout session at The Gospel Coalition’s 2019 National Conference titled, “Holy Sexuality: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story.” Yuan taught that sexual identity has become an idol within our culture, and sexual freedom has become the religion of the land as a result of our hearts being set in defiance against God’s perfect design. Though sanctification is critical activity for every believer, he taught, the Christian life constitutes far more than the avoidance of sinful behavior. It begins with answering our ontological questions in terms of the Imago Dei and developing a “theological anthropology”—recognizing that our identity is not defined by our sin, but by Christ.

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

I'd like to ask you all for your prayers right now.

3 years ago I made a post about my best friends brother who was shot in the face and killed while working at a gas station... on thanksgiving. Well, his older and only other brother is now in the hospital in critical condition and he isn't expected to make it. Jared is the name of my friend and his brother, also someone whom I am friends with but not nearly as close is Josh. Josh had already had some substance abuse issues but when Jacob died it became far worse. He was in and out of the hospital and the doctors frankly said they where surprised he was still living. I had been nudging Jared to get him into rehab and he ended up doing that. He was good for a while but he relapsed pretty hard which lead to where we are now. Jacobs death really hit him hard. It hit them all hard.

I'm actually kind of breaking down right now because I feel guilty that I couldn't be there for Josh like I was for Jared due to things going on in my own life and I hope and pray this doesn't send Jared spiraling out of control as well.

So please pray for them. And pray for God to give me the strength and wisdom I need right now to be there for my best bud.

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: How Can I Relate to God? - Exodus 32-34

The subject of God is the loftiest of all themes and the pinnacle of all pursuits. For some people, the idea of God is absurd because He is not readily perceived by the senses, like a flower or another person. But as we learn who God is and how perceptible He is to us, I think we’ll be both lifted up and humbled all at the same time. Today we trace the journey that every person must take who wants to relate to the God of the universe. Let’s examine five stages of this relationship.

Video: Revelation, Transcendence and Receding Modernity

Rafe Kelley's comment on Twitter and Jon Steingard's deconstruction got me thinking about the sort of cartoons Modernism implies when it comes to ideas of revelation. Jordan Peterson's conversation with Roger Scruton was interesting in this regard. The transcendant as obstacle is a fact.

Video: Dr Neil Shenvi - Critical Theory, Science and Apologetics - Critical Witness

Today we are talking with Dr Neil Shenvi about how to engage with Critical Theory as Christians. Neil did his undergraduate at Princeton, his PhD in Berkley and a post doctorate associate in Yale. His background in quantum computation more than qualifies him to talk about science and faith and he is also becoming well known for his critique of Critical Theory,

Video: How To Run a Small Scale Evangelistic Event

Join Andy Bannister, Gareth Black, and Gavin Matthews from Solas for the second series of webinars. Our webinars are designed to encourage and equip Christians to share their faith with confidence and credibility. As we engage with some of the issues of the day from a Christian perspective, we also find that people of all-faiths and none join us to find out more. Everyone is welcome!

Video: What are the Apologetic Issues in the Black Community? A Conversation Between Two Friends

What are the most pressing issues in the black community? How can Christians–both black and white–respond biblically to our present moment? In this interview, my friend Vada Hedgeman and I discuss these pressing issues.

Video: Does God care about my suffering? | Jo Vitale | REBOOT Digital

RZIM's Jo Vitale speaks on the topic "Alone in a Crowd: Thinking Deeply About Loneliness" at Canada's REBOOT Digital 2020.

Going to Church Could Save Your Life

New Harvard Study Flags Public Health Cost of Cutting Church

How Does Islam Differ from Christianity?

According to Pew Research, if current trends continue then by 2050 there will be nine billion people living on the planet. Approximately three billion will be Christians, three billion will be Muslims, and three billion others will represent various beliefs (both religious and secular).

Master Cleanse

White Fragility explains not only that white progressives are the most dangerous racists of all, but that they always will be, and only through constant and unmitigated navel-gazing can they hope to do less damage. This anti-racist regimen isn’t a solution; it’s an intellectual diet that you’ll be paying for over the rest of your life.

