Debunking the debunking of Jesus (Part 1)

It saddens me today that so much of what we see and read on the Internet is 'assumed' true just because it's on the net.  As we've heard the sarcastic cliché time and time again, "Hey, if it's on the Internet, it must be true."

Faith and belief go hand in hand, and at times the 'world truths' (anything but) will contradict the bible and proclaim their own truths instead of the inspired Word of God.  But that's human nature, and it's not going to change, so we have to resign ourselves to hoping and trusting that the beliefs we have accepted are in fact, the truth.

Salon.com, (a fairly liberal webzine), has recently published an article ('lo and behold, just prior to Easter...of course) on the 9 things you think you know about Jesus are probably wrong.  I note that they use the word 'probably' as to allow themselves some modicum or wiggle-room and plausible deniability if the heat gets too hot, but in this day and age, the world doesn't care about the truth.  Especially when the truth is inconvenient to our egotistical and narcissistic lifestyles.  But then again, that's what the enemy wants us to believe, that Jesus was not that special after all.  That Jesus was 'just' a man, and not THE savior of mankind, and/or divine.

Out of the 9 points they raise, some of them are in fact no big deal and does not diminish Jesus' divinity or message, such as the length of his hair, or how tall he wasn't (meaning He was probably short, as most Jewish men at that time were). 

But others are straight out blasphemy (IMHO), but are discussed in such a manner that they don't appear to be a big deal to the human race of 2015.  But in fact, they do contradict biblical verses.  And if we accept that there are contradictions in the bible, the inspired Word of God, then the next logical step is to say "The bible has untruth in it, so it cannot be taken seriously." Well, since God does not lie, nor does he actively attempt to deceive people (that would be against His own nature), then we as readers and followers of God cannot accept these contradictions as truths.

One of the points made was that the 12 numbered disciples were based on the number of astronomical signs, as in the 12 signs of the zodiac.  What?  The author goes on about the number possibly coming from the 12 Olympian gods, or the 12 sons of Odin, or the 12 successors to Mohammed, and just a mention of 'possibly' representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

So why do I debunk this?  The bible clearly states numerous times in the Old Testament that man should avoid anything that dabbles in the occult, magicians, astrologers, stargazers, prognosticators, soothsayers, etc. (you get the gist).  I won't list all the verses line by line, word for word, but here's a list of scriptures that should actively get you away from the connections of the zodiac:

• Duet 18:9-12
• Daniel 4:7
• Levi 19:31
• Dan 2:27-28
• Duet 4:19
• Isaiah 47:12-15
• Jer 10:2-3
• Micah 5:12
• Levi 19:26
• Levi 20:6

If you do take the time to read these, and take them to heart, the bible and Jesus state numerous times that no-one knows or can foretell their destiny.  That taking your eyes and heart and focus off of Him and instead investing time, money, and energy into other sources is not only foolish, but generally concludes with bad results.

And if the verses above don't directly speak to you, then perhaps His first commandment will: "Thou shall not have any other gods before me."  This refers to idols.  ALL idols; the physical, the spiritual, the intrinsic and non-intrinsic.  Do you not think the stars (or astrology) can be an idol(s)?  Of course they can be.  If you look upon the sky and place favor on celestial body positioning and let that guide your decisions, you are in-fact placing these created heavenly bodies (made by the Creator Himself) into a higher position than God Himself.  Even if you are not 'worshipping' said stars, you are indeed taking supplication to an idol.  Sure, God created the stars and mankind has used these heavenly bodies to mark time and location.  They have helped travelers sail the seas, adventures get their bearings, have marked planting and harvesting seasons, and more.  But they were created by Him to be used as tools, not for divination.

Satan uses these same tools, but for corruption.  He takes the well intended and warps them in any way he can to, once again, take your eyes off of God...to sow doubt...to have you place your faith (and ultimately your soul) into anything but salvation.

This is a broken world, and here is why.

I saw a Facebook post earlier today from the page "F*** it, let's all have a beer."

The post was from a man who claimed to have grown up in the Catholic church, who has stated that since he has seen how the Islamic terrorist group ISIS has set a Jordanian pilot on fire, despite all his praying, there cannot be a God.

Well, he probably didn't come to that conclusion based on that one death.  I think we can all agree that there are horrible deaths, injustices, diseases (i.e. Ebola, HIV, etc.), geo-political issues that result in genocide or war on a daily basis. 

We are much more aware of this stuff today because we live in the information age.  There is Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, 24hr news cycles, and the like.  These technologies, while seemingly modern marvels brings our world closer together with every passing day.  Things aren't 'off the radar' anymore like they were even 10 years ago, let alone a generation or two, or even a century.

