Thursday, May 31, 2007

"Why Is Mr. Harris So Angry?"


Amongst helping my two sons with their tons of homework, and studying for my final exams, I finally got to finish reading Sam Harris' little rant of a book, "Letter to a Christian Nation." I'm not an eloquent writer by no means so let me get through all the fluff and get straight to the point by responding to some of his flare ups and assertions.

Page viii: “...to arm secularists in our society, who believe that religion should be kept out of public policy, against their opponents on the Christian Right.”
So, Hollywood is not enough to "arm secularists..." with films like "The DaVinci Code", "Deliver Us From Evil", "Jesus Camp", Bill Mahr and his rants? What about Rosie O'Donnell and her kind words towards Christians? Then there is the government public school system in unity with the ACLU and the leftist controlled universities. Mr. Harris, isn't that enough to "arm secularists"?

Page X "...nature offers no compelling evidence for an intelligent designer..."
In order to have evidence, one must presuppose logic and reason. So let's back track, as an atheist, how does Mr. Harris account for logic and reason if his worldview believes we're all products of random processes and molecules-in-motion?

Page 4: "There are Christians who have no fear of hell and who do not believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus."
Seems like Mr. Harris has been asleep at the wheel of his studies of the bible. A follower of Christ should not fear hell because they've been saved from it...along with all who call upon the name of Christ—1 John 1:9. Furthermore, a "Christian" who does not believe in the physical resurrection, is not a Christian. Belief in the resurrection is one of the major tenets of Christianity (1 Cor 15:12-16).

moving on...
Page 30: “The naive idea of souls in a Petri dish is intellectually indefensible..."
Mr. Harris, Christians also believe that souls in a Petri dish is intellectually indefensible and to add, just plain wrong.

And in closing, if you've read this book, I challenge you to balance Mr. Harris' worldview rant by reading, "Letter from a Christian Nation", by Douglas Wilson. Mr. Wilson cleverly states, "It's a lengthy rant. It has all the charm of a gas station bathroom."

In closing, if all us humans are just products of evolution and bags of molecules and such, then we're all like ice cold soda from bottles freshly opened. The atheist's soda foam fizzes just as much as the Christian's soda foam fizzes—our brain cells are reacting differently.
I can't wait for his next book, "Letter to a Santa Clause Nation".

Friday, May 25, 2007

Will No Child Be "Left Behind?"


As I was at Wal*Mart the other night shopping for a few household items with my offspring, I always like to visit to the newly revised book section. I couldn't help notice all the Christian Fiction books. Particularly, the soap opera series known as "Left Behind" by Time LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. I know, I know, the book states that its to be taken as fiction and the authors should be allowed some artistic license. However, that defense flies out the window as soon as the authors start quoting scripture to support their theory of the "secret" Rapture. Especially if non-Christians reading these books believe it's story line is what all Children of God believe.

Will billions of Christians disappear without a trace or be "silently" Raptured? Where is that supported in the Bible? My Bible says in 1 Thess 4:16,17 that, "the Lord descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the VOICE of the archangel and the TRUMPET of God..." (Caps to emphasize). And Rev 1:7 states that "...every eye shall see Him".


Silent? I think not.

Secondly, Peter and Paul use the same term "Thief in the night" (2nd Peter 3:10; 1 Thess 5:2) to describe the day of the Lord. Is the Rapture and the day of the Lord all one event? I guess that's a related question to the Rapture. Peter goes on further in 2nd Peter 3:11 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

Thirdly, 1 Cor 15:23, 24 Paul states that after Christ's coming, then comes the END. And in the Greek, the word "end" actually means that...END.

Wait, that leads to another related question to the Rapture. Where does that leave room for the Seven Year Tribulation? Peter states that everything is "going to burn" thereafter [when Christ returns]. Then Paul states that after Christ's coming, then comes the end (1 Cor 15:23, 24 )
Again, where is this Seven Year Tribulation after the Rapture, chapter and verse in the New Testament? There's more. Later, Paul wrote that in the "Twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound...." There's that trumpet sound again we read about earlier. Paul, between 1 Thess and 1 Cor 15 gives us all the details we need to know about Christ's return, "then comes the end".
Is this Seven Year Tribulation something I'm supposed to read into Eschatology just because a series of books has popularized it? Is it a matter of doctrinal tolerance? Is it "Replacement Theology" as some might assert?

I think not.

I guess it's based on your hermeneutic of the Old Testament book of Daniel, Chapt 9:24-27. That's for another blog entry at another time. Stay tuned.

