Unmasking Freemasonry
Monday, September 16, 2024
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Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Why Should We Help Others? Why Humanitarian Aid?
Dennis Edwards
Here are the notes to a slideshow I gave at the centre
for neglected children in our town.
Have you ever had a problem in your health where you needed someone to help you?
Maybe you felt discouraged because something bad happened in your family, or at school, and someone came along and encouraged you with a word, a hug, or a smile.
We all have moments when we feel weak either physically, because we are sick, or have had an accident; or emotionally, because of a death in the family, a divorce, or some other problem.
We have an old saying in our society that goes, “Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you.” In one of the oldest cultures in the world, they have a similar saying. It is, “Don’t do to others, what you wouldn’t want them to do to you.”
Confucius in China said that around 500 BC, or 2,800 years ago. The ancient Hebrews from Israel had the following saying, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” Leviticus 19:18.
Moses wrote that around 1500 BC or about 3,800 years ago. Later, around 30 AD or about 2,200 years ago, Jesus Christ made that slogan one of His key messages.
He gave a vivid picture story to make the point. It’s called, “The Good Samaritan.”
The Bible references are below, which I didn’t read to the children. They just watched the film. Let us all be Good Samaritans today! Article continues after the Scriptures.
Luke 10:25-3925 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how read thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
36 Which now of these three, thinks thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
The two people who passed by the injured man first were both of the same race and religious belief as the injured man. But even though they were both religious and identified as people of the same culture, they didn’t stop to help the injured man.
The Samaritan was of another religion and of
another race, and yet he stopped to help the injured man who was of a different
religion and race than himself. Which man was being a friend to the injured
man?
The lesson transmitted is that we should try to be a friend of anyone that needs our help. We should try to help those who need our help. Why? Because if we apply, “Do unto others as we would have them do unto us,” we would want someone to help us, if we were injured or in need of help. Therefore, we should help others that come along our path who may be injured, or in some way need our help. It could be a sick person who needs the door open for them, or a blind person who somehow needs some help.
It may be an older person, or a younger person, or a person we normally aren’t friendly to.
But the parable is teaching that if someone needs our help, we should try to help them, even if it means we break the normal social customs that might prohibit such behaviour. We act in such a loving way, because we would want some one to do the same, if it were we who were injured or in need of help.
Another important aspect of helping others is that when we help others, we ourselves are helped. Helping others gives us a happiness in our soul, a peace, a calm, an assurance that we have done the right thing.
When we help others, we feel happier. It gives us contentment of heart. Therefore, helping others is beneficial to ourselves. It’s like a boom-a-rang.
What we
throw out to others, comes back to us. If we help others now, we will most
likely get the help we need in the future.
An old Jewish proverb collected and written down by King Solomon of Israel around 1000 BC or 3,200 years ago says, “He that gives to the poor, lends to God, and God will repay him,” Proverbs 19:17.
By helping others, we are storing up for when we need someone to help us. God will pay us back somehow.
Another old saying written down by Apostle Paul of Tarsus is, “You reap what you have sown,” Galatians 6:7.
We will reap what we have sown.
If we sow love and friendship and kindness, we will reap love and friendship and kindness.
If we do good to others, they’ll do good to us. If we forgive others, they’ll forgive us.
What are the four reason we should help others?
1. We help others because we would want to be helped if we were in the same situation.
2. We help others because it is the right thing to do, as we've seen it advised in so many ancient sayings.
3. We help others because it makes us feel good when we do it.
4. We help others because we will reap what we have sown.
Prayer: Dear God, Help me be a good Samaritan today. Help me to treat others, the way I want them to treat me. The way to be happy is to make others happy. Help me to sow love, happiness, and friendship today, that I may reap it tomorrow. In Jesus' name, amen.
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
"These planes were NOT hijacked by Muslims on 9/11, they were hijacked remotely!" 9/11 Pilot Whistle-blowers
The Bible's Manuscript Evidence Out Scores All Other Ancient Literature
Last Section | Contents | Next Section
[B] THE BIBLE'S MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE:
Unlike the Qur'an, when we consider the New Testament manuscripts (MSS) we are astounded by the sheer numbers of extent copies which are in existence. Muslims contend, however, that since we do not have the original documents, the reliability of the copies we do have is thus in doubt. Yet is this assumption correct?
(1) New Testament Manuscript Copies:
Because the Bible is a book, it was initially made up of manuscripts. Consequently a primary means for ascertaining its credibility today are the number of copies from those manuscripts which are currently in one's possession. The more copies we have the better we can compare between them and thus know if the document we now read corresponds with the original. It is much like a witness to an event. If we have only one witness to the event, there is the possibility that the witness's agenda or even an exaggeration of the event has crept in and we would never know the full truth. But if we have many witnesses, the probability that they all got it wrong becomes minute.
