Religion in Media: Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind

 If "Faith of the Fallen," Terry Goodkind through his character Richard says:

 The only sovereign I can allow to rule me is reason. The first law of reason is this: what exists, exists; what is, is. Form this irreducible, bedrock principle, all knowledge is built. this is the foundation from which life is embraced.

   Reason is a choice. Wishes and whims are not facts, nor are they a means to discovering them. Reason is our only way of grasping reality--it's our basic tool of survival. We are free to evade the effort of thinking, to reject reason, but we are not free to avoid the penalty of the abyss we refuse to see. (Goodkind, 26 hc.)

When I first read this, I disagreed with the rule: "The only sovereign I can allow to rule me is reason." I agree completely with the following explanation, but from scripture, there is only one sovereign, and that is God. Of all of Mr. Goodkind's  Wizard Rules, This one is really the only one I have had major issue with.
 So with some thought I submit this change, "The only sovereign I can allow to rule me is Truth,...." and truth is only substituted in this one spot.
  Reason is good, but reason is only as good and the "facts" upon which it is built. Reason may help one discover the Truth and should not be discarded, but reason is not sovereign. Reason is not God.
  Truth, now, what was it that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)  Jesus, has identified himself as the embodiment of truth. Jesus also said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  This is often quoted as "set you free," but what a difference. One that is set free, can come under bondage again, but if one is made free...(not original) A contradiction of terms, eh.
 As a last note, many have used reason to reason away Hell, (or what they have called reason), but as Mr. Goodkind has already said, "[W]e are not free to avoid the penalty of the abyss we refuse to see."
  Seek the truth, and He will show Himself to you.

To God Be the Glory
Scott

What God wants from us: How to Start

The Bible is a very hard book to understand, and it is meant to be. However, there are some things in it most people should be able to understand, and it is some of these passages that I wish to share, with  the intent of allowing you to interpret them.

First, Romans 3:10, 23

        As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

        For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

What do these passages say about me? About your neighbor? About your friends? About your family? and about you?

Next, Romans 6,23a

       For the wages of sin is death;

Is the future starting to look bleak? What is your conclusion? If so, don't stop reading, this is the bad news. The message I want to portray is called the Gospel, which means Good News.  Many stop here, and get mad at God, don't do this.

Furthermore, Romans 4:4,5:

   Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
   But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Does God expect you to earn your way into heaven? Or does He have another way?  What is your responsibility, what is God's? Does it say it here?

Romans 5:8

 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

What does this mean? Why is this important? Did God do something for you? If so what did it cost Him?

Romans 6:23b

    [B]ut the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What is this gift? How do we receive it?

Romans 10:9-10, 13

    That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
    For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
   For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

What does this passage say about receiving God's gift? What are the requirements? What is it that you need to do?

And finally, I John 5:11 - 13

  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Two groups are mentioned here, Which group are you in? Where you ever in the first? Are you now in the second? If you changed groups, when did that happen?

 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

I John 5:13 was introduced to me as a verse giving assurance of salvation, I did not see it at first, do you? If not consider it. Let it sink in.

To God Be The Glory
Scott

# 5 Pink slime, An Issue Here?

After watching this video and an article related to it, found here, for the most part I am saying, "So what?" Whenever one watches a documentary on some native tribe somewhere in the world, they are praised for using the whole animal, nothing goes to waste. Are we getting a conflicting message here?
What does the bible say? After all have I not charged that we should follow God's design.
 So we go to Genesis where God first allowed the eating of meat, let's take a look:

   Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
   But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
   And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
Genesis 9:3-5 (emphasis mine)

We see here in the original command allowing the eating of meat, that only the blood is forbidden. Does the bible have anything else to say? Yes, it does. Look at Acts 15:20
 
   But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

As far as food is concerned we have two things to watch for, and they are related, to avoid things that were strangled and again from blood, for if it were strangled, the blood has not been drained.
 So is there an issue here? I would say no.
 Is this pink slime kosher(does it follow God's dietary laws for the Jew)? No, but that is a different issue.
Should we expect labeling? Yes, this should be done, "Truth in advertising" and all that.

To God Be the Glory
Scott

# 3: Food, Inc.

I have been asked to comment upon the film Food, Inc. Here is a link to it:

 

The person which made this request, proposed a list of questions which could be considered for answering, such as:

• Are you at all angry about the deception the federal government has been involved?
• Does the relationship between the federal government and some big-business surprise you?
• Does the affect of food production on the environment surprise you?
• How about all that bacteria in our food? Yummy? Who cares? No big deal? Disgusting?
• Is it simply easier and better for we Americans not to know about issues regarding the food we eat?

I am not going to attempt to answer these, but look at a bigger issue. First, I confess, I did not watch the entire film, I only watched the first 20 minutes or so, but I have heard much of what was being alleged, on late night conspiracy radio. While I may be sickened by the little I have seen, It does not surprise me. For this is just one aspect of what I can expect from a country, or even a world that does not recognize the Creator.