Critical Theory vs Critical Thinking

...if a white male is also a true follower of Christ (which means he is going out of his way to love his neighbor who looks or believes differently than he does), then this man has lost even more moral authority and simply needs to be quiet and listen to those who have the power of moral authority (does this mean that those with the power of moral authority should be resisted by those who do not have the power of moral authority?). However, according to CT, if this white male would renounce Christ and join Islam, for example, then he would gain a few “moral authority points.” If this white biological male really wanted to get into the game and join the discussion, he could reject Christianity, divorce his wife, leave his family, identify as a female, start engaging in (biological) homosexual activity, and identify as “zie.”

 

[mcz117chief]

I just read the "Going to Church Could Save your Life" article. It isn't news to me but I was surprised by the numbers: woman that work in healthcare and attend a church are 68% less likely to suffer a "death of despair" than those that don't.

 

[mcz117chief]

Also, I recently played Hearts of Iron 4 with an "allied speeches" DLC. They are all fantastic, but Churchill's and MacArthur's are truly exceptional. Why I am mentioning it here is because of the "End of War" ceremony that took place on the USS Missouri on September 2nd '45. There Douglas MacArthur had a very important and topical thought, he said:
"Men since the beginning of time have sought peace... Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn have failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. We have had our last chance. If we do not now devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence and improvement of human character that will synchronize with our matchless advances in science, art, literature and all material and cultural developments of the past two thousand years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh."
Not only is it beautiful and timeless, but also chilling. We are now at the greatest moment of our history when it comes to technological development but our spiritual development is clearly lagging behind. I am afraid, that the "Armageddon" Douglas MacArthur is warning us about, could become real very soon.

 

[Tesseract]

“have i not commanded you? be strong and courageous. do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the lord your god is with you wherever you go.”

i think about this whenever things are turbulent or dour, helps soothe the soul

 

[mcz117chief]

i think about this whenever things are turbulent or dour, helps soothe the soul

"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Knowing that God is with you at all times is extremely liberating. No amount of oppression, hate or injustice can bring you down since you know that the Lord will deliver the ultimate love, freedom and justice. Our life is like a tutorial level, don't lose focus now but still remember that the real game comes after.

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

D.B. Hart’s Inquisitor

These accounts of the terrors of hell spread throughout the Orthodox and Catholic lands, and Dante’s Inferno is well within this tradition. So also, perhaps, is Martin Luther’s own “journey” into hell, in which he arrived at the very depth of questioning God’s love: Is it not against all natural reason that God out of his mere whim deserts men, hardens them, damns them, as if he delighted in sins and in such torments of the wretched for eternity, he who is said to be of such mercy and goodness? This appears iniquitous, cruel, and intolerable in God, by which very many have been offended in all ages. And who would not be? I was myself more than once driven to the very abyss of despair so that I wished I had never been created. Love God? I hated him!

The New Religion Of The Woke Left Is A Faith Without Atonement

To 'pay' for their own sins, the zealots of the Woke Left's new religion are on a mission to sacrifice the reputations and livelihoods of others.

Review: The Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser

The late summer of classical and scholastic theology currently occurring in reformed theology compounds the problem. Classical reformed theology focuses on God’s transcendent existence and also considers our limited perceptions of that reality, but it doesn’t generally think enough about the heavenly middle where God accommodates himself; and where we will spend eternity with the embodied Lord Jesus.

Podcast: EP # 099 | Assurance of Salvation

To be a Christian is, by definition, to possess salvation and all that it entails (forgiveness of sin, adoption as children of God, eternal reward in heaven, and much more). And yet, many professing Christians struggle to believe the promises that salvation brings because they don’t possess the assurance that they are saved to begin with.

Podcast: Video Games: Good Or Evil?

In 2020, the global video game industry is predicted to generate over $150 billion dollars, more than the movie and the music industry combined! With over two billion gamers in the world today, video games are and will increasingly play a major role in society generally and the nature of human relationships in particular. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? On this week’s Ask Away, Vince and Jo respond to a teenager’s question, “What is your opinion on violent video games and video games in general? Is it unholy to play them?”

4 Reasons to Wear a Mask, Even if You Hate It

What if our view on masks were shaped more by our Christian identity than our American political identity? As much as I dislike wearing masks, sympathize with some skepticism about them, and cringe at attempts to shame people into wearing them, my Christian faith leads me to wear one when I’m in indoor public places. When I look at Scripture I don’t see a mandate about masks, of course, but I see an invitation—to do at least four things.

How Can I Be Free from Materialism?

