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Christianity [OT] The Word became flesh and dwelt among us

showernota

Member
I'd need to research this deeper. But the greeks were also around with their ideas of the soul. What is being claimed is that the word Sheol does not mean an afterlife in the way it is used in the old testament. That ancient Jews viewed this life as definitive, and later adopted the idea of the resurrection.

Early Christians and Jesus himself are said to have talked about the destruction of the sinful, not their eternal torture, and the greek words used were not referring to bodies but to persons. It is claimed that even Paul even early on believed he would live to see resurrection and only adopted the view of the soul later in his life. I would have to see his writings and study them to see if that is true or not
I meant more that ~0AD could include ~30AD, and maybe it was Jesus that introduced the idea to the Jews :messenger_winking: I don't know much about Greek influence on the Jews, could be that too. Either way, Jesus supersedes anything in the OT. I've heard good arguments for annihilationism, it could be what happens. I'm suspicious of it though, as I know too many people who would decide they'd rather live how they want now, and bet on ceasing to exist rather than be punished later.

Just want to throw out a few more verses. Definitely look into this for yourself and figure out what is true.



 

Helscream

Banned
I'd need to research this deeper. But the greeks were also around with their ideas of the soul. What is being claimed is that the word Sheol does not mean an afterlife in the way it is used in the old testament. That ancient Jews viewed this life as definitive, and later adopted the idea of the resurrection.

Early Christians and Jesus himself are said to have talked about the destruction of the sinful, not their eternal torture, and the greek words used were not referring to bodies but to persons. It is claimed that even Paul even early on believed he would live to see resurrection and only adopted the view of the soul later in his life. I would have to see his writings and study them to see if that is true or not

Since Showernota seems to be doing a decent job at replying to your questions, I'm just going to mentioned a passage from the Book of Samuel.

1 Samuel 28

8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.

9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.

19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.


There clearly has to be a realm that exist outside our reckoning of space and time. Otherwise how could King Saul request the Witch of Endor to summon the deceased Prophet Samuel? In verse 13 where it says "gods", the word used in hebrew is elohim. Which at its most basic definition is a representation of locality. "Elohim" if anything, is a classification of a entity that currently resides in the spirit realm. Some people debate if it was actually Samuel who the witch summoned, but I think looking at what Samuel said, and King Sauls reaction makes it most likely it was the real Prophet Samuel.

In the Torah, there are verses that specifically command the people of Israel to not engage in sorcery, necromancy, familiar spirits, witchs, wizards, or any practitioners of divination. So in order for the God of Israel to command the people of Israel not to commune with the dead, then that must mean there is a realm they reside in after their physical body perishes.
 
I meant more that ~0AD could include ~30AD, and maybe it was Jesus that introduced the idea to the Jews :messenger_winking: I don't know much about Greek influence on the Jews, could be that too. Either way, Jesus supersedes anything in the OT. I've heard good arguments for annihilationism, it could be what happens. I'm suspicious of it though, as I know too many people who would decide they'd rather live how they want now, and bet on ceasing to exist rather than be punished later.

Just want to throw out a few more verses. Definitely look into this for yourself and figure out what is true.
Will have to look into that, but what I think I read is that the word translated as soul is breath as in breathing.
So in order for the God of Israel to command the people of Israel not to commune with the dead, then that must mean there is a realm they reside in after their physical body perishes.
Or we could assume necromancy can resurrect the dead temporarily. Again I don't know if we can take those who claim to have studied Jewish history and Hebrew at their word. But what some are saying is that the Jews did not belief in an afterlife and this was evident from their writings and from the hebrew words used in most of the bible.
 

showernota

Member
I think the Talmud would be the one of the main resources on what early Jewish rabbis believed, and I'll say some of it is insane. I really can't paste any of it here, as it is very NSFW, but I don't think many people would reach these conclusions from reading the Torah. Section 19 and beyond is very not good.


