The Atheists are Wrong - Part 3 - Chapter 2 - The Religion of Atheism

SEE PART 1 HERE!

SEE PART 2 HERE!

Get your paperback version here

(Part 3)

Chapter 2

The Religion of Atheism

}{

Here’s a question you don’t hear every day: what do Christianity and Australia have in common? Answer:
both are existential paradoxes. What, you’re probably asking, is an existential paradox? Well, the word “existential” means “pertaining to existence”. The word “paradox” means:


1. a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or
absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
2. a self-contradictory and false proposition.
3. any person, thing, or situation exhibiting an apparently
contradictory nature.
4. an opinion or statement contrary to commonly accepted
opinion.

So, an existential paradox is something that exists as a duality that seems uncommon or unusual or maybe even self-contradictory. Australia is both a continent and a country. That is as unusual as it can possibly get since it is the only country that is also a continent and vice versa. Existentially, Australia is a paradox. Two separate things are true about Australia. We can talk about Australia as a country without ever mentioning it as a continent. For example we know that Australia is one of the two hundred and three countries recognized by the United Nations. We can talk about Australia’s gross domestic product, its indigenous animal population, its unique architecture, geology, etc. We can do all of this without ever mentioning its status as a continent. And then we can talk about Australia as one of seven recognized continents. We can talk about its relative small size in comparison to the other six continents. We can do all of this without ever mentioning Australia as a country. Australia is a true existential paradox. Christianity is the exact same way. On one hand we have the religion of Christianity and on the other hand we have the relationship of Christianity.


A Tale of Two Christianities


Get your paperback version here

Christianity as a religion is a nasty business. It is responsible for countless horrors and atrocities around the world. For centuries people have used the teachings of the Bible to enslave countless people into dogmas while taking the Bible completely out of context. Not understanding the cross and the new covenant will bring the worst kind of legalism out of anyone. There are verses in scripture that really can be used to do great harm when applied by spiritually ignorant, power hungry demagogues. They form groups who carry around signs condemning people with a fabricated authority to say on behalf of God that He hates this or that group. The fact is that God loves the world. He loves the world so much that He gave His son as a ransom. These religious “Christian” groups make up stories about curses and use a covenant which no longer exists to justify fear mongering tactics to extract money from the people so they can live lives of luxury while others starve. They declare with pious certainty that membership in any other group but theirs will almost certainly lead to hell. If certain days are not kept holy and certain feasts are not performed religiously then not even God Himself can help you. These people who are trapped in the religious system called “Christianity” have no real relationship with God whatsoever. They don’t know Him. They know a bunch of rules and regulations cleverly disguised as Christianity but are nothing but a type of fire insurance. It’s a person’s way of having some sort of guarantee just in case there really is a hell. After all it sure would be nice to get in to heaven if there really is one. Another type of person, who is trapped in the religion of “Christianity”, or any other religion for that matter, is the gullible person who just goes along to get along. After all, that’s how we do things around here, right? I suppose most people would fall into this category. They are born into a religious family and it becomes a generational thing. As the child grows up one of three things will happen to that child. He or she will stay in the area; perhaps get a high school education and wind up working at the local factory, restaurant, or whatever. They get married and perpetuate the cycle. The second option is to get a higher education in a university or college setting which is located outside of the town they grew up in. What transpires next can, and usually does, separate them from their religion. God will either reach them and show Himself strong to that person in which case the religion is gone and a relationship begins or else that person will walk away from anything to do with God whatsoever. Either position is better than the first. To remain religious but lost is a horrible state. You don’t know God and you’re afraid to leave the religious system. I believe the atheist is better off than the religious person who doesn't know God.


Revelation 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art
neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The other existential Christian reality is to have a relationship with God that is personal and dynamic. You actually know God. He guides you by His peaceful leading. You are intimate with Him and HE with you. Your daily decisions are made based on His guidance. You don’t make a move unless you have His consent. You do this because you have heard Him express to you and show you that He knows what is best for you. He has a plan for you and you want to walk in it. You have known His favor in this world. He has delivered on His promises to you and you keep falling forward knowing that He will catch you and place you on safe ground. You place one foot in front of the other by His direction all the while looking upward into His face. You know Him. You have a relationship with Him. You know what it means to be adopted as His child out of a dark world. You know what King David meant when he said “when my father and mother abandon me the Lord will take up my cause”. You do not have a religion with its rules and regulations. You say with Paul that all things are permissible for you. You are not bound by religious dogmas. Your heart is filled with the goodness of God that leads you away from sin and dark deeds that destroy others. The laws of God are written on your heart. You don’t just obey to obey but you obey because you love God and you know that to do anything else would break His heart like the father’s heart weeps for the disobedient child. You want nothing more than to please your dad; your heavenly father. You look at the world around you and you know that His return is very near. You read HIS testimony about the world, the Bible, and you understand it. You see how the unbelief in the world is simply fulfilled prophecy and that you are secure in Him. You experience miraculous deliverance in spite of overwhelming odds against you. You find yourself mysteriously compelled to reach out to others and express to them the urgency of the time. You don’t have a religion; you have a relationship.