The comforts and wealth of our Western world can be a blessing. And they can become a deadly curse too. So how can we be freed from the clutches of Western materialism? It’s a question Pastor John took up in a sermon 27 years ago on Hebrews 10, a chapter with an incredible text in verse 34, which says, “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” Hebrews 10:34 is a text with key lessons relevant to all of us today who live in the Disneyland of Western affluence.

Video: Atheism, Grief & God | Sam Raju & Dr JP Moreland

We begin the series with Sam Raju, Speaker and Trainer, RZIM India, interviewing Dr J P Moreland. Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Biola University. Moreland was selected in 2016 by The Best Schools as one of the 50 most influential living philosophers.

Video: Final Justice: The Return of Christ, Part 1



Video: The Trans-civilization Cult | The Causes of Things Ep. 19

Our entire society is in a transformational cult-like experience shedding our old ways of doing things while being coerced into a fully planned, fully strategized new paradigm. While the tectonic plates of change have been shifting underneath your feet, you may have been concerned about whatever the media states are the latest "crisis" that you must be concerned about every minute of every day. You are experiencing a manipulated, religious, cult-like transformation out of the "old" way of doing things and thinking and into the "new" subjective metaphysical cult. The changes are sweeping and exponential in scale.

 

[Scotty W]

The problem with psychology is that mankind is naive enough to think that with time and proper study all the "problems" of human behavior can be solved. If this were the case, man could fix himself and not need a Savior.

I was reading about a controversial economics paper a few years ago. It was saying that first economics gathers data, comes to a conclusion, and then makes predictions. But when it makes predictions, the market modifies its behavior in reaction to these predictions. Economics can never take these reactions into its understanding- and this ultimately calls economics itself into question.

Psychology has the exact same problem. If you apply psychology to the governing and understanding of a society, people will modify their behavior to hide themselves and avoid being controlled. So then you need a meta-psychology in response to this, and so on ad infinitum.

This infinitely self-generating reflexive quality of these systems I think is a characteristic of logos.

Heraclitus: You would not reach the limit of the soul if you travelled every road- so deep a logos does it have.

and,

It is difficult to fight against anger for whatever it wants it buys at the price of the soul.

 

[Cutty Flam]

All deaths serve a purpose. It may seem like things die and life goes on as if the life was insignificant. But that was never the case. God has given life and in the flesh He has given death t he same but I know now that death will always teach those still trying their best in this world. It may not seem it at times, but all of the fallen serve a purpose, I believe. And I think it doesn’t matter which life it may be. An insect or human. Everything so far has been a learning experience in hopes of bringing better times and hopefully one day paradise on Earth. Even if we cannot achieve it ourselves I think in Revelations it was written that Earth would one day be paradise and God would be present there and known? I think that’s what I remember

But I was thinking about my work, my life and potential death, and these two very nice girls who I think are pretty cool. And it just came to me, that even if my death were to come from something as small as this current virus and the disease known as Covid-19, or even something else of smaller scale such as maybe drowning on a sip of water or dying in my sleep, that others would dwell on me for at least some time, and it might in best case scenario, help others get closer to answers and God and bring about closer things of great importance. It’s so hard to see this is the midst of living, but every death serves a purpose. Every life and every death serves a purpose and many vital lessons and invaluable experiences. A lot of people suffer and suffer greatly but it was all meant a lesson in the end I believe. As harsh as it may sound, it was all really in the name of truth and God I believe. It’s so difficult to piece this together and make sense of it, but I’ve been thinking about the will of God on and off ever since I came to some conclusions and did some thinking

I’m making less and less sense I feel, but this sentiment of every living thing even their death and absence in this world, as sad and as grim as it may sound, plays to a much bigger picture I believe. The deaths of our loved ones are blows to the heart and spirit and damage us greatly, change us immensely but I just wanted to say they aren’t in vain and they never were or ever will be in vain. Every living entity is equally as important and valuable. And although I cannot wrap my mind around it, I have been contemplating what the purpose was always intended to be...There’s something necessary to discover and I have a feeling that tells me it is not impossible to find at this time. Maybe my thoughts are too radical in this regard but I don’t think we are far off from a brilliant mind proving something great or pointing something out that might bring humanity one step closer to important answers to important questions

Wanted to ask this to anyone willing to think about it and just give it some thought:

-Do you think that it is possible to pinpoint and prove where God may exist, in the Spiritual realm of Heaven? As in, as humans and using science or mathematics or anything we may have available to us in the future, will be able to find truth that will lead us to understanding the spiritual and then we can seek the Heavens without having to die? Why would this not be possible?