Because of time and wear many of the historical documents from the ancient world have few manuscripts to which we can refer. This is specially true when we consider the secular historians and philosophers. For instance, we only have eight copies of Herodotus's historical works, whose originals were written in 480-425 BC. Likewise, only 5 copies of Aristotle's writings have found their way to the 20th century, while only 10 copies of the writings of Caesar, along with another 20 copies of the historian Tacitus, and 7 copies from the historian Pliny, who all originally wrote in the first century, are available today (McDowell 1972:42). These are indeed very few.
When we consider the New Testament, however, we find a completely different scenario. We have today in our possession 5,300 known Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, another 10,000 Latin Vulgates, and 9,300 other early versions (MSS), giving us more than 24,000 manuscript copies of portions of the New Testament in existence today! (taken from McDowell's Evidence That demands a Verdict, vol.1, 1972 pgs.40-48; and Time, January 23, 1995, pg.57). Though we do not have any originals, with such a wealth of documentation at our disposal with which to compare, we can delineate quite closely what those originals contained.
What's more, a substantial number were written well before the compilation of the Qur'an. In fact, according to research done by Kurt and Barbara Aland, a total of 230 manuscript portions are currently in existence which pre-date 600 AD! These can be broken down into 192 Greek New Testament manuscripts, 5 Greek lectionaries containing scripture, and 33 translations of the Greek New Testament (Aland 1987:82-83).
Muslims assert that we have similar problems concerning the large number of years which separate the manuscripts from the events which they speak about. Yet, unlike the Qur'an which was compiled much more recently, we do not find with the Bible such an enormous gap of time between that which the Bible speaks about and when it was written down. In fact, outside of the book of Revelation and the three letters of John considered to have been written later, when we look at the rest of the New Testament books, there is no longer any solid basis for dating them later than 80 AD, or 50 years after the death of Jesus Christ (Robinson 1976:79). Most of the New Testament was likely written before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and perhaps before the fire of Rome (64 AD), and the subsequent persecution of Christians, since none of these events, which would have had an enormous impact on the nascent Christian community are mentioned in any of the New Testament writings. Had the documents been compiled in the second century as Muslims claim, then certainly they would have mentioned these very important events.
This same logic can be taken a step further. Take for instance the martyrdoms of James in 62 AD, Paul in 64 AD, and Peter in 65 AD. All were leaders in the nascent church. Thus their deaths were momentous events for the early Christian community. Yet we find none of the deaths referred to in any of the 27 canonized books of the New Testament (and significantly not in Acts, the most comprehensive historical record we have of the early church). The only explanation can be that they were all written prior to these events, and thus likely before 62 AD, or a mere 30 years after the death of Jesus, of whose life they primarily refer.
(2) Available Manuscripts:
A further criticism concerns whether the copies we possess are credible. Since we do not possess the originals, people ask, how can we be sure they are identical to them? The initial answer is that we will never be completely certain, for there is no means at our disposal to reproduce the originals. This has always been a problem with all known ancient documents. Yet this same question is rarely asked of other historical manuscripts which we refer to constantly. If they are held to be credible, let's then see how the New Testament compares with them. Let's compare below the time gaps for the New Testament documents with other credible secular documents.
There were several historians of the ancient world whose works are quite popular. Thucydides, who wrote History of the Peloponnesian War, lived from 460 BC to 400 BC. Virtually everything we know about the war comes from his history. Yet, the earliest copy of any manuscripts of Thucydides' work dates around 900 AD, a full 1,300 years later! The Roman historian Suetonius lived between AD 70 to 140 AD. Yet the earliest copy of his book The Twelve Caesars is dated around AD 950, a full 800 years later. The chart below reveals the time gaps of these and other works from the ancient world and compares them to the earliest New Testament manuscripts (taken from McDowell 1972:42, & Bruce 1943:16-17).