Section 5 here says that Adam had intercourse with the animals before Eve was made

And a rabbi debates God and wins in this one
 
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Bolivar687

Banned
I think the Talmud would be the one of the main resources on what early Jewish rabbis believed, and I'll say some of it is insane. I really can't paste any of it here, as it is very NSFW, but I don't think many people would reach these conclusions from reading the Torah. Section 19 and beyond is very not good.


Section 5 here says that Adam had intercourse with the animals before Eve was made

And a rabbi debates God and wins in this one
Talmud was written hundreds of years after Christ.
 

showernota

Member
Talmud was written hundreds of years after Christ.
The Talmud is the repository of the Oral Torah, allegedly given to 70 elders of Israel at Mt Sinai while Moses was receiving the 10 Commandments. It was passed down until the destruction of the 2nd temple, and finally written down.
 

Chaplain

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Chaplain

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New resources:

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Chaplain

Member
"Following the pro-Trump riots and storming of congress at Capitol Hill, many fear white evangelicals in the USA are in the grip of political idolatry in their support of the outgoing president. Justin is joined by Johnnie Moore who chaired Trump’s Evangelical Executive Council and defends Trump’s administration, and Christian justice activist Shane Claiborne who has been an outspoken critic of the president." (1/15/21)

 

Chaplain

Member
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showernota

Member
Proving the deity of Jesus in the first 3 verses of Mark.

Mark 1: 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
A reference to Malachi 3:1
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
Objection: But LORD in Hebrew doesn't always refer to YHVH. - Well, who does the temple belong to?


Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
A reference to Isaiah 40:3
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
In Hebrew, this verse refers to the LORD/Yahweh and God/Elohiym.

Praise Jesus!


Also, this is a good proverb for today.
 
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Chaplain

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showernota

Member
Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no pangs in their death,
But their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
Violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish.
8 They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
They speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue walks through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return here,
And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
11 And they say, “How does God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches.
13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
16 When I thought how to understand this,
It was too painful for me—
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their end.

18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.

21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was vexed in my mind.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
24 You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God,
That I may declare all Your works.
 

Helscream

Banned
Take care all. I learned a lot from you guys even though we don't all see eye to eye on ecclesiology

bolivar#9579 on Discord if anyone wants to keep in touch.

Yeah, same. I'll continue to lurk from time to time but I am taking my time off just like in the 2016. Au revoir!

Not like NeoGAF is a beacon of deep Christian thought and discussion. But its always good to share wisdom and encouragement where ever you find a fellow bother or sister in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Numbers Chapter 6:24-26
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.


Until next time. Fare thee well.
 

Chaplain

Member
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Chaplain

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Chaplain

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Video: Jana Harman - Atheists becoming Christians - Critical Witness
"The SIDE B Podcast is a story-driven apologetics forum that helps listeners understand why and how people are pushed away or drawn towards God and Christianity, to ‘listen to the other side’ in a practical, conversational way. Interviewing one former atheist each show, the SIDE B Podcast encourages both Christians and non-believers to listen to the stories and views of former atheists and learn their reasons for rejecting God, becoming open towards God, and eventually becoming a Christian. In a culture that readily dismisses Christianity as not plausible and not attractive, SIDE B Podcast shows how and why thoughtful, intelligent people can and do move from disbelief to belief." We will be discussing atheism, what has led people to change their minds and Jana's own story and what led her to be interested in setting up the podcast.
 

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Video: What is an Evangelical? (Feat. Dr. Mark Noll)
Everybody's heard of Evangelicals, but what are they actually? Dr. Mark Noll is the guy to talk to if you want to get past speculation and get into the actual history, taxonomy, and theology of Evangelicalism. Lots of people say lots of words about this group of Christians, but I've never met anyone who can talk about Evangelicalism in a more concise, clear, clinical and comprehensive way than Mark Noll. I think you're going to find this valuable and fun. (1/24/21)


Video: Totalitarianism: How Christians Can Resist the New Cultural Religion, with Rod Dreher
"Rod Dreher shares about his experiences interviewing Christians all over Eastern Europe who survived communist and Marxist regimes. What do they see happening in America? What can we learn from their faithfulness to Christ during persecution?" (Jan 24, 2021)