Just being a Berrean.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Why Isn't the Bible Taught In Public Schools?


Ah...but it is! At least in Texas.
Senate OKs Bible course in public schools

"High schools will be able to offer elective Bible ourses under a bill approved Wednesday by the Texas Senate. The measure now goes to Governor Rick Perry.

Representative Warren Chisum of Pampa originally wanted to require high schools to offer the elective courses. But the..." READ MORE

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

What's A Christian Blog Doing Here?


Blogs Becoming More Popular Outlet for Christian Voice

"They allow Christians to come together to share their ideas with one another without feeling judged and under pressure,..." READ MORE

Monday, May 21, 2007

Are Embedded Microchips the "Mark of the Beast"?


Greetings. I found this interesting article on American Vision's website regarding the "Mark of the Beast" mentioned in the Bible. After some quick study, I found that many translations say "Upon" or "On' the forehead and not "in" the forehead as the KJV reads. The article states, "The Greek preposition epi (“upon”), not en (“in”), is used twice in Revelation 13:16 to describe where the mark was to be placed. Epi (επι) is best translated as “on” or “upon.” This is why the passage states that the mark was to be given “on [επι] their right hand or on [επι] their forehead,” not“in [εν] their right hand or in [εν] their forehead.”

What do you think?

Saturday, May 19, 2007

"God is my answer to every Question".


Yearbook flap over mention of God turns into lesson
Talk focuses on censorship of religion
Doug Carroll
The Arizona Republic
May. 18, 2007 10:31 AM

Thursday, May 17, 2007

What Is A Fetus?


At the end of this post entry, is a link to a short audio clip I got from Laura Ingraham's website where she verbally corners Elizabeth Toledo, a representative from Planned Parenthood on the great question, "What Is A Fetus?"

As you'll hear, the pro-abortion rep spins and spins around at the question. But as she does, Ms Ingraham continues to press her with the following questions, "Is it approaching life, is it life at any particular juncture of that 9 month period, does it assume rights, human rights, civil rights, any types of rights at any point in that 9 month period or only when the child is physically born?"

Once Ms Toledo finally gets to point of answering the question, you won't believe her response! (At the end of the clip)

Click here to listen; Is it a fetus or not?

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Rev. Jerry Falwell :•|


SPECIAL POST (Going against the "one question only" policy)
Just a word to pay respect to the Reverend Jerry Falwell. And my prayers go out to his family, church and the students and staff at Liberty University. As I was doing my homework tonight, I had on CNN's News coverage of Falwell's death in the background (young people, don't follow my bad habit doing homework with the TV on). Anyway, I heard several news reporters and people being interviewed from across the nation cry about how he was a "lightning rod", "controversial", and a man that "spewed hate speech". I swear, I thought maybe a documentary on Louis Farrakhan was being aired. Growing up, I remember seeing his show, "The Old Time Gospel Hour", with that patented blue-robbed choir in the background being on every Sunday morning as I got ready for church.

His strong views were often misinterpreted as hate speech. As Dr. James Dobson, president of Focus on the Family commented on CNN's Larry King, "Rev. Falwell was just reading what the scriptures said. And many misinterpret that as hate speech". Anytime you read from God's word to through the leftist media to our post-modern culture, you too will be labeled as "hater" or "controversial". Dr. Dobson also noted his impact on Christianity and society. "But his legacy will be his love of Jesus Christ". Many Christians may not have agreed with Rev. Falwell's outspoken style, but they need to put away their Christian milk and cookies worldview and start cooking with gas-metaphorically speaking.

Rev Jerry Falwell, was a man of courage, a man of boldness, and most importantly, a man of God. And I pray that I'm at least half the man that Rev. Jerry Falwell was.

Was it a Snake or a Serpent?


My son Jamie asked me today, "Dad, I thought a snake deceived Eve. But today in class, we read that it was a sepent". I said, "Son, That's A GREAT Question!" Well, it turns out that the Hebrew word for Serpent is "nachash" which also means snake. Here are a few links about the serpent recorded In Genesis Chapter 3.

Q: Some people try to discredit Genesis by saying snakes don’t eat dust, as Genesis 3:14 claims. So is the Bible in error? (Source: AnswersinGenesis.org)

The Methodology of Satan
(Source: Rev. Matt Slick of Carm.org)

Talking serpents? Tree of Knowledge? Well, if you don't have a problem with, "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth," then you shouldn't have a problem with the rest of God's word.