 

[Tesseract]

I'd like to ask you all for your prayers right now.

3 years ago I made a post about my best friends brother who was shot in the face and killed while working at a gas station... on thanksgiving. Well, his older and only other brother is now in the hospital in critical condition and he isn't expected to make it. Jared is the name of my friend and his brother, also someone whom I am friends with but not nearly as close is Josh. Josh had already had some substance abuse issues but when Jacob died it became far worse. He was in and out of the hospital and the doctors frankly said they where surprised he was still living. I had been nudging Jared to get him into rehab and he ended up doing that. He was good for a while but he relapsed pretty hard which lead to where we are now. Jacobs death really hit him hard. It hit them all hard.

I'm actually kind of breaking down right now because I feel guilty that I couldn't be there for Josh like I was for Jared due to things going on in my own life and I hope and pray this doesn't send Jared spiraling out of control as well.

So please pray for them. And pray for God to give me the strength and wisdom I need right now to be there for my best bud.

been praying for them, may the lord strengthen your resolve

please take care

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

been praying for them, may the lord strengthen your resolve

please take care

I'm sorry I haven't given an update. There are very good reasons that I am not allowed to at this time. But all of your prayers have been felt. I assure you.

 

[mcz117chief]

Do you think that it is possible to pinpoint and prove where God may exist, in the Spiritual realm of Heaven? As in, as humans and using science or mathematics or anything we may have available to us in the future, will be able to find truth that will lead us to understanding the spiritual and then we can seek the Heavens without having to die? Why would this not be possible?

Many scientists who really go down the deep end find religion, especially when it comes to astronomy and subatomic particles. The processes and structures of those macro and microscopic universes are too perfect, too similar and beautiful for some to consider them random. Pinpointing Heaven though might be tricky, maybe even impossible but the influence of God can be easily spotted by our current scientific knowledge.
To your other question, we pray "thy kingdom come" because that is what we want and Jesus told us that the Kingdom of Heaven is already here we just need to build it. Heaven is a state of being where you live with God, which is something many people already do. Then you also got characters from the Bible that have reached the heavenly sphere without dying (Enoch, Elias, Virgin Mary) and that is only those we "know" about, there could have been hundreds or even million of people who went to heaven without dying but we just don't know about them. In the Book of Revelations, it is very clearly stated that once we reach the End Times there will be no more death so obviously people will be able to enter the Heavenly sphere without dying. So all in all, you can either hope God takes you while you are still on the Earthly plane or that you survive until the End Times.

 

[John Mullins]

Religion is just a racket and a power grab.

Much like Resetera.

 

[Tesseract]

Religion is just a racket and a power grab.

Much like Resetera.

 

[John Mullins]

For the followers I guess some people need the "why" explained (with whatever) while others are comfortable with why not.

Not everything needs a reason, everything is basically a consequence of something else before it and this can even be tracked and proven.

 

[Tesseract]

For the followers I guess some people need the "why" explained (with whatever) while others are comfortable with why not.

Not everything needs a reason, everything is basically a consequence of something else before it and this can even be tracked and proven.

“I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. I have approximate answers and possible beliefs and different degrees of uncertainty about different things, but I am not absolutely sure of anything and there are many things I don't know anything about, such as whether it means anything to ask why we're here. I don't have to know an answer. I don't feel frightened not knowing things, by being lost in a mysterious universe without any purpose, which is the way it really is as far as I can tell.”

 

[John Mullins]

Who said that?

I don't get why people even have the "why" question or questions in the first place. It just is. What's wrong with that? Our brain is over developed and the realisation of what is going on is mind blowing, amazing and maybe even daunting.

I really don't think it is a stretch to say that when we die, like every other living organism, we just rot away and that's it. End of story. I guess being aware of our mortality is a bitch. But the whole afterlife lore is just that. Convenient make believe.

 

[Tesseract]

Who said that?

I don't get why people even have the "why" question or questions in the first place. It just is. What's wrong with that? Our brain is over developed and the realisation of what is going on is mind blowing, amazing and maybe even daunting.

