Religious Unaffiliated Caused By Internet Use?

In the News today, 4/6/20014: "New research shows that the number of Americans with religious affiliations has dropped by 18 per cent, or 25 million people." with this for the headline: Losing our religion: "New research shows the Internet could be making Americans lose faith."  Article

Religious affiliation: The self-identified association of a person with a religion, denomination or sub-denominational religious group.

I assume that this report was based upon "An extensive new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life details statistics on religion in America and explores the shifts taking place in the U.S. religious landscape. Based on interviews with more than 35,000 Americans age 18 and older, the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey finds that religious affiliation in the U.S. is both very diverse and extremely fluid."

"[Snip] Like the other major groups, people who are unaffiliated with any particular religion (16.1%) also exhibit remarkable internal diversity. Although one-quarter of this group consists of those who describe themselves as either atheist or agnostic (1.6% and 2.4% of the adult population overall, respectively), the majority of the unaffiliated population (12.1% of the adult population overall) is made up of people who simply describe their religion as "nothing in particular." This group, in turn, is fairly evenly divided between the "secular unaffiliated," that is, those who say that religion is not important in their lives (6.3% of the adult population), and the "religious unaffiliated," that is, those who say that religion is either somewhat important or very important in their lives (5.8% of the overall adult population)."  Statistics on Religion in America

Allen Downey, a computer scientist at the Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts correlates the increase of Internet use with the increase of the religious unaffiliated, because while in 1990, eight per cent of Americans had no religious affiliation. In 2010, that figure stands at 18 per cent, or 25 million people. At the same time the number of people who used the Internet per 100 of population when from near zero in 1990 to about 75 per 100 today. Yep, it correlates alright.  Article

I count myself among the religious unaffiliation in that I do not belong to a church, and do not hold to a particular doctrine, but I do consider myself a Christian. My unaffiliation has nothing to do with my Internet use. A correlation like this is useless, and cannot prove causation. You could also correlate the increase of electric car in use in this time span with the increase in the unaffiliated, but the fact that they increased together means nothing. One could just as easily claim that the increase in the increase in the unaffiliated caused the increase in Internet use instead of visa versa.

Why Easter is when it is, and what is the Blood Moon:

Alright, Easter is coming up, do any of you remember how I explained how the Sunday it falls upon is determined? Well for those of you who did not read that, or forgot here is the explanation again. For calculation purposes, the full moon is always set at the 14th day of the lunar month. Now as a side bar I will explain how the full moon is a half moon. Remember from all those Cowboy and Injuns movies you say that the Injun would say, "We will meet in 3 moons and see if you speak with forked tongue"? Well the lunar month started with the New Moon, which is a dark moon, 14 days later or half a moon later, it is a full moon, thus the half moon falls upon a half moon.

The first Council of Nicae 325 AD said that Easter is to be celebrated on the Sunday following the paschal full moon. Notice what isn't mentioned? That's right: Passover. But on a Sunday because Sunday was the day of Christ's Resurrection. But why the paschal full moon? Because that was the date of Passover in the Jewish calendar, and the Last Supper (Holy Thursday) occurred on the Passover. Therefore, Easter was the Sunday after Passover.

As I said above the lunar month begins with the new moon. Now the Church set the date of the vernal equinox at March 21, even though it can occur on March 19th this year. These approximations allow the Church to set a universal date for Easter. Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon, the paschal full moon, after the spring equinox which is the first day of spring. Many Christians believe that the date of Easter is determined by the date of Passover, and so they are surprised when, in years such as 2008, Western Christians celebrate Easter before the Jewish celebration of Passover. The reason the Council of Nicaea set up a formula for calculating the date of Easter was to separate the Christian celebration of Christ's Resurrection from the Jewish celebration of the Passover. Some Christians in the early fourth century were calculating the date of Easter according to the Jewish calendar, while others believed it needed to be calculated separately.