World census estimates that in 2015 there are approx. 7 billion people on this planet now.  In 1970, it was estimated at around 3.7 billion, and in 1950, it was closer to 2.55 billion.  Suffice to say that in the last 50 years, the population of this earth has doubled.  With it brings a lot of evil.

You cannot deny that evil doesn't seem more prevalent today than ever before.  It's not that evil never existed before now, it was just never as exposed with all this social media.  We also have twice the amount of people running around this planet today than when our parents were children.  7 billion unique individuals all with their own agendas, egos, pride, sins, etc.

I understand why people might think there is no God.  Even in my own family, I have older relatives that have said "If there is a God, why all this hurt?  Why all this suffering?  Why all this evil and turmoil, and war?"  These are people who were raised in church as well, and now question God and His seemingly hands-off attitude towards mankind.

I admit, I'd be lying if I didn't wonder why God doesn't show His hand a lot more like he seemingly did in the Old Testament.  But that's precisely my point.  He corrected mankind more than a few times in the OT (The great flood, Sodom & Gomorrah, the plagues of Egypt, to name a few) and yet we still reject Him, blame Him, turn our back on Him.  We want Him out of our schools, our marriages, our politics, our communities, and then have the audacity to bitch and complain when the world looks as if it is going to 'hell in a hand basket'.

Well, which is it?  Do you want Him, or not?  Remember, He didn't turn His back on us.  We walked out on Him.

He gave His only son, Jesus Christ....who taught love and kindness...to the wolves of the world, as a savior, and the world instead mocked, ridiculed, whipped, beat, and crucified Him.  They did all this to a homeless man, with no worldly possessions, no wife, no child.....who taught peace, humbleness, love, forgiveness, kindness, compassion.  And somehow the world was offended by this.  The world in it's infinite wisdom, self-appointed superior morality and intellect, decided they new better than Christ.  Yeah, because the world was doing such a bang up job before hand based on their prior decisions.

So all this previous writing (above) is leading up to my main thrust today.  If there is an all loving God, then why is this world is such dire straights?

Because this world, the one that we temporarily inhabit is under the domain of Satan.  And even the best Christians (that includes Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Born Again, etc.) all seem to forget this.

So how is Satan the 'god' of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)?

Well, I think I found a decent answer.  I'm taking this from another site, so it's not my words verbatim, but echoes what I think, but anyways.....

Answer: The phrase “god of this world” (or “god of this age”) indicates that Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of the majority of people. His influence also encompasses the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions.

Satan is also called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2. He is the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31. These titles and many more signify Satan’s capabilities. To say, for example, that Satan is the "prince of the power of the air" is to signify that in some way he rules over the world and the people in it.

This is not to say that he rules the world completely; God is still sovereign. But it does mean that God, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed Satan to operate in this world within the boundaries God has set for him. When the Bible says Satan has power over the world, we must remember that God has given him domain over unbelievers only. Believers are no longer under the rule of Satan (Colossians 1:13). Unbelievers, on the other hand, are caught "in the snare of the devil" (2 Timothy 2:26), lie in the "power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19), and are in bondage to Satan (Ephesians 2:2).

So, when the Bible says that Satan is the "god of this world," it is not saying that he has ultimate authority. It is conveying the idea that Satan rules over the unbelieving world in a specific way. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, the unbeliever follows Satan's agenda: "The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." Satan's scheme includes promoting false philosophies in the world—philosophies that blind the unbeliever to the truth of the Gospel. Satan’s philosophies are the fortresses in which people are imprisoned, and they must be set free by Christ.

An example of one such false philosophy is the belief that man can earn God's favor by a certain act or acts. In almost every false religion, meriting God’s favor or earning eternal life is a predominant theme. Earning salvation by works, however, is contrary to biblical revelation. Man cannot work to earn God's favor; eternal life is a free gift (see Ephesians 2:8-9). And that free gift is available through Jesus Christ and Him alone (John 3:16; 14:6). You may ask why mankind does not simply receive the free gift of salvation (John 1:12). The answer is that Satan—the god of this world—has tempted mankind to follow his pride instead. Satan sets the agenda, the unbelieving world follows, and mankind continues to be deceived. It is no wonder that Scripture calls Satan a liar (John 8:44).

Trying to understand Thanksgiving

I don't want or intend this to a be a downer entry, but it is November and of course Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

But I'm having a difficult time being 'Thankful' for a lot of things.

In fact, a quick rundown in my head of a typical pro/con list tends to make me feel...'meh' at best.

Oh sure, I could say I'm thankful for the typical things:

• Employment
• My dog
• My overall health
• My friendships
• My girlfriend (more on that later)
• Etc., Etc..

