Today brings more great CHANGE to the country! In addition to Obama's using our tax dollars to fund forced abortions and population control worldwide, Nancy Pelosi offers no apologies for proposing $87 BILLION for "contraception, (which) will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government. No apologies. No. We have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy." We have to deal with the consequences?? By reducing the number of babies??? Sounds a bit like population control is coming to our country!
We're mighty proud to have the newest member of the Obama cabinet confirmed today - a tax evader as head of the Treasury Department! What a novel approach!
What CHANGE will he delight us with tomorrow??
Monday, January 26, 2009
You Were Chosen to Be Born for This Time!
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their habitation...Acts 17:24
Our heavenly Father determined long ago when and where each of us would be born, and He appointed each one of us to this very time. We are living in the end times, and we could very well have the antichrist at the helm, and our Lord chose this time for us!
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour...1 John 2:18
Whether Obama is THE Antichrist or not, he is certainly an antichrist, as he is hailed all over the world as the "the One", a political messiah who will heal us, and Hollywood stars are pledging allegiance to the man himself and asking us to do likewise. And how do we really know a man? Jesus told us in Matthew 7:20, we would know him by his fruits. Even if you choose to disregard everything he has done and said before, Obama gave us fruit we can observe as President his first week. Whereas our Lord warned about hands full of blood that reach out to Him and of land polluted with innocent shed blood that cries out to Him, Obama, in one of his very first acts as President, opened the floodgates of murder to millions of innocent babies worldwide, and many as part of forced population control, with his repealing of the Mexico City Policy. Seems like a pretty blatant ANTI-messiah act to me!
As Mordecai told Esther in the Old Testament book bearing her name, "who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Have we come to our respective kingdoms at this particular time for such a time as this? What an awesome thought! And what responsibility! What will we do with this time He appointed for us? Well, for one thing, the scripture in Acts above doesn't end there. It continues in verses 25 and 26 with...That they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from every one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being...
He created us now to seek after Him, GROPE after Him, "for in Him we live and move and have our being", and furthermore it continues in the same verse, "for we are...His offspring". And as His offspring, groping after Him, living in Him, should we not seek to be more like Him? And we are to do that in this time He chose especially for us! Awesome!
Our heavenly Father determined long ago when and where each of us would be born, and He appointed each one of us to this very time. We are living in the end times, and we could very well have the antichrist at the helm, and our Lord chose this time for us!
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour...1 John 2:18
Whether Obama is THE Antichrist or not, he is certainly an antichrist, as he is hailed all over the world as the "the One", a political messiah who will heal us, and Hollywood stars are pledging allegiance to the man himself and asking us to do likewise. And how do we really know a man? Jesus told us in Matthew 7:20, we would know him by his fruits. Even if you choose to disregard everything he has done and said before, Obama gave us fruit we can observe as President his first week. Whereas our Lord warned about hands full of blood that reach out to Him and of land polluted with innocent shed blood that cries out to Him, Obama, in one of his very first acts as President, opened the floodgates of murder to millions of innocent babies worldwide, and many as part of forced population control, with his repealing of the Mexico City Policy. Seems like a pretty blatant ANTI-messiah act to me!
As Mordecai told Esther in the Old Testament book bearing her name, "who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Have we come to our respective kingdoms at this particular time for such a time as this? What an awesome thought! And what responsibility! What will we do with this time He appointed for us? Well, for one thing, the scripture in Acts above doesn't end there. It continues in verses 25 and 26 with...That they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from every one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being...
He created us now to seek after Him, GROPE after Him, "for in Him we live and move and have our being", and furthermore it continues in the same verse, "for we are...His offspring". And as His offspring, groping after Him, living in Him, should we not seek to be more like Him? And we are to do that in this time He chose especially for us! Awesome!
