oddXian: Challenge the Consensus

"If I go to the doctor, I am putting the doctor before God," Neumann said. "I am not believing what he said he would do." Quote taken from here . Seems another sad case where a child has died due to perhaps well intentioned but misinformed parents. While it's true that God is ultimately sovereign over all and desires that his people call on his name, that doesn't negate the fact that God also provides and works through means (such as doctors, medicine, etc.) and calls for man to act wisely. The fact is that while some may do things as if to serve God, that doesn't substitute for being transformed in the renewing of one's mind so that one is a ble to test and approve what God's will his, his good, pleasing and perfect will. Consider such things as: 1. God reveals wisdom not only through Scripture but also general revelation. 2. Luke was a doctor 3. Many passages in Scripture where not only prayer was offered but steps taken, salve and balm appli...

No sooner has Sam Harris established his reputation for intolerance and harassment of religious faith than he has now begun to lash out at those scientists who do show tolerance and respect toward religious folk. He is passionate that, as he titles it, "Scientists should unite against threat from religion." Imagine! The crime of not excluding people from scientific discourse because they are Christians, or even Muslims!   Sam won’t stand for it, and in his recent editorial to that massive organ of scientific literature Nature he blasts the scientists for — of all things — being too nice. Nature’s great sin of being "unfailingly tactful" Sam warns — saving us from almost certain peril — whitewashes religion and leaves us with nothing but "obscurantism." full article here

Link to video series. Chosen by God: Related study materials Augustine and Pelagius - Summary “Calvinism” or “Augustinianism” vs “Pelagianism,” “Semi-Pelagianism,” and “Arminianism” - Summary An Arminian's Top 10 Theologians list - a factual demonstration of RC's Assertion Works of St. Augustine - Christian Classics Ethereal Library Freedom of the Will - Jonathan Edwards Bondage of the Will - Martin Luther Institutes of the Christian Religion - John Calvin Augustine's States of Man - Summary

Referencing a biblical curse on heretics, Williams said, "There is no threat of being cast into outer darkness — existing relationships will not be destroyed that easily." Still, he foresees a future "not in apocalyptic terms of schism and excommunication, but plainly as what they are: "two styles of being Anglican" pursuing their mission "with greater integrity and consistency," even as they work out issues. Williams has pushed for several years for a "covenant" clarifying that membership in the Communion is for those churches that are "theologically coherent" and agree on how they'll work together, rather than "a loose federation of local bodies with a cultural history in common." Quotes taken from here . Wonder how many Anglicans have read the Christ's message to the angel of the church in Thyatira (Rev 2:19-29) where he condemns that church for their toleration (v. 20) of those whose teaching leads his servan...

... We'll give them publicity, all right, but it will be the harshest, nastiest, meanest publicity possible — we will do everything we can to make sure that when someone googles their organization or their booklet, all that comes back is a mountain of snarling contempt. It'll be fun. The referenced quote is taken from Pharyngula , a blogspot which admits to running a smear campaign (not just presenting their side of the creation vs. non-creation argument) in response to ads by the Creation Museum on the Discovery Channel. While it may be a few weeks before this campaign begins, readers should note the stated intentions of PZ Myers, the writer of the post and originator of the campaign, and consider this context when weighing their writings.

Atheists choose 'de-baptism' to renounce childhood faith While I imagine that "debaptism ceremonies" may be "therapeutic" for some (from their perspective) and perhaps a method of saying "in your face to the religious world" for others, when one considers the nature and application of the covenant sacrament and sign (i.e., baptism) one sees that those to whom the covenant and its sign is extended receive additional grace along with the responsibility to either accept and receive the covenant (and become recipients of its benefits) or to reject the covenant (whereby they not only forfeit the benefits but become accountable for unbelief and rebellion even in light of additional grace). For this reason, while some on the one hand may believe that by participating in a debaptism ceremony they are demonstrating they have nothing to do with the covenant/sacrament, on the other hand they actually demonstrate their participation by giving additional evide...

Jimmy Carter fails to distinguish between the EQUALITY of women and men (in Christ) with the distinct ROLES of women and men (in Christ). Galatians 3:28 is a passage which speaks to the equality, while many other passages (Eph 5:22, Gen 3:16, Col 3:18, Titus 2:5, etc.) speak to difference in roles. A passage which speaks to both the dignity of women and difference in role is 1 Peter 3:5-7. Carter's own words show his failure to distinguish between these differences when he states: "The justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher Authority, is unacceptable." Surely, while we are to recognize the equality of women and girls when it comes to their being created in the image of God, does not his own statement suggest there are differences, and should we not recognize difference in roles (even while recognizing equality as persons)? Carter's own statement - "Although not having t...

Just when you thought that Reality TV had hit an all time low in regards to creativity… ISTANBUL (Reuters) - What happens when you put a Muslim imam, a Christian priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk in a room with 10 atheists? Turkish television station Kanal T hopes the answer is a ratings success as it prepares to launch a gameshow where spiritual guides from the four faiths will seek to convert a group of non-believers. The prize for converts will be a pilgrimage to a holy site of their chosen religion -- Mecca for Muslims, the Vatican for Christians, Jerusalem for Jews and Tibet for Buddhists. Read More…

Matthew 26:24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." John 6:70 Jesus answered them, " Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?"

1 Timothy 4:10 (English Standard Version) 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Chrysostom (349-407) on Hebrews 9:28. "So Christ was once offered.": By whom offered? evidently by Himself. Here he says that He is not Priest only, but Victim also, and what is sacrificed. On this account are [the words] "was offered." "Was once offered" (he says) "to bear the sins of many." Why "of many," and not "of all"? Because not all believed, For He died indeed for all, that is His part: for that death was a counterbalance against the destruction of all men . But He did not bear the sins of all men, because they were not willing. NPNF1: Vol. XIV, Epistle to the Hebrews , Homly 17. This is not a contradiction in terms, it is a proposition that fits into God's redemptive plan - that is: 1) Christ's death was of gener...

Unlimited/Limited Atonement 1 Timothy 4:10 (English Standard Version) 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Chrysostom (349-407) on Hebrews 9:28. "So Christ was once offered.": By whom offered? evidently by Himself. Here he says that He is not Priest only, but Victim also, and what is sacrificed. On this account are [the words] "was offered." "Was once offered" (he says) "to bear the sins of many." Why "of many," and not "of all"? Because not all believed, For He died indeed for all, that is His part: for that death was a counterbalance against the destruction of all men . But He did not bear the sins of all men, because they were not willing. NPNF1: Vol. XIV, Epistle to the Hebrews , Homly 17. This is not a contradiction in terms, it is a proposition that fits into God's redemptive plan - that is: 1) Chris...