70% of respondents agreed with the statement "Many religions can lead to eternal life." Even more remarkable was the fact that 57% of Evangelical Christians were willing to accept that theirs might not be the only path to salvation.

Agreement was also made here by 83% of Protestant Christians and 79% of Catholics.

The Time article goes on to say,

In fact, of the dozens of denominations covered by the Pew survey, it was only Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses who answered in the majority that their own faith was the only way to eternal life.

Now, here is the actual question that these results come from:

Now, as I read a pair of statements, tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views even if neither is exactly right. (a) My religion is the one true faith leading to eternal life, OR (b) Many religions can lead to eternal life.

Which would you choose? I would choose (b), putting me in the narrow minority of Latter-day Saints (57% chose a; for Jehovah's Witnesses, it was 80%). However, I certainly wouldn't argue much with a Latter-day Saint who selects (a) because depending on what you mean either choice is right -- especially if we scrutinize how one might define "leading" and "lead."

But beyond the relative ambiguity here, this particular question does significant violence to Latter-day Saint belief. Yes, it does, on one hand, communicate that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the few churches that believes there is something particularly unique about itself in terms of eternal life -- and this is a good thing. However, according to this New Cool Thang post, the survey also paints a misleading picture of the fact that Latter-day Saints are arguably one of the most liberal churches in terms of universal salvation and even exaltation. As early as the revelation on the three degrees of glory (Doctrine & Covenants 76), Latter-day Saints have believed that people of all religions -- including those who live and die as Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, etc. -- can receive eternal life. Nowadays, this view is obviously becoming more popular -- but as far as I know, only Latter-day Saints have it built in as part of their actual theology. (As far as I know, the typical Evangelical Christian answer to these concerns is without clear scriptural warrant.)

The Pew Forum question makes a false dichotomy between the two options. It's perhaps similar to the problem of seeing "masculinity" and "femininity" as two non-overlapping and opposite constructs. From this perspective, if someone is masculine then it must mean that they are not at all feminine, and vice versa. However, according to psychologist Sandra Bem, who revolutionized thinking about gender, masculinity and femininity should not be seen as opposite constructs. It is possible for a person to be highly masculine and highly feminine; likewise, it is possible for a person to be lowly masculine and lowly feminine. In the former case, for example, there might be a person who is both aggressive in a stereotypically masculine sense and yet emotional in a stereotypically feminine sense. In the latter case, there might be a person whose aggression or emotion does not clearly map onto masculinity or femininity.

Comparing this psychological example to the Pew Forum question, it may be possible for a person to believe strongly with both (a) and (b). By forcing respondents to pick only one or the other, however, you receive no indication of this possible scenario. How might the results have been different if respondents could select one, both, or neither answer? *

And there's another problem, as reported in this recent Deseret Morning News (Mormon Times) article. This article discusses criticisms by Baylor professor Rodney Stark. The article reports,

Stark found the question unclear when asking about "many religions" or even "my religion." "Who are they talking about?" Stark said. "Because they didn't tell them who they were talking about. They didn't ask them if only believers in Christ could go (to heaven)."

He said most Christians would probably think "many religions" referred to other Christian religions. "A lot of people thought, 'Well, I'm a Lutheran, but those Baptists get into heaven, too. I think most people in this country when you ask about other faiths, think about other Christian faiths. That's what's around," Stark said.

Likewise, even the phrase "my religion" can create confusion. "You have to define that a little bit," Stark said. "Mormons ... will take the reference to mean LDS. I think for a lot of Christians it becomes a lot more difficult because you don't know what the boundaries are: 'Is it my Nazarene Church or is it Christianity or what in the world is it?'"

Stark said that if the Pew Forum really wanted to know what Christians believe about non-Christian religions, it would have specifically asked -- something Baylor University did in 2007 in its Baylor Religion Survey.

In the Baylor survey, those who believed in heaven were asked, "How many of the following people do you think will go to heaven?" Looking at people's opinion on how many Buddists were going to go to heaven, for example, the Baylor survey found that 16 percent said "none," 8 percent said "a few," 5 percent said "about half," 22 percent said "most" and 10 percent said "all." The largest group, 39 percent, said they had "no opinion."

"Now that's instructive in the sense that, I think that if had this been done in 1930 you would have had ... many more saying 'none,'" Stark said, "and most people would have had an opinion. Most people now, 40 percent basically, are saying 'I don't know.'"

So, basically the upshot of this, in terms of Latter-day Saint belief, is that the LDS Church is receiving an inaccurate comparison to other Christian religions. Had the question -- for Protestants, Evangelicals, and Catholics -- asked whether lifelong non-Christians could receive eternal life, you would have had much fewer responses in the affirmative. Now, had this same question been asked to Latter-day Saints (replacing non-Mormons for non-Christians), affirmative responses would have been much higher than the other Christian groups.

What should Mormons make of all this? From the Mormon Times article:

So how should Mormons react to being portrayed as intolerant without taking into account their expansive beliefs about salvation and differing degrees of heaven? "They should be offended," Stark said, "because they are basically getting framed up on. That (Pew survey) question is so ill-conceived that who knows what it means?"

Well, offense or no offense, I'm happy to have an opportunity to spell out what I, as an average Latter-day Saint, believe about other religions. I believe, first of all, that all religions can help "lead" individuals to eternal life, whether it is through explicit belief in Christ or some other supreme being, strong family values, spiritual meditation, community involvement, or humanitarian service. I believe that many people who have lived and died as Catholics, Hindus, Protestants, Evangelicals, Mormons, Buddhists, atheists, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, Jehovah's Witnesses, and just about any other religion or lifestyle will be heirs of eternal life. This belief is not simply a private one -- it is grounded in the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the only church, as far as I know, that has a clear, scripturally warranted position on how belief in Christ is necessary and yet how many of those who don't accept Christ in mortality can accept Him after this life and receive eternal life. However, I also believe that it is only through accepting Christ through faith, repentance, baptism by one holding authority, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end in righteousness that one can receive eternal life. The authority that I am talking about is the authority of Jesus Christ Himself, and it has been restored in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- the only Church that holds this authority. Many good people will not have a good opportunity to accept this truth and join with the Church, however, in this life -- but they will be able to after this life, and can receive eternal life. For others, however, the Savior is calling them to come and be a part of His great Church right now, helping to improve it and to assist in the great work of building up the kingdom of God on the earth, in preparation for His millennial reign. That is why Latter-day Saints preach the gospel to all nations, even other Christians.

And, I suppose, that's why I've written the above paragraph -- in the hopes that someone out there will be intrigued by what I have said and desire to learn more. A good place to start is mormon.org.

