Christianity Archives

October 20, 2023October 16, 2023

What Is a Legalist?

One of our detractors recently wrote that she hates me because I am a legalist. I asked her to define “legalist,” and she refused. What is a legalist? The problem is understanding the difference between a legalist and a believer. My detractor had earlier sent me an email stating that she was applying to be the preacher in the congregation where we worship.

The detractor cited the fact that the government has passed a law that no one can be denied a job based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. She is a lesbian woman and since I have never seen her, I don’t know her race. The fact that I believe God has established different roles for men and women makes me a legalist in her opinion. When I asked her if there was a job a woman could do that I am excluded from she said “No.” When I asked her if she thought I could be a mother, she hung up.

So, what is a legalist? A legalist is a person who makes a law out of their opinion or tradition and forces that on everyone else. God has given us certain laws that even an atheist should not question. One example would be not murdering. That does not make God a legalist because it is not an opinion or me a legalist because I support it.

As a Christian who taught in public schools for 41 years, I have an opinion that recreational marijuana and alcoholic drinks should not be marketed in a place where teenagers have easy access to them. I base my opinion on seeing the horrible damage done by these recreational drugs. My opinion is that they should be removed from grocery stores, quick-stop stores, and filling stations. I have Christian friends who strongly disagree, and they have that right. I am not going to denigrate them or segregate the church over this issue. I can provide evidence of the destructive nature of these drugs (as we have done HERE and HERE), but a legalist would disfellowship another Christian if they drank a beer.

Legalism is a mindset, and Jesus gave us a classic example of what is a legalist in Luke 18:9-12. In this case, it was a Pharisee extolling the things he was doing that the tax collector was not doing, including fasting and giving tithes. He assumed that the tax collector was inferior to him. This ministry is about providing evidence of God and Jesus Christ and asking people to decide how they will use that evidence. It is not my job to tell you what to believe or how to live. I only ask that others not be legalists by telling me I can’t present that evidence or must be forcibly stopped and punished for engaging in a Christian activity just because they disagree.

October 18, 2023October 16, 2023

Generation Z Questions and Faith

Generation Z is a label applied to those born between 1996 and 2010. These young people have grown up with COVID, climate concerns, and lives run by digital controls. Gen Z-ers have been bombarded by hypocrisy in adults, threats of violence, and an atheistic government lacking moral standards. How do those factors affect Generation Z questions and faith?

Those who study demographics tell us that 33% of these young people believe it is impossible to know if God is real. Only 4% have a biblical worldview, and less than 40% identify themselves as “Christian” in the term’s broadest sense. It is not hard to understand why these numbers exist, but the larger question is how can we address Generation Z questions and needs?

The answer is not in preaching to them or quoting scripture. That doesn’t mean the Bible should not be part of addressing their needs, but we must change how we approach them. How did Jesus address the struggles of His disciples and other people of His day? In Luke 7:20-23, John the Baptist sends men to Jesus, asking if He was the one the prophets had said would come.

How did Jesus respond to the question? In verse 22, He said, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard.” He then refers to the evidence of the miracles performed. When Thomas didn’t believe that Jesus had risen, what did Jesus do? (See John 20:26-28.) In Luke 24:36-43, the disciples were frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost. Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see.” He then ate a piece of broiled fish so they could see he was real.

The point is that Jesus dealt with doubt by showing evidence. He didn’t tell them to blindly believe. He didn’t quote scripture to them. If Jesus appeared in the flesh today, some people would still find a way to deny Him, as the religious leaders of that day did. However, our discussion must center around evidence, not human-made creeds or denominational dogma, and it must be backed up by living a Christ-like life.

We must show evidence that God is real, that we are uniquely created in God’s image, and that we have a soul that makes us different from other forms of life. Furthermore, the teachings of Jesus show that He is far beyond a mere human, and following His instructions can give us a life of fulfillment and purpose. Generation Z questions are the same things people asked of Jesus. We have the tools to address those questions as we show the reality of faith by how we live our lives.

