Foolish Claims

   Have you ever watched the movie "Religulous?" It is a movie about Bill Maher travelling all over the world interviewing different religious leaders and editing different words and moments throughout the segment to make them seem foolish and unstable. The interviews are incredibly misleading. Do yourself a favour and do not watch it!
   So (against my better judgment) I just watched "Religulous"- trying to get some background on things that I've been hearing non-Christians say about the movie regarding Christianity. Bill Maher absolutely butcher a massive bit of religious history. He mentions the Egyptian god, Horus. He says that Horus, who supposedly lived (those some would contest that this account is entirely mythological) hundreds of years before Christ. Bill Maher claims that Horus was the son of Osiris (an Egyptian god), was born of a virgin and that he rose from the grave. All three of these events are different in almost every account. But Mr. Maher would lie to you just to attack the validity of the Bible. For example, in many accounts Osiris is listed as Horus' brother- not his father. This, in itself, debunks Maher's suggestion. Horus could not have been the son of a god who was his brother. Second, Horus' mother, Isis (who was a goddess herself), was not a virgin. Neither was Horus' birth a virgin birth- but rather the product magic from his goddess mother. (And if you want to learn how Isis "conceived" Horus in an immoral way- which I will not mention now- look it up of Wikipedia) Third, according my understanding of the accounts, Horus wasn't so much "resurrected" as he just began indwelling future Pharaohs.
   Well God the Father was actually Jesus' Father. Jesus was actually born of a virgin. And He actually did rise from the grave- not just reincarnate Himself into future rulers. No matter how foolish (though seemingly intellectual) these men may be in trying to suggest that the Gospel message is nothing more than a summary of other religious accounts, their efforts fall drastically short. And when consider in light of the actual facts, these supposedly "intellectual" men look rather foolish.

Spawning Thoughts From The Zimmerman Trial

   For about a year now, America and some in other parts of the world have been analysing the death of Travon Martin- almost to the point of obsession. The death of this teen was an absolute tragedy. Anyone who says other wise is either mistaken or crazy. What really went on that day... well really only three people could possibly know: George Zimmerman, Travon Martin and the All-seeing God of Heaven. Is George Zimmerman to blame? Yes. If he would done what he was instructed to do by waiting for authorities then none of this would have happened. Is Travon Martin to blame? If the allegations are true and he did attack Zimmerman and repeatedly slam his head into the ground then some of the blame would fall upon him, as well. The truth is, we really do not know what happened that day.
   What we do know is that Travon Martin is dead, it is claimed to have been self defense, and Zimmerman was declared innocent by the U. S. judicial system. I have tried to put myself in Zimmerman's shoes (assuming his testimony is accurate). What would I have done in his situation? I have thought about it. I was always told, "When it your life or theirs, you do what you have to do to survive." And I can somewhat understand that line of reasoning. But is that consistent what New Testament Christianity? I cannot, with a clear conscience, say that it is. Am I going to condemn those who go to those measure to preserve their own life? Not necessarily. But Jesus clearly taught this same principle in many different ways in the Gospel: when someone attacks you "turn to him the other cheek also." (Matt. 5.39) Maybe I am just a pansy... but I honestly don't think that I could pull the trigger.
   But then I asked myself the same question with a different dynamic: Would I pull the trigger if someone was attacking and threatening the life of Parker (my 4-year-old son)? Well that changes everything! Though I value my life to some degree, I don't value my life enough to take someone else's. But if my child's life was in the balance (whether right or wrong), I will fight tooth and nail and do whatever I have to do to protect him. Then it dawned on me why that is: We protect what we cherish.
   As a Christian, how much do I cherish my salvation? If I cherish Christ the way I ought to, then I will live my life as circumspectly as possible. I will watch and guard my heart and life from the attacks of the devil and from myself. Psalm 119 says the way to protect the heart is by applying God's Word to it.
   Am I grateful for what Jesus did in His life, death and resurrection for me? Am I truly thankful that the Father's mercy endureth forever? Am I grateful for the indwelling Holy Spirit who comforts, guides and intercedes for me? If so, then I must begin acting like it. We protect what we cherish.
   I have seen some crazy things in churches. I have seen everything from drive-thru churches, to near fist-fights in the church, to even pastoral abuse from the pulpit. Why is it that we will miss church to watch a sporting event? Why is it that we allow our kids to take place in sporting matches during the time they should be in church? Why is it that we tolerate certain doctrinal inconsistencies in our churches and just turn the head to them? It is because we do not love the Christ's body the way we ought to. How can we love Christ and not love His body? We protect what we cherish.

God And Temptation

   I was reading in Genesis 22.1 this morning and came across the statement "God did tempt Abraham." When I initially read this, I feared (however brief it may have been) in my heart what the Bible critics would say: "Contradiction!" After all, James 1.13 says that God cannot tempt. So there's any obvious contraction, right?
   A study of both respective words reveals that the two have different meanings and interpretations. In James, the word "tempted" is referring to enticement to do evil. "Let no man say when he is [enticed to do evil], I am [enticed to do evil] of God." This kind of temptation is the kind that comes from Satan- who seeks to devour me. The temptation of James 1.13 is an attempt to entice me to do evil with the hope and desire of me falling. This should not be attributed to God.
   However, in Genesis 22.1, God did not intend or desire for Abraham to slay his son. As a matter of fact, He provided Abraham a lamb to ensure that he didn't carry out this act. The word "tempt" in Genesis 22.1 simply means "to try." To try what? My faith. Why would God try my faith? Because He knows how it can benefit me and desires what is best for me. "The trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect [complete] and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1.3-4) The kind of temptation in Genesis 22.1 is the kind that only seeks to better me as a follower of God.
Let us not make an uneducated, ignorant assessment that God is anything other than what He truly is: holy, righteous, pure, and just.