tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52265742596436030322024-02-08T02:17:53.579-08:00emergent pillageWhen you hear the word "deconstruction", I want you to think "weasel-speak".jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.comBlogger661125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-51536346503474773222015-08-12T21:39:00.000-07:002015-08-12T21:43:37.257-07:00Defund Benny HinnIn the past couple of
weeks, a lot of people have been rightly disgusted over videos of
people working for the abortion provider Planned Parenthood talking
about how they sell the body parts of pre-born babies they have
murdered. Calls have rightly been made for the US government to stop
giving money to this organization, though the idea has so far been
put on hold because those who govern us are little better than the PP
butchers.<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Having little control of
how much tax money PP gets, perhaps we in the church should focus on
a similar problem in our own midst. There are those among us who,
like PP, do unspeakable things for the sake of enriching themselves.
No, they don't physically murder babies. What they do is, in many
ways, even worse, because they preach false gospels. They promise
people physical healings and monetary wealth while downplaying or
even ignoring the need they have to be made clean from their sins by
Christ. The Jesus they preach is more interested in things like
life-change and giving you your best life now and fulfilling all of
your dreams then in saving your from God's judgment.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
They preach all kinds of
lunacy and wackiness, claiming the Holy Spirit told them things that
aren't to be found in the Bible, and even contradict things taught in
the Bible.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
The good thing about
this plan is that you don't have to rely on the cowards in Congress
to do it for you. Your yourself can defund these people. You can
decide to not send them money, or to not buy their books and CDs, or
to not attend their conferences and concerts.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br />
I could name a lot of
people whom the church should defund—Creflo Dollar, Richard
Roberts, Joyce Meyer, Kat Kerr, or places like Bethel Redding, or
media like GodTV or TBN—and if you want to begin defunding them on
your own, I will heartily approve. But for now, let's focus on one
target. He's on ly one among many, but he's quite a big one.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
We should <strong>Defund Benny
Hinn.</strong></div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Just as with the PP
controversy, there are videos of Hinn saying things that are so
completely unbiblical that it's a shame to the church that this man
is still considered a minister in the church. Here are some examples...<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XB0L65jLhWM" width="420"></iframe> <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jVg_nvYfwHg" width="420"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br />
<br />
Defund Benny Hinn. It's easy (you literally have to do nothing), it's free (the idea is to not send him money), and it'll do
the world and the church a lot of good.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br />
<br /></div>
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-10588410981947728562015-07-21T15:50:00.001-07:002015-07-21T15:50:29.142-07:00WITITB? available for freeMy latest venture in writing is up and can be downloaded for free for a few days.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011YDSLE8?*Version*=1&*entries*=0">"WITITB?"</a> simply stands for the question "Where is that in the Bible?" It's a question I've asked many times in reading and listening to some of what passes today for Christian teaching. <br /><br />In the biblical book of Acts, the believers at the city of Berea were commended for checking in the Scriptures to verify that what the Apostle Paul was teaching them was true. This book is an attempt on my part to follow the example of the Bereans, to put this question to some things that are being taught by a few different Christian leaders. <br /><br />This book, then, is a critical look at what some in the church are teaching. As such, an equally critical mindset is expected of anyone who cares to read it.<br />
<br />
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-1111284254034592492015-06-26T22:45:00.000-07:002015-06-26T22:46:39.806-07:00thoughts concerning the Supreme Court's attempts to redefine moralityI would guess that most
of you have heard about the Supreme Court's decision to somehow find
gay marriage in the Constitution. Much like the so-called
Constitutional right to kill children who have not yet been born, one
has to wear special glasses to find this new so-called right, I
guess. But, be that as it may, here we are. Hardly a day for
rejoicing, when evil is call good and celebrated.<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
So, what now?<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Take these thoughts for
what they are worth, I'm putting them out there for consideration. No
doubt, others have and will give their opinions and thoughts.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<strong>Separation of God and
country</strong><br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
For a while, we've
accepted a couple of curious ideas —the notion of the separation of
church and state along with the notion of a mixing of God and
country. I can listen to AFR and hear this in their motto “faith,
family, freedom”, I have been to churches which have the country's
flag almost as prominently shown as the cross, I can hear and read
the non-stop cacophony of calls revival revival revival because that
is the only hope for our country and we need to attend the next big
conference or rally or stadium event and show people how serious we
are and we need to cry out to God for revival and so on and so forth.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Maybe it's time to stop
trying to dress God up in the American flag.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Is patriotism and love
of country wrong? I don't think so. One can read the biblical book of
Romans and see Paul's love and concern for his kinsmen, even as they
were rejecting him and his message. One can read the gospels and see
Jesus' concern and heartbreak over Israel, even as He was pronouncing
judgment on them for rejecting Him.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
But love isn't blind.
Israel was (and is) a people with a covenant from God, but while Paul
lamented his kinsmen's blindness, he also saw that he had another set
of kinsmen. He called those who believed in Jesus Christ, who had
repented of their sins, his brothers and sisters.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Let me give another
example. The family is a good thing, something God created, and is
one thing being attacked by this attempt to create a new morality.
But Jesus also said that those who follow Him are to hate their
father and mother and even their own lives, and said that for those
who follow Him that their enemies will be those of their households.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
This is a difficult way
to think. We'd rather have a simple dichotomy, “This is good here,
that over there is evil”, but we are given a more difficult way of
thinking, “Love of country and family is good, but that country and
family can become your enemies if you follow Christ”.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
I'm a citizen of the US,
and that's fine as far as it goes. But for Christians, our ultimate
citizenship is in Heaven. The bond I have through Christ with the
Christians in various prisons across the world, with those being
persecuted in various ways, is far stronger and more eternal than the
bond I have with anyone claiming only national citizenship.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<strong>There are no white hats</strong><br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
To employ this way of
thinking in a more negative way, it's become plain that both side of
the aisle, politically and religiously, are simply wrong.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
It's easy to see how the
people on the left are wrong. What evils do they not condone and
celebrate? The murders we call abortion and assisted suicide, the
various kinds of sexual perversions, government theft and corruption
and greed and control.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
But it's when I have
looked to the right, thinking I'm with the “good guys”, the white
hats, that I've seen that they really aren't all that good. I may
agree with many of the things they stand for, but...</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
When I look at the
religious right, I see much the same kinds of lust for power as I see
on the left. I see compromise, even in regards to the basic Christian
beliefs. For political reason (and perhaps other reasons, too),
Franklin Graham stopped referring to Mormonism as a cult. I can look
at the speakers for the Values Voters Summit, and see a Mormon, a few
Roman Catholics, and someone with connections to the New Apostolic
Reformation. The leaders of the religious right are people like Peter
Wagner, a man who is a partner with the worst of the worst in regards
to false prophets, false teachers, fake healers.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
If you don't know the
word “dominionism” and the ideas behind it, get acquainted with
it. To put it simply, Wagner and those with him want power. They
think they have a divine command and even right to run the world, to
take over what they call the spheres of society, that they must do
those things before Christ will return for His mature warrior-bride.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Now, don't think that
dominionism is only a religious right thing. Though he may not use
the word dominionism, Brian McLaren is just as set on remaking the
world into his own image as Peter Wagner is. But my main concern for
the moment with the supposed “good guys”, the ones trying to
sport the white hats. But when I look at Wagner and has cronies, I
see their hats are just as black as those of people on the left.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
I'm not a prophet, and
not going to pretend to be one, but I'm going to make a non-prophetic
prediction, one that I have a small hope will be wrong but I'm pretty
sure is going to happen, because it's already happened to some
degree, for example with Graham's compromises concerning Mormonism. I
predict that many in the NAR will continue to drift to the left, and
will even embrace this new morality. They will dress their
compromises up in pietistic rhetoric, they will find sad stories they
can use to make themselves appear compassionate, they will end in
devouring those who stand against them.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
In other words, when
power and wealth are your goals, then compromises will find their
needed excuses. The NAR is already built on lies and distortions,
they have no solid ground to anchor themselves to anything.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<strong>Broadly speaking, the
Bible tells us these kinds of things will happen</strong><br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Contrary to the rhetoric
coming from the dominionists, the Bible tells us that the world will
become a darker and more evil place in these end times. Evil men will
grow worse and worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.