A Tale of Two Atheisms


Get your paperback version here

So, how does all of this pertain to atheism? Well, atheism also is a paradox. When I was an atheist I lived as a common pragmatist. That is what most atheists are. They go on with their lives not wanting to be bothered or to bother with anyone else. They live their lives as if there’s no God and they don’t want to hear any alternatives. They are the very embodiment of narcissism. Their mind is closed to anything outside their very own delusion bubble. When one lifestyle ceases to amuse they move on to another. After all, when you die you rot so the focus is continuously on self gratification. These atheists are seldom successful people although there are few exceptions. They usually earn enough money to get the next high or fix. When the money is drained they get motivated to make more. I burned through one and a half million dollars by the time I was twenty seven. I was a non-religious atheist. I lived as though there was no God and I didn't care about the overwhelming evidence that supported His existence. As far as I was concerned if there was a God He surely didn't care about me and I didn’t care about finding out whether or not He was even real. I wasn't agnostic about it either. If there was any evidence I wasn't interested. When confronted by Christians who were concerned about my soul I would always say there was no God. I didn't say I didn’t believe in God. I would make a positive declaration that God did not exist. I didn't realize that by doing so I was placing the burden of proof on myself which is a logical fallacy since to prove the non-existence of something is to prove a negative and that, ladies and gentlemen, is impossible. That is why I say that agnosticism is the only truly honest position. Otherwise in order to hold on to your atheism and remain honest it must become a religion once confronted with the evidence for His existence or else turn to the proper designation of agnostic. Once atheism is attempted to be defended by its adherent it immediately becomes a religion by default. There are many well known religious atheists out there including Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Pat Condell, etc. They have built entire careers on defending atheism as a viable worldview. It is a religion to them by this definition.

 6. Something one believes in and follows devotedly; a pointor matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of
fighting prejudice. 

This definition from dictionary.com covers a great number of subjects doesn't it? When you have people who devote their lives to defending a cause, position or worldview like Atheism, it becomes a religion. Nonreligious Christianity is a life that is lived in a relationship with a transcendental being. That’s all. The relationship manifests certain acts and attributes which are visible to those around us. The non religious atheist likewise acts and manifests in certain ways which show off the person’s atheism; attributes like pragmatism, narcissism, etc. When the atheist gets preachy about his lack of belief in God, slanders those who do believe in God by calling them child abusers for declaring the existence of eternal punishment, have discernible doctrines associated with their beliefs, openly confront people who have a counter belief by using media and devote all of their time to defending their atheism then that has crossed the line into religion according to definition number six from the Random House Dictionary. They have places of worship (modern university campuses), discernible doctrines (we’ll get to them later), holy books (On the Origin of Species to name one), and prominent preachers who rally the devoted masses into frenzies of united non passive promotion of the cause (see Pat Condell‘s “Aggressive Atheism“). Let’s face it: when you have a live-and-let-live mentality that allows all other points of view and couldn't care less about someone else’s beliefs then you are living the life of an atheist if your belief is that God doesn't exist. You will exhibit your atheism to your friends and family and co-workers but you won’t be compelled to spread your belief to the rest of the world since by its very nature you have nothing to spread, right? Atheism is the belief in nothing. You were created by nothing in particular and you have nothing to say about God or heaven or some lake of fire that burns eternally. You just live like an animal getting all the living you can get before taking a dirt nap. However, what about the guy who writes books talking about his disdain for Christianity? What about all those videos on Youtube which plunder the thoughts of Christian videos and mock them with vitriolic rants about a flying spaghetti monster and bronzeage myths? What about the many people who seemingly do nothing but make points about their atheism as though it is something to be followed… religiously? They make statements that encourage people to throw off the shackles of belief in an invisible sky-daddy and join them in their lack. It became very obvious to me a long time ago that this was more than just a non-belief for them. They were, according to definition number six, very religious about this thing they call atheism; very religious indeed.


Show Us God!


