religion - Part 4

Darwin and COVID – Darwin didn’t say that the strongest survive.

I heard a restaurant owner on the news this morning talking about Darwin and COVID. He was talking about how Darwin didn’t say that the strongest survive. Rather, Darwin said it was the most adaptable who survive. And this particular person wanted to be one of the adaptable ones who survive.

There is, of course, a problem with that. Well, a few problems. The first one is that Darwin never actually said it was the most adaptable who survive!

Darwin and COVID – Darwin didn’t say that the strongest survive. More

How did Christianity get to be like this?

A look at ourselves

How did Christianity get to be like this? You ask, Like what? Let me answer, initially, with a hint, rather than a direct answer. Some think one of the worst things to happen to Christianity was when Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. As history is showing, that’s more significant that most people probably realize. The parallels to what’s going on in the U.S. today are incredible.

Historians now debate whether “the first Christian emperor” was a Christian at all. Some think him an unprincipled power seeker. What religion he had, many argue, was at best a blend of paganism and Christianity for purely political purposes.

How did Christianity get to be like this? More

What happened to Christian transformation – becoming more Christ-like?

A look at ourselves

What happened to Christian transformation? You know – becoming more Christ-like? It used to be important. But now, does it mean anything more than switching to a church that we like better? One that supports our view of God, the way we created Him? That’s as opposed to a church that teaches and helps us to become more like Jesus. The Jesus Christ who’s the namesake of the Christianity.

What happened to Christian transformation – becoming more Christ-like? More

Mourning over the loss of in-person church services

A look at ourselves

Do you mourn over the loss of in-person church services? If so, you’re not alone. But my question is actually more about the mourning. The process. The reasons why you mourn. That’s because the Bible actually gives us lessons, of a sort, on how and why to mourn. They’re in one of those Old Testament books that we don’t really like to read.

Lamentations is all about mourning. Grieving. All the gory details of what happened to Jerusalem, Judah, Zion, the Israelites when they were defeated by Nebuchadnezzar and sent into exile.

I believe they can help us today as well,
with COVID and the loss of in-person church services.

Mourning over the loss of in-person church services More

Does anybody really care? About what?

A look at ourselves

Does anybody really care? Did you ask, “Care about what”? Or did you just answer? If you answered “Yes”, what do you care about? Maybe the top five things? If you answered, “No!”, why don’t you care? On the other hand, if you answered, “I don’t know”, are you still alive?

Take those cute Koalas in the picture. Do you know, they probably don’t care about much of anything? They’re so spaced out on Eucalyptus leaves, that’s about all they care about.

Are we the same way? So spaced out on whatever our favorite escape thing is that we don’t care about anything? Not about ourselves? Not about each other?

Does anybody really care? About what? More

Will the beast in Revelation be able to deceive Christians?

A look at ourselves

There’s no reason to think the actual beast in Revelation exists today. There are prerequisites, events that must take place before the antichrist makes his or her appearance.

So why go through all this if the beast doesn’t exist yet? Well, because it matters. If we can be deceived today, what hope do we have when the events in Revelation start to unfold?

Given that we’re so easily deceived today, it’s critically important that we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit. In church-speak, to be able to discern the difference between truth and lies. Not on our own, but with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s look at a few examples of things that deceive Christians, even today
As I said, these examples are important. The things that deceive Christians today are from “ordinary” people. In other words, they aren’t from the antichrist. Not from the beast in Revelation.

Will the beast in Revelation be able to deceive Christians? More

How do I justify Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ stance on abortion?

Abortion

In light of that, should our hot button item be strictly focused on preventing abortion?

Or should our focus be on spreading the Gospel?

On getting people to understand why abortion is against God’s will, rather than only trying to make it against man’s law?

Shouldn’t we focus on the eternal souls of both the mother and the baby? Helping the mother to navigate a difficult time?

Loving the mother, no matter her choice of whether to go through with the abortion or not? Loving mother and baby if the mother chooses to go through with the birth?

Ultimately, shouldn’t we be more like Christ? We are, after all, Jesus’ representatives here on earth – until He returns. And that is part of what we’re to do per the Great Commission. Judgment is His, not ours. We are to love. Even, and maybe especially, when we don’t want to.

How do I justify Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ stance on abortion? More

Who’s supposed to do the Great Commission? Christians or the government?

Is this Christian?

Every Christian should know what the Great Commission is. And pretty much everyone in the U.S. probably at least heard of separation of church and state. So when someone receives an award for “Selfless and Steadfast Service in the Lord’s Vineyard” I expect them to understand the relationship between the Great Commission and the idea of separation of church and state.

Instead, we read a headline like the one of foxnews.com:

Barr says ‘notion’ of separation of church and state misunderstood because of ‘militant secularists’.

Who’s supposed to do the Great Commission? Christians or the government? More

Do American Christians care about truth at all?

A look at ourselves

Do American Christians care about truth at all? That should be a dumb question. Dumb in the sense that all Christians care about truth. Don’t we? Sadly, apparently not.

The headline from NBC News reads: RNC airs video clip of ‘Biden’s America’ — it was actually Barcelona. Just in case you’re not aware of it, Barcelona is in Spain. You know – Spain, as in the country across the Atlantic. In Europe. Not in America. Although some people, notably our President – Trump – don’t seem to know this. Or maybe just flat out don’t care?

Do American Christians care about truth at all? More

Donald Trump or John Lewis – who is poor in spirit?

A look at ourselves

Donald Trump or John Lewis – who is poor in spirit? That surely depends on what I mean by spirit. In one regard, I can think of no one in his position that’s ever had more spirit. However, in another way, I find spirit pretty much absent. So which one am I asking about? Well, this site is about religion, specifically Christianity. Which “spirit” do you think I’m talking about?

The image at the right kind of gives a clue.

Donald Trump or John Lewis – who is poor in spirit? More