The times will be perilous for those with faith in Christ. False
messiahs and saviors will rise, and many will be deceived by them.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Mankind doesn't want to
change, unless it is that it wants to dive more and more into sin.
And it will continue to the demand that the Church accept its sins,
approve of its perversions, check off on what it wants. The world
will demand that the church become its friend, and if the church
doesn't, well, the church will have to pay.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
And the US church has
not helped itself. It has fed the people in its pews and stadium
seating a steady died of theological fluff, promising people their
best lives now if they follow the prescribed rituals and say the
correct positive words, promising a life of fulfillment and adventure
if people make prayer circles and tell the sun to stand still and be
audacious and other such things. People in churches think they are
lions when they are merely lambs, and not even God's lambs, only meat
for the world's grinders. Pastors who pose as tough guys will topple
like houses of cards, and their people will follow them.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
We are being
disillusioned. Let us rejoice in that, and repent of believing the
earlier illusions. The US is not Heaven, it is not God's Kingdom. I
have a greater kinship with many of the people whose sufferings are
told on the Voice of the Martyr's website then I do with many
politically conservative and liberal politicians and activists.</div>
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-29972142871039392382015-06-16T06:49:00.000-07:002015-06-16T15:32:13.364-07:00book review—Forever Ruined for the Ordinary by Joy Dawson<strong>basically completely
unbiblical</strong><br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
I simply have a hard time believing anyone takes the teachings and methods in this book seriously. How can anyone with an ounce of discernment think this author is teaching them anything biblical in this book?<br /><br />“I want to make it crystal clear that we should never just open the Bible randomly, and casually put our finger on a verse, and automatically go and do whatever it says. What if we did that and read that Judas hanged himself (see Matthew 27: 5), then repeated the action, and landed upon the verse which says “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10: 37)?” (Kindle Locations 551-553). Yet what she recommends is not really any better. Many of the stories she relates about herself and others involve taking biblical verses and even phrases out of context, and pretending that they have a meaning that they don't have. She relates telling a young man to marry a certain woman because of a phrase in II Kings 14. a phrase that in context was used in a mocking way. She relates a time a woman got her pastor to pay for a friend to attend a conference based solely on the fact that she opened her Bible and found her pastor's name in Ezekial 27:15, without regard to the context of that verse.<br /><br />She calls this “quickening”. Another reviewer compares it to the Magic 8-Ball toy, which I think is more accurate. The Bible nowhere teaches or encourages such a haphazard and trite way of reading and understanding the Bible. Worse, I think this is a kind of fortune-telling, and simply because it involves using the Bible doesn't make it any better; if anything, it makes it worse, because it trivializes the Word of God. Instead of encouraging people to a serious study of biblical teachings, this encourages them to simply open up the Bible and scan the pages until something “pops out!”, or to think they are getting random biblical verses in their minds and then try to shoehorn what that verse says into some kind of personal message for them and their situations.<br /><br />This book is all law, all legalism. You have to do things her way, you have to do all of the steps she tells you to do, you have to follow all of her principles, and if you fail at even one point, well, you may get some bad messages from demons, you may act presumptuously, you may get kidnapped, or you may end up not being able to speak at all. But the steps and principles she's made up are not anywhere found in the Bible. No epistle teaches that, if the people in the churches want to get messages from God, then they need to silence their own voices, rebuke demons, then sit around quietly until God finally decides to give them some kind of unclear message or out-of-context scriptural passage.<br /><br />“Unconditional obedience is the key to a successful Christian life. Think about that!” (Kindle Locations 1546-1547). There may be some truth there, but it's only at best half of the truth. Because none of us are completely or unconditionally obedient. There is little hint in such a mindset that one would join Paul in lamenting “Oh wretched man that I am, who shall save me from this body of death”, or in agreeing with him that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief”.<br /><br />If the misuse of biblical passages isn't enough of a bad sign for you, here's a pretty plain one—she recounts in this book a time this “god” who speaks to her in feelings and impressions wanted her to do something in support of something Benny Hinn was doing. Hinn is a known false prophet, a fake healer, a prosperity gospel shill who has enriched himself with false promises and false words he claims are from God, he has even preached that we are “little gods”. The God of the Bible would not tell someone to do anything in support of such a false minister.<br /><br />But I do think that there might be a few people who could be grateful for this book, those who work at putting together conferences and scheduling speakers for them, because this author would likely be a nightmare for them to deal with or to trust.<br /><br />As someone who was in YWAM for a few years, I'm very glad to be away from this kind of feelings-based way of trying to figure out God's will. Sadly, I was one of those people who took these kinds of teachings seriously, trying to look inside myself and interpret my feelings to see what God might be trying to say to me through them. Perhaps it goes without saying, but it was incredibly unhelpful and very untrustworthy. Reading a book like this now, I can see how unbiblical this author's teachings are.</div>
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-77087595981633283372015-05-26T05:42:00.003-07:002015-05-26T05:42:50.125-07:00movie review: Mad Max: Fury Road<strong>my impressions from the
preview were right</strong><br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
I'd seen previews to the
recent Mad Max movie, and hadn't been impressed with what I'd seen.