Email a friend

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* UPDATE JUNE 30: The Pew Forum question (as with all their questions), I just found out, does in fact record a "both/neither" option as well as "I don't know." However, it appears that these options are not actually given as options -- they would be recorded only if the person insisted on saying both/neither/I don't know (from my experience with both psychological and market research, this interview approach is fairly common -- don't give them both/neither as an option, but record it if they insist). Thus, if the person were actually told that "both" or "neither" were possible answers, then it could have resulted in many more people answering with these options (as it is, a very small percentage, usually less than 3-5 percent, has answered both or neither).

You may or may not have heard of the Ten Commandments, but the One who created you and the universe you live in will judge you by these standards. Your future depends on how you measure up to the Ten Commandments (Hebrew order):

א  . 1 I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
You may think, that's easy, this doesn't  apply to me because I didn't come from Egypt so this first question doesn't apply to me.  Wrong!  Notice the verse starts out "I am the Lord your God."  Is He the Lord your God?  Does He direct your life, or do you?  Acts 17:28  For in Him we live and move and have our being Is He the center of your life, or is something or someone else?

2. ב You shall have not other gods before me.  You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 
You may think, another easy question, I don't have any idols in may life.  Notice the commandment says the He shows love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.  Many who are reading this do not love Him, yet alone keep his commandments.  Do you worship Him, or is your life or your family or your children or your possessions or your intellect number one.

3. ג You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Have you ever used the name of the Lord wrongly when when something goes wrong, when someone has scared you, in disgust over a situation, or when you have hit your finger with a hammer?  Matthew 12:34  Jesus said "...for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."

4. ד Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.  On it you shall not do any work...
Most people reading this have not remembered the Sabbath day, yet alone keep it holy.  Most do what they want to do and when they want to do it.

There are six more commandments left, but if your are honest with yourself you know that the title of this Post is correct.  Why is this test so hard?  The answer is found in Romans 3:19-20  "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.  Therefore no one will be declared righteous  in his sight by observing the law;  rather through the law we become conscious of sin."  Romans 3:22  "This righteousness from God comes through faith in  Jesus Christ to all who believe."

Even if you say you have kept all the above perfectly, you are still in grave danger because  in James 4:6  it is recorded:  God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  Romans 3:10  records "There is no one righteous, not even one."  Romans 3:10 records "the sinful mind is hostile to God.  It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so."  James 2:10 records "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point  is guilty of breaking all of it"  God's standards are far above man's.

What is the purpose of the Commandments?  Galatians 3:24 records "So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.  Jesus is the answer to grave state you are in without Him.  John 14:6 records Jesus saying "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No on comes through the Father except through me." 

2Corinthians 5:17  "Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation
the old is passed; look, what has come is fresh and new!"  (Complete Jewish Bible by David Stern).   the Ruach HaKodesh  (Holy Spirit) is essential.  Galatians 5:16  "What I am saying is this:  run your lives by the Spirit.  Then you will not do what your old nature wants." 

If you are reading this and you know you are not right with God, you are in need of salvation.  Ask Jesus to forgive you of all your sins and to make you into the person he created you to be.  Ask him to fill you with his Holy Spirit.  Read your Bible every day and obey the teachings of Jesus.  Attend a Bible believing Church that teaches that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.  Walk in His Love to all who attack, are critical of you and say nasty things about you.  Follow the teaching of Jesus in Luke 6:22  "But I tell you who hear me:  Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." 

                                                       Shalom in Jesus

He said his wife thought those plates were crazy, and we both agreed there is something wrong with having these plates available for no extra charge but vanity plates and other special interest plates cost extra. Steve made no mention of his religious practice or possible lack thereof, only that the firm generally is open to whatever, and they expected me not to shove my belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster down anyone's throat unless it was served with a decent chianti.

So later Mike asks me about the FSM fish, and I repeated my protest about the "In God We Trust" license plates available in Indiana at no extra charge. Mike just stood there, stewing in a quiet rage at the thought of it...he finally shook his head and said, "I guess your Flying Spaghetti Monster makes as much sense as any of the other fantasies people believe in." He shook his head again and said, "I was raised Methodist, but the older I got, the more I realized there is just no way to know." I nodded and muttered something about how I lean toward Buddhism, but Mike was caught up in his agnostic ponderings. He kept shaking his head. "My mother was so disappointed when she died," he said, "because my brother and I have become agnostics and my sister is Unitarian. My mother was so sad because she was afraid that she would not see us in heaven after we die, and none of us could get her to understand that no one really knows if there's God or heaven or hell or anything like that."

Mike put his hand on the wall. "I know it takes a certain bit of faith to believe this wall will keep standing if I want to lean against it, but there is science that proves it. I admit it takes some faith to believe that the scientists who wrote books about atoms really did the experiments to prove atoms and molecules exist and that everything is energy or matter or whatever, but still there are books and tests and you know someone tested a hypothesis before saying it's true or not. There is no scientific test for God. There isn't. You can't test for God, so there's just no sense practicing any kind of religion."

I was amazed. I was awed. I was stunned. Someone in the center of Indiana was adamantly arguing against religion of ANY kind! And he wouldn't stop! "I can't believe my mother was so sad. She was so sad when she died because she honestly believed she would join my father, but none of her children would eventually join her, so she died sad. There was no need for that. There's no need to worry about what happens after death."

Mike leaned against the door, proving his faith in the molecules and atoms and the ability of a decent carpenter, and he folded his arms across his chest. He shook his head yet again and said, "There is just no reason to consider it. There's no test for it. None of us can possibly know."

That's when it hit me. "You're a fundamentalist agnostic!" I told Mike. "What you're saying is you don't know, and no one else knows either."

"Exactly!" Mike agreed with me. "There's no way to know. There's no reason to bother thinking about it! Maybe I will fry in hell, but I'm not going to waste my time worrying and no one else should worry either." He handed me the mail and went back to his office.

I never did get to tell him that I was really sort of kidding about the fundamentalist agnostic thing, but apparently he wasn't.

I still think he's more cool than the fundamentalist evangelicals...way more cool.

57% of evangelicals say many religions can lead to eternal life. Given that one of the most important teachings of evangelical Christianity is that salvation comes ONLY through Christ, this finding ought to rattle Christian leaders.

But, clergy aside, this strikes me as a rather hopeful and life affirming statistic. Often non-believers or non-Protestants have a vague and dispiriting sense that most evangelicals are looking at them as pathetic and hopelessly clueless, and always in immanent danger, if they should happen to die, of going straight to a literal hell. There is the assumption, in other words, that the typical pew sitting evangelical is absorbing the sterner parts of a literalist conservative message in an undigested fashion. 

