Welcome to my redesigned site. What you read on this site is my experience and personal research and should not be considered or promoted as haveing all the answers to all questions concerning the subjects I address. If you are not a Christian or a Christian who denies the inerrancy and authority of the Scriptures, then what you read hear will be at the least offensive and at the worst heretical according to "traditional" orthodozy, therefore if you choose to read on do not email me unless you have something constructive to share since I have heard it all over the last quarter of a century.
If you are a Christian dealing with unwanted same sex attractions, then maybe my experiences will be beneficial to you, yours, and your church family. Discussions of homosexuality in our modern culture are filled with emotion, misinformation, and downright lies from both sides of the debate. Therefore, it behooves us to educate ourselves, not simply swallow the rhetoric disseminated by either extreme as being definitive. Gay activists and their supporters insist that homosexuality is genetic and therefore immutable, the Political Religious Right (PRR) takes the position that homosexuality is a conscious choice made by evil people who are out to pervert the youth of America and destroy family values. Both extremes are wrong since there is no scientific proof that homosexuality is genetic and family values are taught at home not by legislative mandates based on private interpretations of Scripture.
I need to make one point perfectly clear -- I neither support the PRR's political agenda nor support violence (physical, emotional, or phsychological) aimed at any group and that includes the gay community. Gay bashing is not only counter productive it violates the Lord's commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. For this reason I have chosen to display the Black Ribbon Against Violence and subscribe to their 7 point mission statement.
Now a word to my gay visitors. I fully understand you disagree with me, therefore do not waste your time trying to fill my inbox with hate mail. The purpose of this site is not to condemn those outside my faith, my purpose is to encourage and educate those who profess to be Christians. Not all fundies are homophobic hate mongers who think they are called to selectivily legislate Biblical morality. Under the U.S. Constitution you have as much right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as any other American.
I hope and pray the time you spend on my site will be infromative.
I need to make one point perfectly clear -- I neither support the PRR's political agenda nor support violence (physical, emotional, or phsychological) aimed at any group and that includes the gay community. Gay bashing is not only counter productive it violates the Lord's commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. For this reason I have chosen to display the Black Ribbon Against Violence and subscribe to their 7 point mission statement.
Now a word to my gay visitors. I fully understand you disagree with me, therefore do not waste your time trying to fill my inbox with hate mail. The purpose of this site is not to condemn those outside my faith, my purpose is to encourage and educate those who profess to be Christians. Not all fundies are homophobic hate mongers who think they are called to selectivily legislate Biblical morality. Under the U.S. Constitution you have as much right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as any other American.
I hope and pray the time you spend on my site will be infromative.
In the fall of 2004 while discussing traditions that pervade Christian denominations, John 17:3 and 1st Corinthians 8:6 jumped off the pages of my Bible. I had to ask myself why, since both Jesus and Paul dogmatically state that the Father is the only true God, the Trinity became a central tenet of Orthodox Christianity. This question led me to research when, why, and how the Trinity replaced the Lord's own words. I came to realize that the Early Church Fathers had no real understanding of the foundation of Christianity and imported pagan concepts from Greek philosophy and through political machinations wrenched the Gospel from its Hebrew foundation. The Lord Jesus had this to say about tradition:
Matt 15:2-9 3 And He answered and said to them, "And why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 "For God said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.' 5 "But you say, 'Whoever shall say to his father or mother," Anything of mine you might have been helped by has been given to God, " 6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And thus you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 9'But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' NAS
Mark 7:6-13
6 And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
'This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
7'But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'
8 "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." 9 He was also saying to them, "You nicely set aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death'; 11 but you say,' If a man says to his father or his mother, anything of mine you might have been helped by is Corban (that is to say, given to God),' 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that. " NAS
Paul wrote:
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. NAS
Paul praised the Jews in Berea for being more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica as they searched the Scriptures daily to confirm the truth of what he taught (Acts 17:10-13). Jesus critisized the Pharisees for searching the Scripture to find eternal life, while at the same time ignoring what was written concerning the Messiah.
Paul also wrote:
2nd Timothy 2:15-26
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness." 20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21 Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. NAS
I decided to become a Berean and test Christian traditions, such as the Trinity by "examining the Scriptures" to see if what I had been taught was God's truth. What I learned is what I will share on this section of my site.
Matt 15:2-9 3 And He answered and said to them, "And why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 "For God said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.' 5 "But you say, 'Whoever shall say to his father or mother," Anything of mine you might have been helped by has been given to God, " 6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And thus you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 9'But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' NAS
Mark 7:6-13
6 And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
'This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
7'But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'
8 "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." 9 He was also saying to them, "You nicely set aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death'; 11 but you say,' If a man says to his father or his mother, anything of mine you might have been helped by is Corban (that is to say, given to God),' 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that. " NAS
Paul wrote:
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. NAS
Paul praised the Jews in Berea for being more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica as they searched the Scriptures daily to confirm the truth of what he taught (Acts 17:10-13). Jesus critisized the Pharisees for searching the Scripture to find eternal life, while at the same time ignoring what was written concerning the Messiah.
Paul also wrote:
2nd Timothy 2:15-26
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness." 20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21 Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. NAS
I decided to become a Berean and test Christian traditions, such as the Trinity by "examining the Scriptures" to see if what I had been taught was God's truth. What I learned is what I will share on this section of my site.