Then the movie came out, and I saw good things being said and written
about it, so I decided to take the risk, and see it.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Overall, I think my
impressions from the previews was closer to the mark, at least in my
opinion.</div>
<br />I can say that a lot of
effort was made to make it interesting and entertaining. The movie is
basically a long car chase set in two parts, with lots of
strange-looking vehicles, lots of strange-looking people, a main bad
guy who looked like a Predator gone to seed, and rather more eye
candy than I was comfortable with. Perhaps one big reason I didn't
like was all this strangeness, or grotesqueness.<br />
<br />But for all of the
action, the explosions, the flame-throwing guitar, the porcupine-line
cars, the biker gang of old ladies, I found the whole thing rather
boring. Even the budding romance between the rogue warboy and the
runaway wife only added a small bit of heart to the dystopian road
trip.<br />
<br />We knew who the bad guys
were because they were bloated and deformed. We knew who the good
girls were because they were young and beautiful. I will give some
props to Hardy as he plays Max as an atypical movie hero, someone who came rather closing to living up the word "mad".<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
But the closest the
movie comes to having a heart is when one of the bad guys laments the
death of his unborn brother.</div>
<br />In the end, I was glad
when this movie was over, and have no plans to see it again.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-71838988484392982952015-05-12T06:27:00.000-07:002015-05-12T06:27:08.021-07:00book review--The Other Side of the River by Kevin Reeves<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Other-Side-River-Kevin-Reeves-ebook/product-reviews/B005IDKX8S/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R821F09GOC8VY">good account of one way the church is going wrong</a><br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text">For several years, I was kind of on the edge of a lot of the things this author writes about, going to some of the types of churches he mentions such as Vineyard churches, and being a member of a missions organization that while claiming to be nondenominational was still very much Charismatic and taught things like taking our cities for God and spiritual warfare that involved activities like rebuking and binding Satan and claiming territory and resources.<br /><br />The author of this book does a good job of comparing what he was being taught to what the Bible says, and finding the things being taught to not be taught in the Bible. It is a sad testimony about churches that far too many of them don't do the same. The author points out some of the lame excuses church leaders' use to allow unbiblical activities and spiritual manifestation to be practiced in their churches.<br /><br />One of the best things this author does is to point out what is really behind these practices—elitism. These bizarre manifestation like drunk in the spirit and acting like animals are all dressed up in pride—this is the next big move of God, this is cutting-edge stuff, this puts you ahead of the average church-goer. And going further, if you accept what is being taught and attend the conferences and school and stuff like that, then you'll walk in miracles all the time, you'll become the head and not the foot, you'll be a part of the Elijah or Joshua Generation or Joel's Army or become a super-apostle or some other thing meant to play to your pride.<br /><br />This book is well worth reading. I can recommend it very highly</span>jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-23251953345642179112015-05-01T18:48:00.000-07:002015-05-01T18:49:28.655-07:00book review: Bringing Heaven to Earth by Josh Ross and Jonathan Storment<strong>dominionism from the
left</strong><br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Blogging for Books
provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Trying to give a fair
evaluation to this book has been rather tricky. There were some
things in it that seemed ok, but my overall impression was that the
book was rather iffy, even trite.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br />
For one thing, Scripture
is used in a haphazard fashion. “When Jesus spoke about hell, He
referred to the town dump right outside Jerusalem”, p. 60. So, in
the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, the rich man died
and ended up in the town dump? On pages 34-35, they tried to draw a
parallel between Jesus' temptation in the wilderness and His baptism
and Israel's time in the wilderness and then crossing the Jordan into
The Promised Land, but they get the events of Jesus' life
backwards—in Matthew 3 and 4, Jesus is first baptized, then He goes
into the wilderness. “You might be convince that you're a sheep,
and you might find out it's better to be a goat.”, p. 68.
Umm...goats are those who will be taken from God's presence. I'm
pretty sure it's never better to be a goat.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br />
On pp. 105-107, in
writing about the book of Galatians, the authors sum up the concerns
Paul expressed in the book in this way, “...we can make a mess out
of God's gift of life”. This is, at the best way to try to read it,
a trite way of summing up how the Galatian Christians were adding
their own works to try to earn salvation, and coming close to falling
into apostasy. “There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, or in the
community that wears His name. Fred Phelps is just as forgiven as are
those who rejoiced when he died”. This is definitely playing fast
and loose with Paul's statement in Romans 8, “There is therefore
now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” I see no
reason to think that Phelps was in Christ Jesus, and thus wasn't
condemned. This statement by these authors seems to hint that they
hold a universalist view.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Following a similar path
I remember when reading some of the books by Emergents, these guys
have littered their book with deconstructive “What if...?”
questions. Their trite “Jesus party” mentality is, frankly,
offensive. The way they continually slam the church because of bad
press is so thin as to be laughable, especially since the accusations
are clearly false.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
This book isn't a
complete waste, but it does a poor job of teaching Scripture, and
honestly comes off more as a piece of propaganda then as a work of
theology. It's seem like their trying to entice people in with all
kinds of sweet thing while covering over or explaining away the bad
things, like the statement about hell that I referred to earlier in
this review. In the end, it's all law, and all their own law—do you
hang out with people who are like yourself? Well, that's just bad. Do
you care about the truth of the biblical accounts? That's not
important. To put it simply, they are “Deeds, not creeds” types.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Finally, there is simply
the dominionist note of this book. “We are to steward God's world
and to exercise loving dominion over creation”. I've read books by
dominionists who are on the conservative side of social, political,
and thoelogical things, and it's not the first time I've noticed
those on the left having similar ambitions. It's always amazing how
much those on either side can make of the request in Jesus' prayer
that “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven”. But what else does all of this talk about making earth
into heaven, about earth being the womb of heaven, about heaven not
being far away, mean except that it's our job to make earth like
heaven? From the left or from the right, it's all dominionism, and I
want nothing to do with either of them. Man's attempts to make a
paradise on earth cannot but fail, and badly, no matter how much you
dress it up in christian-like rags.</div>
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-71568257376348583192015-02-28T14:47:00.000-08:002015-02-28T14:47:03.814-08:00book review—Wandering Stars by Keith Gibson<strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wandering-Stars-Contending-Apostles-Prophets-ebook/dp/B008BUMGKS/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t">very informative</a></strong><br />
<br />
A few years ago, a church decided to have a circus perform during one of their services. The sad part isn't so much that this happened, but that far too much of the church has become a circus in its own right.<br /><br />This book gives the reader a good view of one aspect of the unfunny circus that is the church today, with numerous examples of the unbiblical things taught by those who call themselves apostles and prophets, the inaccurate prophecies the so-called prophets have given, and the ways these people who call themselves apostles and prophets try to cover up their bad teachings and keep anyone from keeping them accountable.<br /><br />This is a very important and informative book. Far too many people in the church today are being deceived, and books like this are there to help people see the deceptions. I highly recommend it.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-89633028736349456142015-02-17T22:44:00.004-08:002015-02-17T22:47:29.286-08:00book review—Rise of the Fallen by Chuck Black<strong>interesting, but not
completely buying what he's teaching</strong><br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Blogging for Books
provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
I'll deal with this book
like I did the first, as a story as regarding it's theology.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Story—First, don't
come into this book expecting a typical sequel to the first book in
the series. I give the author some credit for doing something a bit
different, perhaps even risky. And I'll give him more credit for
doing it fairly well, story-wise.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
A lot happens in this
story, and it held my interest. The main character gets developed
pretty well, as the reader sees him in various historical and
modern-day situations.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Theology—This is a bit
tricky, because the author adds some speculative things that, if read
wrongly, could come off as theological. To that end, the Reader's
Guide was helpful for understanding what the author inserted on his
own.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
On the good side, the
story focused on faith in Christ. Even for a “good” man like
Drew, the main hero of the first story who appears in this one too,
there is no salvation apart from faith in Christ, no matter what good
works he's trying to do. Along with there, there are things
concerning abortion and sexuality that are biblically sound.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
The author does engage
in the kind of ego-boosting us-center rhetoric that is all too common
today. “God sees the potential in all of us...”, he writes in the
Reader's Guide. But biblically, we know that “none are righteous”
and “all our works of righteousness are as filthy rags”.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
If there is one thing
that honked me off a little theologically, it's when he tries to
throw in the need to “hear God's whispers”. Even the angels in
this story have to try to hear them, for some reason. I realize this
is a popular teaching, but I've yet to come on anyone who can truly
show me where the Bible tells us that God speaks to us via a quiet
inner voice. And this author doesn't give any biblical support for
the notion, either.<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Conclusion—It's an
interesting read. I wish I could be a little more enthusiastic in my
support for it, but I simply can't ignore some of the things the
story teaches that are a bit off, like the God-whispers stuff. But
there is enough good that I'd give a recommendation.</div>
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-61813030736185810962015-02-01T21:49:00.003-08:002015-02-01T21:49:54.466-08:00En Passant available for free<a href="http://www.amazon.com/En-Passant-work-not-so-popular-theology-ebook/dp/B007YUYZM8/ref=pd_ybh_12">En Passant</a><br />
<br />
This book is available for free for a few days, for Kindle readers.<br />
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-17232525656925208552015-02-01T21:12:00.002-08:002015-02-01T21:14:39.430-08:00book review--Divine Applause by Jeff Anderson<strong>say hello to the new
legalism</strong><br />
<br />
Blogging for Books
provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
I suppose a lot of
people are familiar with the old legalism, the “Christians don't
drink or chew, and don't hang out with folks who do” type. This
kind of legalism was grim and dour, looking askance upon fun and
entertainment. Rock music was evil, movies were evil, dancing was
evil, TV was the devil's tool box, and so on.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
The new legalism is
different. It comes with a smile, offering all kinds of good things.