Video: The centrality of God’s revelation of good and evil (1/24/21)
 

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Why The Culture Wars Might Never End
The political heat may have dialed down with Biden’s election, but the cultural temperature continues to rise. Why is this the case? Why, against the myriad sighs of relief that the White House is somehow now in safe hands again, will the divisions in the United States, and indeed the Western world, continue unabated despite hopes to the contrary? The answer is simple: Everyone agrees that the goal of our society is to promote a vision of, and enact a practice of, human flourishing. However very few agree on what that vision looks like, and therefore what practices we should enact to reach it. Simply put, there is no longer a common understanding of what human flourishing looks like. There is no common view of the “chief end of man” to borrow a religious term.

Martin Luther would have ruled Twitter
To describe the Reformation as a Twitter spat that got out of hand would obviously be anachronistic. Nevertheless, it is not entirely so: for it hints at a quality of Luther’s genius that we, in the age of social media, are perhaps peculiarly qualified to appreciate.
Video: Phil Johnson: Discernment in Days of Defection | Truth In Love 2021 | Session 1


Video: Owen Strachan | Wokeness and the Gospel | Truth In Love 2021 | Session 8


Video: Owen Strachan: Wokeness and Discernment | Truth In Love 2021 | Session 2


Video: How Archaeology Supports the Bible: A Conversation with Joel Kramer
What are the top archaeological discoveries that confirm the Bible? How good is the archaeological record for Scripture? In this interview, I talk with archaeologist Joel Kramer about the top 10 archaeological findings and his latest book "Where God Came Down."


Video: What Most People Don’t Know about Heaven - Revelation 21
What happens when a believer dies? What will heaven be like? I’ve heard the craziest stories and descriptions about the afterlife over the years, often at funerals. I have since discovered that most people’s (even Christians) ideas about what heaven will be like are vastly different than what Scripture reveals. First off, I hope you indeed are going to heaven. Let’s examine a few things that might surprise you about your heavenly home.
 

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John 3:16 is popular, here‘s the rest of what Jesus told us in the passage.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begottenSon, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
 
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Video: Above All Earthly Powers: Courage for Christ in the Public Square


Video: Doctrine of the Church: Part 5 - Baptism as an Ordinance - Continued


The shocking truth about Christianity and the Holocaust
Writing ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day, Simon Ponsonby exposes the ‘Christian’ roots of the worst massacre in modern history

Where joy and sorrow meet: How our faith survived the death of our child
John and Dana Hanley share their deeply personal reflections following the death of their toddler, Mattias

Why Does It Seem Like the Smartest People Are the Ones Who Reject Christianity?
This question will be particularly acute for college students because their professors are often the ones who don’t believe. There they are, trained in some of the finest research universities in the world. Brilliant. Smart. Filled with knowledge.

Wokeism Is a Hateful Religion
The notion that the gospel can be improved by blending it with Wokeism is sheer folly anyway. The Woke worldview is rooted in secularism—and arguably, Marxism. Its central claims and distinctive jargon are taken not from Scripture but from secular political discourse. It is a canon of doctrine deliberately designed to provoke conflict, prolong resentment, and foster bitterness between different ethnicities. It encourages people to be offended by things that never actually happened to them—while blaming others for sins they did not actually commit. It doles out guilt and shame rather than grace and redemption. Though it is promoted by people who say they oppose ethnic strife, it is a blatantly racist worldview, condemning entire ethnic groups for sins that were committed generations ago by people long dead.

The hate crime of preaching Christianity
DECEMBER 24 last year was the closing date for the Government’s consultation process on the Law Commission’s proposals to amend hate-crime laws. Dr Joanna Williams, director of the Freedom, Democracy and Victimhood Project at the Civitas think tank, argues that the proposed amendments ‘would hand to the State frightening new powers to police speech’.
 