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Best and Most Genius Pro-Life Video I've Seen
Today Obama signed an order to force American taxpayers to fund groups that promote and pay for abortions worldwide. Obama's first act as President was to ban the torture of terrorists, but the torture of unborn innocent babies? Not so much. For all the so-called "Christian" Obama followers who twisted their minds into pretzels to rationalize that a vote for Obama was actually a vote to reduce the number of abortions because he "cares" and he'll "change" everything if you have the "audacity of hope", and because in his own words he said he would work to "reduce the number of abortions", what do you think about how quickly he broke that campaign promise? Now your tax dollars are being given to organizations around the world that promote abortion as a population-control method.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
On Inaugural Day 2009, "Let the Dead Bury Their Dead"
Today is a day of great mourning. As the Bible states in Proverbs 29:2, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn." This is not a case of sour grapes because my guy didn't win. Actually, I didn't really have a guy in the race; it was literally ABO, anybody but Obama. And that wasn't because of Obama's race, as the other side loves to throw up anytime anyone has anything critical to say of Obama. I would have voted for Clarence Thomas in a heartbeat! I would have voted for Michael Steele, Ken Blackwell, Alan Keyes, or Janice Rogers Brown. But not this guy, and it's solely because of his extreme views on moral issues. He stands for the taking of innocent human life in the womb without restriction. He stands for redefining marriage as no longer between one man and one woman. He is the single most liberal senator in Congress, which means he is for just about everything I'm against, and vice versa. Add to that, a theology that seems to elevate racial identity above the Gospel, and a whole host of corrupt and unethical political friends, who are now turning into presidential advisers and cabinet members! But the absolute scariest thing is the worship of this guy and the fact that his followers don't really care about the truth, only their perception of his ability to bring hope and change and salvation. And you can't comment to an Obama supporter anything critical about their savior without them snapping your head off; don't you dare question their idol, their hope, their messiah! The media protects him, nothing can touch him! Why, he's probably not even eligible to be POTUS, but his followers don't care! I am very glad that African Americans are so proud to have a black man as president, but doesn't it matter what kind of black man? If a black man stands for everything completely opposed to your values, can you still be "proud" of him? As a woman, it could have been exciting and it certainly would have been historical to have the first woman president, but if Hillary Clinton were that woman, I can promise you I would not be proud and I would not be celebrating! And once again, it's because of what she stands for. And if people actually like what Obama stands for, then that is tragic, because he is diametrically opposed to everything our Lord and Savior holds dear. If you can look past that and vote for him anyway for selfish reasons (because he's black) and selfish gain (because he'll give me benefits), then that's idol worship, pure and simple. God says to seek Him first and he'll take care of your needs. But this country has looked to a man. People have placed all their hopes and dreams on a man, and not a very righteous man, at that.
A friend said to me recently in essence that there was no sense preaching against Obama since none of his followers wanted to listen. The time to talk was when this country fails and falls, which it surely will, if it keeps on defying God, as it seems intent on doing. People seem more ready to listen and to reach out for God, and therefore truth, when they reach rock-bottom. I was reminded of a scripture today that really seems to fit. In Luke 9:60, Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." That is most appropriate for what is happening today. This new president and this "new era" that everyone is celebrating, stands for death and abomination to God. It is a perfect picture of the dead burying their dead, and it's because "they know not what they do". *sigh*
A friend said to me recently in essence that there was no sense preaching against Obama since none of his followers wanted to listen. The time to talk was when this country fails and falls, which it surely will, if it keeps on defying God, as it seems intent on doing. People seem more ready to listen and to reach out for God, and therefore truth, when they reach rock-bottom. I was reminded of a scripture today that really seems to fit. In Luke 9:60, Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." That is most appropriate for what is happening today. This new president and this "new era" that everyone is celebrating, stands for death and abomination to God. It is a perfect picture of the dead burying their dead, and it's because "they know not what they do". *sigh*
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Immediate Proof Positive
I just had to post one more comment. Immediately after my last post, I checked my email and there is another notice of the news that Obama has chosen the openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson, to deliver the invocation at a pre-inaugural event on Sunday on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In Gene Robinson's own words, he proved everything I said in the previous post. He said he had been reading inaugural prayers through history and was "horrified" at how "specifically and aggressively Christian they were." He states, "I am very clear that this will not be a Christian prayer, and I won't be quoting Scripture. The texts I hold as sacred are not sacred texts for all Americans, and I want all people to feel that this is their prayer." Robinson said he might address the prayer to "the god of our many understandings".