I really don't think it is a stretch to say that when we die, like every other living organism, we just rot away and that's it. End of story. I guess being aware of our mortality is a bitch. But the whole afterlife lore is just that. Convenient make believe.

richard feynman

 

[Ornlu]

Religion is just a racket and a power grab.

Much like Resetera.

So has religion, to you, always been a power grab?

For the followers I guess some people need the "why" explained (with whatever) while others are comfortable with why not.

Not everything needs a reason, everything is basically a consequence of something else before it and this can even be tracked and proven.

That explanation makes little sense; in your statement the "why" is explained by what comes before, thus you're still explaining the "why", which you say doesn't need to be done.

Who said that?

I don't get why people even have the "why" question or questions in the first place. It just is. What's wrong with that? Our brain is over developed and the realisation of what is going on is mind blowing, amazing and maybe even daunting.

I really don't think it is a stretch to say that when we die, like every other living organism, we just rot away and that's it. End of story. I guess being aware of our mortality is a bitch. But the whole afterlife lore is just that. Convenient make believe.

If that's really what you believe, then why bother with the Christianity thread? Do you have a point, observation, or question regarding this specific religion? If not you may be better served by creating an Atheism thread.

 

[John Mullins]

No need to be butthurt, religion or Christianity can't stand up to some simple common sense I see but you don't need to believe in it to enter or comment on the thread.

If you were born in another country you'd likely believe in a different god. How do you explain that?

 

[Ornlu]

No need to be butthurt, religion or Christianity can't stand up to some simple common sense I see but you don't need to believe in it to enter or comment on the thread.

If you were born in another country you'd likely believe in a different god. How do you explain that?

Talking to me, I assume? I asked you a few questions that you didn't answer. In a normal conversation, it's typically a back and forth. One wouldn't ask their own questions and ignore what the other person had already asked.

 

[Tesseract]

No need to be butthurt, religion or Christianity can't stand up to some simple common sense I see but you don't need to believe in it to enter or comment on the thread.

If you were born in another country you'd likely believe in a different god. How do you explain that?

tides go in, go out

you cannot explain that

 

[John Mullins]

Talking to me, I assume? I asked you a few questions that you didn't answer. In a normal conversation, it's typically a back and forth. One wouldn't ask their own questions and ignore what the other person had already asked.

What, yes religion is a racket and a power grab? 100%. I don't think I need to get into the gory details.

I said not everything needs a reason. Hence "why" does not always need to be explained but in general everything is the consequence of a chain reaction. You seem to think non-religious people think they have all the answers? No, that's not the case. Not even scientists have all the answers and they will happily admit that.

What I don't do is invent stuff for the voids.

 

[Ornlu]

No need to be butthurt, religion or Christianity can't stand up to some simple common sense I see but you don't need to believe in it to enter or comment on the thread.

If you were born in another country you'd likely believe in a different god. How do you explain that?

1. Christianity can stand up to 'common sense', though I don't think that was what was in your original statement. No, you also do not need to believe in Christ to enter or comment in the thread, nor did I say that.

2. If I was born in another country, it's likely I would have been born into a non-religious household there as well, just as I was in this country. What does that have to do with Christianity?

What, yes religion is a racket and a power grab? 100%. I don't think I need to get into the gory details.

I said not everything needs a reason. Hence "why" does not always need to be explained but in general everything is the consequence of a chain reaction. You seem to think non-religious people think they have all the answers? No, that's not the case. Not even scientists have all the answers and they will happily admit that.

What I don't do is invent stuff for the voids.

So even in the earliest tribes, religion has always been a power grab? It has nothing to do with discovery and explanation?

The 'everything being a chain reaction' idea doesn't hold any more water than a religion would, IMO. It requires too much invention to make work, which is generally seen as the domain of religion, rather than science.

 

[John Mullins]

Religion has always been a power grab, yes. Their would have been a 'shepherd' who used it for their personal gain even in ancient times. Doesn't mean they didn't existential questions. It hasn't just been hijacked for bad, it has always been bad.

There is evidence and proof for all scientific theories. Unlike religion, they are just theories, not unquestionable stuff that requires faith. The afterlife is the only thing ever that we don't have a shred of evidence. You just gotta believe.

Scientology is a 100% legit religion. Invented in living memory, by a sci-fi writer. Says it all. Just because one has more history than another shouldn't give it any more credence or prestige. They are either all true, or none of them are true.