Get your paperback version here

I’ll tell you what I think. I think these people genuinely do want the truth and they aren't really atheists. You see, I was a real atheist. I lived as a real atheist. I never gave the concept of the existence of God any thought at all. The religious atheists have actually made a religion out of the search. They are constantly challenging people like me to “show the evidence”. Now, that’s not just atheism, friend. That’s “evidencism“. “We’re all about the evidence. No, no; not that kind of evidence. The kind of evidence that WE approve of in our atheistic thinking. Give us the evidence that can be measured scientifically. No, no, not that kind of evidence. Give us evidence that can be measured scientifically and that doesn't require the existence of transcendental realities. Well then, see, you don’t have any evidence“. Do you see the logic here? Me either. This is where the prison mentality comes in. The philosophy of naturalism even governs the religion. It’s like a blind man telling you that you are wrong about the color of your own eyes. Believers interact constantly with transcendental realities all the time and they know it. Truthfully so do atheists. They just don’t know it.

Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;How Atheism Ruins Everything
19 ¶Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto
them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 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.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became
fools [atheists]

SEE PART 1 HERE!

SEE PART 2 HERE!

Get your paperback version here
======================================================


 In The Magic Man in the Sky, Carl Gallups has given us an exciting insight into the many unanswered questions of evolution theory and, based on biblical truths – both prophecies and promises, the possibilities of other worlds and realities denied by evolutionists. With his open and frank approach, supported by extensive research and information from learned professionals in their respective fields, Carl challenges believers and unbelievers to take a serious look at the subjects discussed in this book. Ultimately, Carl invites every reader to seriously consider the gravity and consequences of accepting or rejecting the truth presented. In this hour of all-but-universal darkness, a bright ray of hope and confidence shines forth from the truths of this book. In a time when lives are marked by a growing hunger for spiritual realities, Carl Gallups reveals the truth that real science and Holy Scripture are inseparably linked to verify that behind all creation there is an intelligent designer who created all that exists.

Complaint: Florida County's prayer's "too Christian"

WND - Marion County, Fla., commissioners are now considering their response to an Americans United for the Separation of Church and State complaint that their prayers opening commission meetings are too Christian.

According to a report in the Star-Banner of Ocala, Fla., Americans United said it was acting on a complaint from an unidentified source and that it had reviewed video from eight regular commission sessions since the beginning of the year. They claimed that on five occasions the name of Jesus Christ was specifically mentioned during the opening prayer. It was the mentioning of the name of Jesus Christ to which the legal group was protesting. 

The group’s lawyer, Ian Smith, requested that the board of commissioners bring its “prayer practice” into compliance by using a “nonsectarian” invocation or by abandoning the practice of prayer altogether.

According to the Star-Banner, Smith suggested that the board switch to a more inclusive moment of silence, make the prayers nonsectarian or invite members of the community and “prayer-givers” from varying faiths to present the invocations.

“The Commission’s prayer practice,” Smith said, “unconstitutionally affiliates the county with Christianity.”

But Pastor Carl Gallups, author of the Amazon No. 1 Bestseller “The Magic Man in the Sky: Effectively Defending the Christian Faith,” says the United States is affiliated with Christianity, a fact he says even Americans United could embrace if they understood its significance.

read more http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/oh-no-those-prayers-are-too-christian/

State of the Union: Virginia school board removes Ten Commandments

The Giles County School Board has voted to remove a copy of the Ten Commandments from the wall of a school.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia had sued on behalf of a student to remove the Ten Commandments from Narrows High School, saying it violates the First Amendment's protection against government endorsement of religion. A federal judge sent the case into mediation May 7.

The Roanoke Times reports that the board voted unanimously Thursday to replace the display with a copy of a page from a history textbook that mentions the Ten Commandments in conjunction with American government and morality. It was unclear how that would affect the mediation.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/31/virginia-school-board-votes-to-remove-ten-commandments-from-school/#ixzz1wZzA7aLJ

Hell Judgment and Salvation - are they eternal?

Is “hell” a real place? Some say yes, others say no. Does it matter what people say about it? In the end – not so much. If you’re walking with the LORD now you will make the transition to eternity with Him anyway so it’s a moot point really. People who are living according to their own lusts, be they carnal or religious, and pay no mind to whether they are in a personal relationship with Jesus will make the transition into eternity without Jesus and His sacrifice. It all comes down to identity and which family you’re in.

As for hell itself there are many misunderstandings about it. We recently received an email from a person who asked us to clarify what the Bible says about it so here it is. It may not be pretty but hopefully it will make sense to you when you’re finished reading this.

There are many things God (YHWH) cannot do. He cannot lie, for example. In fact He can’t be anything but perfect. Accordingly He demands perfection from all of us. God is a perfectionist. He is the only personality for which perfection is even remotely possible and He achieves it 100% of the time.