Well, he obviously won't be praying to the one and only true God of the universe! He has invented a god to hide behind so that he does not have to feel shameful about his sin. His god says he won't die in his sin; why, I'm sure he even feels elevated to a status of gods with his enlightened thinking! And after all, it's for those "other Americans" whom he wants to feel comfortable.
This is really very sad! Poor Gene Robinson! He doesn't have to feel shame. He can bring his sin to Jesus Christ, repent of it, have it covered by the blood of Christ, and he can become a new man and the Holy Spirit will give him truth and strength to resist his sin. But he chose to stay in it. He chose Satan. And his misery wants company. He must preach to the world that he is okay and he wants to take others with him. But we must guard our hearts against this deception. Let us pray for Gene Robinson and all the others who know not what they do because they are following that serpent of old.
Well, he obviously won't be praying to the one and only true God of the universe! He has invented a god to hide behind so that he does not have to feel shameful about his sin. His god says he won't die in his sin; why, I'm sure he even feels elevated to a status of gods with his enlightened thinking! And after all, it's for those "other Americans" whom he wants to feel comfortable.
This is really very sad! Poor Gene Robinson! He doesn't have to feel shame. He can bring his sin to Jesus Christ, repent of it, have it covered by the blood of Christ, and he can become a new man and the Holy Spirit will give him truth and strength to resist his sin. But he chose to stay in it. He chose Satan. And his misery wants company. He must preach to the world that he is okay and he wants to take others with him. But we must guard our hearts against this deception. Let us pray for Gene Robinson and all the others who know not what they do because they are following that serpent of old.
We're Still Listening to the Lies
In my Bible Study today, I was reading again about Adam and Eve's sin in the garden and was once again struck by the knowledge that Satan uses the same old tired tactics today that he used way back then. Sadly, because so many don't study their Bibles, they don't recognize that it is Satan to whom they are listening.
Consider Satan's first question to Eve: "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" He just wants to get her questioning the Word of God. At first she repeats what she has been told by God. But sly Satan reads more into it: "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." There must be an ulterior motive behind God's command that you not eat of that good tree! You won't really die! He just knows that if you eat it, you will be like Him! Oh, the ways that lie is still being spun today! The religion according to Oprah and Obama and most of the Mensas, you know, the really smart and enlightened ones, the ones with evolved thinking, still believe the same old tired lie that they can defy God's commands and they won't die, and that they can even be as gods, enlightened beings, one with the universe, and all that goes with that lie.
Oh, it did sound good to Eve, as it sounds good to us today. But we're never content to sin alone; we always want to take someone with us. There's safety in numbers, right? If everyone does it, it will somehow be okay. So Eve gave some to her husband, just as so many foist their sins on us and our culture and tell us it's okay. Adam and Eve knew they were wrong and they tried to cover their shame - just as society tries to cover our corporate shame with twisted truth and wicked laws that say it's okay to murder innocent babies, it's okay to accept and promote homosexuality, and it's okay to worship the earth and its creations, all in the name of a "greater good". Liberals seek to cover their shame with corrupt laws that pretend to make it all okay. They must hide from God because He knows the truth. That is the reason they must get God out of the public square; that is the reason they must silence those intolerant pesky Christians who seek to remind them what God really said. When we are reminded what He really said, we are quick to blame someone else, usually someone who is even worse, so that we don't look so bad: And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me; she gave me of the tree, and I ate." I get tickled at this line, because not only does Adam blame the woman, but he even blames God! The woman YOU gave to me; SHE gave it to me!
