Christianity Archives

January 1, 2023December 31, 2022

New Year Celebrations Around the World

New Year celebrations are, for the most part, worldwide. In ancient Thailand, people fired guns to frighten off demons, thinking that would make the new year demon free. In ancient China, people used firecrackers to repel the forces of darkness. Church bells in Italy rang to repel evil forces while the Swiss beat drums for the same purpose. The origin of using sirens and party horns in America was to repel evil demons.

Food and drink have been part of new year celebrations. In Spain, revelers stuffed their mouths with 12 grapes, one for each chime of the clock. In the southern part of the U.S., people thought eating black-eyed peas and pork would bring good fortune in the coming year. In some cultures, people believed that eating a ring-shaped treat such as doughnuts symbolizes “coming full circle” and would bring good fortune. Dutch homes served fritters called “oliebollen,” and the Irish enjoyed “bannocks.” In India and Pakistan, people believed that eating rice would bring prosperity in the new year.

New year celebrations bring the hope that the coming year will be better than the past year. The things that can prevent that from happening are human selfishness, greed, abuse, and power struggles. Jesus Christ addressed this in Luke 12:16-34 when He told the parable of the rich man and his treasure. Jesus summarized the parable in verse 21 by saying, “The man who hoards things for himself and is not rich toward God remains a pauper in God’s sight.” He then tells His disciples that life is more than food and the body is more than clothes (verse 23). He ends the teaching by warning His disciples not to set their hearts on food and drink. He said, “Pagans make food and drink their aim in life … but rather let your chief care be for the kingdom of God” (verses 29-31). He ends the discussion by saying, “Your heart will be where your treasure is” (verse 34).

This New Year’s Day is a great time to take stock of what you value in life and where that will take you in 2023. Christians do not have to worry about demons or food or drink because their focus is on spiritual matters. While having another year of life is a good thing, having eternal life is even better.

Reference: Old Farmer’s Almanac for 2022.

December 31, 2022December 20, 2022

The Authority of the Bible

On this final day of 2022, we consider the authority of the Bible. We have been looking at God’s revelation in His creation. As Romans 1:20 tells us, “For the invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” God’s creation reveals His eternal power and divine nature. God’s revelation in His written word reveals His love and the plan He designed for you and me. The authority and reliability of the Bible is a topic we have often emphasized. Here are some links to examples:

Reliability of the New Testament

Jesus Christ Challenges People to Think

The Bible’s Human Authors

Archaeology Is a Friend of the Bible

The Wall Hezekiah Built is Uncovered

New Testament Manuscripts

Essenes Qumran Discoveries

Operating on Faith

We have dealt with the authority of the Bible in many more articles. The emphasis of the Does God Exit? ministry is on the existence of God and the Bible as His Word. We desire to show that science and the Bible are friends, not enemies. As John Clayton often says, you don’t have to disengage your brain to be a Christian. You can go to the DoesGodExist.today website and use the search box to find more information on any topic we have covered over the years. We invite you to continue following our daily posts as we enter the new year of 2023.

December 17, 2022December 15, 2022

The Influence of Christianity on Meeting Human Needs

The Influence of Christianity to Make a Difference

At this time of year, a wide range of organizations addressing some human need solicit money from those of us who try to wisely use what God has provided. My personal list is 98 organizations that I have attempted to help in some way during 2022. What kind of organizations are these, and what does it say about the influence of Christianity?

The largest group of requests comes from organizations dealing with health issues. Many of those groups deal with vision problems, including blindness, eye diseases like glaucoma, and correctable problems like congenital cataracts, but also guide dog programs. Of the 98 organizations, 36 of them deal with health problems. Of the 36, nearly half are Christian organizations that supply things like ships with surgical facilities that travel around the world.

The next largest group is organizations dealing with poverty and hunger. Of the 20 groups doing this kind of work, all of them are Christian organizations. Another 13 are environmental groups, and 6 of those are Christian organizations. That adds up to 69 of the 98 being in these three areas or 70% of the total. Of those, 44 are Christian-operated–47% of the total.