 

[Tesseract]

dat feel when you see everything through the lens of power

(don't)

 

[Airola]

Who said that?

I don't get why people even have the "why" question or questions in the first place. It just is. What's wrong with that? Our brain is over developed and the realisation of what is going on is mind blowing, amazing and maybe even daunting.

I really don't think it is a stretch to say that when we die, like every other living organism, we just rot away and that's it. End of story. I guess being aware of our mortality is a bitch. But the whole afterlife lore is just that. Convenient make believe.

There is evidence and proof for all scientific theories. Unlike religion, they are just theories, not unquestionable stuff that requires faith. The afterlife is the only thing ever that we don't have a shred of evidence. You just gotta believe.

Depends on what you accept as evidence. And depends on what you think of that evidence.

Humans have probably as long as we've been here had out of body experiences, near death experiences and such. You don't have to believe those have any real connection to an actual afterlife, but the sensation of that is a real thing for countless of people in the whole human history. Add all sorts of visions, on drugs and not on drugs, to it and there's plenty to wonder.

People certainly have had a lot of reasons to think "why".

 

[BigBooper]

If you are interested in understanding a belief in God, I recommend watching/reading John Lennox. If not, carry on.

 

[Chaplain]

New resources:

Video: "Professor J.P. Moreland presents as part of the event "Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique," hosted by Biola University."



Video: "I recently had a discussion with Jon Steingard, former lead singer of Hawk Nelson, who announced that he no longer considers himself a Christian, on the show Unbelievable. The show has been so well received, that we decided to continue the conversation about belief, unbelief, the Christian faith, and take live questions." (7/2/20)



Video: "Does Islam or Christianity get the person of Jesus right? Richard Shumack, author of 'Jesus through Muslim Eyes' and Mustafa Akyol, author of 'The Islamic Jesus', debate the issues." (7/3/20)



“Some people think that the problem of suffering should push us away from God.” RZIM Regional Director for the Americas, Dr. Vince Vitale, returns to the topic of his PhD to address what is often cited as the biggest barrier to faith. In this powerful and provoking talk, Vince offers a response that places trust in a God who can do something about our inevitable suffering at the front and center, and asks, “When suffering comes, when death comes, who will bear it with us?” (7/4/20)



"Catholic Unscripted 12."Secular Blasphemy #101 Racism & Reality' An exploration of the theory and spirituality presented by racism and BLM Dr Gavin Ashenden [former chaplain for the Queen of England]." (7/4/20)



Cancel Culture And Christian Culture

"Social justice advocates today are the pharisees of our generation. They are self-righteous hypocrites who condemn others for sinning differently and lesser than they do. In fact, many of them would accuse Jesus Christ of racism and petition the government to crucify him if they had the opportunity to do so. Social justice advocates shouldn’t have the authority to cancel George Whitefield, not because Whitefield doesn’t deserve to be cancelled—he absolutely deserves to be cancelled, just like the rest of us. Jesus is the only person who has real authority to cancel anyone. He is the only sinless person." (7/3/20)

 

[John Mullins]

Depends on what you accept as evidence. And depends on what you think of that evidence.

Humans have probably as long as we've been here had out of body experiences, near death experiences and such. You don't have to believe those have any real connection to an actual afterlife, but the sensation of that is a real thing for countless of people in the whole human history. Add all sorts of visions, on drugs and not on drugs, to it and there's plenty to wonder.

People certainly have had a lot of reasons to think "why".

That's just the brain at work. Having dejavu doesn't mean you're experiencing a rip through time, it's all your senses and experiences and memories pulling in one direction. It's freaky but not a big mystery.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

Thought this was good for the Fourth. David is a fantasy author and Christian and here he talks about American mythology and the Christian roots of our country as well as the nihilist socialism that has become trendy as of late.




I did enjoy how he looks at older National myths, like that of Rome, which were cut off to certain people who could never “be real Romans”. By contrast Christianity, through missionaries and evangelism, is something that can be embraced by anyone. Similar with how immigrants could have their own piece of the classic American Dream by adopting its customs and framework. What is the immigration test but an attempt to measure one’s fluency in the American mythology?

 

[Airola]

That's just the brain at work.

My point is that it's not as simple as "make believe" that has zero evidence. That someone just came up with a fantasy story about afterlife. It's based on real experiences. People having real experiences of feeling they are floating in air while their body is on the ground and real experiences of feeling warm embrace when thay are about to die and real experiences of feeling they are within a bright light and they feel they see their deceased relatives there.