And of course, Eve blames the serpent. How many times, as Christians, do we hear brothers and sisters in Christ blaming Satan? But Eve had all the control over what she did. She could have listened to God and adhered to His command, but instead she chose to listen to Satan. Why, oh why, are Christians still listening to his lies today? Why do we find it so much easier to accept a false truth in the lies than we do to stand firm in the knowledge of the only real truth, God's truth? No matter what we tell ourselves about why we do it, to be more tolerant or loving (it's only a pretense of loving), if it goes against the Word of God, it's wrong, plain and simple! And if you choose to go against it, you are following the serpent of old. True, he is cunning, and smarter than Oprah and the Mensas, so that is why it is necessary to guard our hearts and stay in the Word of God, so we will recognize the deception when it comes.
Don't lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart...Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Psalm 4:21 & 23
Consider Satan's first question to Eve: "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" He just wants to get her questioning the Word of God. At first she repeats what she has been told by God. But sly Satan reads more into it: "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." There must be an ulterior motive behind God's command that you not eat of that good tree! You won't really die! He just knows that if you eat it, you will be like Him! Oh, the ways that lie is still being spun today! The religion according to Oprah and Obama and most of the Mensas, you know, the really smart and enlightened ones, the ones with evolved thinking, still believe the same old tired lie that they can defy God's commands and they won't die, and that they can even be as gods, enlightened beings, one with the universe, and all that goes with that lie.
Oh, it did sound good to Eve, as it sounds good to us today. But we're never content to sin alone; we always want to take someone with us. There's safety in numbers, right? If everyone does it, it will somehow be okay. So Eve gave some to her husband, just as so many foist their sins on us and our culture and tell us it's okay. Adam and Eve knew they were wrong and they tried to cover their shame - just as society tries to cover our corporate shame with twisted truth and wicked laws that say it's okay to murder innocent babies, it's okay to accept and promote homosexuality, and it's okay to worship the earth and its creations, all in the name of a "greater good". Liberals seek to cover their shame with corrupt laws that pretend to make it all okay. They must hide from God because He knows the truth. That is the reason they must get God out of the public square; that is the reason they must silence those intolerant pesky Christians who seek to remind them what God really said. When we are reminded what He really said, we are quick to blame someone else, usually someone who is even worse, so that we don't look so bad: And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me; she gave me of the tree, and I ate." I get tickled at this line, because not only does Adam blame the woman, but he even blames God! The woman YOU gave to me; SHE gave it to me!
And of course, Eve blames the serpent. How many times, as Christians, do we hear brothers and sisters in Christ blaming Satan? But Eve had all the control over what she did. She could have listened to God and adhered to His command, but instead she chose to listen to Satan. Why, oh why, are Christians still listening to his lies today? Why do we find it so much easier to accept a false truth in the lies than we do to stand firm in the knowledge of the only real truth, God's truth? No matter what we tell ourselves about why we do it, to be more tolerant or loving (it's only a pretense of loving), if it goes against the Word of God, it's wrong, plain and simple! And if you choose to go against it, you are following the serpent of old. True, he is cunning, and smarter than Oprah and the Mensas, so that is why it is necessary to guard our hearts and stay in the Word of God, so we will recognize the deception when it comes.
Don't lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart...Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Psalm 4:21 & 23
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people."
John Adams, the second United States President, said: “We have no government armed in power capable of contending in human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”
As I watch one by one the addition of Obama's questionable and even corrupt cabinet members, after getting to know his terrorist, Socialist, US hating, and thug advisors and mentors, with the mainstream media and his followers and supporters not the least bit concerned, I feel there is no hope for this country. How on earth can our US constitution made ONLY for a moral and religious people survive in a country where its leaders are all corrupt liars and worse and the majority of its people don't care? Obama himself most probably is not even eligible to be president of the United States. If he was, why wouldn't he just show the proof to the hundreds of thousands of people he is to serve who want to know? Wouldn't that be a great act of transparency and go a long way to gain the trust of those he is to serve? But he would prefer to spend millions to keep them from seeing it. But what's a constitutional provision to one so corrupt? "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people."
Additionally, Obama wants permanently unlimited abortion with the Freedom of Choice Act and he supports homosexuality.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD...Psalm 33:12
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Psalm 9:17
"And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it." Jeremiah 18:9-10
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly...2 Peter 2:6
Why can't people see? Why can't Christians see? After all, the people who don't believe God's words are fools:
Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; no one does good! Psalm 14:1
So who cares what they think? But how can Christians support Obama?