Why? Because Christ is the new Paschal Lamb, of Whom the lamb sacrificed at Passover was just a sign or symbol. That symbol found its completion in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Thus, the continued celebration of the Jewish Passover has no theological significance for Christians, because Christ is our Passover Lamb.

Easter Sunday this year, 2014,  falls on April 20, and the new moon will be eclipsed and become what is called a blood moon. The first of a Blood Moon Tetrad.    A total lunar eclipse set to sweep the skies on April 14-15 and turn the moon blood-red just before midnight has got scientists excited and some Christians fearing for the end of days. The coppery moon will be the first of two total lunar eclipses in 2014 as well as the opening act in a lunar tetrad – four total lunar eclipses in series.                                                   

It will begin at 21:20 GMT according to Sky and Telescope magazine. The other three eclipses in the “tetrad” will be in October, April 2015 and September 2015. Griffith Observatory will stream the event live.John Hagee, pastor and author of ‘Four Blood Moons: Something Is About to Change,’ cites Joel 2:31 as evidence, which says: “The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.”  

This  has happened only three other times in the last six centuries. It will be the first part of a Jewish Feast Blood Moon Tetrad – four complete lunar eclipses in a row that all land on a Jewish Feast Day. This has occurred seven times since the birth of Jesus Christ. The first four had significance to Jewish and Christian people, while the last three coincided with three of the most important events in Jewish history with incredible impacts on Christians as well.

Previous Tetrads

At the time when God created the universe, He made it very clear that he would be communicating with His people through the heavenly bodies.

Genesis 1:14 (NASB)

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;

It isn’t simply through tetrads that we have seen signs, but the seven previous ones since the Resurrection have given compelling evidence that they do signify important events. The first four occurred in in the first millennium AD. While it’s possible to look at history books and attribute significant events to the time periods surrounding 162-163, 795-796, 842-843, and 860-861, it would be a stretch to say that these events were clearly Biblical in nature and of enough significance to point to make a modern person’s jaw drop. Rather than mention the Antonine Plague, the attack on the Vatican church in Rome, or the end of Islamic invasions of Europe, we’ll assume that the events that transpired were significant but lost to history books.

The significance of the events surrounding the last three tetrads is very clear as we now have much better records of the events in the second millennium after Christ. One could argue that the three events that transpired around the previous three tetrads were the most important events to Jews, Christians, and the rest of the world in the last thousand years:

• 1493-1494 – One of the theories surrounding Christopher Columbus is that he was raised Jewish. The expulsion of the Jews from Spain coincided nicely with his voyage to America in 1492. It was a time when a good chunk of the world’s Jewish population was being dispersed from their homes while another refuge for them was being discovered, one that would help them survive as a people until their land was reclaimed. There is no telling what the Jewish population would be today if America had not been discovered at that time.
• 1949-1950 – Israel was admitted into the United Nations on May 11, 1949, shortly after winning back their homeland and declaring their independence the year before. This is perceived by many to have “started the clock” for a good chunk of Bible Prophecy.
• 1967-1968 – This was the time of the 6 Day War that put Israel back in control of Jerusalem.

With all three of these events, it is very clear that they held significance in carving out modern day Israel as well as Christianity.   2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad – What Does It Mean?

If God led you to it He will lead you through it

I would like to say a word about a few. supposedly Christian based platitudes that are constantly going around on Facebook. They go like this: "If God led you to it He will lead you through it" or "If God closes the door He will open a window." These imply that if you believe in God that He will clear the path before you and make easy your way.

This is not what the Bible tells us about how it will be for those who accept Christ as their Lord, consider all the ones who were martyred by the Romans, fed to the lions and crucified. You think that thing have changed in these latter days? Did not Jesus say in John 15 "18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke [1] for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause."?

Matthew 24:9-10 ...'Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.'

Are American Christian more holey to God than these, "A Christian man has been sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan, according to his lawyer, following an incident last year that prompted a Muslim mob to torch hundreds of homes.", "Central African Republic peacekeepers call Christians 'enemy combatants'", "Rebel Hell: Libyan Islamists Torture 48 Christians Detained In Benghazi, Use Acid To Burn Off Tattoos Of The Cross".