| Author | Date Written | Earliest Copy | Time Span | Copies (extent) |
| Secular Manuscripts: | ||||
| Herodotus (History) | 480 - 425 BC | 900 AD | 1,300 years | 8 |
| Thucydides (History) | 460 - 400 BC | 900 AD | 1,300 years | ? |
| Aristotle (Philosopher) | 384 - 322 BC | 1,100 AD | 1,400 years | 5 |
| Caesar (History) | 100 - 44 BC | 900 AD | 1,000 years | 10 |
| Pliny (History) | 61 - 113 AD | 850 AD | 750 years | 7 |
| Suetonius (Roman History) | 70 - 140 AD | 950 AD | 800 years | ? |
| Tacitus (Greek History) | 100 AD | 1,100 AD | 1,000 years | 20 |
| Biblical Manuscripts: (note: these are individual manuscripts) | ||||
| Magdalene Ms (Matthew 26) | 1st century | 50-60 AD | co-existant (?) | |
| John Rylands (John) | 90 AD | 130 AD | 40 years | |
| Bodmer Papyrus II (John) | 90 AD | 150-200 AD | 60-110 years | |
| Chester Beatty Papyri (N.T.) | 1st century | 200 AD | 150 years | |
| Diatessaron by Tatian (Gospels) | 1st century | 200 AD | 150 years | |
| Codex Vaticanus (Bible) | 1st century | 325-350 AD | 275-300 years | |
| Codex Sinaiticus (Bible) | 1st century | 350 AD | 300 years | |
| Codex Alexandrinus (Bible) | 1st century | 400 AD | 350 years | |
(Total New Testament manuscripts = 5,300 Greek MSS, 10,000 Latin Vulgates, 9,300 others = 24,000 copies)
(Total MSS compiled prior to 600 AD = 230)
What one notices almost immediately from the table is that the New Testament manuscript copies which we possess today were compiled very early, a number of them hundreds of years before the earliest copy of a secular manuscript. This not only shows the importance the early Christians gave to preserving their scriptures, but the enormous wealth we have today for early Biblical documentation.
What is even more significant however, are the differences in time spans between the original manuscripts and the copies of both the biblical and secular manuscripts. It is well known in historical circles that the closer a document can be found to the event it describes the more credible it is. The time span for the biblical manuscript copies listed above are all within 350 years of the originals, some as early as 130-250 years and one even purporting to coexist with the original (i.e. the Magdalene Manuscript fragments of Matthew 26), while the time span for the secular manuscript copies are much greater, between 750-1,400 years! This indeed gives enormous authority to the biblical manuscript copies, as no other ancient piece of literature can make such close time comparisons.
Because of its importance to our discussion here a special note needs to be given to the Magdalene Manuscript mentioned above. Until two years ago, the oldest assumed manuscript which we possessed was the St. John papyrus (P52), housed in the John Rylands museum in Manchester, and dated at 120 AD (Time April 26, 1996, pg.8). Thus, it was thought that the earliest New Testament manuscript could not be corroborated by eyewitnesses to the events. That assumption has now changed, for three even older manuscripts, one each from the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke have now been dated earlier than the Johannine account. It is two of these three findings which I believe will completely change the entire focus of the critical debate on the authenticity of the Bible. Let me explain.
The Lukan papyrus, situated in a library in Paris has been dated to the late 1st century or early 2nd century, so it predates the John papyrus by 20-30 years (Time April 26, 1996, pg.8). But of more importance are the manuscript findings of Mark and Matthew! New research which has now been uncovered by Dr. Carsten Thiede, and is published in his newly released book on the subject, the Jesus Papyrus mentions a fragment from the book of Mark found among the Qumran scrolls (fragment 7Q5) showing that it was written sometime before 68 AD It is important to remember that Christ died in 33 AD, so this manuscript could have been written, at the latest, within 35 years of His death; possibly earlier, and thus during the time that the eyewitnesses to that event were still alive!
The most significant find, however, is a manuscript fragment from the book of Matthew (chapt.26) called the Magdalene Manuscript which has been analysed by Dr. Carsten Thiede, and also written up in his book The Jesus Papyrus. Using a sophisticated analysis of the handwriting of the fragment by employing a special state-of-the-art microscope, he differentiated between 20 separate micrometer layers of the papyrus, measuring the height and depth of the ink as well as the angle of the stylus used by the scribe. After this analysis Thiede was able to compare it with other papyri from that period; notably manuscripts found at Qumran (dated to 58 AD), another at Herculaneum (dated prior to 79 AD), a further one from the fortress of Masada (dated to between 73/74 AD), and finally a papyrus from the Egyptian town of Oxyrynchus. The Magdalene Manuscript fragments matches all four, and in fact is almost a twin to the papyrus found in Oxyrynchus, which bears the date of 65/66 AD Thiede concludes that these papyrus fragments of St. Matthew's Gospel were written no later than this date and probably earlier. That suggests that we either have a portion of the original gospel of Matthew, or an immediate copy which was written while Matthew and the other disciples and eyewitnesses to the events were still alive. This would be the oldest manuscript portion of our Bible in existence today, one which co-exists with the original writers!