We should pray for him and all his administration and for those who blindly follow him, that their hearts be turned to the Lord to do His will.
As I watch one by one the addition of Obama's questionable and even corrupt cabinet members, after getting to know his terrorist, Socialist, US hating, and thug advisors and mentors, with the mainstream media and his followers and supporters not the least bit concerned, I feel there is no hope for this country. How on earth can our US constitution made ONLY for a moral and religious people survive in a country where its leaders are all corrupt liars and worse and the majority of its people don't care? Obama himself most probably is not even eligible to be president of the United States. If he was, why wouldn't he just show the proof to the hundreds of thousands of people he is to serve who want to know? Wouldn't that be a great act of transparency and go a long way to gain the trust of those he is to serve? But he would prefer to spend millions to keep them from seeing it. But what's a constitutional provision to one so corrupt? "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people."
Additionally, Obama wants permanently unlimited abortion with the Freedom of Choice Act and he supports homosexuality.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD...Psalm 33:12
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Psalm 9:17
"And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it." Jeremiah 18:9-10
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly...2 Peter 2:6
Why can't people see? Why can't Christians see? After all, the people who don't believe God's words are fools:
Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; no one does good! Psalm 14:1
So who cares what they think? But how can Christians support Obama?
We should pray for him and all his administration and for those who blindly follow him, that their hearts be turned to the Lord to do His will.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Theater Shuts Down Criticism of Michael Moore
A movie about the assassination of a sitting president is okay and a clip can be found on YouTube, but YouTube thinks a movie with the pun title "Shooting Michael Moore" referring to shooting him with a camera and getting the REAL story, was just way over the top!! Hmmmm....maybe because one is hate speech and the other is free speech?
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Op Ed Piece The "New Fundamentals" Denies and Defies Truth
I don't get out much, I guess, - virtually, that is. And when I do, I am shocked to see what some people are thinking and saying. Greatly saddened, too. It took me awhile to see if the poster was for real. I actually thought it was a joke or satire, because it was so insane. And this guy wants to be a minister! But a look around the site at all the liberal titles and I knew this poster was for real. I knew, judging from the other articles, I would get nowhere trying to reply to this poster's article. BUT in case there are others who actually find something to believe in this stuff, I'd like to post the points and plainly show in scripture where he is wrong, wrong, wrong, but any Bible-reading Christian knows it. It's those who don't bother to pick up a Bible, who take others' words for it, who get deceived. The wild thing about this guy is that he even admitted he had to dismiss scripture in some places to arrive at his "truth"! And yet gullible people will follow this garbage? Unbelievable!
Well, first of all, from Ben Dench's biography, you see that he is a pitiful genius who has become so worldly intelligent and enlightened and wise in his own eyes that he has no room for real wisdom that comes only from God: "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools"...Romans 1:21-22 "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain."...1 Corinthians 3:18-20. And on and on the scriptures go describing the very vain imaginations that this guy is proud of knowing and teaching. It's sad, really. Where does wisdom come from? Not book smarts, but real wisdom? Who wants to be smart in the books Ben Dench reads? The Bible tells us over and over again real wisdom comes from God. The Lord gives wisdom - Exod 28:3, Exod 31:3&6, Exod 35:31&35, Exod 36:1&2, 1Ki 4:29, 1Ki 5:12, 1Chr 22:12 (very specific "Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding"), 2Chr 1:12, Ezra 7:25, Job 28, Prov 2:6&7, Ecc 2:26, Isa 11:2, Dan 1:17, Dan 2:21&23, 1Cor 1:30, 1Cor 12:8, Eph 1:17, Jam 1:5. Fearing the Lord and keeping His Word and doing His law is wisdom - Deu 4:6, Job 28:28, Psa 111:10, Prov 1:7, Prov 9:10, Prov 15:33, Col 3:16. And Proverbs 21:30 says "There is NO wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD." So there is no such thing as a wise atheist, which is where Ben Dench got a lot of his "Biblical scholarship" ideas and he directs you to a link. Again I say it's sad for people like Ben Dench whose prideful intelligence stands in the way of their salvation.