Of the remaining 29 groups, 7 are child-care organizations, and all are Christian groups. Two are disaster relief groups, and both are associated with Christian organizations. Several other areas of concern have Christian connections but are not managed by a Christian group. For example, wildlife conservation, veterans, and entertainment programs involve some Christians but are not sponsored by a Christian organization.

How many atheists, naturalists, and world religious groups in the United States are involved in the issues of today’s world? The media takes great delight in telling about a mistake by a Christian leader or hypocrisy in a Christian organization. However, the press ignores the work done by groups claiming allegiance to Jesus Christ, even though the influence of Christianity in charitable work is evident.

Jesus said, “by their fruits you shall know them.” False claims and moral corruption by some claiming to be Christians and even Christian leaders will eventually be rooted out. The good things done by groups and individuals who sacrificially give to address the world’s problems live on and will be seen in eternity. Read Matthew 25:34-46 and see what Jesus says about it.

December 15, 2022December 14, 2022

Abortion War Is Missing the Point

Roe v. Wade and the Supreme Court decision has affected almost every aspect of American life. Politicians have jumped into the abortion war not only as a party platform, either pro or con but also as a fund-raising device. I counted eleven organizations using anti-abortion messages in solicitations we recently received. Planned Parenthood reports a 4000% increase in donations to their pro-abortion efforts. The political involvement in the abortion issue is staggering.

Planned Parenthood has received billions of dollars from taxpayers since the year 2000. Laws like the one in Indiana requiring health providers to bury or cremate fetal tissue have been upheld by a federal appeals court and are still being challenged. Throwing money at this issue or debating it in court or Congress will not settle the fundamental problem that led to the abortion war. Americans are going to have to decide whether human life is special or not.

We are a small step from deciding that any human life that is costly, inconvenient, or dysfunctional can be legally terminated. We recall Peter Singer’s suggestion that severely mentally ill people, life-sentenced criminals, seniors who cannot manage their own affairs, and mentally challenged people unable to do productive work should all be euthanized. That would save massive amounts of money and eliminate prisons, nursing homes, and hospice facilities. Singer is an Australian moral philosopher, currently the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University.

The Bible has fundamental answers to the abortion war:

All humans are of infinite value, and their bodies are the dwelling place of God’s Spirit. (See Matthew 5:44-48 and 1 Corinthians 3:16.)
Sex is a designed creation of God to provide a unique bond between a man and a woman in a committed relationship. It is not a recreational device to be used in any way one chooses. (See Matthew 19:4-6 and I Corinthians 6:15-18)
Humans are uniquely endowed with the capacity to love (agape) all other humans and to consider ALL humans to be of extraordinary worth. (See 1 John 4:7-11.)

As long as we make sex a commercial commodity and use human life as a tool to promote a political agenda or raise money, the abortion war will continue. Science and technology can offer solutions to prevent unwanted pregnancies without the wholesale use of abortion as a method of birth control. But the real solution is beyond that.

As faith in God and acceptance of the Bible as a guide for life decline, we can expect the intensity of the abortion war to increase. However, Christians can set an example, teach biblical moral principles, and address the collateral damage. However, looking the other way as these issues swirl around us does not help the situation.

References: USA Today Network for 12/5/2022, Planned Parenthood 2021 annual report, Alliance Defending Freedom Newsletter for 12/8/22.

December 14, 2022December 13, 2022

Utah Lighthouse Ministry Closing

In 1959 Jerald and Sandra Tanner began the Utah Lighthouse Ministry to help people struggling with Mormonism. The Tanners had come out of Mormonism and saw the conflicts between Mormon Church (LDS) teaching and the Bible. They wanted to help others by presenting accurate historical data and explanations of current Mormon practices.

The Tanners have published a periodical called the Salt Lake City Messenger for years. In the December 2022 issue, Sandra Tanner announced that effective March 1, 2023, she will retire, and the ministry will cease to exist. Jerald passed away in 2006.

The Tanners also operate a bookstore with literally hundreds of hard-to-find titles on the Mormon Church and books on other subjects indirectly related to Mormonism. We have used materials from the Tanners when faced with apologetic issues concerning LDS.