 What this film highlights for me, is that we as a nation, as a world, have forgotten God. We Are Ungodly! We no longer accept his laws. We no longer Fear God!.

  For this, he has given us over to our own desires, to our own corrupt lusts, to do those things that are NOT convenient. (Romans 1:28)

  One of my Pastor's favorite quotes (found in Proverbs 1:7) is:  

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

This is where we need to start. Today, as knowledge appears to be abounding more and more. This rule, needs to be our guide. Any researcher needs to remember this first: "the Fear of God is the beginning of knowledge." The innovator needs to consider first: "the Fear of God is the beginning of knowledge." The scientist needs to know: "the Fear of God is the beginning of knowledge." I hope you get the picture.
  As we forget God, He will turn us over to do that which we are prone to do. This is our First Judgment. Later, he will inflict upon us his own wrath, but first he allows us to face a world that does not want him. This is why we see the tragedies we see before us today. However, "even after all this," Isaiah tells us over and over, "His hand is stretched out still."

To God Be the Glory
Scott

 

# 2: Techology and Scripture

Doing a preview of videos about the future, I have found a predominance of two things. Travel, and Information at our fingertips. 

The video below from Microsoft is an example.

 

 

Another one from DHL previews several scenarios:

 

 



 

 

DHL's scenarios also includes the popular and politicized belief in Global Warming or Climate Change. While I personally do not believe the hype, I do recognize the major global instances which are the basis for the allegation of some sort of global change in the Earths Climate. More on this later.

  More and more today, we see what Daniel predicted in Daniel 12:4 coming to pass. Here is what he said:

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 

  Scoffers may say that this can be interpreted in several ways, but why try to impose upon this passage something other than what we can clearly see.  This verse clearly predicts that in the times near "The End" we will be traveling more, and that the knowledge we have will be increasing.  This is clearly what we are seeing. This is what many of our developers are counting upon to continue at the exponential rate that we are seeing today.
  Now, as to climate change, I propose a different interpretation of events that we are seeing. In Matthew 24:8 we read: "All these are the beginning of sorrows." The phrase "the beginning of sorrows" can be understood as birth pangs.  This has been described to me as pains getting more and more severe, as they get closer and closer together.  Is this not what we are seeing today? Are we not seeing more and more severe and life changing Events. Not only in the weather, but also in the political scene.
  If we try to solve this by man made solutions; we are ignoring the real problem. For I agree, all of these tragedies, are man's fault; we are indeed responsible for them, for the problem is: We Have Rebelled Against God.   So long as we reject God, so long as we try to solve these problems on our own, They Will Only Get Worse!
 The Answer you see, is for us to repent, and turn to our Creator, accept His solution, to Accept His Salvation, which has been provided to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. If each of us does that, we can postpone "The End." If we do not do this. If most of us continue to reject our Creator, as fewer and fewer repent, the closer His Judgment Comes.

If you search for the Truth, the Truth will show Himself to you

To God Be the Glory
Scott

 

 

Religion in media: Diablo, a question

 

   As I mentioned before, I like to play computer games. One of those games is Diablo. Diablo, the original game was a benchmark game, that many others attempted to duplicate. However, I am wishing to take a look at its story, or mythos, if you will, rather than game mechanics.
  Diablo's story is based upon a war between Heaven and Hell, between the angels and the demons. This war spilled over into Sanctuary, the world which the game is based upon.
   The demons continue to attempt to gain control of Sanctuary, while the angels appear to be keeping an attitude of Laissez-faire, to let it be, or hands off. This is the basis of the story which allows the hero to enter the scene.
  This Mythos, uses many Christian terms, such as: sin, angels, demons, Heaven, Hell, and salvation, but no Christian concepts. The Mythos, appears to also borrow a pantheistic view of greater beings, often called gods, but are themselves also creatures that where born form others or came spontaneously from nothing.
  This story, this mythos is obviously false, but my question is: Could otherwise intelligent people, accept it for true?
  My guess, is that yes, it is possible. If one is not willing to accept the truth, any lie is possibly acceptable. Terry Goodkind, put it this way: "People are stupid: they are willing to believe a lie, because they want it to be true, or they are afraid that it is true" (Wizard's First Rule). The Bible puts it this way: "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Romans 1:21
  The natural state of man, is to reject God, and as we reject God, God allows us to slide deeper and deeper into our own illusions.
  One may believe that aliens from outer space seeded us, or played with our genetic code. Another may believe that everything arose by chance over a very long time. Others, try to recreate God or gods in their own image, or the images of beasts. There are those that even believe, or worship the planet Earth, and call her Gaia.
  What is it that you believe? What is the Truth?  Can truth be relative, or is it exclusive?  I invite you to start to question, to start looking for the Truth. If you do, he promises to show himself to you.

Thank you for your time

To God be the Glory
Scott