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Jesus Christ’s forgiveness is lost in our victim culture
From Germaine Greer to Peter Tatchell, Richard Dawkins to Brian Cox, no one is safe from contemporary society’s obsession with victimhood. Whether it’s the Man of Steel version of Superman, Captain America or any other Marvel comic superhero, you are no one without a victim narrative. The only way to end this narrative of perpetual victimhood is to learn what it means to forgive, which means to be willing to make peace where there was none before. It is through the forgiveness rooted only in the Christian faith that we have the ability to turn situations around and make them radically different.
California Is Cleansing Jews From History
"An historical resource was added [to the CA curriculum] with this description of prewar Zionism: 'Jews have filled the air with their cries and lamentations in an effort to raise funds and American Jews, as is well known, are the richest in the world.'"
PRO-LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID
COVID and all its works continue to hang over us like a fog, stealing our joy, our peace, our health not only of body but of mind, and not only of the physical body but of the Church body. Perhaps most tragically, as public counter-measures continue to drag on with unclear end dates in sight, it is dividing Christians who share what should be a unifying commitment: a commitment to the sanctity of life.
Video: The Truth on Purity Culture: Conversation with Rachel Joy Welcher
What is the truth behind purity culture? Was it good, bad, or some combination of both? In this interview, I talk with author Rachel Joy Welcher about her book "Talking Back to Purity Culture."


Video: What Would Make You Believe In God? || Glen Scrivener || From Doubt To Faith
 

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Video: These Two Physicists Explain Why Science NEEDS God
Physics Professor Tom McLeish and physics teacher Dave Hutchings join me to explain why God loves science and science needs God.


Video: The Gospel, Evangelism, and Discipleship - Voddie Baucham
In this sermon Voddie Baucham explains the three basic grasps a Christian should have in order to lead their family.


Video: Art + Faith: A Theology of Making
On January 29, 2021 in partnership with The Rabbit Room and the Windrider Institute we were delighted to host artist, author, and senior fellow Mako Fujimura for a conversation around his brand new book, Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako believes that in the act of making we are able to know and experience the depth of God's being and grace. Mako says, "I now consider what I do in the studio to be theological work as much as aesthetic work. I experience God, my Maker, in the studio. I am immersed in the art of creating, and I have come to understand this dimension of life as the most profound way of grasping human experience and the nature of our existence in the world. I call it the "Theology of Making."


Video: The Christian Story is Inevitable || Jonathan Pageau || RESET
In this interview, Glen Scrivener talks to Jonathan Pageau. Jonathan is an icon carver, editor of the Orthodox Arts Journal and a public speaker. Through his YouTube channel, he regularly explores symbolism and the meaning crisis. Here, Glen and Jonathan discuss symbolism in the book of Genesis, and why we often miss it.


Video: Our King Will Not Be Mocked



My Mother Aborted My Siblings, And That Hurts Me Deeply
I thought I was an only child because of my mother’s chronic illness. But then I found what really happened.
 

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The amount of times an Angel of the Lord presents Himself as God in the OT is very interesting. They are undoubtedly Christophanies, pre-incarnate Jesus. I'll make a few posts on these since there are several.

In Genesis, Yehovah makes His promise to Abraham:
Genesis 12: 1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Later on, God tests Abraham by telling him to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering. But before Abraham is able to do it:
Genesis 22: 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
It is interesting that the angel called to him out of heaven.


Earlier in Genesis, we also find the very first instance of an angel. He comes and speaks to Hagar, after she has run away from Sarai:
Genesis 16: 6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
This angel will give Hagar the very same blessing as the angel in 22:9, which is the same blessing Yehovah promises in Genesis 12.
 