Data from the Barna Group (2018), Impact 360 Institute (2018), and Pew Research Center Religion in Public Life (2022)

October 17, 2023October 15, 2023

Quantum Scammers – Quantum Quackery

Scammers have recently made several claims about quantum physics and its applications. Quantum scammers claim that an interface called Quantum Xrroid Consciousness can use quantum physics to treat various physical ailments, including cancer. Others advertise “quantum power” as a solution to everything from climate change to control of the ozone hole. People are selling “quantum stones” as high-vibration stones for healing arthritis and muscular problems. “Quantum threads” are being promoted as the fabric of space-time to bring the energy of the universe to those who use them properly.

Scammers and quacks will latch onto anything to bilk people out of money or, in some cases, even harm them. Scammers were active in biblical times. Acts 8 tells of a sorcerer named Simon who saw the power of the apostles and wanted to buy it to advance his quackery. In Acts 19, we read about a group of Jewish exorcists who heard about exorcisms by the apostles and tried to do it themselves. Snake oil salesmen did a lively business in the early American frontier. Recently, scammers have sold marijuana to cure everything from athlete’s foot to cancer. My son-in-law died because he was convinced to try marijuana to cure his bone cancer rather than using conventional medical treatments.

None of this has any scientific support. “Quantum threads” don’t exist. Religious quantum scammers suggest that “profound sounding” can open the universe to quantum spiritual understanding through meditation. Quantum theory deals with the composition of particles smaller than atoms, not some plasma that we can harness and use.

We live in an age of incredible spiritual and biblical ignorance. Apostle Paul wrote, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be complete (thoroughly equipped) for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). Don’t be misled by claims of people using scientific words to support false medical or religious claims. You can always rely on the truth of God’s Word.

Reference: New Scientist magazine Autumn 2023 and Wikipedia.

October 10, 2023October 9, 2023

The Church is People, Not Buildings

When Christ walked among humans teaching God’s message, He did not call for building physical structures of brick and mortar but for changing lives. In John 4:21-24 Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: “A time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem … a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth.” The point is that the Church is people, not structures.

Despite the clear teaching of Jesus, humans continue to waste massive amounts of money on structures while poverty and starvation afflict most people on this planet. I am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and I was reminded of this fact by the Autumn 2023 issue of Notre Dame Magazine. It contained a fact sheet showing the cost of the golden dome at Notre Dame and the Virgin Mary statue atop it. The dome was built in 1883, and the statue was placed there in 1880. The total surface area of the dome and statue is 7,300 square feet, and it is gilded with 23.75-carat gold leaf.

The hollow cast iron statue weighs roughly 4,400 pounds. The gold leaf that covers the statue and dome weighs only 15 pounds. Because of weathering and wear and tear, the gold has to be replaced periodically. The most recent regilding in 2023 was the twelfth time. The price of gold in October of 2023 is $1848.47 per ounce, which is $29,575.52 per pound. That means the gold cost $443, 632.80 not counting labor, cleaning, lighting, etc. The advertising value of the gold dome for the university has to be weighed by the school’s administration. I know that the football team and the gold dome are great publicity for the school, and we do not intend to criticize what they do to promote their institution.

The point is that Christians should realize that the Church is people, not buildings. Expensive structures are not what Christianity is about. In Matthew 25:21-46, when Jesus pictured God’s judgment, it is not the buildings, crosses, or educational institutions that indicate who is saved and who is lost. The point is how we have used what God has given us to benefit the lives of others. Those skeptics who condemn Christianity as extravagant in wasting money should look at what Jesus taught, not the wastefulness of misguided human efforts.

September 22, 2023September 19, 2023

Attacks on People of Faith

If you read news reports other than the mainstream media, you have to be disturbed by recent stories about government attacks on people of faith.

One article told the story of an August 11, 2023, police raid on a private newspaper in Marion, Kansas. This small-town newspaper had written stories about government abuse of religious freedom and the immoral actions of public officials. The justification for the police raid was that they were seeking the names of sources of information leaked to the newspaper.

A group called “Reporters Without Borders” has written several reports of violence or intimidation of news reporters who wrote articles on government actions that violated the rights of private citizens. One such story was the case of Joe Kennedy, a coach in Bremerton, Washington, who knelt at the 50-yard line and prayed silently for 10 seconds after a high school football game. Kennedy was fired because the school system had banned any prayer on school property.