In fact, it appears that most evangelicals are more thoughtful, and more accepting of others' humanity, than that. Like you, most evangelicals probably perceive literal hell belief and lifestyle intolerance as, well, emotionally intolerable. They might believe in hell in some sense, and may think ill of some lifestyles, but they may also be ambivalent about being too dogmatic about such matters. Maybe they go to the church they go to for reasons other than literal hell belief and lifestyle intolerance, as Barack Obama went to his church for reasons other than to hear his pastor's political rants.

Perhaps this shouldn't be news. But what this means is that the typical evangelical is as likely to be open to your thoughts and point of view, and open to dialogue, as anyone else might be. And she is not pretending, but probably really does see you as she sees her friends at church--as just another person. You, for whatever variety of reasons, just happen to be on another path, perhaps arriving at as okay a place as the evangelical thinks that she is going to end up when she dies.

This is something to keep in mind should you be a non-evangelical, and feel despair at trying to have a reasonable discussion with an evangelical about, say, gay marriage.

Live and let live evangelicals? More please. 

Here's the link for more information about the poll: http://blog.beliefnet.com/stevenwaldman/2008/06/juiciest-religious-factoids.html

Don't worry, I'm not going to leave you out to dry. I'm just going to let a few responses go up before I give you an idea of how I usually respond. I may even challenge your responses just to get you thinking. If I do, please don't take offense. I am just asking the same questions I have had posed to me through my time dealing with atheists, agnostics, and others who tend to overthink things.

“Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” ~1 Corinthians 1:20-21

(photo by  ie-fotografie)

I listened as Mr Brog spoke in a room filled with people claiming to be Christians.  He told them that their Christian theology demands that they stand with Israel.  I knew where he was coming from and I am fully aware of what is being taught in many evangelical churches today.  I used to believe certain dispensational teachings, such as the land belonging to Israel, because that's what was being taught in most churches.  However my further study of the scriptures revealed otherwise.  I never believed for a moment that a person Jewish or Gentile could be saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ.  I had no idea that many of the Bible teachers taught that the Jewish people were still God's chosen people and that they are still in covenant with him, even though they do not believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). 

 In recent years , I have been hearing  Bible teachers talk about the church of Jesus Christ as being a mere parenthesis in God's plan and that the Jewish people are under a different covenant.  I came across an article by the Christian Research Institute regarding Pastor John Hagee, which was Statement DH005. Here are a few excerpts from that statement:

"Trying to convert Jews is a waste of time he (Hagee) said.

Everyone else whether Buddhist or Baha'i needs to believe in Jesus, he says. But not Jews, Jews already have a covenant with God that has never been replaced with Christianity he says.

The Jewish people have a relationship with God through the law of God as given through Moses, Hagee said. I believe that every Gentile person can only come to God through the cross of Christ. I believe that every Jewish person who lives in light of the Torah, which is the word of God, has a relationship with God and will come to redemption.

The Law of Moses is sufficient enough to bring a person into the knowledge of God until God gives him a greater revelation. And God has not said Hagee."

[Statement DH005 , Christian Research Institute, Charlotte, NC]

SALVATION FOR THE JEW ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST

It is absolutely amazing to me that John Hagee could make such statements as those above considering the overwhelming proof in God's Word that contradict what he said.  The greatest revelation that God has given to the Jewish people and the rest of the world is found in Jesus Christ. In other words Jesus Christ is God's last word to mankind, and that most certainly includes the Jewish people. Listen to what Jesus Christ said to the Jewish people of his time:

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:39-40)

To totally understand the impact of the words above, we must not forget that the one who is speaking is Jesus Christ.  Many do not realize that the word CHRIST actually means MESSIAH. So it is Jesus the Messiah who is doing the talking.  Jesus is the one who was sent from the Father above to preach the Kingdom of God, and ultimately become the BLOOD ATONEMENT for the sin of mankind.

Jesus the Messiah encouraged the Jewish people to search the scriptures (their very own Torah) because they thought they had eternal life. Jesus then made it clear to them that their own Torah testified about him, but they still would not come to him, that they might have life.  Please do not miss this folks, because Jesus was telling the Jewish people that the very life and salvation which they desired, could only be found in him.  Jesus went on to say this to them:

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:45-47)

Jesus was pushing home the same point once again, that the scriptures (the Torah, the books of Moses) had enough in them to show that he (Jesus) was the prophesied Messiah. That is why Jesus told them, that if they believed Moses then they would have naturally believed him.  In the New Testament book of Acts there is a portion of scripture that will help us understand this better:

For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. (Acts 3:22-26)

The words above were spoken by the apostle Peter to the people of Israel after the miraculous healing of a lame man at the temple gate. Peter told the people of Israel that the man was healed by the power of Jesus Christ. Peter then told them that this same Jesus was "the Prophet" whom Moses spoke and wrote about in (Deuteronomy 18:15-18), and that those who would not "hear that Prophet" (Jesus the Christ) would be destroyed!  Peter then went on to say that all of the prophets (in the Old Covenant scriptures) foretold of the days which were taking place right then and there. Peter then went all the way back to Abraham to show the people that all the people of the earth (that includes absolutely everybody) would be blessed through Abraham's seed (offspring)  and that seed (offspring)  is Jesus Christ.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of ONE, And to thy SEED, which is CHRIST. (Galatians 3:16)

In plain and simple language, the Jewish apostle Paul  told the people that Jesus Christ was, and is, the promised seed (offspring) by whom ALL of the nations of the world would be blessed. Paul told them the very same thing that Peter told the people of Israel after that awesome miracle.  The whole of the Old Covenant scriptures pointed to the time when Jesus the Christ (Messiah) arrived on the scene.  The message that Peter gave regarding that "Prophet" is right in line with the salvation or damnation message that Jesus gave after he rose from the dead. (Mark 16:15-20)  The words of Jesus Christ below, become absolutely meaningless if a Jewish person could be saved without faith in Jesus Christ, by living in light of the Torah.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

Jesus declared that NO MAN would be able to come to the Father unless thay came through him, because the Father is the one who sent him.  That means that there will not be any person Jewish or Gentile (the rest of the world) who would be able to go to the Father (in heaven) unless they come though the Son whom he sent. Peter spoke along those very same lines when he spoke to the people of Israel:

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:10-12)

Could the scriptures be any clearer than this? The people of Israel are being addressed here by the apostle Peter and he told them that there was no other name by which they might be saved outside the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Read it again. Peter was speaking to the children of Israel there and the message that he gave them back then has not changed one drop since that time!

The passage below was written by the Jewish apostle Paul:

But God forbid that I should glory, save (except) in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:14-16)

Paul made it clear in that passage of scripture that he gloried only in the cross of Jesus Christ, and then he linked those who would walk according to that same rule to the "Israel of God."  Paul also wrote the following:

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: (Romans 9:6)

Paul was obviously putting a difference between the people of ethnic Israel and those of the "Israel of God" who recognized Jesus as the Messiah!