But there have been a few things I'm not necessarily thankful for.

My Uncle just passed away at the age 75 two days ago.  He was my dad's older brother.  He wasn't in the best of shape, (truth be told....he didn't take care of himself very much the last few years) and was on borrowed time of his own making the last few years.  I imagine he is in a better place right now, but leaves behind his wife, three children (my cousins), and three grandchildren.

This is the 3rd family death I've had this year.

My grandmother (mom's mom) died last October, and my grandfather (mom's dad) passed back in February.  My family is getting smaller, and those that are left aren't getting any younger.

While I'm thankful for my job, it generally leaves me unchallenged, unsatisfied, and unmotivated.  But alas, I have alimony and a house payment, and a myriad of bills that requires me to stay.  Not to mention they pay me well, and overall it's not that stressful.

My health is for the most part okay, however, at my age I have started to develop an enlarged prostate and although my PSA look great (i.e. no prostate cancer), I tend to go to the restroom a lot more frequently which now requires me to take Flomax (which has other side effects).  Every evening when I take that pill, it is a reminder that our bodies are meant to last, and slowly but surely, my body is breaking down and someday it will just quit like everyone else's no matter what I do.

While I have great friends, parents who love me, a family in my church, and a new girlfriend who appears to care for me quite deeply, I still just feel stagnant and in a rut.

While I can happily say I've been off anti-depressants now for about a year, it doesn't mean everything is still rosy and peachy.  I still have an occasional dream about my ex-wife,.  Unexpected bills creep up for the house or car.  My dog is starting to slow down.  It doesn't seem like I have a lot of time to do the hobbies I once enjoyed.

That last point really bothers me.

I don't 'seem' to have the time to partake in the hobbies I once enjoyed.  Whose to blame for that?  Me?  Probably.  It's easy to say "Well, it's up to you to *make* the time."  Yeah, but I get easily distracted, and there always seems to be one last chore to do.  And even if I do that, them I remember something else...or just get plain 'too damn tired'.

My girlfriend will be going out of state this year to visit her parents for Thanksgiving.  My aunt and uncle that live about 2.5 hours away won't be coming down. So it'll be another year of me, my mom, and my dad....sitting around a small table staring at a Turkey.  The exact opposite of all those Hallmark TV movies in which the whole family made up of multiple generations squeeze around fold up tables full of laughter and stories and drink and playing football in the front yard.

What am I passionate about?

This question was posed to me about a month ago during an online application I was filling out, and as always, I strive to provide the most honest and true response that I can. 

However, after thinking about it for a few minutes, I had to stop the application and walk away.  I was hoping that if I gave it a few hours, or went about and did something else for a bit, that perhaps later on something prevalant would come to me.

Well, as I stated in my first sentence here, it's been about a month....and I can't think of one darn thing I am actually passionate about.

I mean, I have a lot of likes and interests...but passions?

From Merriam-Webster:

pas·sion

: a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something
: a strong feeling (such as anger) that causes you to act in a dangerous way

: a strong sexual or romantic feeling for someone

 

In the context of the question posed to me, it wasn't about sexuality, but probably more along the lines of a hobby or interest that I could engage in by myself or with someone else that I would find pleasurable and/or excited.

 

But many of the things I really enjoy are outside the socially accepted norm for someone my age.  I enjoy comic books, video games, science fiction, detective and war novels, and model building...but I'm not sure that is understanding to a lot of people, especially for a guy in his mid-forties.

 

I like barbeques, brewing my own beer, making my own sausage, and gourmet cooking (especially my own).  I love tex-mex, spicy food, good sushi, and anything chipotle.  I enjoy classic crooners, old skool rap, jazz, and modern electronica/dance.  I love my dog, working out at the gym, road trips with my friends, and various artistic endeavors.  I like collecting things, good strategy games, politics, and cliffhangers.

 

I love the Lord, my parents, my good friends, romance, 'true love', and more.

 

I could go on and on.

 

But am I passionate to any of these?

 

I honestly don't know.  I have various degrees of excitement that seem to ebb and flow with each of these on a day to day basis, but I can't really pick one that tops all others.

 

Again, in the context of the original question, it simply asked "What are you passionate about?", assuming someone wants to get to know you better.

 

And yet, here I sit, stymied.  Do I have enough passion to muster for just 'one' things, or do I suffer from my own brand of ADHD, in which I have mild passion for numerous things.  It's like going to a restaraunt and have a menu 50 pages long with 100 entries on each page...while you are hungry...and everything is made from a 5 star chef...and it could possibly be your very last meal?  I simply can't choose.

 

Is that an acceptable answer?  Can I answer by not committing to one thing, but to a dozen or more?