What is of even more importance is what it says. The Matthew 26 fragment uses in its text nomina sacra (holy names) such as the diminutive "IS" for Jesus and "KE" for Kurie or Lord (The Times, Saturday, December 24, 1994). This is highly significant for our discussion today, because it suggests that the godhead of Jesus was recognised centuries before it was accepted as official church doctrine at the council of Nicea in 325 AD There is still ongoing discussion concerning the exact dating of this manuscript. However, if the dates prove to be correct then this document alone completely eradicates the criticism levelled against the gospel accounts (such as the "Jesus Seminar") that the early disciples knew nothing about Christ's divinity, and that this concept was a later redaction imposed by the Christian community in the second century (AD).
We have other manuscript evidence for the New Testament as well:
(3) Versions or Translations:
(4) Lectionaries:
(5) Early Church Father's Letters:
Clement (30- 95 A.D.) quotes from various sections of the New Testament.
Ignatius (70-110 A.D.) knew the apostles and quoted directly from 15 of the 27 books.
Polycarp (70-156 A.D.) was a disciple of John and quoted from the New Testament.
Thus the manuscript evidence at our disposal today gives us over 24,000 manuscripts with which to corroborate our current New Testament. The earliest of these manuscripts have now been dated earlier than 60-70 A.D., so within the lifetime of the original writers, and with an outside possibility that they are the originals themselves. On top of that we have 15,000 early translations of the New Testament, and over 2,000 lectionaries. And finally we have scriptural quotations in the letters of the early Church fathers with which we could almost reproduce the New Testament if we so wished. This indeed is substantial manuscript evidence for the New Testament.
Monday, September 9, 2024
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Two U.S. Marines Attacked by Mob During Port Visit in Turkey
Dennis Edwards: The Bible predicts that Turkey will ultimately decide for Russia and not NATO. Turkey will be involved in the big invasions of Israel that take place in the last days. We have see hints of Tukey's alignment change already for quite a few years.
Friday, September 6, 2024
Thursday, September 5, 2024
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Covenant school trans shooter's full manifesto released: 'If God won’t give me a boy body'
Julio Rosas September 04, 2024 The Blaze News
'Can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm ready. ... I hope my victims aren't.'
The complete manifesto of the shooter who killed three students and three adults at the Covenant School in Nashville in 2023 has been published by the Tennessee Star after more than a year of authorities apparently attempting to keep the document from the public.
The manifesto is 90 pages and gives important insight into why Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who went by Aiden, decided to attack the school she had previously attended. Hale was killed by responding Nashville Metro police officers. Hale's manifesto was acquired by police in the shooter's car.
On the first page, Hale wrote in large font: "Why does my brain not work right? Cause I was born wrong!!! Nothing on Earth can save me. Never-ending pain. Religion won't save."
The notebook also served as Hale's diary, which shows that the shooter was clearly mentally unwell. She wrote on January 17, 2023: "Everything makes me sad. I am sad about everything. I want to say goodbye. P.S. It was too sudden. I am unstable."
'I hope I have a high death count.'
Hale wrote about her hatred toward her father. Under "Dad problems," Hale said she hated "his old cranky-man existence. All cranky good-for-nothing mentally ill men SHOULD DIE. they're all useless pieces of s**t. waste of life, waste of time."
Hale wrote lengthy paragraphs about how her "penis exists" in her "head."
"I swear to god I'm a male. ... I was damned to be born this way."
Leading up to the day of the shooting, Hale described her deep pain over not being a male and her hatred for God: "If God won’t give me a boy body in heaven then Jesus is a f****t."
On the day of the shooting, March 27, the tone switched to elation, as that day would be the day she would finally unleash her built-up rage. Hale called it "Death Day" and drew a gun. She showed no sign of remorse for her plan to target young schoolchildren.
"Today is the day. The day has finally come! I can't believe it's here. ... I'm a little bit nervous, but excited too. ... Can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm ready. ... I hope my victims aren't. ... I hope I have a high death count."
Michael Patrick Leahy, the editor in chief of the Tennessee Star, explained that his outlet is sharing the full manifesto because it serves the public interest to know the state of mind of the killer.
"We legally obtained writings by Audrey Elizabeth Hale, MNPD investigation documents, and MNPD crime scene photos from a source familiar with the MNPD investigation in June 2024. These documents and photos have helped us inform the public about the underlying reasons for this heinous attack and have helped drive the public discussion of what should be done to prevent such acts of violence in the future. We have documented a massive failure of the mental health system as a root cause of Hale’s reprehensible actions,” Leahy said.
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Virginia women’s college will no longer admit trans students, citing founder’s will
Candace Hathaway September 02, 2024
School dedicated to the education of ‘girls and young women.’