The god of the new legalism isn't looking to strike you down if you
slip up; rather, he's just eager and waiting to drop all kinds of
blessings on you if you'll just get your act together. That's the god
of Divine Applause.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
The god that Anderson
writes about in this book is a god whose attention you have to get,
and Anderson tells you how. If you give money, God notices. If you
fast, God starts paying attention. If you pray, God's ears perk up.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
But though the new
legalism wears a very different face from the old one, it is still
legalism. How much should you give? Well, maybe tithing isn't enough
for you to get God's attention. “Honest study suggests there is no
biblical giving measurement that applies to everyone. In fact, it's
possible that your 10 percent, or even beyond, may not please
God...We learn from Jesus's applause of the generous widow at the
Temple that God measures our gifts according to how much our gift
costs us. He measures it according to our unique sacrifice.” So,
how do you know if you giving is pleasing to God? “If your decision
to give 5 percent of you income (or 1 percent or even one dollar)
causes your heart to beat faster and your hands to sweat, then that
healthy tension can make your gift matter both to you and to God.”
Of course, he doesn't show where racing hearts and sweating palms are
taught in the Bible as a basis for giving.</div>
<br />
Much of the rest of the
book is along those same lines, basically him taking a few biblical
passages and making stuff up about them, trying to read between the
lines, so to speak. Gideon had only a few hundred people to fight
with because he asked God a few times to verify what He'd said to
him? That's not taught in the Bible. All the backstory about
Abraham's unnamed servant sent to find a wife for Isaac? None of that
is in the Bible. This author is far more interested in his own vain
imaginations then in teaching sound bibilical theology<br />
<br />
“When even good, holy,
and proper things become confused with the gospel, it is only a
matter of time before we end up with Christless Christianity: a story
about us instead of a story about the Triune God that sweeps us into
the unfolding drama.” Michael Horton. Christless Christianity: The
Alternative Gospel of the American Church (p. 109). Anderson tries to
deal with good, holy, and proper things—giving is good, prayer is
good, fasting is good. But he does so in a way that makes the story
about me. “What did Jesus mean when He told the adulterous woman to
“go, and sin no more” (John 8:11 KJV). He must have believed in
something greater for her life. And when He preached to the crowds,
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”
(Matthew 5:48), He had something greater in mind for them too.”<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
But the adulterous woman
could no more keep from sinning than she could keep from breathing,
perhaps even less so. The people who heard Jesus say that weren't
suppose to think that they could be perfect by their own efforts—many
of them were already trying to do that by their own efforts, by
keeping the law, by living in legalism. The law isn't meant to
inspire us to a form of bootstrap theology, but to help us see how
sinful our sins are.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Romans 3“21 But now
the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,
although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the
righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who
believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a
gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put
forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This
was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he
had passed over n former sins. 26 It was to show his
righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” One of the big things
the law is suppose to do is show us how much we need the Gospel of
Christ dying for our sins, to show us how lost we are without
Christ's sacrifice.</div>
<br />
In the end, this book is
simply another in a sad and sadly growing collection of ego-boosting
works of me-centered theology. God is there to make my life an
adventure, give meaning to my life, make me a superstar, but I have
do everything right so that God can do that for me. God is relegated
to being a supporting player in the grand and glorious story of me.
Few things could be less Christian.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-29547543616391753402015-01-20T14:09:00.002-08:002015-01-20T14:09:34.510-08:00book available for free for a few days<a href="http://www.amazon.com/More-Story-Audie-Thacker-ebook/dp/B008I62WMM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1421791510&sr=1-1&keywords=more+to+the+story">More to the Story</a> is available on Kindle for free for a few days.<br />
<br />
It's a short work, basically three brief writings centered around some scriptural passages. They aren't meant to be satirical or sardonic, though a few sacred cows may be singed a little bit in them.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-5014716286109359922015-01-17T00:37:00.000-08:002015-01-17T00:37:35.547-08:00the falsest of dichotomiesEvery now and again, I'll read something that at least seems to hint at some kind of divide between the God of the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament.<br />
<br />
To my experience, it's rarely plainly stated in such terms. The language is usually more weaselly. It might, for example, involve statement about how Jesus is the true revelation of God, and how we have to interpret the Bible, especially the Old Testament, through Jesus.<br />
<br />
Of course, that does make sense. But then, the Jesus they try to set up turns out to be not much like the Jesus found in the New Testament.<br />
<br />
For example, I've come on a few who try to question the existence of Hell using such an argument. Apparent, the fact the Jesus spoke of Hell as a very real place doesn't factor into their interpretations.<br />
<br />
This kind of thing is often used by those who are theologically liberal.<br />
<br />
For example, they will attempt to put a kind of separation between the God of the Old Testament, who often told people to go to war and told Israel to conquer to the Promised Land, and Jesus in the New Testament, who told people to love their enemies, bless those who curse you, and so on. They try to portray Jesus as being in favor of their pet forms of nonviolent resistance.<br />
<br />
But the truth is this--Jesus never disapproved of anything the Father said or did in the Old Testament, and the Father never disapproved of anything the Son said or did in the New Testament. As Jesus Himself plainly stated, "I an the Father are One", and "Before Abraham was, I am". To put it another way, the God who told Yeshua (Joshua) to cross the Jordon and conquer the Promised Land is the same Yeshua (Jesus) who told us to love our enemies. There are not cross-purposes, there is no split between the two, there is not disagreement in the Godhead. Jesus did not attempts some kind Occupy Heaven stunt.<br />
<br />
The same Jesus who spoke about loving enemies also told his disciples to sell a cloak to buy a sword. The same Jesus who spoke about loving enemies was the one who called His enemies hypocrites, blind guides, and said their father was the devil. Start getting your mind around these apparent (though not real) contradictions before trying to make the Godhead a family squabble.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-7189610335048290282015-01-01T11:37:00.001-08:002015-01-01T11:38:17.535-08:00book review—Heartless by Anne Elizabeth Stengl<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heartless-Tales-Goldstone-Wood-Book-ebook/dp/B008BT9F7Q/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420141065&sr=1-6&keywords=heartless">large as life fairy tale</a><br />
<br />
Fracturing fairy tales has become common in modern-day story telling. It seems like TV shows and movie where spins and twists are put on fairy tale and folklore stories are pretty frequently put out. Of course, one gets a steady diet of that from Disney, but they are far from the only practitioners.<br />
<br />
“Heartless” is, in many ways, another modern take on fairy tales, but one that is different from some of the others I've come on, and one that I like rather a lot.<br />
<br />
A lot of the expected elements are in it. There are princes and princesses, strange places where strange things can happen, dragons and warriors, heroes and villains. There is love and loss, heroism and cowardice, selfishness and sacrifice.<br />
<br />
But maybe the big difference between this fairy tale and the classic kind, a difference that I think may make “Heartless” more suited to a more grown-up reader than the kiddie version of fairy tales popular nowadays, is that most of the people in it are not larger than life. With a couple of exceptions, they are not paragons of virtue, nor are they dripping in evil and villainy.<br />
<br />
Una is not the stereotypical fairy tale princess, Felix is not prince charming, and Leo is not a knight in shining armor. They are, in a sense, only as large as life. They act like how we act, they do the things we do, they act selfishly and rashly, they make shallow decisions, and they hurt those around them in profound ways. They aren't the stereotypical sympathetic characters, they are in fact rather frustrating. Just like we are.<br />
<br />
One of the biggest parallels I saw between this story and Christianity is this—Una is loved by the fairy prince even when she treats him badly and as an enemy. This was a reminder to me of how “God showed us His love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.<br />
<br />
