YOU can learn directly from God.

If you're religion is confusing to you, there's a reason. Get a red letter Bible, and read the words of Jesus to the priests and preachers of His day. Then understand this: There's no difference between them and the priests and preachers of our day. Why would there be? Just as there was in His day, there are some with good intent, but even they are learning from a corrupted system. Want the truth? Throw out everything you've learned from them, pick up the Bible, and read it for yourself. Not by chapter and verse as you were taught. Particularly in the New Testament, read the way they were written, as letters. And unless you're well versed in Old English, get a modern translation. One you can read and understand. Stick to the New Testament at first, so as not to be overwhelmed. And know this, it isn't the word of God the way you were taught. It's the word of God as understood by those who wrote it. Try to understand it from the point of view of those it was written to...we were taught to read it as if it was written to us!
The problem with that is, those the New Testament was written to were going through the transition from one Covenant to another. They were awaiting an event in their time. To learn about that event, one needs to consult historians, such as Josephus and his account of it in "Wars of the Jews."

God loves. Church helps, unless you're REALLY searching.

Questioning the established theologies. The church teaches the law, just as it did when Jesus railed against it in His day. A discussion on the freedoms He gave us, and why true followers might want to operate on the outside. The truth is out there, but where?

Saturday, January 23, 2010

YouTube

That may sound like a crazy title for a post on a blog like this.  Lately I've spent quite a bit of time traversing the many videos and comment sections and it has been a real eye opener.  For one, I never realized before just how many people there are who are truly searching out and finding the truth about their churches and theology.  Also I find myself amazed at the number of people who think they 'know' the truth of the gospel, and comment rather adamantly about their beliefs.  Everything from what day the rapture will happen (May 21, 2011) and what year the universe was created (11,013bc) to spreading the word that God hates us and will laugh at us as we burn for eternity in hellfire.  But it's been a rewarding experience, sharpening the sword with people trying to defend Westboro Baptist Church and their evil picketing, engaging in conversation and debate with some people that I've even come to respect even if I don't agree with them.

"Besides, we used to kill gays for centuries. Why didn't God do anything to stop it? Because He liked it. Now that we stopped killing them, Jesus gives them AIDS to carry out the punishment. Praise Jesus"

This is an ACTUAL post from the comment page of Michael Moore vs Westboro's  video.  I've come across a lot of ignorant people in my time so it shouldn't really shock me, but it did, and it happened while I was writing this post.  But to refute him, I, my wife, and a new friend who is a soldier were all posting.  I found myself wondering if this wasn't one of the Westboro pastors kids.

Anyway, I've also been able to make friends with many very cool people, such as (recently) the above mentioned soldier and an ex Jehovah's Witness who is standing up to her old church, a young man in Ireland who recently let go of his churches hypocrisy in search of the truth, another  from Ireland who is aetheist, but well versed enough in his bible that I think it's really an agnostic stage but is very cool either way.  Another  friend who does hard rock christian music videos.  Another recent friend who actually has the message of grace, and a couple more who are oh so close.  Some of these friends get into the discussions such as the aforementioned, and that's how we find each other.  All in all, the religious experience on youtube has been very interesting and even fun, except for witnessing the occasional ignorance.

I believe it would be very easy to get carried away with all the different beliefs, so I don't think I would use it as a place to shape your faith.  But as a place to be exposed to all the differing ideas that are out there and refute those who spread ignorance if you're into that, it's been fun.  And I can say it definately encourages the Bible study too...
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Saturday, January 9, 2010

Adam and Eve

      I just read Dan Brown's new novel, The Lost Symbol, (an excellent read by the way) and he wrote something that never even occured to me.  God created Adam 'in His own image', and His image wasn't physical, because God is spirit.  So originally we were spirit, and the Garden of Eden existed in spirit form.  This makes total sense to me, and if you carry the story further, after being kicked out, he placed the cheribum and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life.  Adam and Eve were sent out to 'work the land'.  When you think about this as being we were created as spirit beings, but the fall cast us out into the physical realm, and a guardian sent to keep us from finding our way back.  This has so many repercussions as far as understanding of the Bible, it's a bit mindboggling to me at the moment.  I know literalists will poopoo this, but even they must admit that parts of the story (the apple, for instance) are definately symbols for something else.

     I have always struggled with the 'why' of not knowing or having any real evidence of life after death.  At least this is an explanation, that we are really spiritual beings trapped in physical bodies, and if we knew we were spirits we wouldn't be trapped anymore, possibly, or would pursue it more anyway.  Mankind has always had superstitions about another world beyond our reach, spirits and demons and gods.  Of course, if this is really the case, it also begs the question, why did we not get restored to the spiritual realm after the sacrifice of Jesus.  I mean mankind.  Is there really some test that we all must go through here in this realm?  Do we really have to 'just believe'?  Why when we're saved are we not allowed freedom from this mortal body instantly?  I guess maybe this whole thought process just leads to more questions than answers.  At least if it's all about the here and now, the path I'm on has me feeling that my here and now is worthwhile.

     It does shed a different light on the creation story though.
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