David Brog stated, at the CUFI convention the other night, that Christian theology demands that Christians stand with Israel. I would like to tell Mr. Brog that my theology demands that I stand for the truth, and that I preach the gospel to both Jew and Gentile.  Any Gospel preacher who is worth their salt would tell him the same thing.  Jesus declared the truth plainly and with boldness and to water down the message of the gospel is a fatal mistake: 

And he (Jesus) said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:23-24)

The Lord Jesus Christ told the Jewish people of his day that he came from above (heaven), and that the consequences of not believing that he was the one who was sent from the Father (the Messiah), would be to die in their sins.  The plain and simple truth is that every person who sat at that convention, whether Jew or Gentile, who rejects Jesus Christ as their Savior, will die in their sins and end up in hell. To preach anything other than that is to preach a bogus gospel. If ever there was a people who are responsible before the Lord it is the Jewish people. To declare that God has not given them the necessary revelation is nothing less than mind boggling. The Jewish apostle Paul consented to the murder of Christians before he was saved (Acts 8:3, 22:4, 26:9-11).  He then made a complete about face and preached that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah).  He wrote the following words: 

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

Paul, the Jewish apostle of Jesus Christ, tells us that the gospel was to go the Jew first. In fact Paul identified those who are the children of Abraham:

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:28-29)

That very same Jewish apostle Paul told us that there is absolutely no difference between the Jew and the Greek (Gentile).  No difference! The only ones who can be called the children of Abraham are those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. John Hagee spoke about the Jewish people living in light of the Torah, but the Torah contains the Ten Commandments which stops and silences any person from justifying themself before a righteous God! (Romans 3:19-20)  In fact the Torah contains everything about the sacrificial system which is gone forever. The Bible declares that there is NO atonement for the soul without the blood.

THE NEW COVENANT REPLACED THE OLD COVENANT

Right before the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, he cried out "It Is Finished" (John 19:30) which means that everything had been fulfilled at that moment, and his death was the perfect and final sacrifice for sin. It was at that very moment that the veil in the Jewish Temple was torn in half, signifying that the Old Covenant sacrificial sytem was to be no more.

 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain (two) from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. (Mark 15:38-39)

Where is the Jewish Temple today? It is not to be found and there can be no atonement for the sins of the people without the shedding of blood.  The Temple sacrifices were not accepted in the sight of God after the ultimate, final and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. That was the very purpose of the veil in the Temple being torn on half when Christ died. The high priest went into the temple and entered through the veil once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur-The Day of Covering).  The high priest took the blood from the animal sacrifices and sprinkled it on the mercy seat for the atonement of sin. But all of that stopped in the sight of God when Jesus, the great high Priest, entered into the true holy place in heaven. 

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11)

The Old Covenant has been completely done away with and if somebody tells you something else then they are preaching falsehood to you. All of the sacrifices pointed to Jesus Christ. The Passover pointed to Jesus Christ also and that is why John the Baptist referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God:

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) 

Paul the Jewish apostle of Jesus Christ wrote the following words almost two thousand years ago:

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his BLOOD we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:8-9)

The blood that was shed by Jesus Christ is now the ONLY blood that can reconcile a sinner back to God. Friends, that is the absolute Bible truth.  That was the very purpose Jesus Christ came to this world. The gospel message is still for both the Jew and the Gentile, but there is no special revelation or reservation for the "ethnic" Jewish person when it comes to salvation. In fact if there were a special revelation or reservation for the Jewish person, then everything that Jesus Christ preached meant absolutely nothing.  If a fair minded person will read through the gospel accounts they will see that Christ was dealing with the issues of the heart, and he was constantly rebuking the Jewish Pharisees for their outward form of religion.  The Jewish apostle Paul wrote the following also:

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Romans 2:28-29)

It all has to do with the heart and nothing to do with a persons ethnic background. Jesus told Nicodemus, a Jewish ruler, that he needed to be born again or he would not see the Kingdom of God.  Jesus did not say maybe, or could be, or should be, but MUST BE! The Kingdom of God is open to all people on planet earth, and their sins can be forgiven through the BLOOD of Jesus Christ.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:6-7) 

BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES

John Hagee mentioned the fact that Christians are the wild branches that have been grafted into the  good olive tree, and he was obviously referring to the verses from Romans Chapter 11.  I am in full agreement with the truth that the Jewish people represent the good olive tree, but please do not forget to mention that this is speaking about the Jewish people who followed the Lord and recognized the Messiah when he came. The Jewish people who did not recognize the Messiah were broken off  branches because they rejected the very one whom God the Father sent!

The Gentile people who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have been grafted into the "good olive tree" and they are there along with the Jewish people who also believe in Jesus and recognize him as the Messiah.  For the past two thousand years Jewish people have received the very SAME Grace that the Gentiles have recieved and they have received eternal life in Jesus Christ. There is NO difference between the Jew and the Gentile.

Beware of the phrase "replacement theology" because it is a term used by Christian Zionists.  It paints a picture that portrays people who do not agree with their false theology appear anti-semitic. Do not be intimidated by that term, because the Lord Jesus Christ is the searcher of hearts and he knows what is going on inside your heart. 

BIBLICAL WARNINGS ABOUT AN ANTICHRIST SPIRIT

To declare that the Jewish people can still be in covenant with the Lord under the Old Covenant, living in light of the Torah,  is to agree with the Pharisees who rejected Jesus Christ two thousand years ago.  To declare that message is to oppose the very message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Not only that but the apostle John warned us about those who have an "antichrist spirit" and he described them as follows:

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:22)

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1 John 4:3)

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2 John 1:7)

 If you were to ask many of the Jewish people who were present at that convention meeting the other night, whether or not they believed that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah, they would answer no without any problem at all.  The very reason that the Jewish apostles were persecuted and put to death by people like Paul (before he was saved) was because they preached Jesus Christ as the Messiah! So here we are almost two thousand years later, being told by a "Christian" minister that the Jewish people can be saved by living in light of the Torah. Once again I tell you that it makes the gospel message that Peter and Paul preached, and all the others preached, seem like a waste of time. After Paul was converted the Jewish people wanted to kill him, but the Lord preserved him. Many times Paul was beaten to a pulp, and even left for dead, but the Lord kept using him for his glory. In fact if Paul were a "bug on the wall" at that convention meeting he would have been aghast at what he heard.

IS WAR ON THE HORIZON?

Toward the end of this one hour television program, there was a man dressed in an Israeli miltary uniform who walked out from the audience, up to the front of the room, and then knelt down to pray. He was wearing a prayer shawl of some sort over his head. Then another man dressed in an American military uniform came from the audience and tapped the praying Israeli soldier on the shoulder, offered his hand to him , and they shook hands. Is there a message being sent here? What was this supposed to mean? Could this be a statement being made here? Is this some type of propaganda? Could there be another war on the horizon?