Sweet Briar College, a women’s school in Virginia, recently announced that it will no longer admit trans-identifying students, citing its founder’s will.
The private women’s liberal arts school, which was established in 1901 through the estate of Indiana Fletcher Williams, did not previously have any policies regarding gender identity. However, recent changes to the Common Application, a nonprofit organization that allows students to apply to schools on one standardized form, prompted the college to make some changes of its own.
'Understands the term [women] in its historic and traditional way.'
In addition to “female” and “male,” the Common Application, used by more than 1,000 colleges, now allows students to select “X” or “another legal sex.”
According to Jenny Rickard, the non-profit’s president and chief executive officer, the updates “represent the next step in an ongoing effort to create an equitable, just, and inclusive college admission process for all students -- no matter how they identify.”
In a message to the campus, Sweet Briar College leaders wrote that the changes to the application have “present[ed] a challenge both for students applying for admission and administrators and staff making admissions decisions.”
“Previously, the College did not have a stated admissions policy addressing applicants identifying as other genders, but instead addressed applicants on a case-by-case basis,” the college’s correspondence explained. “This year, however, the Common Application included additional options for the selection of the legal sex … of applicants apart from male or female, creating confusion for applicants seeking to apply to a women’s college like Sweet Briar.”
“In fact, various parts of the Common Application now include as many as four gender … designations,” the college added.
Sweet Briar College noted that the institution is in a “unique position as the only women’s college in the country that was founded by and governed in accordance with a will that has been codified into law by the state’s legislature.” That will, belonging to the school’s founder, Fletcher Williams, was “codified by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia on February 9, 1901, as the College’s Charter.”
According to the school, the board “must honor the dictates of the will, which imposes the requirement that the College be a place of ‘girls and young women’ – a phrase that must be interpreted as it was understood at the time the will was written.”
The college told Inside Higher Ed that while “political and other influences” have called “the meaning of the term ‘woman’ into question,” the board “understands the term [women] in its historic and traditional way consistent with the intentions of our founder.”
Some students and alumnae have vowed to push back on the college’s declaration.
English professor and faculty senate chairman John Gregory Brown stated that the faculty voted 48-4 to urge the board to rescind the policy.
“It really excludes any student who would be offended by those positions ... who doesn’t want to be in a place where discrimination is codified in this way,” Brown told the Independent. “I think it’s a financially disastrous decision for the college.”
Sweet Briar College, a women’s school in Virginia, recently announced that it will no longer admit trans-identifying students, citing its founder’s will.
The private women’s liberal arts school, which was established in 1901 through the estate of Indiana Fletcher Williams, did not previously have any policies regarding gender identity. However, recent changes to the Common Application, a nonprofit organization that allows students to apply to schools on one standardized form, prompted the college to make some changes of its own.
'Understands the term [women] in its historic and traditional way.'
In addition to “female” and “male,” the Common Application, used by more than 1,000 colleges, now allows students to select “X” or “another legal sex.”
According to Jenny Rickard, the non-profit’s president and chief executive officer, the updates “represent the next step in an ongoing effort to create an equitable, just, and inclusive college admission process for all students -- no matter how they identify.”
In a message to the campus, Sweet Briar College leaders wrote that the changes to the application have “present[ed] a challenge both for students applying for admission and administrators and staff making admissions decisions.”
“Previously, the College did not have a stated admissions policy addressing applicants identifying as other genders, but instead addressed applicants on a case-by-case basis,” the college’s correspondence explained. “This year, however, the Common Application included additional options for the selection of the legal sex … of applicants apart from male or female, creating confusion for applicants seeking to apply to a women’s college like Sweet Briar.”
“In fact, various parts of the Common Application now include as many as four gender … designations,” the college added.
Sweet Briar College noted that the institution is in a “unique position as the only women’s college in the country that was founded by and governed in accordance with a will that has been codified into law by the state’s legislature.” That will, belonging to the school’s founder, Fletcher Williams, was “codified by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia on February 9, 1901, as the College’s Charter.”
According to the school, the board “must honor the dictates of the will, which imposes the requirement that the College be a place of ‘girls and young women’ – a phrase that must be interpreted as it was understood at the time the will was written.”
The college told Inside Higher Ed that while “political and other influences” have called “the meaning of the term ‘woman’ into question,” the board “understands the term [women] in its historic and traditional way consistent with the intentions of our founder.”
Some students and alumnae have vowed to push back on the college’s declaration.
English professor and faculty senate chairman John Gregory Brown stated that the faculty voted 48-4 to urge the board to rescind the policy.
“It really excludes any student who would be offended by those positions ... who doesn’t want to be in a place where discrimination is codified in this way,” Brown told the Independent. “I think it’s a financially disastrous decision for the college.”