Overall, this is a work of creative and imagination, as well as well thought out and fairly sound in it's allegorical representations of Christianity. I can recommend it very strongly.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-764089658515646012014-12-31T20:25:00.000-08:002014-12-31T20:25:04.675-08:00book review--Valor's Worth<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valors-Worth-Windrider-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B00E8ZX3FM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420086255&sr=1-1&keywords=valors+worth">good</a><br />
<br />
Since I gave a review to the first book in this series (not counting the prequel) that was kind of middling, it seemed fair to give a review of this book. A lot of things I groused about in the earlier book are fixed here, and the result is full-bodied, satisfying fantasy novel, well worth the read.<br /><br />Rather then feeling hurried, I was able to enjoy the story developing, the characters being fleshed out, the little conflicts that lead up to the final conflict. Along with original character, new ones (or in one case one that was briefly mentioned in the previous book) are brought in and fit in, and it's all a fairly cohesive whole.<br /><br />So, consider this a recommendation.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-88655336381658514232014-12-31T17:49:00.000-08:002014-12-31T17:49:59.103-08:00the truth behind and beyond dystopiaA few years ago, I
spent a lot of time driving. To help with that, I would get some audio
books from a library. I got to listen to audio book versions of the
Dune novels, along with several of Asimov's Foundation books. More
recently, I've taken an interest in the Warhammer 40K books, reading several of them.<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Those are a few
examples of dystopian stories. Yes, I think even Foundation was
dystopian, even though I doubt that was Asimov's intention. Outside
of not finding the appeal of those stories, not to mention the
arrogance of the ideas behind the Foundation, there was simply the
extreme cyclical view of history, such that the fall and rise of the
space empire has to follow a certain pattern based on one man's researches and conjectures, and that everything must to done to insure that this pattern is not interrupted in any way. That's pretty dystopian,
in my mind.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Dystopian fiction has
been fairly popular. I suppose my first exposure to it was the old
movie Logan's Run, though my interest at that young age had more to
do with robots and lasers than in a deep and dark future world. But
whether it's a dark future of the Alien movies, or a dark present or
near future in which zombies rule the world, it's all dystopian.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
So, what does it all
mean?</div>
<br />
“Certain new
theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian
theology which can really be proved. Some followers of the Reverend
R.J.Campbell, in their almost too fastidious spirituality, admit
divine sinlessness, which they cannot see even in their dreams. But
they essentially deny human sin, which they can see in the street.”
Chesterton, G. K. Orthodoxy (p. 7). Kindle Edition. While I suppose there
might be dispute over whether original sin and the Fall are the only
part that can really be proven, I think it's fairly clear that
original sin and the Fall are as evident as Chesterton points out. We
don't have to look far to see it, we don't even have to look in the
streets. We need only look in a mirror.<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
This fact is all
around us, and in us. And I'd say that it's in dystopian fiction (and
utopian, too), whether or not that's the intent of the authors of
those books.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
We know that
technological progress has not equated into progress as people. The
fictional cave man with a club may have been able to only knock a few
people over the head with his club, but the far too real modern
terrorist can do so much more damage with a machine gun or vest bomb,
and we can only imagine with dread what such a person might do with
nuclear or biological weapons. We develop technologies for spreading
moving images, and we use them to show off and celebrate our
debaucheries and perversions.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
What do I think is the
truth behind these dystopian stories? Simply that we know that, left
to ourselves, we cannot create utopia. Our attempts at utopia will
not pan out, but will turn on us, and become something closer to a
nightmare than anything we might dream of. We will be no less
xenophobic in the 40,000s than we were in the 1940s. Our rulers will
be just as despotic in the far future, as they have been in our far
and near past. The best laid plans of mice and men will turn into
well laid traps for mice and men.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Because, in the end,
we know we are hopeless. We cannot change our own selves, let alone
anyone else. We cannot make our own selves better, let alone anyone
else. We are not improving as a race.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
We know the truth of
original sin. We cannot help ourselves, save ourselves, make ourselves clean.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
If that was where the
story ended, then let us rush blindly into the night, or rage against
the coming of the night, both would be equally hopeless gestures.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
But the truth is,
that's not where the story ends. There is truth in that story, but if
we stop with just that story, we will be left with hopelessness.</div>
<br />
“But while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Mankind is not the hero of
mankind's story, and when we try to be, we can't find anything but
dystopia. But where our works of righteous are no better than the
vilest of rags, Christ's sacrificial death for our sins has made us
clean. Where our sins are like a mountain, Christ's death has won
forgiveness for us. Where our technology and intelligence and
creativity have made our futures only more precarious, Christ's death
has given those who believe in Him a real future.<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
There is truth in
dystopia, but there is a greater truth beyond dystopia. Where we by our own efforts would only create hell on earth, Christ has promised us new heavens and a new earth.</div>
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-91964725899002190952014-11-22T01:13:00.001-08:002014-11-27T05:41:03.308-08:00shifters: manipulations available for free<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Manipulations-Shifters-Book-Audie-Thacker-ebook/dp/B00PC1MI5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416298296&sr=1-1&keywords=shifters+manipulations&pebp=1416298301703">Shifters: Manipulations</a><br />
<br />
My story is available at Amazon for free for a few days, and you may consider this an invite to take a look at it, and let me know what you think.<br />
<br />
Thanks, and I do hope you enjoy it.<br />
<br />
Note: The free offer has now expired. To those who got a copy of the book, thanks, and again, I hope you enjoy it.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-90106635440696868162014-11-22T00:13:00.001-08:002014-11-22T00:13:22.342-08:00book review—Divine Summons by Rebecca P Minor<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Windrider-Saga-Book-Summons-ebook/dp/B005YTYET0/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t">a bit disappointing</a><br />
<br />
Things I liked:<br /><br />The author does well at creating characters. Vinyanel, Veranna, and Majestrin are interesting characters, and the way they grate at each other and look after each other throughout the story is different than what is typical in these kinds of stories.<br /><br />Things I didn't like:<br /><br />The story felt rushed, and things happened that could have been better explained. For example, we learn early on that elves and dragons don't like each other, such that the dragon Majestrin does not at first accompany Vinyanel into the elven lands, but without any explanation the next time Vinyanel meets Majestrin is somewhere in elven lands, and little is made of it.<br /><br />The way perspective was done was bothersome, too. Much of the book is from Vinyanel's first-person view, where Vinyanel is essentially telling the story, but there are times when the perspective changes characters, and then it goes to third-person.<br /><br />And I was uncomfortable with how divine power is shown and used by the characters. For example, at one point Veranna says to Vinyanel "If there are to be any Miracles channeled on this mission, Young Windrider, they shall come through you." The idea of miracles being channeled through someone seems to be a pretty big departure from how God performed miracles in the Bible, and at least seems something more like how The Force is used in Star Wars. But God is not like The Force at all.<br /><br />One part particularly irked me. Vinyanel finally has enough of Veranna's cryptic words and interferences, and tells her so. She's earned it, she's been a pain to him throughout the story, and his rebuke of her is sound, but for some reason he's treated like the one who did something wrong. I hardly see why Veranna, who's shown no small amount of pride at her position as some kind of prophetess, should not be subject to a well-earned rebuke when she needs it.<br /><br />Conclusion:<br /><br />I recently read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PA4J85O/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk">Beyond Price: a short story (The Windrider Canticles Book 1)</a>, a kind of prequel novella for this story, and thought it was pretty good, so I came to this story with some high expectations. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed. To repeat something I wrote earlier in the review, the story felt rushed, almost as if there were some need to jump from one action scene to another without much info about life in between. I would have liked, for example, to see how Vinyanel honored and mourned for his comrades who died in the first part of the book, an escape from some enemies. I might even have liked to know more about why they were doing what they were doing at that time, and why it went bad and so many lost their lives. I would have liked to know more about what Veranna was trying to teach Vinyanel. I would have liked to see more of the normal lives of these characters. I would have liked to see more of Veranna's difficulties as a half-elf in an elven city, which are touched on once but only very briefly. After "Beyond Price", I would have liked to see how Veranna became the prophetess she is in this story, what her training was, and how she was even accepted, given her mixed heritage.<br /><br />It's not an awful book, there was certainly enough to keep my interest as a reader, but I guess I was still hoping for more.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-43780922021507571562014-11-19T08:59:00.001-08:002014-11-19T08:59:05.513-08:00book review—Spark by J.B. North<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Legends-Shifters-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00K2CDQ5W/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t">fairly good</a><br />
<br />
Things I liked:<br /><br />The overall story held together pretty well, I didn't notice any big discrepancies or contradictions. The idea of people changing forms into either real or mythical animals was an interesting one, and handled pretty well. The fantasy world was well-imagined. Ivy was a good protagonist, fairly sympathetic but also not so perfect as to be unbelievable. A lot happens, there are a few twists and turns, and overall the story kept my interest.<br /><br />Things I didn't like:<br /><br />The book could have used a more thorough editing and proofreading. There were some things that could have been better explained, such as the places the students went to in the tents—were they real places, places in their minds? That might better explain why Ivy succeeded at firing a bow on her first attempt at it in one of those worlds, while struggling to learn to do so in real life. The God talk was handled clumsily, we get little hint of anything religious in Ivy's life yet she ends up praying to some Lord at a couple of points late in the book.<br /><br />Conclusion:<br /><br />I pretty well enjoyed this book. There are lots of good things here, but a few problems, too. Perhaps some things will be explained in later books of the series. I wait expectantly for the next book.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-50411094207301231252014-11-07T08:41:00.000-08:002014-11-07T08:41:12.870-08:00my newest foray into literatureA couple of years ago, I put toe into the literary world, kinda, sorta, in a really small sense. Today, I go in a bit more deeply<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PC1MI5M">Shifters Book 1: Manipulations</a><br />
<br />
I don't want to say too much about it at the moment, don't want to spoil anything :-). But I guess I'm a bit giddy over finally having this one up and available. Though I may not be the best judge of my own kinds of works like this, I think this one is pretty substantive, kinda funny in spots, very intense in others, and overall pretty good.<br />
<br />
So, check out the page, and maybe read a copy of it. Any feedback, whether you think it's good or if you think it's not so good, would be welcomed.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-30252030530956942702014-11-01T09:44:00.000-07:002014-11-01T09:47:36.342-07:00book review—The Global War on Christians by John L Allen Jr<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Global-War-Christians-Anti-Christian-Persecution-ebook/dp/B00C8S9YYK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414860424&sr=1-1&keywords=the+global+war+on+christians">Sobering</a><br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Blogging for Books
provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
This isn't a book one
necessarily enjoys. What the author writes about is sobering,
disturbing, yet important. Though many US churchgoers might say that
they know that there are places in the world where Christians suffer
persecution, it is kept at a psychological distance, something “over
there”. It isn't something believers in the US have much experience
with.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
But there may also be
another reason why these accounts of suffering for Christ are kept at
a distance. Where do accounts of people losing everything they have,
even their own lives, fit into a religion whose biggest concern is
having your best life now? In a theology that tries to spin the
Christian life into one of constant adventure and fulfillment, do
accounts of persecution promise too much adventure, or the wrong kind
of adventure? What do accounts of people being social outcasts
because of their Christian faith do to the popular teaching that God
wants to help you to fulfill your dreams, land your dream job, have a
great sex life?</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
It would be good for
those whose regular diet of Christian reading is a steady feasting on
the feel-good, shallow, it's all about me types of book so popular
nowadays to read a book like this one, to provide a kind of balance
to what they have been reading, and to get a glimpse of the cost many
people pay for their faith.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Though I think this is a
good book, I cannot completely agree with the author on everything.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
Some of what he wrote
about an “ecumenism of the martyrs” seemed off to me. Are we
suppose to think that beliefs and creeds are unimportant, simply
because people of various beliefs and even different religions have
suffered persecutions? Though I appreciate that the author makes
references to those persecutions from many different Christian
faiths, are we suppose to pretend that the Reformation didn't happen
because Catholic and non-Catholic believers suffer persecutions?</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
While I would agree that
no one should be persecuted because of their religious beliefs, that
is a far thing from necessarily endorsing anyone's religious beliefs,
and I must kick against the notion that an ecumenical endorsement is
necessary. The author mentions Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, the Iranian
pastor whose imprisonment has become a cause celebre in many church
circles. I would agree that Pastor Youcef should not be in prison
simply because of his religious beliefs, and that Iran is wrong to
imprison him for his religious beliefs. But the book also notes that
Pastor Youcef has a Oneness view of God, and rejects the biblical
teaching on the Trinity. Is it possible to support Pastor Youcef's
freedom from unjust imprisonment, yet still say that his beliefs are
aberrant or even heretical?</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
So, while I would
recommend this book, and pretty strongly too, understand that my
recommendation is not an endorsement for everything the author
suggests.</div>
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-54464017657982977612014-10-31T09:00:00.002-07:002014-10-31T09:00:38.178-07:00worship of uncertaintyIt would be fair to make a cautionary statement here--I think there is a tendency to proclaim certainty about things that are less-than-fully-supported biblically. In my last few years of school, I attended a school affiliated with a "Fundamental, Independent, KJV-only" type of church. They were very certain about many things--women should not wear pants (trousers, to you in the UK), rock music in any form is evil, going to the cinema to see movies is evil (though maybe watching videos was ok--this was a few years before DVDs). Christians don't drink, smoke, or chew, and don't hang out with those who do (unless one is witnessing to them, which wouldn't technically be hanging out). <br />
<br />
In truth, many of their prohibitions had little biblical support. They would say that rock music is the world's music, rooted in rebellion. Some would say that the beat of rock music is too heavy, that the heavy rhythm is carnal and sensual. The problem is, these are arbitrary categories--where does the Bible say anything about any kind of "world's music"? Where does the Bible prohibit music with a heavy rhythm? The Bible does prohibit a man to wear feminine things and vice-versa, but what does that mean? In the times of the New Testament, the normal clothing of men and women were very similar. Why are pants or trousers strictly men's clothing? What about in colder climates, where women wear trouser-like pieces of clothing? What about cultures where women's clothing may include something similar to trousers? On the other hand, should men not wear kilts, because they are too much like skirts?<br />
<br />
I could go on, I suppose, but maybe I've made my point--we need to be careful of forbidding things about which the Bible does not explicitly forbid. <br />
<br />
Saying that, while acknowledging that grace may be wise in some things where clear commands and limits are not given, the worship of uncertainty as many postmoderns practice is like being eaten by the dragon while avoiding the whirlpool. The Bible makes many things very plain, and these things are not up for dispute. In the Ten Commandments, things like theft and murder and lying and adultery are shown to be wrong. Worshiping other gods is wrong. Any sexual act between anyone other than a man and woman married to each other is called sin. <br />