John Hagee is the Pastor of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. He can be seen all over the airwaves throughout the world.  His preaching is often accompanied by very colorful video graphics which appear on a screen behind him.  He is known to preach against what he calls "Isalmo Fascism" in no uncertain terms.  I thought that I was hearing things when I heard him talk in favor of a pre emptive attack on Iran. Wait a minute, did I hear correctly? Please tell me if I heard wrong.  Can we as Christians rightly call for an attack upon any nation, which would most certainly end up killing innocent civilians? What on earth is going on here?  What about the words of the master teacher and Saviour of the world Jesus:

  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44)

Do you remember when the band of men came looking for Jesus at the place in the garden where he usually prayed? Do you remember what Peter did to Malchus? 

Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. (John 18:10)

Sometime you can read a Bible verse and miss what really happened. Peter did not politely walk up to Malchus and start slicing his ear off.  It is quite obvious that Peter went to take the guys head off with a wild swing, and caught only his ear. But what did Jesus do after that?  Jesus actually healed the guys ear! (Luke 22:51) and then he made a prophetic statement:

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.  Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?  (Matthew 26:52-54)

What about the words of Jesus Christ as he was dying on the cross?

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:33-34)

Sometimes we must take a few steps back and analyze what is going on, and ask ourselves the question, Is this the Spirit of Jesus Christ at work here?  Is it the Spirit of Jesus Christ that is calling for an attack against a nation or is it a "another spirit?"  Is it the spirit of Jesus that would call for an attack upon innocent Muslim people or is it "another spirit"? Where is the fear of the Lord in all of this?

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36) 

Only time will tell what is going to happen in the following days.  We need to keep our eyes on the Lord like never before.  One thing I do know is that the Lord is merciful and that he abhors the killing of innocent people, and we have seen more than enough of that in recent years. That is what has stirred me to write this article. As Christians we like to take our stand on pro life issues such as abortion ( I am also pro life), but then we don't even blink an eye when hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Muslim people are killed.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. (Hebrews 13:13-14)

 THE JERUSALEM WHICH IS ABOVE

The scriptures tell us that HERE (on this earth) we have NO continuing city, and that includes the earthly city of Jerusalem. We, as Christians, are looking to the Jerusalem which is above (Galatians 4:26), not to the city in the Middle East.

But Jerusalem which is above is FREE, which is the mother of us all. (Galatians 4:26)

The Lord Jesus Christ had a conversation with a Samaritan woman, who was amazed that Jesus was even talking with her, because the Jewish people and the Samaritan people did not get along with each other. Jesus talked to her about true worship:

 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias (Messiah) cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee AM HE (John 4:21-26)

 The Lord made it ever so clear to this woman that physical location did not matter anymore, because God must be worshiped in spirit and truth. Jesus said the hour was coming AND NOW IS when true worshipers would worship God in spirit and truth, which means that the hour had already arrived. The Lord Jesus Christ then went on to inform this woman that he was in fact the Messiah. Now either Jesus was telling the truth or he is a liar.  If Jesus declared to this woman that he was in fact the Messiah, and that the hour had arrived when people could worship him from anywhere in the world, then I would not dare to tamper with the word of God.  That same Samaritan woman went back to her town and brought others back to hear Jesus for themselves and, as a result, many were saved.

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him (Jesus) for the saying of the woman, which testified, He (Jesus) told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. (John 4:39-42)

The same living waters (spiritual) that Jesus offered to this Samaritan woman has been offered to both Jew and Gentile alike, for nearly two thousand years.  There is no postponement, no other covenant, no other way, but the way which God has provided through his Son Jesus Christ.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (2 Corinthians 11:3-4)

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE = AUDIO OF THIS MESSAGE

COMMENTS:

Here are some recent comments on this article.

"PJ Miller"  wrote the following:

"Beware of the phrase "replacement theology" because it is a term used by Christian Zionists. It paints a picture that portrays people who do not agree with their false theology appear anti-semitic. Do not be intimidated by that term, because the Lord Jesus Christ is the searcher of hearts and he knows what is going on inside your heart."

Thank you… I wept as reading this post, but that statement spoke to me personally. I cannot tell you the tears I have shed in prayer over this entire Christian Zionist movement. At first it confused me…but the more I read about it and poured through the scriptures, the more ‘wrong’ it appeared to be.

To be honest, I just plain didn’t get it!

The Lord has had me working on a couple Christian boards/forums for some years now..and it seemed every time I tried to point out what I saw as error in this, either my comments were ignored or someone would come back replying about replacement theology.

I began to doubt myself…wondering if it was me who was wrong, even crying before the Lord asking him to search my heart in case I had even a tinge of antisemitism lurking within. I never ‘thought’ I did…but wanted to be sure.

Years ago I believe the Spirit of God showed me there were to be many ‘faces’ to the apostasy and last day delusion…many layers, like an onion.

That Satan would slip in teachings and error, which would not be as obvious, as the ones which stick out like a sore thumb today.

This is one of those layers…I'm convinced.

Forgive my rambling, but only God knows how much I needed to read your post.

thanks again…and God bless.

Editors Note: I emboldened certain sentences  from this comment,  because I believe that they are very important.  I do not consider what PJ Miller said to be rambling at all.  In fact there is no doubt in my mind that PJ Miller was speaking "in the Holy Ghost" when they penned this comment, and I am thankful that this person had the courage to speak up about this issue.  There is a suffocating silence within the walls of the organized church that many true Christian's  are beginning to see.  The Lord is raising those same people up to be His bold witnesses in these last days.  Thanks to PJ Miller once again for your honesty and obedience to the Lord.  [Bill White, Soulrefuge blog]  

Here are some words of wisdom from "oxysmoron":

Cannot Beware if not Aware…

Thanking Jesus.

Lord bless this one who has spoken Truth and keep Your hedge about him. Amen

(2 more comments below)

George Carlin, a counter-culture hero, famed for his edgy, provocative routines, died of heart failure on Sunday, at the age of 71.

It was the 1970s, when I first heard him recite the "seven dirty words you can't say on television": shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits.

"And tits shouldn't even be on the list!" I recall him exclaiming.

I was also especially taken with his astute observations in this brilliant routine...

"Religion is Bullshit":

REST IN PEACE, Mr. Carlin. You will certainly be missed.

[Read more here and here.]

I have heard over and over Jewish people saying that Jews don't believe in Yeshua (JESUS).  Rabbi's who don't believe have done their best to implant this thought in Jewish minds.  Someone once said that if you repeat a lie long enough and loud enough, people will believe it.  The truth is that the majority of Jewish people don't believe in Yeshua: but to make an absolute statement like that is not the truth.