Whether or not you believe it's all about brain bringing forth hallucinations, it's not the point I'm making. It has not been a fantasy story they've been telling but it's been based on actual real experiences. People had those experiences 10000 years ago and they have those experiences today too. Religion is not based in someone wanting to rule others by telling them about heaven and hell, but the base for the whole thing is in actual human experience. It doesn't matter if it's a brain thing. As long as you can't see that, you can't understand what you are talking about when you talk about religion being a tool for oppression and power.

They are either all true, or none of them are true.

And here you are 100% wrong.

There are three possibilities:
1) None of them are true
2) One of them is true.
3) Some of them have parts that are true.

It is a logical impossibility for them all to be true.

For example, Islam, Christianity and Judaism can't all be 100% true. They contradict themselves in ways that make it an actual impossibility. Only one of those three religions can be true. At the same time, all of those religions can have parts that are true. But only one of them can be fully true.
Could all religions have parts that are true? No, I don't think so. For example a religion without a God already contradicts with Christianity in such a way that if Christianity is even partly right, the godless religion can't be true, and if the godless religion is even partly right, Christianity can't be true at all.

There are thousands of religions. It's absolutely impossible for them all to be true. It's absolutely impossible for two of them be true. But it's possible that one of them is right, and it's possible that none of them are right.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

Audio mullet is back after nearly getting cancelled and losing Mike Nelson

Audio Mullet: Audio Mullet #57: Everything Is Stupid

Doug and Ethan regroup after losing Mike thanks to a recent cancel-swarm. They discuss what happened, how it affected them, and why they will continue to do the show.

audiomullet.libsyn.com

 

[Tesseract]

oh haeven yeah, ripping out the good book tonight admist coding and generalized psychomania

let the quantum psychosphere quake and crack

 

[Chaplain]

"We are obviously living in very bizarre times that have produced massive fear and confusion. On top of that, our society is drowning in a sea of lies, lies about virtually everything, and lies on top of fear and confusion create an almost fatal insecurity and a devastating chaos. We have little confidence in believing what politicians say or what health officials say or what social activists say or what university professors say or what media says or, frankly, what religious leaders say. We should only go to God for truth. We have been lied to so constantly. And there is One to whom we can turn and always hear the truth: that is to the living God who has revealed Himself on the pages of Scripture, the one true living God. " (7/5/20)

 

[Chaplain]

China requiring churches to praise communist government, sing national anthem in order to reopen after lockdown

"The church finally reopened after five months, 147 days, or 21 Sundays," the person said, "but instead of singing hymns to praise God, the government required us to raise the national flag and sing the national anthem, praising Xi Jinping's ‘victory in fighting the epidemic.' This is completely contrary to our belief." (7/4/20)

 

[Tesseract]

imagine being a satanist who wants the world to fall into ruin

think about what kind of person that is, the trap doors they set for others

crush their metaphysical spines with the furious might of the holy spirit's kaioken

 

[Tesseract]

I'm sorry I haven't given an update. There are very good reasons that I am not allowed to at this time. But all of your prayers have been felt. I assure you.

any updates, m8?

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

any updates, m8?

Sorry bro, still not allowed to just yet. It will become very apparent why when I finally do. Thank you for asking and keep the prayers coming. It means a lot.

 

[Tesseract]

Sorry bro, still not allowed to just yet. It will become very apparent why when I finally do. Thank you for asking and keep the prayers coming. It means a lot.

will do, massive prayer bombs and blessings

 

[VN1X]

Oh funny running into a fellow Metalhead here Tesseract (at least I assume you are?).

Anyway Athiest here, going on agnostic but actually even going on to believe there is far more evidence suggestion that there is in fact a creator and "design" rather than everything just exploding into existence because reasons. It's been a somewhat weird experience for me as I've always maintained there is no God. I was all about Cristopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Karen Armstrong, etc and couldn't even entertain the idea that a God could have created such a cruel world such as this one but recently I've been questioning this belief more and more. I've been 'raised' a Catholic (I say 'raised' but even that would be overstating it immensely lol) so I have some experience with going to church but I don't think organised religion is the answer for me. I don't know if any of you are familiar with Marty Leeds (of Martyleeds33 fame) but him along with plenty of other sources have sort of set me on this path in trying to find God.