Video: Why Neuroscience CANNOT Debunk the Immaterial Soul – Interview with JP Moreland


A lot of people think that neuroscience has done away with the dualist “myth” of the soul. Consciousness is reducible to the material brain and if not, it’s merely an “emergent” property of the brain – that’s what we’re being told. JP Moreland is one of the most respected philosophers of mind and his research has led him to engage with the world’s most top neuroscientists. In this interview, he will explain why neuroscience is not vested, not even in principle, with the authority to tell us whether consciousness is material or immaterial and whether the soul exists or not. Beyond that, he will point out why the dualist view (i.e. that a person consists of both a material body and an immaterial soul) is philosophically far more satisfying than physicalism (i.e. the view that everything about human beings is physical). The “battle” for the soul is a key topic in Christian apologetics, Christian theology, and our view about it directly impacts the way we think of human dignity, human rights, gender, and other cultural hot topics. Watch this interview and get informed about the key issues to be aware of when it comes to debating the relationship between neuroscience and dualism.

My take on soul, is a bit dualistic. Take a book for example, there's ink and there's paper. But the story in the book is distinct from the paper and from the ink. You can have the same exact ink and paper, in the exact amount, but if you change what is written, it is a different story. The pattern changes. I think the information embodied in the patterns is something that exists at a deeper level, and it is something that transcends matter and energy.

Regards the comment on mirror neurons, my take is that they provide function that is used by the rest of the brain. Like the face recognition area, it is not that area per se that is conscious of faces, but it provides signals that are used to recognize faces by the rest of the brain, like a calculator providing answers on what is a face, without it you can't recognize faces. With deficits in the area the brain is conscious but cannot properly recognize faces.

As for near death experience, whatever a person reports can be reported because it has been inscribed physically in the brain's memory. There were a series of experiments were something was put very high on top of the surgeons operating table, and none of the people who reported getting out of their body could report what was above. Even while alive a person forgets, and there are cases of amnesia where things that were lived through are forgotten, if the physical memory of the brain is not made or is damaged the person cannot report it. The person can only report that to which a physical memory exists within the brain, because the physical memory was made in the brain.

Here's a somewhat recent article discussing NDEs, despite their being a few promising candidates, there is no definitive clencher evidence that would convince most skeptics.

As for split brains, while its true they seem to function normally, I've heard of cases like when trying to put clothes on where one side of the body fights and tries to impede certain clothes from being worn against the person's wishes. I've also heard that when queried on things like belief in God, there have been cases where one side can say it doesn't believe in God while the other can say it does believe in God.

I don't agree with his argument of memories, it is clear that something like a cd has the music in a digital form, a type of memory, regardless of the format or physical form it takes, the music can be extracted from the pattern. The physical instantiation contains information, or represents or embodies the information, it contains the memory.

As for conscious decisions, the Libet experiment might not do away with free will, but the existence of something called postdiction creates a severe issue for free will. In postdiction a person is not consciously aware of something till after the event has long passed. Yet the person can be asked to react to the event, say a color change, but since they are only aware of it after the fact, that would mean their choice to react took place without them knowing and they're only coming aware of it after the fact.
The existence of the color phi phenomenon poses an interesting philosophical problem. When asked to describe their experience, subjects report seeing the abrupt color change before the second dot is presented. However, it is impossible for a subject to actually experience the color change before the second dot has been presented.


Regards the brain integrating all sensory experience into a unified whole, the mechanisms through which this is achieved are still being elucidated, the fact they aren't currently fully elucidated does not mean they can't and won't be given time.

Now as for consciousness just like the patterns of grooves in a cd, can contain music, certain patterns, certain types of information can I believe contain consciousness, consciousness is a property or an aspect of certain kinds of information of certain patterns. Now that said, an instance of a thing is not the thing itself.
The Platonic Forms, according to Plato, are just ideas of things that actually exist. They represent what each individual thing is supposed to be like in order for it to be that specific thing. For example, the Form of human shows qualities one must have in order to be human. It is a depiction of the idea of humanness.-owlcation
Take the movie A new hope, a dvd of A new hope contains an instance of the movie A new hope, but it is not in and of itself the totality of the movie A new hope. The movie itself exists independently of any and all physical instances. The destruction of a physical instance can never destroy the essence, that exists independent of all physical form.