Joe Kennedy did not encourage his players to participate in the prayer, and he prayed after the game was over. He sued the school system. His case went to the Supreme Court in 2022, and the court agreed with Kennedy. The fact that the school system tried to stop prayer of any kind indicates where America is headed.

Students of American democracy and the intent of the founding fathers will recognize the abuse of government attacks on people of faith. Such attacks are not limited to the government. We have had phone calls from people threatening us for what we publish on this website. Freedom of the press and religion are enshrined in the First Amendment, and as America turns away from God and freedom, Christians face attacks on their faith.

Reference: Elizabeth Colton in articles in the South Bend Tribune for August 27, 2023, page 12A, and Jeff Graham writing on September 3, 2023.

September 21, 2023September 19, 2023

Social Media and Gun Violence

As an incredible number of people are being shot, we tend to blame everyone, from gun manufacturers to child abusers. We also seem to feel this is someone else’s problem until it affects our loved one and perhaps even takes their life. In July 2023, the United States Surgeon General issued a call to action about social media’s corrosive effects on children. The 25-page report warns of a “profound risk of harm” to young people who spend hours a day on their phones. Evidence shows a connection between social media and gun violence.

We must look at what our children are exposed to on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. Children can be seen on those sites posting photos or videos of themselves with guns and stacks of cash. Sometimes, kids call out rivals, resulting in deadly violence in schoolyards and on street corners. Desmond Patton at the University of Pennsylvania has been studying the relationship between social media and gun violence and has posted his results, which are of interest to researchers, community leaders, and police across the country.

In an August 25, 2023 post by Liz Szabo on Oona Tempest/KFF Health News, social workers have described social media “as a relentless driver of gun violence” in Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. We urge parents, churches, and individuals working with young people to take an interest in what social media their kids are being exposed to, and how much time they spend on it.

The importance of following God’s instructions to parents cannot be over-emphasized. Being a parent or a youth worker can be exhaustive, but raising kids to be law-abiding followers of Jesus who care about others and want to improve the world is worth investing time and money.

Reference: KFF Health News

September 19, 2023September 23, 2023

Collateral Damage of Incarceration

The Does God Exist?” ministry is heavily involved in prison work. Over 5600 incarcerated men and women across the United States are taking our free apologetics courses, and additional students are using our eight Bible study courses. Those of us who grade these courses are constantly learning of the collateral damage of incarceration.

Wives, husbands, and especially children are the innocent victims of a person’s incarceration for substance abuse, alcoholism, anger mismanagement, domestic violence, and other offenses. We frequently get letters from prisoners taking our courses asking us to contact family members to see if their needs are being met for food, shelter, personal hygiene items, clothing, and medical care.

Churches in our area have begun a program called “Backpack Buddies” to help meet some of those needs. Working with police and fire agencies, these churches have purchased backpacks and filled them with things a child would need. That includes items like hair brushes and combs, toothpaste and toothbrushes, lotion, soap, deodorant, and feminine hygiene products. Other items included may be blankets, washcloths, and towels.

The Christian system teaches us to care for those in need. Visiting those in prison doesn’t mean just saying “hi.” It also involves helping those who are suffering and those who are caused to suffer by the mistakes of others. Jesus had strong words against those who offend children (See Matthew 18:1-6). I have seen the trauma involved when a child watches their mother or father be handcuffed and dragged out of the home, leaving them alone or at the mercy of people who don’t love them. Family services and shelters do what they can, but the number of those in need frequently overwhelms those agencies.

We don’t justify the destructive actions of adults in our world, but we know that Jesus would have us address the collateral damage of incarceration. “Backpack Buddies” is a great way to attempt to do that.

September 18, 2023September 17, 2023

The Prodigal Son and Carob Pods

When reading ancient literature, there is always a danger for us to “Americanize” the meaning. An example is the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24. Verse 16 in the King James Version says, “…he would have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat…” Some critics of the Bible have said that eating husks would not have allowed anyone to survive, not even the pigs.