The above are just a few of the many, many example of Christians being persecuted for their faith, and they are the reason I always post a like to one of these atrocities when I come across one of the those, "It is good and safe to be a Christian posts". If people come to believe that their faith will be sorely tested if and when God puts the same burden on Americans as He has on Christian world wide.

I waited on God to plow my field

 I waited on God to plow my field, it still lays fallen.

I waited on God to sow the seeds, I got weeds.

I waited on God to fix my roof, it still leaks.

Then I remembered that God only helps those who help themselves.

 

The laborer is worthy of his hire for an honest day’s work

On the docks, in the fields, or clerking.

But what of the banker who lends,

Why is his effort of so much more value?

 

What is money, but a chit, a chit with trust?

A dollar bill or a credit card a promise to pay

This for that, and if you lend me this now

I will pay you then and something to boot.

 

I need seeds for the fields, fuel for the plow,

I will pay your rate for I need it now

For if I wait there will be no crops to harvest,

Nothing to sell, and no money for living.

 

 God only helps those who help themselves, not on the Bible,

But Aeschylus in his play The Persians wrote,

 "Whenever a man makes haste, God too hastens with him."

 Benjamin Franklin used it in his almanac in 1736,

 

 

 

And Sophocles wrote, "No good e'er comes of leisure purposeless; 

And heaven ne’er helps the men who will not act." way back when,

And who has not heard, "Trust in God, but keep your powder dry"?

Does this conflict with the Bible's view of God's of grace?

 

 

Should you wait on God to plow your field?

Should you wait God to sow the seeds?

Should you wait on God to fix your roof?

Does God's grace say He will do these things?

 

What say you?

 

Did the Thief on the Cross go to Heaven?

Where Does the Soul Go After Death? (Paradise or Soul Sleep)?

By Dr. Richard P. Bucher

"One of the questions that has confused and divided Christians over the years is, “Where does the soul go after death? Does the soul sleep and remain with the body until the final resurrection on the Last Day? Or does the soul leave the body at death, to be with the Lord in Paradise (if Christian), or to a place of punishment (non-Christian)? The Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and some evangelical Christians hold to the soul sleep view. Lutherans, Catholics, and most Protestants hold to the soul leaving the body view."  Extracted from the above link.

This essay is an argument for believing in soul sleep, which Dr. Bucher thinks is in error.  To follow the argument you must open the link to his essay and read it, keep the page open so you can refer back to it as I progress in my rebuttals.   In my opinion, if you understand it one way or the other is not a damning condition.

In 2 Peter, Chapter 2 Peter is talking about the believer’s being led astray, verse 1 set the stage, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

So when Peter gets down to verse 4-9 he is still talking about giving the pearls to those who would lead the faithful astray, then in 4-11 “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;  And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;  And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;  And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.”   

I ask what Noah was saved from other than the destruction of his life of which the other inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha had to suffer.  Noah was not whisked away to Paradise, rather he walked away from the destruction, giving his wife the opportunity to look back and be turned into a pillar of salt.  Bucher takes verses 8 and 9 to mean that the believer will, at death, will go to Paradise instead of the grave, “(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”  I take it to mean that God will give His elect the power to not be led astray by the false prophets.

Then he uses this parable that Jesus told in Luke 16:22-31, “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' 27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house- 28 for I have five brothers- so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"

The parable of Lazarus and the rich man has been the foundation for many of the erroneous beliefs about "hell" within traditional Christianity. Some have viewed it not as a parable, but as a true story Christ told to give details about the punishment of sinners in hell. Yet a thorough, unbiased examination of this story will show that the generally accepted interpretations of this passage of Scripture are fallacious and misleading. In this article, we will go through the parable verse by verse to determine what Christ was truly teaching. 