There are Jewish people who believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, and I am included in that group. This does not make me a non-Jew, but a true Jew.  There are more Jewish believers in Yeshua living in Israel now, then since the time Yeshua  walked Israeli soil.

For Jewish people who don't believe that Jesus is  MaShiach (Messiah) please hear my heart.  I echo Shaul's (Paul's) prayer. Romans 10:1  Brothers, my hearts desire and prayer to HaShem [G-d] for the Israelites is that they may be saved.

Listen carefully to Yeshua's words:  Yochanan (John) 10:39-40  You keep examining the Tanakh because you think that in it you have eternal life.  Those very scriptures bear witness to me , but you won't come to me in order to have life!

Yochanan 5; 45-47 " But don't think is is I who will be your accuser before the Father.  Do you know who will accuse you?  Moshe, the very one you have counted on!  For if you really believed Moshe, you would believe me; because it was about me that he wrote .  But if you don't believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"

Acts 4:12  For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved.  

                                     that in honor of the name given Yeshua
                                     every knee will bow-
                                     in heaven, on earth and under the earth -
                                     and every tongue will acknowledge
                                     that Yeshua the Messiah is ADONAI-
                                     to the glory of HaShem (G-d) the Father

Please do not close your minds to the Truth.  It is not logical to have people call themselves Jewish and believe in Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, and many other cultic titles;  but say you can"t believe in Yeshua and be Jewish.

Please check out the following link:

http://www.shalom.org.uk/

Religion is all about doing: what you wear,how much your pray, how you appear to others, etc.   Religion displays outward holiness, but not necessarily inward holiness The Bible however speaks of a different life.  Mattityatu (Matthew) 5:18-19  But what comes out of your mouth is actually coming from your heart, and that is what makes a person unclean.  For out of the heart come forth wicked thoughts, murder, adultery, and other kinds of sexual immorality, theft, lies, slanders....These are what really makes a person unclean.  Religion is focused on the outward, but HaShem is focused on the internal.  Tehillim (Psalms) 14::3 there is no doer of good, there is not even one (translation from Stone Edition of the Tanach).   Yesha Yahu (Isaiah) 64:5  all our righteousness is like a worn-out garment (translation from the Stone Edition of the Tanach).

The Brit Hadashah has the answer to our hopeless state we exist in.  2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is united with the Mashiach (Messiah) he is a new creation__ the old has passed; look , what has come is fresh and new. The  true life that is pleasing to  HaShem (G-d) is about being.  He has destined for you, even before you were in your mother's womb, to be a new creation in the Mashiach.  Ephesians 1:4 In the Mashiach he choose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence.

There are millions upon millions of people who worship the G-d  of Avraham (Abraham), Yitzchak (Isaac), and  Yaakov (Jacob) because of Yeshua.  He has been the greatest light to the goyim (Gentiles) then any Jewish man in the history of the world.

For the Jewish people who hate Jewish believers in Mashiach with a passion as the following statement from the head of Yad L Achim Rabbi Shalom Dov Lipsheitz said about a Messianic Leader in Yisrael (Israel):  "Ortiz and his friends are soul murders.  Destroyers of Jews.  Offspring of Crusders.  They flooded the streets of Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem) with blood.  They are smiling monsters with pockets full of cash that stream in from America.  Their goal is to convert to Christianity the Israeli nation and not to leave a single pure soul.  They want all Israel to convert to Christianity.  Every Jew that does not convert is blocking the coming of  redemption .  Hamas, what do they want? Land. They [Messianics] want something else: our souls.  Every Jew they grab is a huge gain for them. Every Jew is prey"  My reply to Rabbi  Lipsheitz is "Father forgive him for he know not what he does.  Love is stronger then hate. Hatred is a violation of Torah. Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:18 love your neighbor as yourself.

Yeshua is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.  He is the true Shabbat Shalom. Do teshuvah (Repentance) and turn your hearts to Him.

                                                    Shalom in Mashiach

I can remember receiving my First Communion and asking Jesus into my heart, but I never heard about being  Born Again. John 3:3  Jesus declared , "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. I never learned what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus.  I was a good Catholic and went to Mass, confession, and prayed the Rosary; but as I grew older I fell away from these practices.

I didn't know the difference between confession and Yeshiva (Repentance). True repentance is to have Godly sorrow about your sin and not turn back to that sin.  I confessed my sins, but I managed to turn back to them again. I had no power to live a life that was pleasing to the Lord.  I ended up doing whatever I wanted to whenever I wanted to.  I would excuse my sins by saying no one is perfect and God is Love so he understands and forgives me.

In 1980 a friend invited me to go to a Christian movie.  It was the "Joni" movie about the girl who becomes a quadlerpegic from a diving accident.  As I was watching this movie the Holy Spirit began to melt my hardened heart and deceived mind.  I was very athletic at the time and it was like the Holy Spirit was saying to me: she has lost everything you hold valuable and yet she has joy, but you have everything and don't have joy.  I was heading back home on Interstate 75 when I just broke down and started sobbing.  For the first time in my life, I knew that I was a sinner in need of Salvation. I asked Jesus to forgive me of all my sins and to make me His.  From that moment on I was on fire for Jesus, and the fire has never burned out.

I stayed for 7 years in the Catholic Church, before I left. Because I wasn't reading the Bible, about 3 years after my salvation, I got immersed into the New Age Movement and deep meditation. I had fallen for the lie that Christianity and Eastern Religion could merge.  I was so deep into meditation that I emptied my mind of everything, even the thought of God.  When a friend who monitored my meditation asked me how I was doing and I told him of emptying my mind of even the thought of God, he told me "do you realize what demonic forces you could have opened your mind to.  When he told me this, I immediately thought of a book a Christian friend had told me to read.  "The Beautiful Side of Evil".  I went to the bookstore and purchased that book and read it entirely that night.   I renounced all my involvement in the New Age Movement and the Lord delivered and cleansed me.

I was teaching CCD (Confraternity of Catholic Doctrine) classed to teenagers when I quoted a scripture to the class.  I said the Bible says that if we confess or sins to him, he is faithful and just  and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness 1John 1:9.  A student raised their hand and said "if this is true, why do we go to confession?"  I don't remember what I said to that student, but I knew I could no longer be a Catholic.  I started attending a Bible believing church in 1987, and have been following the Lord ever since.