African Methodist Episcopal Church reaffirms ban on same-sex marriage
By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor 
The closing worship and consecration service of the 52nd Quadrennial Session of the African Methodist Episcopal Church General Conference, held Aug. 28, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. | Screengrab: YouTube/African Methodist Episcopal Church
The African Methodist Episcopal Church has rejected a proposal to strike down its ban on same-sex marriage.
At the AME Church's 52nd Quadrennial Session of the General Conference, held Aug. 21-28 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, the historically black denomination voted down an amendment to its rules.
"It was noted that a motion was brought forward to delete. The reasoning was stated that the proposal has the potential to curb AMEC, and exegesis is a complication, even under great sensitivities," reported The Christian Recorder, the official news organ of the AME Church.
"In contrast, it was argued deleting the legislation would create a culture of theological oppression. A motion was put on the floor by Frederick Sherrod to end the debate."
General Conference delegates voted 896 to 722 in favor of deleting the amendment to allow same-sex marriage, while another vote allowed for the continuing work of the Ad Hoc AME Sexual Ethics Discernment Committee to continue its work.
AME Church bishops issued a written statement to General Conference that seemingly questioned if a committee could make acceptable changes to church teaching on LGBT issues.
"Rational arguments on the matter of sexuality, sexual orientation, same sex marriage, the structure of the family, and the meaning of male and female will not resolve the controversy because the issues have deep theological and psychological roots," the bishops stated, as quoted by Religion News Service.
The AME Church's rule book, known as The Doctrine and Discipline, states that "the AME Church believes that unions of any kind between persons of the same sex or gender are contrary to the will of God."
Critics of the denominational rules on marriage include John Thomas III, editor at The Christian Recorder, who penned a column in advance of the vote encouraging the removal of the ban.
"This bill does not force pastors to perform gay marriages, but it would allow those who wish to do so where it is legally permissible the freedom to follow their conscience without fear of retribution," wrote Thomas.
"While the Connectional Church is not of one mind on same sex marriage, every Sunday, we remind ourselves that we are to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. It is in this spirit of love for all of God's people in this church that this discussion must continue."
Over the last several decades, many Christian denominations have wrestled with their stances on same-sex marriage, with some mainline networks voting to affirm LGBT marriages and homosexuality and fracturing as a result. (The influence of cultural trends on how we interpret Scripture.)
Earlier this year, the United Methodist Church voted overwhelmingly to remove its ban on clergy performing same-sex wedding ceremonies, as well as allow for the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals.
The move came after approximately 7,500 mostly conservative congregations had left the UMC, and has led many more churches to disaffiliate from the denomination since the change was made.
For example, the UMC Côte d'Ivoire Conference, which had approximately 1 million members, voted to leave the denomination in late May in response to the General Conference decision.
Monday, September 2, 2024
Is It Always God's Will to Heal or Deliver Us From Our Problem?
Mike Winger does a great job of explaining and answering these thoughts. A constant question I get asked is, what do the scriptures really mean, when they're used in so many different ways by so many different people? I asked Mike Winger to come on my channel a while ago and break down ten of the most misused Scriptures from the Word of Faith camp and the New Age movement. I gave him the scripture and explained to him how it is interpreted by someone in the New Age and Word of Faith movement. He then broke down the passage and explained what he believes it actually means. There are a lot of Scriptures that are used to support Word of Faith, New Age and New Thought teachings. Matthew 7:7 is just one of the ones that I see mostly misused in churches and from New Age and New Thought teachers.
Melissa begins podcast: We are going to go to Matthew 7:7, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, Knock and it shall be given you.” It connects with Mark 11:24 “Whatsoever things you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them.” These verses are the “life force” of so much of the New Age or New Thought teaching. What do they really mean, Mike?
Mike Winger (edited and added to by Dennis): The first thing we need to expose is the idea that God will give you whatever you ask. That’s the ‘Secret’ of the New Thought or New Age movement. “Ask and you shall receive.” However, that idea is not completely true. God is a relational God who wants to be in relationship with us. He answers prayer in regards to His plan and how He will use it to draw us closer to Him, into a deeper relationship with Him, and to form our character more like His. Hebrews 12:11.
Apostle James wrote, “You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lusts,” James 4:3. In the psalms we read, “He gave them their request, but sent leanness to their souls,” Psalm 106:15. If we continue to ask, without clarifying that asking, like Jesus did, “nevertheless, not my will but thine be done,” or in the example prayer where Jesus says, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we may actually receive what we want but fall out of close relationship with the Lord.