My question is... now what do I do?

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Oh funny running into a fellow Metalhead here Tesseract (at least I assume you are?).

Anyway Athiest here, going on agnostic but actually even going on to believe there is far more evidence suggestion that there is in fact a creator and "design" rather than everything just exploding into existence because reasons. It's been a somewhat weird experience for me as I've always maintained there is no God. I was all about Cristopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Karen Armstrong, etc and couldn't even entertain the idea that a God could have created such a cruel world such as this one but recently I've been questioning this belief more and more. I've been 'raised' a Catholic (I say 'raised' but even that would be overstating it immensely lol) so I have some experience with going to church but I don't think organised religion is the answer for me. I don't know if any of you are familiar with Marty Leeds (of Martyleeds33 fame) but him along with plenty of other sources have sort of set me on this path in trying to find God.

My question is... now what do I do?

There Is A God by Anthony Flew is worth reading. He does not ascribe to any religion (at least not as of the book) but went from atheist to theist. In my experience, the path to God can be just as intellectual as it is emotional/spiritual. Cling to your doubt and be skeptical, but if there's "someone" out there, that "someone" would surely listen? Otherwise, what's the point of getting mucked in theism in the first place? A far-off, disinterested being is -- functionally -- the same as that being not existing at all. The simple prayer "God, help me with my unbelief" is enough.

 

[Airola]

Oh funny running into a fellow Metalhead here Tesseract (at least I assume you are?).


My question is... now what do I do?

Start listening to amazing Christian metal bands like my favorite band of all time, Tourniquet

Spoiler: Lyrics

Vision from the past
As you see yourself floating to shore
Tragedy that the water depth wasn't
Three feet more
Diving from the cliff
Never thought it would come to this
Incoherent utterance
"Don't move the body like this"

Years later in the metal chair
Passing day after day
Bitterness permeates everything I do and say
What kind of God would do a thing like this?
Ruin my life
God's got a funny sense of humor
When it comes to strife
The way, mind and heart of God
Are certainly mysterious
"My plans are not your plans"
But remember this
That everything I do I do in love
To bring you closer to me
No matter what your problems or
Circumstances happen to be

When you put away bitterness
You will see what you have missed

Spoiler: Lyrics

The fallacy impinging on mankind
Prevalent throughout aeons
Good and evil equally matched
Sicker yet, that perniciousness will reign

Satan, a dog on a leash
Subject to the will and restrictions of the Father
Incommensurate

Lucifer, Mephistopheles, the Serpent, Belial
Brought to life by the great I AM as an angel of light
Pride, his downfall, cast down from Heaven
Cursed to eat the dust of the earth

The tempter was created by a God you deem fictitious
In a book that you call lies
Make up your mind
Prevaricator, larcenist, blinder of the world
Deceiving fallen man into knowledge of the damned

Obvious now, the notion absurd
Incommensurate
The leash is short but not for long
Permanent incarceration imminent

Agnus dei, the lamb of God defeated sin and grave
His death and resurrection
His plan in sovereign grace

Why el diablo que los engañaba fue lanzado al lago
De fuego why azufre, donde tambien
Estan la bestia why el falso profeta
Why alli seran atormentados dia why noche
Por los siglos de los siglos

 

[Tesseract]

Oh funny running into a fellow Metalhead here Tesseract (at least I assume you are?).

Anyway Athiest here, going on agnostic but actually even going on to believe there is far more evidence suggestion that there is in fact a creator and "design" rather than everything just exploding into existence because reasons. It's been a somewhat weird experience for me as I've always maintained there is no God. I was all about Cristopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Karen Armstrong, etc and couldn't even entertain the idea that a God could have created such a cruel world such as this one but recently I've been questioning this belief more and more. I've been 'raised' a Catholic (I say 'raised' but even that would be overstating it immensely lol) so I have some experience with going to church but I don't think organised religion is the answer for me. I don't know if any of you are familiar with Marty Leeds (of Martyleeds33 fame) but him along with plenty of other sources have sort of set me on this path in trying to find God.

My question is... now what do I do?

pick up a bible and read, not much else to it

pray, follow the commandments, be good and honest to your fellow man

watch some lectures, i'll always suggest dr. charles stanley until the end of time

don't worry about church and all that, most cases you'll end up disappointed

(metal rocks)