Scripture speaks of a time when the government “causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark.” (Rev 13:16-17 KJV). I have been vocal about the threat that corona-hysteria government overreach poses to religious liberty, but I now also see a grave eschatological danger.Show more ›
A Powerless Form of Godliness
Paul wrote to Timothy that “in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves [… h]aving a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; […e]ver learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim 3 KJV)Show more ›
Evolution as Religion
An exceeding number of evangelical Christians have long crusaded against Evolution Theory solely because it discredits Abrahamic teaching. But is this really the most appropriate doctrinal or theological battleground? It occurs to me today—and I hope to explore the idea in a future post—that Evolution Theory is a greater doctrinal threat to the premise of salvation than it is to scriptural inerrancy. Show more ›
Science, the New Polytheism
Throughout the coronavirus hysteria of 2020, policymakers and their designees spoke incessantly of “following the science.” The word science comes from Latin, scire, meaning knowledge. When academics speak of science they usually intend it to mean “scientific method” which is the use of empirical (i.e. “observable”) evidence to confirm or refute a hypothesis. However, being that COVID-19 was the first-ever global epidemic, there was nothing upon which or by which to assess the efficacy of countermeasures. As invoked, “follow the science” meant “trust the experts” which, in turn, conveyed an expectation to have faith in the speculative opinions of credentialed humans.Show more ›
God Is Deep, Not Complex
Service to Almighty God is not complicated, but there is so much more depth to God than Christians understand (or even want to understand). God is not just a happiness giver. For many, Christianity means a successful marriage, a happy family, adequate economics, protection from death. For many Catholics, Christianity (rightly) means accepting the bad with the good. This is all shallow Christianity. God is so, so much deeper, deeper but not complicated. God does not require ceremony and tradition (Psalm 51:17 “a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise”). God is all that we believe to be the nature and character of God. But God is deeper than what we shallowly understand. God is an existence where our own existence becomes insignificant. Walking with God is a state where nothing else even enters our thoughts, a state where we wish we could vaporize and meld with no thought for what is behind because every possible desire is satisfied in God Most High.
Inshallah, Mashallah, and Alhamdulillah
These three words capture the entirety of worshiping God Most High. I could conclude this post here and it would be sufficient for decades of meditation, but since when do I not discuss a matter at length?Show more ›
Demanding a god that thinks like a human
How often do we hear the critique, I cannot believe in a god that allows so much suffering to exist in the world. This statement actually expresses the thought that I can only believe in a god that thinks the way that I think (i.e. because I would end suffering if I were God). Show more ›
Revealing God
God has spent all of human history revealing more and more of himself to humanity. It is time to recognize those cycles and endeavors for what they were and for what we were. The metaphors and symbolisms were appropriate for the stage of human civilization and human cognition. But we are in a different stage today and it is time to recognize the past revelations for what they were and it is time to look beyond those metaphors and conceive of something new today.Show more ›
Zoomorphism and Anthropomorphism
My mother acquired two kittens last October. She has been petless for eighteen years. I myself have not had a pet in twenty years. Her kittens sparked memories of my cute childhood contemplations of metaphysics. I think nearly every child has thought: our pets must see us as gods. I know I said as much on more than one occasion. Now some decades later, I realize that there is a profoundly deeper truth to be examined, and its discovery begins with an improved articulation: these adorable inferior animals of such limited cognition must think us humans to be gods due to our superior abilities that pets can never attain. This more precise and expanded articulation serves a needful purpose in showing our dysfunctional definitions and descriptions of God.Show more ›