Dennis Edwards: We can read in Scripture where the children of Israel asked for meat in the wilderness, and God sends it to them to prove He is capable of manifesting their desire, but then He allows those those that go on an eating spree to get deadly sick and die. Numbers 11:4, 13, 17-23, 31-34. 1 Corinthians 10:5-6. In the book of Judges we find Samson, one of God’s judges, lusting after the Philistine woman rather than being content with an Israeli wife. God fulfils Samson’s wish, or lets him fulfil his own desires, but it leads to Samsons losing his eyesight and then his life. Judges 13-17.
Apostle Peter has a message about being spiritually blind when we don’t keep our goals on the spiritual qualities of character which God is trying to develop in our lives.
2 Peter 1:2-9 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
It's when we stop progressing in our spiritual walk with the Lord and in His character-building process in our lives, that we become fruitless and eventually blind, lose our vision and forget the salvation we had found in Jesus. Our hearts become hardened.
Apostle Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 13.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.
Apostle Paul seems to be saying that the top goal in our spiritual walk with the Lord is not speaking in tongues, or having a word of knowledge, or even having the faith to remove mountains through prayer, or sacrificially giving away everything we have to feed the poor. The top or supreme goal in our lives is to love God and to love others. Our loving attitude, our loving relationship with God and others is the greatest proof of our relationship with God, and the greatest sign of God’s presence with us. God is more interested in transforming our heart so that it is in right relationship with Him and with others, than in transforming our bodies. His goal is the transforming of our character to become like His. That’s why we pray, “according to thy will.” We don’t want God to answer our prayers, if they are not according to His will. If Jesus had gotten His desire to avoid the crucifixion, we wouldn’t have salvation. The Bible says, “Though He was a son, yet learned He obedience through the things that He suffered.” Hebrews 5:7-8.
In another example, God allowed Satan to tempt Job to show Satan that Job really did love and trust God. God, in a sense, was witnessing to Satan. Job passed the test and proclaimed, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him,” Job 13:15. Job was deathly sick, so it looked like God had abandoned him and given him over to death. But though Job didn’t see his healing at that moment. He didn’t feel his healing at that moment. He nevertheless trusted that God knew what He was doing. He manifested his trust and faith in God with his declaration of faith in spite of the seemingly contrary circumstances. In the end, God honoured Job’s faith and trust. God healed Job and restored to him his wealth and family.
Another example where God’s people desired something contrary to His will is when the people of Israel desire a king to rule over them. 1 Samuel 8:1-22.
God told them it was better for them to have judges rather than a king, but then He yielded to their request. He wanted to teach them that relationship with Him was the most important aspect of their lives. God often fulfils our misguided requests in order to teach us to desire Him and His will in our lives, over or above our personal desires or needs, which often end up as being unfulfilling anyway.
Mike and Dennis: Jesus Himself prayed desperately in agony sweating blood for “healing” from the problem He was facing. But He clarified His request with, “Not my will, but thine be done,” Luke 22:42, Mark 13:46, Matthew 26:39, in all three of the synoptic Gospels. Apostle John, whom it was said that Jesus loved the most, wrote; “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight,” 1 John 3:22-23. John went on to clarify, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing, according to His will, he hears us; and if He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him,” 1 John 5:14-15. When we pray, we should want God’s will above our own.
Just think about, if a parent would give his/her child everything they desired, what would happen? The child would turn out spoiled, like many of the children of the rich in the world do today. Our answering the requests of our children is relational. It’s not just “do as you please.” We are pleased to answer our children’s requests when they follow our guideline and rules, which we have implemented for their good and Godly growth. God is the same way. God is interested in transforming our character, not in just answering our requests. Nevertheless, He often answers our requests even when He knows it is not good for us. Why? Because He can use it to bring about some good in our lives, in our character building, and in our relationship with Him and others. We learn more often from our mistakes than from our successes. Romans 8:28.
The “Law of Attraction” that says “ask and you shall receive,” is a counterfeit. The idea is not that we need to get into alignment with a universal law or force to receive what we desire. Asking and receiving selfishly is self-worship. Satan may grant your requests and take you down the path to destruction. Luke 4:4. If you are just asking to fulfil the desires of your eyes, or of your lusts, or of your pride, you’ll be moving away from God and into the world or the devil’s domain. 1 John 2:15-17.
Mike Winger: When we offer our requests, we bend our wills to Gods’. Jesus modelled that submission in His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and we should do the same even in the face of the most dire and painful circumstances. We have our requests. We make them known to God. But then we yield to God and His will, because His plans are ultimately good, even if we can't see it or feel it in the moment.