Okay, so here are Ben's claims and those supported by mainstream biblical scholarship:
1. No aspect of the New Testament was written by anyone who ever knew a pre-crucifixion Jesus.
All of Jesus's disciples knew Him before He was crucified!
2. The doctrine of the virgin birth, presented only in Matthew and Luke, did not literally occur, and the nativity story is very nearly 100% mythology with no basis in historical fact.
This is wild; he admits the virgin birth is written about in two of the gospels, but just discards it. He makes a statement that it is a myth with no basis in fact, but where is his proof? Darwin's theory of evolution is only a theory with no real basis in fact and man-made global warming is a myth!! And I can back up my statements! But that's not the purpose of this writing.
Also in number 2. Jesus never claimed to be divine in nature.
Yes, He did - Matthew 16:15-20 details His asking Peter who he thought he was, confirming that Peter could only know it because it had been revealed to him by the Father, and then He charged His disciples that they tell no one "that he was Jesus the Christ." He claimed divinity every time He said, "I am": "When therefore he said to them, 'I AM,' they went backward, and fell to the ground."...John 18:6. When He said "I AM", they FELL to the ground; they couldn't stand in the presence of God, or the great "I AM"!
3. Jesus never taught the doctrine of the atonement, but rather this was a later theological invention.
At the last supper, Jesus spoke of the cup, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Jesus often spoke of His being the only way to salvation, that He was the bread of life. In John 6:51 he said specifically that He WILL give His flesh for the life of the world. In John 6 He said He came down from heaven to do the will of His Father and that was to give everlasting life to those who believed on Him. It's not reasonable to say that because He didn't speak of His blood sacrifice to atone for sins in exactly those words before it ever happened, that it is an invented doctrine. Peter wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as we are told all scripture is given, that it was foreordained before the foundation of the world that we be redeemed with "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot".
4.The earliest accounts of the resurrection describe it as being spiritual rather than physical in nature. There was no empty tomb, and any appearance stories that suggest a physically resurrected body were not part of the original tradition.
Once again you have to totally disregard scripture to make claims that there was no empty tomb and that Jesus did not appear to the disciples. The disciples said it happened and it is what they based their lives upon. It is not reasonable to believe they would have died for a lie or a myth.
5. The Second Coming and Day of Judgment, as described by Jesus and Paul in the New Testament, were set to occur in the 1st Century CE. Since these did not occur within the time frame presented by Jesus and Paul, there is no indication that they will ever occur.
Once again, where is your proof? Where did it ever say when the Second Coming would occur? The Bible says we will not know, and it also says many things will first take place. It's true, the disciples thought it would be soon, but even Peter said in 2 Peter 3:9 that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and that He is purposely patient (and not slack!) concerning His promise so that all could come to repentance. He is patiently waiting for you, Ben Dench! But He doesn't wait forever.
The last part of number 5. The existence and nature of the afterlife is an open question, but there is no indication whatsoever that belief in Jesus is necessary for admission into heaven, nor that lack thereof results in condemnation to hell.