Don Page - Is Information the Foundation of Reality?​

 

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Video: The Truth about Hell - Matthew 25:41
Hell is an eternal and biblical reality, but it’s one that has become relegated to the junk pile of modern myths. Actor Woody Allen once said that hell is the abode of all people who annoy him. People speak of hell in daily conversations usually as an expletive without any thought of the somberness of the place. Certainly, of all the Christian doctrines unfolded in Scripture, hell is the toughest one to handle. Let’s get the scriptural scoop.


Video: Purity Culture, True Love Waits, and More: A Conversation with Richard Ross
Are critiques of purity culture fair? What is the legacy of True Love Waits? Sean interviews Dr. Richard Ross, one of the co-founders of the TLW movement about its origin, message, and current status.


Video: From Christianity to Progressive Christianity and Back Again, with Josh Morris
Former Progressive Christian Josh Morris walks us through the spiritual abuse that led to his deconstruction into progressive Christianity, and the discovery of a book that ultimately led him back to a historic and biblical faith.


Video: Jezebel & the Myth of Neutrality
Watch our Sunday worship with Pastor James White. Sermon title: Jezebel & the Myth of Neutrality.


Don’t Waste God’s Time
Scripture has much to say on the subject of time and how we, as believers in the God who transcends time, are to make the most of it for His kingdom (Eph. 5:15-16). The very first verse in the Bible is a reference to a point in time in that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1).” It is the degree to which we view time as God does that ultimately determines what we choose to do with the time He has given us (Ps. 90:12). The significance of that is that, for the Christian anyway, the concept of time is first theological then chronological.
THE WISDOM IN RESTRAINING OUR LIPS
There are a few practical things I do to help slow down my speech and my writing. These are neither laws that you must apply nor fool-proof ways of protecting your speech. You may implement all of them and still say the wrong thing at the wrong time. These are simply guardrails and suggestions that may be of benefit to you.
Audio: Walking Worthy - The Portrait of a True Believer
In Matthew 5, Jesus begins his Sermon on the Mount, by pronouncing divine blessing upon his disciples. He uses, what we have come to call, the "Beatitude" statements. These beatitudes, are the characteristics Jesus uses to generate a portrait for us of...
 

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Here's more Jesus in the OT!

In this passage, Jacob has left Isaac to find a wife and stops to rest for the night. The LORD Yehovah appears to him in a vision (Jacob's ladder):
Genesis 28: 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.
17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
God makes the same promise he made to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob sets up a pillar and anoints it, naming the place Bethel, which means House of God.

Years later, Jacob is still working for Laban his uncle and the LORD tells Jacob he should return to his family. This happens in verse 3, and Jacob elaborates on the message in verse 11:
Genesis 31: 3 And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
Again, it is an Angel of God speaking as God. In fact, speaking as the God of the House of God.
 
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Video: Ex-Muslim sparks Christian revival in IRAN, fastest growth in world



There are so many muslim who want to get out of Iran. Any ticket is welcome. Being “ gay” doesn’t work always, so now being “christian” is another good argument to flee the muslim and homophobic country and get accepted in Western countries.

I know of many “converted” Iranians who fled the muslim country, but became muslim again once they settled and got the papers lmao
 
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showernota

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Jesus in the OT: Part Tres-

While there are no Angels of the Lord in this post, we still see instances of Christ pre-incarnate appear physically, and as a man. Before we continue, let's remember what Jesus said:
Going back to Genesis 17 we see the Lord God visits Abraham physically (as noted by His departure in verse 22):
Genesis 17: 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
------------------------------
22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
In the next chapter, we read 3 men come to Abraham before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. One is specifically identified as the LORD while the other 2 are called angels:
Genesis 18: 1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
3 And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
-------------------------
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
In the next chapter during the destruction of the cities, we read an explicit reference to the LORD on Earth and the LORD in heaven:
Genesis 19: 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
I'm not the best at math, but I'm pretty sure that equals two.