Melissa Dougherty: I agree with that, and the first thing that comes to my mind is my concern with the people who aren't receiving their healing just yet. But one of the things that I keep hearing is, God should always heal a hundred percent of the time. He should always heal. If you are in a position where you're not getting healed, or getting what you're believing for, if you're not getting your healing, and then maybe somebody else does, how would you break that down to that person? How scripturally would you say that is? Everything you just said, Mike, makes so much sense to me, but it is an offense to somebody else who says, “No, God should always give me my healing, God should always give me my supernatural encounter. I need to have more faith.” What would you say to them?
Mike Winger: Sometimes God's plans are bigger than our plans and better, as difficult as this might be to swallow. But remember the analogy I gave you earlier about the cheap replacement of abundant life, versus the abundant life that Christ was talking about. The immediate healing is as important as it is as valuable. Don't get me wrong, I have issues that I want to get healed. Me too, I need healing. I have had a chronic back problem for quite a while. I have prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed. But I’m not healed, yet, and still, I trust in God that he's using it for his glory in my life. I don't think it's a lack of prayer or lack of faith. I think it is somehow His will, at least for the moment. Why? Because I’ve prayed and trusted and I’ve sought prayer with others, and claimed healing. I know God's using it for my good. But that’s not just my idea. That is what Scripture tells us.
I think Paul the Apostle gives us, or even better, Jesus gives us a great example. Jesus doesn't get His healing, or escape from the problem that He is facing. He ends up dying on the cross in what looks like total defeat and triumph of His enemies. But that seeming defeat brought salvation to all mankind, a glorious eternal experience. It was worth it. It was better than him bypassing the cross. His submission to God’s will was better than His own personal desires. Sometimes our situations where we don’t get healing, or we don’t get what we are asking for in prayer, are actually better for us, in the long run. We just have a hard time seeing it at the moment, because we're still not in eternity. We don’t see the benefits of our sufferings yet.
Here's another example from 2nd Corinthians 12. The famous passage from Apostle Paul which every Word of Faith movement tries to explain away. We are talking about Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Let's read it and just gather a few important points. Whether you think it was a physical illness or not is irrelevant. Let's read it and think about what it he says. 2 Corinthians 12:7, “So to keep me from being conceited or arrogant because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations.” Paul says that God had revealed such amazing things to him and he knew so much and had seen so much in the spirit, that God has to do something to keep him humble. He says, “a thorn was given to me in the flesh a messenger of Satan to harass me to keep me from being conceited.”
Apostle Paul has got this evil demonic thing going on, whether it's a physical illness, or a spiritual attack, or persecution. It's obviously something really unpleasant. We can agree there. I don't care if it's a spiritual attack or a physical illness or job stress. All of these things are the same thing. They are not pleasant. In my life right now I'm suffering from a back problem. Paul was suffering and his suffering was given to him ultimately by God, even though it has a demonic, or some kind of demonic element to it. In other words, the Devil couldn't have given Paul the thorn in the flesh, unless God allowed it.
The reason for God allowed it, Paul tells us, is quite revealing. It was to keep Paul humble. In other words, in God’s view, Paul's humility was more important than Paul’s prosperity or sense of well-being or his healing. But then, in the next verse, Paul says, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this that it should leave me, but He said to me,” and here's God's response to Paul, obviously a man of great faith, the apostle Paul. God says to him, “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God is clearly saying, “Paul, I want you to be weak, because when you are weak you rely on my grace for your life. It is my strength that enables you to get through these hard times and I’m glorified in that.”
What is Paul's response, what lesson had he learned from all this? He says and he concludes, and this is again just reading straight from the text, 2 Corinthians 12:9. “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (or ‘weakness’ in other translations).” Paul says, “I will be glad, I will rejoice, I will boast in my weaknesses,” “that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” In other words, what he is saying is very sobering and it speaks to me personally. As I go through hard times that won't leave me even through desperate and or united prayer, I can rest on these promises that God has given to Apostle Paul. I can rest on these scriptures and say, Lord, I’m relying on you. I’m trusting in you and relying upon your Word. Right now, I can rejoice and will rejoice, because there is great spiritual benefit through the great physical trials that I am going through even if I can’t see it or understand it.
Dennis Edwards: There are many similar verses in Scripture where the Lord encourages to go to Him for the strength that we need for whatever battles in life we are facing. Here are a few.
Matthew 11:28-30; Isaiah 40:28-31; 2 Corinthians 1:4; John 14:27; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Romans 15:4; Romans 8:38-39; James 4:6-10, Psalm 23, Psalm 91, Matthew 6:9-13, Revelation 7:16-17, & 21:4.
Watch the Podcast here https://fightforyourfaith.blogspot.com/2024/09/does-god-always-heal.html