Those who insist that this is not a parable, but a true, literal story Christ told to describe the condition of the lost in hell must overlook several facts to arrive at that conclusion. First, Yeshua the Messiah never accuses the rich man of any sin. He is simply portrayed as a wealthy man who lived the good life. Furthermore, Lazarus is never proclaimed to be a righteous man. He is just one who had the misfortune to be poor and unable to care for himself. If this story is literal, then the logical implication is that all the rich are destined to burn in hell, while all the homeless and destitute will be saved. Does anyone believe this to be the case?  Best ofTentmaker:

If hell is truly as it is pictured in this story, then the saved will be able to view the lost who are burning there. Could anyone enjoy eternal existence if they were able to see lost friends, family, and acquaintances being incinerated in hell, yet never burning up? Additionally, if hell (as it is traditionally taught) is an abyss of fire and brimstone where sinners are tormented forever, does anyone really believe that one drop of water would relieve the pain and anguish of someone suffering in its flames?

These are just some of the difficulties we encounter when we try to make the account of Lazarus and the rich man literal, instead of realizing that it is a parable. If it is a true story, then all of the things Christ said must be factual. If all the points of the story are not literal, then we must view this tale as an analogy Jesus used to teach larger spiritual truth.

Then he brings up 2 Corinthians, Ch 5: 6-8, “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”  But if we look up in verse 1,  “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”  We see that it is Heaven that Paul is talking about, not Paradise.

Then Dr. Bucher goes to Philippians 1:23–24, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:  Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” as proof.  Biblia.com puts it this way, “Conclusion: Those who desire that Christ may be magnified in their bodies have a holy indifference whether it be by life or death and may rejoice in all their tribulations as Christ’s witnesses, knowing that the Word of God cannot be Imprisoned and that though things do not turn to their comfort in this world, by God’s grace, they will be made to turn to the salvation of others.”  In other words, Paul is not struggling with whether to die and go to Paradise to be with Jesus, rather he is unconcerned if he lives or dies as long it is in service to our Lord.

He goes on to say, “But in Philippians 1, Paul is describing “departing and being with Christ” before the resurrection, for there is no mention of the Last Day or the final resurrection in the immediate context.” But Paul does not say how long  after his departure before he would be with Christ:  "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. See 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Tim.4:7, 8.  If no-one goes to be with Christ till after the resurrection, how would it have been better for Paul, so far as he was concerned, to depart then, rather than live on?  As no cognizance is taken of the lapse of time, after a person becomes unconscious in death (Eccl. 9:5; Ps. 146:4), though 2,000 years should elapse before Paul's resurrection, it would seem to him but the twinkling of an eye.

I will respond to his interpretation of Luke 23:43 and then terminate my discussion, bty I am not a Seventh Day Adventists.  Jesus said to the thief on the cross next to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”  This I have no bone to pick with, I believe that Jesus took him to Paradise with him.  But some don’t, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee today, shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.”  See the difference in understanding the placements of the comas make? 

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ...'Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.' ... So, according to this verse, Christ didn't rise from the dead until the THIRD day after His death on the cross. Do you now see the problem with the statement: "TODAY you will be with Me in paradise"? Well, maybe Christ went to heaven when He died? The answer to that question is found in the verse in John 20:17 ...”Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am NOT YET ascended to My Father.” So Jesus had risen from the dead on the third day after His death, and meets Mary and says to her, "I have NOT YET ascended to My Father". So do we have a contradiction with what Jesus said to the thief and what actually happened? We know we cannot question the truthfulness of Christ, because He is without sin and perfect. So we must look for harmony between His statements.   Did theThief on the Cross go to Heaven?

With this I bid you adieu, you will have to make up your own mind.

Rexx

Faith Or Works?

Sermon for today:

Real faith produces good works, but it isn't these works that save you.  Good works are the effect of salvation, not the cause of it in any way and they certainly do not help anyone keep their salvation.

James 2:18-22 "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?"

Apostles Creed:

Apostles Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;  He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
Amen

PATER NOSTER, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos amalo. Amen.