You can find various resources on the Utah Lighthouse Ministry’s website http://utlm.org/. For a list of book titles, go to http://utlm.org/navbooklist.htm. Starting February 1, 2023, they will have a closeout sale on all books. You can see a bibliography of materials published by the Tanners at http://utlm.org/onlineresources/pdf/tannerbibliography.pdf. They have online books available at this link http://utlm.org/navonlinebooks.htm. Also, you can purchase digital books at http://utlm.org/booklist/digitalbooks.htm.

Mormonism is a dangerous cult with a horrible history. The Tanners and Utah Lighthouse Ministry have provided a unique source of information on LDS teachings and practices throughout the years.

The mailing address is Utah Lighthouse Ministry, PO Box 1884, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110-1884.

December 13, 2022December 12, 2022

How Fast Are You Moving?

If I asked, “How fast are you moving?” you might reply that you are sitting still. However, don’t forget that you are sitting on a planet that is spinning on its axis. A fixed observer in space would say that you are moving with the planet’s rotation at up to 1000 miles per hour if you are close to the equator. At the same time, Earth is revolving around the Sun at roughly 66,000 miles per hour. The Sun is one of 100 billion stars rotating around a black hole at the core of the Milky Way galaxy at approximately 400,000 miles per hour. Meanwhile, the galaxy is moving through space at around 2,200,000 miles per hour. So, how fast are you moving when viewed from a fixed point in space?

The amazing thing about the creation is that each of these numbers is critical for our survival. The spin of the Earth on its axis distributes heat in a way that we are not frozen or burned up. The revolution around the Sun keeps us from being drawn into the Sun or slung into outer space and frozen. The movement of the Sun around the galactic core prevents the black hole at the center of our galaxy from sucking in the entire solar system and destroying it. The galaxy’s movement through space prevents it from being absorbed by another galaxy. The speeds are critically fine-tuned because there is no tolerance for error.

As astronomers look at other solar systems and galaxies, they see the speeds that allow us to exist are not that common in space. The simple statement of Psalms 19 that “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above shows His handiwork” reminds us that we are not the product of an accident. The more we learn about the cosmos, the more obvious it becomes that our existence is a product of intelligent design.

The psalmist also reminds us of the astonishing fact that the Creator cares about us. “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars which you have ordained, what is man, that you are mindful of him …” (Psalms 8:3-4). So how fast are you moving right now? Fast enough to exist and to know that there is a reason for that existence. Read Job 1 and 2 and Ephesians 3:9-11 and 6:12 to learn more about that reason.

December 7, 2022December 6, 2022

I Need God to Live a Good Life

“I Don’t need God to be good.” We get that message from people opposed to belief in God. They don’t think that believing in God really affects how people live. Unfortunately, it is a sad truth that people who claim to be Christians often don’t show it in how they live. At the same time, some atheists live very moral lives. However, I need God to live a good life.

My father was an atheist and a very moral man. To my knowledge, he was never unfaithful to my mother and he was honest in his financial dealings with others, including the government. He was a teacher all of his life and was respected by his students and colleagues at Indiana University. Most of us know someone who never goes to church and yet lives a good life. We have also seen reports in the media and have had personal experiences with religious leaders who exploited others in financial or moral ways. On a practical level, why should anyone be a Christian?

An old saying is that “sitting in a bank doesn’t make you rich.” When I called my child’s room a pigpen, she defended her messy room by saying, “Sitting in a pig pen doesn’t mean you are a pig.” The point of these examples is that a person who claims to be a Christian or even wears a religious title may not even believe in God or Christianity. For some, religion is a way to get rich or gain influence. The “Does God Exist?” ministry makes no attempt to claim perfection, nor do we attempt to defend organized religion. Instead, our effort is to show searching people that there is scientific support for God’s existence and the credibility of the Bible.

I need God to live a good life because God’s word gives us a set of standards of what is good and what is evil. In addition to moral standards, it tells us how to live productive lives at peace with others. You can’t read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 – 7 and not see that it shows the road to peace and goodness. Likewise, Matthew 25:31-46 lays out how we should act as Christians. No human philosophy comes close to the teachings of Christ in showing how to live a good and moral life.