Except for the word of our Lord Himself who said, "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."...John 8:24 "But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God."...Luke 12:9 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."...Revelation 20:15
Well, first of all, from Ben Dench's biography, you see that he is a pitiful genius who has become so worldly intelligent and enlightened and wise in his own eyes that he has no room for real wisdom that comes only from God: "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools"...Romans 1:21-22 "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain."...1 Corinthians 3:18-20. And on and on the scriptures go describing the very vain imaginations that this guy is proud of knowing and teaching. It's sad, really. Where does wisdom come from? Not book smarts, but real wisdom? Who wants to be smart in the books Ben Dench reads? The Bible tells us over and over again real wisdom comes from God. The Lord gives wisdom - Exod 28:3, Exod 31:3&6, Exod 35:31&35, Exod 36:1&2, 1Ki 4:29, 1Ki 5:12, 1Chr 22:12 (very specific "Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding"), 2Chr 1:12, Ezra 7:25, Job 28, Prov 2:6&7, Ecc 2:26, Isa 11:2, Dan 1:17, Dan 2:21&23, 1Cor 1:30, 1Cor 12:8, Eph 1:17, Jam 1:5. Fearing the Lord and keeping His Word and doing His law is wisdom - Deu 4:6, Job 28:28, Psa 111:10, Prov 1:7, Prov 9:10, Prov 15:33, Col 3:16. And Proverbs 21:30 says "There is NO wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD." So there is no such thing as a wise atheist, which is where Ben Dench got a lot of his "Biblical scholarship" ideas and he directs you to a link. Again I say it's sad for people like Ben Dench whose prideful intelligence stands in the way of their salvation.
Okay, so here are Ben's claims and those supported by mainstream biblical scholarship:
1. No aspect of the New Testament was written by anyone who ever knew a pre-crucifixion Jesus.
All of Jesus's disciples knew Him before He was crucified!
2. The doctrine of the virgin birth, presented only in Matthew and Luke, did not literally occur, and the nativity story is very nearly 100% mythology with no basis in historical fact.
This is wild; he admits the virgin birth is written about in two of the gospels, but just discards it. He makes a statement that it is a myth with no basis in fact, but where is his proof? Darwin's theory of evolution is only a theory with no real basis in fact and man-made global warming is a myth!! And I can back up my statements! But that's not the purpose of this writing.
Also in number 2. Jesus never claimed to be divine in nature.
Yes, He did - Matthew 16:15-20 details His asking Peter who he thought he was, confirming that Peter could only know it because it had been revealed to him by the Father, and then He charged His disciples that they tell no one "that he was Jesus the Christ." He claimed divinity every time He said, "I am": "When therefore he said to them, 'I AM,' they went backward, and fell to the ground."...John 18:6. When He said "I AM", they FELL to the ground; they couldn't stand in the presence of God, or the great "I AM"!
3. Jesus never taught the doctrine of the atonement, but rather this was a later theological invention.
At the last supper, Jesus spoke of the cup, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Jesus often spoke of His being the only way to salvation, that He was the bread of life. In John 6:51 he said specifically that He WILL give His flesh for the life of the world. In John 6 He said He came down from heaven to do the will of His Father and that was to give everlasting life to those who believed on Him. It's not reasonable to say that because He didn't speak of His blood sacrifice to atone for sins in exactly those words before it ever happened, that it is an invented doctrine. Peter wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as we are told all scripture is given, that it was foreordained before the foundation of the world that we be redeemed with "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot".
4.The earliest accounts of the resurrection describe it as being spiritual rather than physical in nature. There was no empty tomb, and any appearance stories that suggest a physically resurrected body were not part of the original tradition.
Once again you have to totally disregard scripture to make claims that there was no empty tomb and that Jesus did not appear to the disciples. The disciples said it happened and it is what they based their lives upon. It is not reasonable to believe they would have died for a lie or a myth.
5. The Second Coming and Day of Judgment, as described by Jesus and Paul in the New Testament, were set to occur in the 1st Century CE. Since these did not occur within the time frame presented by Jesus and Paul, there is no indication that they will ever occur.
Once again, where is your proof? Where did it ever say when the Second Coming would occur? The Bible says we will not know, and it also says many things will first take place. It's true, the disciples thought it would be soon, but even Peter said in 2 Peter 3:9 that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and that He is purposely patient (and not slack!) concerning His promise so that all could come to repentance. He is patiently waiting for you, Ben Dench! But He doesn't wait forever.
The last part of number 5. The existence and nature of the afterlife is an open question, but there is no indication whatsoever that belief in Jesus is necessary for admission into heaven, nor that lack thereof results in condemnation to hell.
Except for the word of our Lord Himself who said, "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."...John 8:24 "But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God."...Luke 12:9 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."...Revelation 20:15
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