Often when someone reads that God is referred to as “He” in the Bible, they think that implies that God has a sex prioritization or and sex hierarchy. Or the fact that God is a “He” also makes Him more like a male human than like a female human (or a male human more like…Continue reading God’s Maternal Traits–part i
Category: Bible Questions
The Uncommon Life – Part 2
I am sorry that this two part article got broken up. You might go back and refresh yourself with the first part again. This level of “oddity” is so “common” that it inspired Tom Clancy to say that “the difference between fiction and reality is that fiction has to make sense.” Mark Twain is given…Continue reading The Uncommon Life – Part 2
Pope Francis changing the Lord's Prayer
“and Lead us not into temptation” According to “The Independent” on Dec 8, 2017: “Pope Francis has called for a change to the wording of the Lord’s Prayer, as the existing translation implies God ‘induces temptation’… The prayer, also known as Our Father, asks God to ‘lead us not into temptation’.” “The 80-year-old also highlighted…Continue reading Pope Francis changing the Lord's Prayer
Understanding Sexuality Podcast
https://hunterbeless.com/new-blog/2017/7/ep28-on-understanding-sexuality I got to be a part of a great podcast a few days ago. This expresses some of the roots – going WAAAAAYYYY back (in time and in philosophy) for the issues of sexual identity that we face as a culture today. Check it out!
Confederate Monuments Controversy – Part I
Taking/tearing down Confederate Monuments “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The Apostle Paul, Romans 12:18 & 21 Hopefully the verse above makes it clear that I am writing this to Bible – believing Christians. If you have…Continue reading Confederate Monuments Controversy – Part I
Suicide in the Bible
Does the Bible deal with the tough issues? It does. Christianity is neither merely a religion nor outdated. People despair. People struggle with mental illness. People get trapped in the belief that there are only two choices – a long tortuous death or a quick release… but the problem is that there are almost always…Continue reading Suicide in the Bible
Is the end of the world coming on Saturday?
Is the end of the world coming Saturday? Well, I suppose… maybe. I am sorry that the tone of this will, at times, be a little tongue-in-cheek. As a rational Christian skeptic, I have a hard time taking faddish, panicky social media input very seriously. The 2nd coming of Christ and the “Day of the…Continue reading Is the end of the world coming on Saturday?
My Theology of Race – Part 4
Intermarriage There were multiple commands from God to the Jews not to intermarry with the Canaanites and other tribes they were conquering in the Promised Land. “You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me,…Continue reading My Theology of Race – Part 4
My Theology of Race – Part 3
Tower of Babel The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-8,9) “Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.” This passage, which is among the shortest and most obscure in the entire Bible to…Continue reading My Theology of Race – Part 3
My Theology of Race – Part 2
Shem, Ham, Japheth A common Jewish tradition is that the three “races” were the progeny of Noah’s three sons, Shem, Japheth and Ham. Gen 9:18-19 “The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from…Continue reading My Theology of Race – Part 2
My Theology of Race – Part I
Throughout Christian history, people have made great use, and sometimes great abuse, of the Holy Bible to seek to explain the diversity of human beings. Obviously, in various ways, people are different from one another, and sometimes those differences are obvious – like skin tone. For years, people have used those skin tone differences to…Continue reading My Theology of Race – Part I
Calvinism and my views – Part II
Now, here are some of my personal responses to these points. My issue with the Calvinism branch of reformed theology is mostly based on the view that if one thing is true, others things cannot be… when often this is not the case biblically. If something appears to be paradoxical, it may be our error.…Continue reading Calvinism and my views – Part II
Calvinism and my views – Part I
John Calvin (1509-1564) was a serious player in the “reformation” – the break of what is now known as the Protestant Church from the Roman Church. He had very strong opinions on the way that the Sovereignty of God trumps any freedom that mankind might have… which might be none. Often today one misnomer (my…Continue reading Calvinism and my views – Part I
The uncommon life Popular historian and self proclaimed former Christian-turned-atheist, Dr. Bart Ehrman, in his debate with Dr. William Craig, clarified that a historian’s job is not to tell “what” happened, but what was “most likely” to have happened. He goes on to explain why that makes it impossible for him to hold to the…Continue reading
Minimizing unnecessary Conflict in the creation debate
My 15 year old son, Mark, is very involved in the debate world and is now adding speech competition to it. This is the speech he has started delivering this month; I think it has some great wisdom for Christians wrestling with the questions of how to interact with other believers, especially with whom they…Continue reading Minimizing unnecessary Conflict in the creation debate
5 Greek words for "Love"
The Five Loves Welcome! How wise of you to be researching love. Few things in life are more important than true love (“except maybe for a nice MLT: mutton lettuce and tomato sandwich…”)… I am no Greek scholar, but I am passing on what I have been taught and what I understand about these words…Continue reading 5 Greek words for "Love"
New Evidence that Jesus was Married?
New Evidence that Jesus was Married and Had Children A recently 6th revealed Century manuscript allegedly found in a British Library has created some stir. However, it shouldn’t. The Manuscript is known as the “Ecclesiastical History of Zacharias Rhetor.” and reason it was in the British library without gathering a lot of attention was because…Continue reading New Evidence that Jesus was Married?
Middle Knowledge
I sometimes need to teach through the concept of middle knowledge, so I thought I should have a page with just this information. For a more in-depth conversation, check out the articles at “Calvinism predestination middle-knowledge and does God know the future…whew” Middle Knowledge God decides to create. At this point, He has limitless options…Continue reading Middle Knowledge
How to Engage with a Rated – R Bible!
http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/is-the-bible-an-r-rated-children-s-book.html This is Stan Ward’s and my article about dealing with the rated R aspects of the Bible. Enjoy!
Understanding Sex Talks Finally Available
Too often, sex has become frozen in our hearts… cold and stilted… clearly something beautiful has been caught in a freeze… and it isn’t what God intended. Just recently, we had a very late freeze at our house – well after all of the fruit trees had budded out. It immediately made me think…Continue reading Understanding Sex Talks Finally Available