In Acts 2:38, Peter talks about becoming a Christian, and he fills in the missing piece that no skeptic has or understands. Peter promises that those who become Christians will receive “the gift of the Holy Spirit.” That means God is living in us to help us overcome our weaknesses. Whatever goodness I possess is not a product of my intellect or genetics. I am so far from “survival of the fittest” that I need God to live a good life. My life is different from what it would have been if I had followed my biology or human philosophy. I’m far from perfect, but I am complete as a Christian, which is what the biblical word “perfect” means (Matthew 5:48).

December 3, 2022December 2, 2022

LGBTQ Hate Crimes Have No Place in Christianity

Our hearts go out to the families of those killed and those injured in recent shootings. In November 2022, there were six mass killing incidents in the United States. Violence seems to be increasing against people attending LGBTQ clubs, venues, and drag events. Some blame this violence on Christians, claiming that biblical teachings against homosexuality and alternative lifestyles cause senseless violence. The truth is that the teachings of Jesus Christ adamantly oppose violence against anyone. It is a biblical mandate that Christians oppose sin, but it is also Christ’s command that we love the sinner. LGBTQ hate crimes have no place in Christianity.

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6, and 7), Jesus explained how Christians should deal with opposition. In Matthew 5:38, Jesus reminds His listeners that people in the past had said, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” In the violent world of primitive people, that way of thinking was common. Unfortunately, that principle is followed by many people today. By contrast, Jesus said, “But I say to you, don’t resist the man who wants to hurt you…” (verse 39). In verses 43-44, He expands that command by saying, “It used to be said to be kind to your friend and hate your enemy. But what I tell you is love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.”

Skeptics will respond to this by referring to Romans 1:18–2:16, which identifies those who reject God’s plan for human morality. Romans 1:24 tells us, “God abandoned them to impurity, letting them follow the cravings of their hearts, so they degrade their own bodies with one another.” Later verses describe all kinds of aberrant behavior by those who deliberately choose lifestyles of violence and opposition to God.

The first point we need to make about these verses is that they do not describe most LGBTQ practitioners in America today. The more important point is that if you keep reading further in Romans 2, you find it telling Christians to leave the situation to God. It is not the job of Christians to be the judge, jury, and executioner. Leave the judging to God. LGBTQ hate crimes have no place in Christianity

The reason God opposes LGBTQ behavior is that it is a destructive lifestyle. We don’t know all the causes of homosexual behavior, but they are clearly not the same for everyone. Statistics show that such behavior leads to negative numbers for stability, disease, and life expectancy. However, those affect the individual and are not a direct threat to others. I have gay friends who are the kindest and most creative people I know, and Jesus tells His followers to love all people.

Nevertheless, Jesus must weep with us at the horrible violence that has been part of American life in recent years. It makes no sense to direct violence toward people who have done nothing that would suggest they are a threat to anyone except possibly themselves. LGBTQ hate crimes have no place in Christianity.

Reference: USA Today Network in South Bend Tribune for 11/22/22, pages 1A and 3A.

December 1, 2022November 30, 2022

Difference Between Pain and Suffering

One of the attributes unique to humans is the ability to suffer. You may think the words “suffering” and “pain” are synonyms, but they describe different things. The difference between pain and suffering demonstrates the uniqueness of humans.

Pain is a physical characteristic of almost all living things. It is easy to show that when a nervous system experiences a violent stimulus, it produces an electric signal. For animals, the nervous system is connected to a muscular system that frees the organism from damaging stimuli. This design is present in all members of the animal kingdom to protect them from being wiped out by predators or destructive environmental agents.

The difference between pain and suffering shows us that suffering is a different response and serves a different purpose. Romans 8:16-18 tells us that Christians are joint heirs with Christ and that Christians will suffer with Christ. This means that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.” It is obvious that not all Christians have been physically crucified as Jesus was.

In 2 Corinthians 1:5-7, Paul writes, “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so … we endure the same sufferings … for your salvation and our hope for you is knowing that you are partakers in the suffering.” In Philippians 3:8-10, Paul says that he has suffered the loss of all things and refers to the fellowship of His sufferings. In Colossians 1:24, Paul talks about his sufferings for the church in Colosse. Hebrews 2:10 refers to Christ enabling his followers to be made perfect in their salvation through sufferings. Christ himself, according to Hebrews 5:8, “earned obedience by the things he suffered.” This theme is repeated in 1 Peter 1:11, 4:13, and 5:10.