This criticism is a case of assuming that the “husks” were the husks of what we call “corn” in America and which is known as “maize” in other parts of the world. First, they did not have that type of corn in Jesus’ day. When the King James Bible uses the term “corn,” it is wheat or barley. What we know as corn in America was domesticated from a wild plant in southern Mexico. However, the term “corn” is not even used in this parable.

The Greek word used in Luke 15 is “keration,” which refers to something horn-shaped. Newer translations use the term “pods.” The carob tree, native to the Middle East and the Mediterranean, develops edible seed pods shaped like horns. People use carob pods as energy-rich fodder for livestock, including pigs. Humans also eat them in dried and powdered form, sometimes as a substitute for chocolate in recipes because of their color and taste. You may find this ingredient listed as “locust bean gum” in some prepared foods. The poor also use carob pods as a food source.

The prodigal son was reduced to surviving on a poor man’s diet. The people listening to Jesus would have understood these words to demonstrate the level to which the prodigal son had fallen. His life was at rock bottom. The Father’s forgiveness and his statement “…my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” should resonate with thinking people. The Father represents God, and His forgiveness is amazing.

References: Ferrells’ Travel Blog and Wikipedia.

September 15, 2023September 14, 2023

What Jesus Was and Is

A former top official of the Southern Baptist Convention, Russell Moore, told NPR that members of that denomination object to following the instructions of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. The complaint is that saying “love your enemies” is a “liberal talking point that doesn’t work anymore.” This attitude demonstrates more than misunderstanding who Jesus was and is, it reduces Jesus to the status of a prophet or politician, as Islam and Baha’ullah suggest.

If Jesus Christ had not been WHAT He claimed to be, He could not fulfill the purpose for which He came to Earth. He accomplished that purpose because He was God in the flesh. The Bible shows Jesus to be God in passages such as John 1:1-14. Colossians 1:16-17 leaves no doubt when it says, “For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and on earth … and in Him all things consist.” Hebrews begins by telling us that God “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Even Genesis 1:1 hints at Christ’s involvement in the creation process by using “Elohim,” the plural word for God.

In Matthew 5:43-44, when Jesus told His listeners to love their enemies, the Greek word is “agape.” That word means to consider the person to be of incredible worth and value. Jesus tells His followers to consider every human life precious because of its very nature. This flies in the face of atheists who promote “survival of the fittest” and of the Koran, which advocates war and killing as a means to convert people to the Islamic religion.

As long as people fail to understand what Jesus was and is, viewing Him as no more than a prophet or human teacher, we will continue to have war and killing – some of it in the name of religion. Only Jesus Christ offers an end to war and conflict as well as redemption because He is God.

Reference: NPR.org

September 14, 2023September 13, 2023

ASA Journal 75th Anniversary

On January 7, 1949, the first issue of the Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation was released. It was a bulletin written by scientists who believed in God and who wanted to make an academic response to the skepticism creeping into America’s secular education. The ASA is not an effort by preachers but a product of the thinking and faith of scientists who believe in God. The ASA Journal is active today, and they released volume 75 # 2 of their journal Perspectives on Science and the Christian Faith in September 2023.

The 75th-anniversary issue of the ASA Journal contains twenty-five ASA fellows and editors who tell of their work in conveying academic support for faith through science. Every issue of the ASA journal contains book reviews, but this issue has 20 reviews of books dealing with various apologetics issues.

Anyone can read the ASA Journal, but members of the American Scientific Affiliation must “have attained a bachelor’s or higher degree in a science-related discipline, or they must be philosophers, historians, Bible scholars, theologians or other professionals whose vocational activity contributes to the intersection of faith and science.” They must also give assent to the “statement of faith” (you can see this statement on www.asa3.org-ABOUT-Statement of Faith.)

It is essential to understand that this group consists of people from all denominations and belief systems who believe science supports faith in God. The scholars debate and sometimes express views that others, including your author, may disagree with. However, the organization has made a robust academic response to the growing tide of skepticism, naturalism, agnosticism, and atheism in America today.

You can get more information at www.asa3.org or 978-887-8833. Their mailing address is American Scientific Affiliation, 218 Boston St., Ste 208, Topsfield, MA 01983-2210.