When the secretary at the Bible believing church found out that my dad was Jewish, she told me: "You are Jewish."  I started learning about the Jewish roots of the Faith, and it has added a richness to my walk with the Lord. Understanding the cultural context of the Faith is wonderful.  account (Jesus) is may all in all.  He means everything to me .  I treasure the word of the Bible.  Hebrews 4:12-13  For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper then any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

2Corinthians 5:17  "Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation
the old is passed; look, what has come is fresh and new!"  (Complete Jewish Bible by David Stern).   the Ruach HaKodesh  (Holy Spirit) is essential.  Galatians 5:16  "What I am saying is this:  run your lives by the Spirit.  Then you will not do what your old nature wants."

If you are reading this and you know you are not right with God, you are in need of salvation.  Ask Jesus to forgive you of all your sins and to make you into the person he created you to be.  Ask him to fill you with his Holy Spirit.

The title I gave this blog was for a reason.  Before I came to salvation I was a Zero, and after I came to salvation I still need to be a Zero, because without him I am nothing.  Matthew 17-24  Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will loose it, but whoever looses his life for me will find it.  Reinhard  Bonke (a German Evangelist) says that without Jesus we are a Zero, but since God is one, when we have him we become a perfect 10.

2Corinthians 6:2  I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

                                                      Shalom in Jesus

I want to see the best for you in this life and throughout eternity.  Love compels me to warn you of the path you are on.

                                                   Shalom in Jesus

This Post applies to you if you are not a believer in Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew)
Every believer now, was considered wicked before they came to Salvation.
Ask Jesus (Yeshua) to come into your heart and to be the Lord and Master of your life.  Attend a Church that believes the Bible to be the inspired Word of God.  Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh in Hebrew).  Obey his Word and do what He instructs you to do.

                                              Shalom in Jesus (Yeshua)

You only need to look around you for proof of God's existence I hear you say? Well! I am sorry to have to
dissolution you, but everything in existence was made by the pink, blue spotted unicorn God that I worship. My challenge to you is to prove that your fictitious supernatural God made everything and my pink, blue spotted unicorn God did not.

Oh yes! One more thing. Do not attempt to use the bible to verify your claims as that would be a circular
argument. Just like saying 'The bible is true, because the bible tells me it is true'. See what I mean? The bible is here say and would never withstand a test of credibility, or stand up in a court of law.

Merely claiming a thing is true, does not actually make it true. No matter how long people have been saying
it.

One last thing. I have heard (true or not a cannot say) that they have now printed a new edition of the bible that only has blank pages. This is to be called the non-fictional bible.

Trevor E. Cowan

This past weekend was chaos; controlled chaos to be certain, but chaos nonetheless. Friday evening and Saturday afternoon were initially set aside so that I could officiate at some friends' wedding. Always an honor to be asked to fill such a role on a day that the bride and groom will remember for the rest of their lives. However, the bride and groom called it off. I don't know why, nor do I want to know. However, I stand by the contention that a broken engagement is better than a broken marriage.

So, granted some serendipitous free time on Friday, I had a guys night: Famous Dave's and some cheap cigars on my friend Matt's back porch. A pleasant, relaxing evening with people I just don't get to see that often.

Saturday, Christine and I cleaned the homestead in anticipation of her parents' passing through on their return from attending their grandson's elementary school graduation in Virginia Beach. We had a nice (albeit short) visit with them. I count myself truly fortunate to have in-laws that I like and who seem to like me.

Sunday afternoon my brother and his girlfriend came up from Staunton to celebrate his birthday and her graduation (Master in Counseling from James Madison University...congrats, Jenny). We took them to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Steve Winwood at Nissan Pavilion. I had heard several trusted sources expound on what a great show Tom Petty puts on, and he lives up to the hype. He and the band burned through their classics and even provided a treat for me and my brother by playing one of our favorite songs (but not one of Petty's biggest hits) "Rebels" from the 1985 album Southern Accents. They even threw in a Bo Diddley tribute during the encore.

Steve Winwood put on a great show as well, concentrating on blues covers and his classics from the number of groups he has been a member of. He also demonstrated a proficiency with the guitar that I was unaware of. The highlight of the show (for me, at least) was when he returned to the stage during the Heartbreakers' set to perform "Gimme Some Lovin'" possibly the most popular song he ever wrote and his biggest hit with the Spencer Davis Group.

Of course, since we were at a major concert venue, there were the requisite drunken and/or stoned douchebags who had to carry on, yell inappropriate things, and vomit on the sidewalk. Otherwise, a good time was had by all.

Monday Christine took the day off and we had a nice quiet day of just us, thank you very much. Monday night I met some of my classmates for dinner (Christine was in her art class). It was good to see everyone without the pressure of Dr. Sunshine hanging over our heads. At least two of my classmates are planning to move soon; one to New York and one to North Carolina. I am surprised that I made good enough friends in graduate school that this saddens me.

I don't know who I am going to vote for. McCain, who once appeared (to me, at least) to be a man of principle, has pretty much become a waterboy for the worst elements of the Republican Party. How he can even stand to be in the same room as Dubya without spitting in Dubya's face for slandering him in 2000 is beyond me. None of this takes away from McCain's heroism during the Vietnam War, but it does make me question his ability to lead our country.

Meanwhile, Obama continues to promise Utopia. That would be nice, but I really want to know how he plans to achieve this. I hope that the change and progress he is promising won't be built on the backs of working people, the way most things are done now.

Way back in January I made the admittedly safe prediction that all of the candidates would attempt to outdo each other in displays of religiosity. What I did not predict is how bad they would be at it. McCain managed to pick one of the most polarizing, end-times obsessed wingnuts as his spiritual adviser. As for Obama, well, we all know how that one turned out. Meanwhile, atheist bloggers are practically  crapping themselves over the idea that Obama may be a closet atheist or agnostic; yet they approve of his "pandering" to all us gap-toothed, subliterate religious folk in order to get our votes.

I honestly don't care; I gave up on politicians reflecting Christian values a long time ago. Some may have been committed to the faith when they started out, but the compromises necessary in the pursuit of power have to wear their commitment down eventually. Considering the things that Jesus had to say about power and wealth (and I defy anyone to show me a politician who isn't wealthy) I find it highly unlikely that any serious contender for the office of president is still devoting their utmost to his highest. I think the best that we can hope for is the person who lies the least. I will be happy if I am proven wrong, though.

Regardless, is it wrong to say how happy I am that Hillary is out of it? Close your eyes and say it with me kids: "No more Bushes, no more Clintons, no more Kennedys"

Mystery quote:

"If you didn't want him dead, why did you leave him with me?"

Yeshua (JESUS) took the punishment you deserved and died  for you on the cross, but HE rose on the third day as proof that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The Bible says that our life on this earth is like a vapor compared to eternity.   Don't be foolish and waste your life away. You will be proved wrong in the end and for all eternity regret that you would not listen to truth.

The Bible says that there is a way that seems right to a man (or woman) but at its end are that ways of death.