<br />
We did not make the rules, we were not given the power to veto or remake the rules, and we violate the rules at our own peril. And finally, if we go up against the One who made the rules, we may be sure only of certain defeat and punishment. <br />
<br />
There is room for flexibility in many things, but there are things hard and fast, things about which there cannot be compromise. To say that we must doubt those things, doubt that God has forbidden us to do those things, is to echo the words of the serpent, “Did God really say?”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/En-Passant-work-not-so-popular-theology-ebook/dp/B007YUYZM8/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1414770896&sr=1-2&keywords=en+passant">En Passant: a work of not-so-popular theology</a> (Kindle Locations 477-496). jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-72365746910602929522014-10-13T07:58:00.001-07:002014-10-20T08:53:11.517-07:00well, there goes hopeRight when one might have had hope concerning this coming election, the Evangelical purveyors of superstitious hyper-spiritual practices have gone and ripped it from us.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/45735-intercessors-set-up-david-s-tent-for-24-7-worship-outside-white-house">Intercessors Set up 'David's Tent' For 24/7 Worship Outside White House</a><br />
<br />
I remember they did this last year, before the presidential election. Yeah, how'd that work out, folks?<br />
<br />
One of the sure signs that these NAR types are false prophets and teachers can be found simply in this, that when they prophecy and proclaim something, the opposite happens. I remember Lou Engle writing this, "Standing on that basketball court, with the U.S. Supreme court beneath the feet of Jesus and my feet, I declared, "From this day forward there will only be pro-life judges." Well, that didn't happen.<br />
<br />
And now, there's this kind of stuff, again. These 24-7 kinds of places have become very popular in some circles, such the IHOP and YWAM crowds, not to mention the group that calls themselves 24-7 Prayer. And it's all hyper-spiritual busywork, all based on a superstitious view that if they do this, God will do something.<br />
<br />
Hog and wash.<br />
<br />
"David's Tent" is some kind of big cause celebre among these NAR Dominionists. They think there 24-7 music fests will have something to do with making "David's Tent" a reality, even though that's not what the Bible teaches.<br />
<br />
Anyway, having any kind of hope in the current political situation is rather a difficult thing even on the best of days, but knowing that thus bunch is out there doing their schtick of false praise and worship just took hope right out the room. Please, folks, just stop, you've already done quite enough damage.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-64606139609386407742014-10-12T20:46:00.000-07:002014-10-12T20:46:06.016-07:00book review—Dark Biology by Bonnie Doran
<strong>not awful, not great</strong><br />
<br />
I want to deal with this book in two aspects—the story, and the theology.<br /><br />The story: It turned out to be more of a romance than a suspense or thriller type of book. While some things written about the International Space Station were interesting, the focus was usually put on the romance triangle, and it was just kinda so-so. Hildi was an ok character, though I thought she treated Dan rather badly. And why Dan still wanted to be with her after, for example, leaving him stranded on a beach, I don't understand. And for Frank, he got to play the role of the guy who kept messing things up and making bad situations even worse.<br /><br />The parallel story of Hildi's parents, and the people around them, could have had a bit more punch. There was certainly enough material with them to make up its own book, but while it has some moving moments, it never really gets to much depth.<br /><br />Chet was the most interesting character, but also in some ways the most iffy. Would it really be that easy for a disgruntled CDC employee to get into an infectious disease lab, hid a vial, and get out? Especially on the spur of the moment? And the book said the he checked the vial's label to make sure that it wasn't anything seriously bad, the book called it H1N2, but he later sees the label again and sees that it actually is a serious bug, something called H4N6. This mistake, though, is not explained, especially since he made sure to check the vial when he selected it as the one to sneak out.<br /><br />Theology: For a story riddled with ministers, prayer, and other things Christian, it seemed like the Gospel itself was like the proverbial bush that people beat all around, but never quite get into. Let me give an example.<br /><br />One character, Hildi's father, who has just learned that he is about to die, says, “I've done these seminars to atone for my sins.” While the friend comforting him starts out by saying “Do you believe Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient for everything you've done, past, present, and future?”, his words then turn into some kind of a motivational speech about all the good the guy had done, with the last thought from that minister in this section of the book was “Maybe his life had counted after all”.<br /><br />This was an excellent place for the Gospel to be told to this man who was having some doubts so close to death, and while something like a “Gospel nugget” (HT Fighting for the Faith) was given, the man was quickly pushed past that to look at his own works. I doubt the author meant it this way, but that does come off as something like work-righteousness, especially just after the man had said that he was trying to do good works to atone for his sins. But out good works do not save us, our works of righteousness are no better than filthy rags, and we sure can't use them to atone for our sins. The righteousness God gives us through Christ is not earned by works of the law, but is given through faith in Jesus Christ. That is mentioned, true, but I wish it had been dwelt on more, instead of jumping to the “You've changed the world” type of motivational jargon.<br /><br />This is the kind of book that might have benefited from being longer, so that things could have been explained better and the overall story would not have felt so hurried. As it is, it's only a so-so book to me, something that I neither liked overly much, nor disliked.jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226574259643603032.post-88664319393382547362014-10-08T23:16:00.000-07:002014-10-08T23:38:05.411-07:00a bit of kibitzingI haven't done
anything like this for a while, and I'm actually anticipating it a
little. So, onward and upward!<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
“<a href="http://weeping-jeremiahs.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-values-of-lamb.html">Weeping Jeremiahs</a>”
is a blog that's been brought to my attention, for good or ill,
mostly ill. I don't know anything about whomever write it, or even if
“Jeremiahs” is telling us there's more than one person
contributing bad poetry to the site. Anyway, this one example is
certainly interesting.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Values of the Lamb</blockquote>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Ah, the language of
values. Not morals, not ethics, but values. But, let's be glad that
this person knows so much about what Jesus values, right?</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“I do not share your
values, America:</blockquote>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Well, all right-y,
then. Let's give Weepy Jerry credit for coming on strong, bringing
the heat.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Now, first, let's note
a few things. First, tie this in with the title of this poem, The
Values of the Lamb, and note that this person puts these words in
quotes, and writes in the first person, I. In other words, Weepy
Jerry is claiming that Jesus is the one saying these words.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Wow, that's quite the
claim. Take a look at this passage. “Deuteronomy 18: 18– 20: 18
“I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you,
and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all
that I command him. 19 “It shall come about that whoever will not
listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will
require it of him. 20 “But the prophet who speaks a word
presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or
which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.””</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
First, HT to Michael
Beasley and his book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G7IVP6C/ref=pdp_new_dp_review">The Fallible Prophets of New Calvinism</a>, an
excellent resource for the biblical view of prophecy, such as the
verses above, which were in his book.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
So, claiming to be
speaking for God is not a trite thing. Saying “Thus sayeth the
Lord”, even if one doesn't use that phrase, was a matter of life or
death in the Old Testament. True, we may be glad that in this New
Covenant we wouldn't kill a false prophet, but we shouldn't pretend
that false prophecy is not a serious issue. And in claiming that the
words of this poem are the words of Jesus, Weepy Jerry is putting
him/her/themselves in the place of a prophet.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
So, noting that, let's
go on.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I value love more</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
than I value
independence</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Well, that's
interesting. Are love and independence mutually exclusive? Are they
bitter enemies, such that we cannot have one if we have the other?