The context of all of these passages is clear. There is a difference between pain and suffering. We are not talking about physical things like being burned, scourged, tortured, or beaten. The early Christians did endure those things, but that is not what the passages above describe.

The simplest example of the sufferings described is what we endure when we have what we call a broken heart. Having heartbreak does not refer to something physical. Most of us who have had our hearts broken would be glad to take a beating instead. A physical beating does not last long. I have had physical pain from a beating, but that pain is a distant memory. The heartbreak of watching my wife die is still heavy upon me, even though it happened more than a decade ago.

Being a Christian in today’s world shares some of the sufferings that first-century Christians endured. Some of us have suffered being rejected and disowned by family. Others have lost good jobs because of their faith. Speaking out in favor of Christ and Christianity, in general, can result in verbal abuse, ridicule, ostracism, exclusion, and rejection. This suffering is real and scars you emotionally and sometimes spiritually.

Animals do not show any evidence of the kind of suffering we have described. Animal behavior is based on food and instinctive drives to reproduce. Guilt, empathy, and sympathy are not part of animal behavior. Claims of grief in animals such as elephants may or may not be real. If it is real, it is based on the social structure of the pack or group and not because the animal is suffering from the memory of a loss that will extend for the rest of the animal’s life.

We can see the difference between pain and suffering in humans because we have a unique spiritual makeup that allows suffering and enables us to relate to the suffering of others. Because we are created in the image of God, we can understand how an agape type of love is possible. That is why Christianity is the one hope the world has for the peace of all people. Your soul suffers, and this suffering can last a lifetime. We need to help animals avoid pain, but human empathy is what may someday foster world peace. That hope is always before us and is unique to humans.

November 29, 2022November 28, 2022

How Can You Believe in Angels?

“How can you believe in angels when so many horrible things are happening in the world today?” That is a typical comment we receive from skeptics. Islam emphasizes the angel Gabriel, and Mormons credit the angel Moroni for their scriptures. A Catholic website claims that all people have guardian angels “to rule and guide.” Around the Christmas season, we are exposed to many stories, movies, and songs based on angel involvement in human affairs. So what is the truth about angels?

The Bible does not suggest that angels are good people who have left this life or that they are robotic agents of God. Angels are beings created by God and not limited to our dimensions of time and space. Being outside of time gives them both abilities and limitations. In Matthew 22:30, Jesus did not say that we will become angels when we die, but we will become like angels with respect to marriage. The Bible tells us that angels can sin and rebel against God. (See 2 Peter 2:4, Galatians 1:8, John 8:44, and Jude 6.) However, angels cannot repent of sin because repentance requires time. If an angel chooses to reject God, there is no turning back – it is a one-way street. Once we leave this physical existence, we will be out of time, and the same will be true of us. We will have no time to change your eternal destiny.

How can you believe in angels? The bottom line is that a war between good and evil is going on that involves both spiritual and physical dimensions. The purpose for our existence is to achieve victory in that war. The book of Job clearly shows that our physical struggle involves spiritual forces. The only recourse for skeptics and atheists is to deny that evil exists, but doing that eliminates the purpose for human existence.

Angels can choose to sin, and the Bible makes it clear that this has happened. (See Revelation 12:9 and 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.) While angels can do what God commands, they cannot remove a human’s ability to choose between good and evil. They also cannot prevent the consequences of bad human choices. (See Galatians 6:7). However, the Bible promises us a way to overcome temptation if we choose to use it. (See 1 Corinthians 10:13.)

Angels are real and have served God’s purpose in the war between good and evil throughout history. (See Genesis 18-19 and Judges 6:11-27.) So how can you believe in angels? They have done things we see as miracles as they serve a purpose in God’s plan. Skeptics can deny the reality of God and angels because they have freedom of choice, as all humans do. But wrong choices carry eternal consequences and remove any real purpose for human existence.