No one on this earth has experienced God;s full Wrath, but that day is quickly approaching. He is an all Holy God, and  until you realize that you are utterly hopeless without Him, you will remain lost.

  The Bible says that all our righteousness is as filthy rags (this includes any goodness we make think we have. ) Hell will be full of good people.  The only thing that can be good in us is when Yeshua lives within us.

Repent (turn from your ways and mindset)  and surrender your life to Yeshua, He will cleanse you and make you whole. Don't waste another moment of your life.  Time is not on your side.

The problem with Christians...er, one of the problems with Christians is that they're impossible to discuss the plausibility of Christianity with. Their only source of "facts" is the bible. They don't reference anything else. Like millions of people in 2006, I saw and read "The Da Vinci Code," and I was hooked. Rob and I had never denied Jesus' existence, we simply denied that he was the son of God. We also dispute truths in the bible, but that's too long a diatribe to turn into a tangent.

Anyway, trying to discuss this with Bible-Thumpers is like beating your head off a brick wall. Instead of coming up with hard evidence to disprove "The Da Vinci Code," they simply say it isn't true and expect that to be enough. I'm sorry, but I need proof that it's not true. Rob and I watched a show on A&E the other night, "Beyond the Da Vinci Code," and the contributors on this show all but stuck their thumbs in their mouths and pouted because they were stumbling over their comments. Their one and only answer - to the idea that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdelene, that it's Mary Magdelene to Jesus' right in "The Last Supper," to the royal bloodline exisiting today - is, "It simply isn't true."

I need more. Show me. Show me that Jesus really was a miracle-worker, was celibate, and truly was the son of God (another fallacy as far as I'm concerned) - and I'll believe. Really, I will. That's why I'm Agnostic: I'm on the fence about the whole idea. All the proof I have, though, indicates that Jesus was your Everyday Jew, dinosaurs roamed the earth, and the human race is still evolving. That's right, evolving.

Humor me: How can Christians deny evolution??? Skeletal proof doesn't do it for them? Our eerie similarity to the gorilla? The body's physical composition doesn't convince them? Our instinct to survive is, in and of itself, animalistic in the right situations. So what is their answer to evolution? "It didn't happen. God made man in His image and blah blah blah..." What about the dinosaurs? They didn't exist either? Paleontologists fabricated all those millions-year-old fossils in their basements?

I could go on and on. It exasperates me to no end how close-minded they are. How hypocritical they are. God loves all His children! So long as they're not actively gay, right? Oh, and he also doesn't care for those who don't believe in Him. We're all going to burn in hell. I had a Catechism teacher tell our class that once. She was one of those Catholic fanatics who wore homemade-decorated sweatshirts with God slogans on them - who, from what I hear, had quite the sordid past - and this was during the time when Co-Ed Naked t-shirts were popular. She informed us that anyone who wore shirts like that would, quite literally, burn in hell. Good times!

So what are your thoughts? Was Jesus EveryJew or did he walk on water? Did he spawn? Or is Dan Brown full of bull-honky and I should shuffle my family off to the nearest church post-haste?

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Pistol Pete:  When did you start blogging and what motivated you to do so?

Hope:   Probably somewhere around 2005 I started some small blogging. It wasn't anything fascinating or anything, I just liked to be able to look back and see my thoughts as the days went by. I started off basically it just being a journal (basically my only motivation), and slowly...as I learned more about blogging I have tried to elevate myself into actually attempting to get some, if any, publicity or making people want to maybe slightly want to read my blog.

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Pistol:  Name three of your favorite movies.

Hope:  OH! Wow...thats tough. I'm such a movie person.

     1) The Lion King is definitely my all time favorite movie.
     2) Tommy Boy: There is no way I can not laugh in it....absolutely hilarious. Chris Farley was the man.
     3) August Rush? I dunno...thats a tough one. August Rush I personally thought was a great movie,    but that's probably just showing a bit of my nerdy band side.

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PP:  You say you love music - who are some of your favorite artists/performers?"

Hope:  That's such a broad question, I could sit here for hours. My favorite composer is Frank Tichelli. His best piece (in my opinion) is of course An American Elegy. If you haven't heard it and you like orchestra type stuff, check it out. I am definitely a huge Eric Clapton, The Beatles, Shinedown, Rascal Flatts, Led Zeppelin, and Van Halen fan... I'll stop right there with that though.

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Pistol:  You call yourself "An Agnostic Seeker".  What do you mean by that?

Hope:  It's actually pretty simple. I don't know if there is a God or not (Agnostic) but I am constantly seeking to figure out/decide whether or not there is one or not. Honestly, the more and more I ponder it the more and more confused I get. There are a lot of things that really and truly support both sides...I'm just basically a deer in headlights on whether or not I really and truly feel there is a god or not. But the term "Agnostic Seeker" in of itself is really simple and not as complex as some might think.

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Pistol:  I really enjoyed your post - "A Prayer, A Movie, and a Thought".  Can you describe what happened and how this impacted your view of God.

Hope:  Well Pistol, it started off with a prayer. My boyfriend, John, has been really trying to get me to believe in God lately and so he had me pray with him because he could see that all of my thoughts were so jumbled around...that I was clearly confused. So in short, he held me tight and prayed for me because by no means was I going to pray for myself. And after that prayer...I'd always had this "weird" feeling about me. It really made me feel odd and I wasn't sure how to respond to it. So, I didn't.

     Next came the movie. John and I went and saw the movie Expelled and found it fairly intriguing.

     I don't think the purpose of the movie by any means was to convince people of the fact that there may be an Intelligent Designer...but it surely made me go down that thought process. It really just seemed to click in my head that it only made sense for there to have been something that originally created (intelligently designed) the original form of life. No, no...I don't mean in the Biblical sense where God created everything in 6 days, but I mean the original cell, or energy that began the process of evolution. It only makes sense...I mean, where else could that have came from?

     But then of course the question comes into place: Well...then...where did god/that creator come from? And well, I don't have an answer to that question, which of course, has brought me back to the same 'ol confusion as before.

Pistol:  What do you now imagine God to be?

Hope:   That's a tough question. I don't know if I really think you can have personal connections with god. To me, if he does exist, it would seem that it/he is merely a "thing" (I mean, what do you call god?) that somehow created us.  Clearly, I am still very confused.

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Pistol:  You've written some about prayer and its impact on you.  How does prayer affect you?  What do you see as the purpose of prayer?

Hope:  Prayer is a rough area for me. As I said before, I'm not sure you can have a personal relation, discussion, etc. with god. Every time that I am engaged in prayer, I will admit, it makes me feel weird...and that term "weird" is very broad because I can't find a word to describe what I feel when engaged in a prayer.  When I do pray, I'm usually trying to comfort myself in some way.