Fast forwarding to Jacob after we left him in the last post, in chapter 32 he has left his Uncle Laban with his family, and is spending the night alone waiting for his brother Esau to arrive. He wrestles with a man all night, who he identifies as God:
Genesis 32:
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
We will see an Angel of the LORD later in the book of Judges, who will ask Manoah "Why askest thou thus after my name?" and Manoah will identify as God.
 
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showernota

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Jesus in the OT, Part 4-

These two examples are my favorites, since I didn't know this about the burning bush until just a few months ago. Before we start, let's remember what our Lord and Savior told the Pharisees:
John 8: 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Did you know it was an angel of YHVH that appeared to Moses in the burning bush? I bet if you polled people leaving a church service the majority wouldn't know that.
Exodus 3:
1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
The Angel tells Moses He is the God of his fathers, and Moses even his his face for fear of looking upon God. Further, Moses is told to remove his shoes because he is standing on holy ground. Stephen confirms this in Acts 7.

A few verses later, Moses asks what he should tell the Israelites is the name of God:
Exodus 3: 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.
You can see why the Pharisees tried to throw Jesus off a cliff after He said "I am."

Jumping forward to the book of Joshua for the next example, we read about his encounter with the captain of the host of the LORD, one of my favorite passages.
Joshua 5:
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?
15 And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
"And Joshua did so." I love that.
Joshua was told to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. The only other instance of this happening in the Bible is when God spoke to Moses at the burning bush.
 
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Heh, I taught that lesson in sunday school yesterday showernota showernota We read the battle at Jericho and I highlighted the scene where Joshua falls at the feet of the "commander of the lord's army". We compared it to the appearance of angels to Mary and how angels always rejected worship/reverence, and I explained that this was likely another instance of the pre-incarnate Son involving himself in Israel's destiny.

Funny coincidence, I guess.
 

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showernota

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Jesus in the OT - Part 5.

After Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt, the LORD led them through the land in a pillar of a cloud, that was a fire at night:
Exodus 13: 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

In the next chapter, the Israelites are trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. The Sea is about to be parted, but before that happens:
Exodus 14: 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Here we can read it was an angel of God who was leading them, and we're told it was God/the LORD that went before them. Was the angel in the pillar?
Exodus 14: 24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

Later, the LORD tells Moses that He will send an angel before the Israelites to protect them, this angel has some unique characteristics:
Exodus 23: 20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

This Angel will have the name of YHVH in Him, and have the capability and agency to forgive sins. The name of the LORD is not something He shares, though:
Isaiah 42: 8 I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
Let's remember who God the Father did share His name and glory with:
John 17: 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
And even the Pharisees knew who only forgave sins:
Mark 2: 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?


Later, the Israelites end up disobeying, and the Angel tells them:
Judges 2: 1 And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
Who took them out of Egypt? Who swore to their fathers and made a covenant? The clear examples of the Trinity and Christ pre-incarnate are really amazing.
 
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mcz117chief

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This one hurts.
I view it as another thorn plucked from Christ's side. We should do everything in our power to find people who commit such heinous crimes and bring their evils to light, no matter how much it stains the Church. Better to be stained from the outside than from the inside.
 

Onikaan

Member
I view it as another thorn plucked from Christ's side. We should do everything in our power to find people who commit such heinous crimes and bring their evils to light, no matter how much it stains the Church. Better to be stained from the outside than from the inside.

Ofcourse. I'm just coming to terms with it, that's all.

I listened to RZIM for years, and I cannot help but feel that the wisdom I absorbed from that man is now sullied.
 
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mcz117chief

Member
Ofcourse. I'm just coming to terms with it, that's all.

I listened to RZIM for years, and I cannot help but feel that the wisdom I absorbed from that man is now sullied.
I 100% understand your dilemma. It is the same when your favorite movie/book/game character's actor/writer turns out to be a real asshole, it really makes you feel weird from that point on. Your case is infinitely worse though since we are talking not about Earthly things but about the matters of soul and eternal life. My man, I suggest to dive into the Scripture and only view the wisdom of other Earthly men as a bonus, Jesus is all you need. Amen and God bless you <3
 

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