Personally, I don't see the conflict, and more than that, I think
there are many ways in which love and independence go hand in hand.
Even if we look at things on a national level, which country sounds
more loving—the independence people have in the US, or the
micro-control people suffer in North Korea? I think I'll take the
independence we have in the US, thanks.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I value charity more</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
than I value profit.</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
So, when did charity
and profit become mutually exclusive? You know, you work day in and
day out, and when payday comes you get the wages you've worked for,
and what is wrong with that? How that is anti-charity? In fact, how
are any of us suppose to do much of anything charitable without
earning anything?</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Is work wrong? Is it
wrong to want to earn the money you need to pay your bills, get
groceries, and maybe afford a few extras? I guess we can assume that
Weepy Jerry has at least one computer, or all the Weepy Jerries have
their own computers, so it seems like they have some means. How were
they able to afford to get computers? And wireless access? And a
home?</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Charitable giving is
fine and dandy, if it is done wisely. I'm quite fine with charity,
but I don't see how charity is suppose to be opposed to making a
profit.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I value the native
people</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
you uprooted and
oppressed.</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Ah, now it's cheap
guilt trip time. Yeah, America, you ain't been perfect.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
True, God does love
native people, whatever that might mean, wherever that might be. He
also loves the people that replaced them, and the people who
replaced those people. After all, how many square inches of this
world can really be said to be in the ownership of whatever people
first claimed them?</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
I assume that at least
one of the Weepy Jerries is white, because this person obviously
relishes wallowing in his/her white guilt. As a white man myself,
I think I'll pass. I know very well that the US has a lot of really
ugly things in our past, something true of any nation, something true
even of those native people.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
How do I know that?
Simple. Those native people were like us—fallen, sinful, corrupt,
and even their attempts at works of righteousness were no better than
filthy rags. They were just like me, because I was and am like that.
I am a sinner, I am still fallen, even as I am forgiven and made
clean in Christ. I think it is the Lutherans, and maybe the Reformed,
who have a saying that we Christians are simultaneously just and
sinner.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
So, yes, God loves
native people, God loves those who took their place, God loves all
peoples. And He showed that love in this, that while we were sinners,
Christ died for us.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I value your enemies</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
as much as I value
you</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
No problem there, but
what is this person really saying? I think this next verse may show
this person's hand.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I value peacemaking</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
and nonviolence</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Yep, typical leftie
cowardice and self-righteousness, right there on full display.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Notice the lack of a
contrast here—no “I value X over Y”, but “I value X and Y”.
As you might expect, I think this is a bit of an either-or, more so
than this person's other attempts at contrasts.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
For example, why does
peacemaking equal nonviolence? I've had some exposure to leftie
rhetoric about these things, and, frankly, it's full of
contradictions.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Maybe one would think
about Jesus' words in what we call The Sermon on the Mount, where He
said, “Blessed are the peacemakers”. All well and good, but does
that mean pacifists? Does that mean nonviolence? I think that could
be debated. First, by much of the Old Testament, where God often
tells His people to go to war, and even seems to indicate that King
David got into moral trouble with Bathsheba because he was not at war
at a time when kings went to war. Warrior images are also often used
for God. And there is no contrast between God the Father and Jesus.
One isn't the thunder-god who just wants to do a lot of smiting while
the other is the meek and quiet one who's pulled off an Occupy Heaven
type of takeover. No, there is no conflict between the Father and the
Son. Jesus completely approved of everything in the Old Testament,
and the Father completely approved of everything Jesus said and did.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
To put it another way,
the same God who told Yeshua to lead the people of Israel into a
conquest of The Promised Land is the same Yeshua who said that
peacemakers are blessed, and He will be the same Yeshua who will
return as a king and a conqueror, as Revelation tells us as do other
prophet passages.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Proverbs, an Old
Testament book, often speaks against violent people. Of course, these
violent people were not like King David, or Joshua, or Moses, or
Gideon, or any of David's mighty men. Rather, these violent men were
murderers, bandits, robbers, ambushers, people who shed the blood of
the innocent.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
In a human sense, the
policeman who stops a murderer or a robber is a peacemaker, even if
he uses his weapon and even does so lethally. A soldier fight his
country's enemies is a peacemaker. Of course, there are
complications—it could be seriously questioned how much of a
peacemaker a soldier in Nazi Germany was, and an ISIS terrorist is
obviously not a peacemaker at all. Hamas terrorists lobbying
thousands of mortars and rockets into Israel are not peacemakers, no
matter how much they try to disguise themselves in false concern for
the Palestinian people. And there are corrupt police officers, sadly.
But by and large, police officers and soldiers do far more
peacemaking than leftist radical activists.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I value freedom from
sin more</blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
than I value political freedom</blockquote>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Oh, my, how
hyper-spiritual. I guess that might work as a cover for leftist
attempts to curtail political freedom.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I value your salvation
more</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
than I value your
nation.</blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Ok, so, who is this
person now talking to? I thought this person was address the US as a
whole, but now it's changed somewhat.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
And, again, it's
hyper-spiritual. It's a common ploy among those on the left, and
sadly even those on the right.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Do not confuse your
values with Mine!”</blockquote>
Oh, and now we have “Mine” capitalized,
another sign that Weepy Jerry is claiming that these words are form
Jesus. So, are we suppose to put this little poem into the Bible?
Maybe make it part of the Psalms, or at least a New Testament version
of the Psalms?</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
Sorry, I can't do
that.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
One wonders if Weepy
Jerry is actually taking his or her or their own advise? After all,
they are claiming that their own values are the values of Jesus, but
are they not then confusing their values for His? I think this little
poem shows that they are, and pretty badly, too.</div>
</div>
</div>
jazzact13http://www.blogger.com/profile/17437006437523413659noreply@blogger.com0