God gave humanity no less than three opportunities to become perfect. Following the “fall” from perfect standing with God in the garden Adam was essentially told “alright, you think you can do your own thing, go ahead and try it.” The result was that everyone turned to evil and God was forced to wipe the earth clean and start over with eight remaining souls.  

Out of the seed of those eight one was chosen to be an example; an example of what it takes to be perfect – faith that God will provide. Abraham walked by faith with God and trusted Him. He is the father of faith.

Following this God gave the law and, essentially, challenged them again. “Go ahead” He seemed to be saying. “Try this on for size”. He handed the law over to Moses; a law they would not be able to keep (Acts 15:10). It is because of this that it could never be said that God simply didn't give humanity enough time to become "good" people. The result from giving man the law (through the Jews though anyone could become a Jew) was that it simply exposed the cancer that had grown in the hearts of men when the disease was first introduced into our existential DNA by Adam. Like a spiritual x-ray machine it exposed the fallen nature of humanity.   

Hidden in plain view, however, was a theme of redemption which pointed ultimately to the redeemer Himself. Once a year the High Priest would lay the sins of the people on an animal and send it out into the desert to die – a symbol of their inability of last even one year without loading up with imperfection (Lev 16).

Then along comes Jesus – the perfect one. The sins of the entire world were laid on Him. Once and for all the sin problem was dealt with and God no longer sees the people’s sins. He only sees family membership.

Everyone is born on their way to hell, friends. This is because we are all born with Satan as our father and hell as our destiny. It is only through adoption out of Satan’s family that we are reckoned children of God and rescued from a destiny which ends in a lake of fire and embraced as sons and daughters of the Most High.

So then, is hell a forever place of torment? The short answer is no. It is not. Hell is a place of triage currently – a holding place for people awaiting judgment (Rev 20:13). Following this judgment hell will be tossed into a perpetual lake of fire (Rev 20:14).

So we can’t go back through the Bible and conclude that judgment and punishment is not eternal based on what it says about hell. We have to know the heart and character of God based on righteousness and what that means eternally. Since even hell itself will be thrown into this eternal lake let’s take a good look at what the Bible tells us about eternal existence with, or apart from, God and His protection.

Some people have dismissed the eternal nature of the afterlife saying that God loves everyone and all will be saved. Others have embraced the belief that punishment is not eternal saying that God will annihilate the wicked and they will simply disappear into a vapor, or something.

Yet when Jesus said “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” In Matthew 25:46 He seemed to be directly confirming the words of the angel who told Daniel “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Daniel was being taught the resurrection of the dead at the time of the end; a time when everyone gets an immortal body which will be judged.

John 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Currently God is not counting men’s sins against them. Jesus paid the price for all sin (1Jn2:2). In order to understand this you have to understand that sin was the problem and Jesus took care of that problem. He blasted the lock off the door to the adoption agency (Gal 4:5) and became perfection which satisfied the righteousness of God. Now it can be said that whosoever “will” may come (Rev 22:17). 

Sin is no longer the issue. Now we can all be adopted out of Satan’s family and into God’s family. This is why Peter was rebuked for his views on the unclean nature of the Gentiles (Acts 10). Sin became evident through the law but grace through the cross made sin powerless against the ability of God to save anyone who comes to him – Jew or Gentile – it makes no difference. We have a new covenant (Heb 12:24)... a new deal, friends.

So – is the lake of fire experience a forever thing? Jesus confirmed this in Matthew 18:8. But He also confirmed in Matthew 19:29 that salvation is a forever thing as well. Ultimately it comes down to identity. To whom do you belong? As long as you have breath and a heartbeat it is not too late to take part in the adoption process. The death rate on planet earth is one per person. You will spend eternity somewhere – and you’ll know it.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Revelation 22:17

Florida Pastor to Confront Islamic Center in Dearborn, MI

Florida Pastor Terry Jones, according to a press release from his office, will appear in Dearborn Mi this Saturday April 7 to protest the apparent sharia law creeping into the culture of that area. The press release reads in part:

Islam is the greatest threat to our national security. The Muslim community refuses to integrate, instead they demand and push their religion, their rituals, upon us and upon our society.

Dearborn is a prime example of this along with many others around the nation. Below is a list of examples of how the Muslim community is trying to push their agenda upon us with the help of organizations such as CAIR and MSA, with the help of political correctness, with the help of people who are unwilling to actually take a stand. As Islam continues to push its agenda using threats, parts of America are beginning to give in. Changes are being made at the expense of taxpayers.

The special menus that are being provided at schools in Dearborn are costing taxpayers $228,000 every year. The special foot washing basins that are being installed in airports around America are costing as much as $100,00 each. This must be stopped. This cannot be tolerated. America how long will you allow yourself to be abused by the Muslim community? We, at Stand Up America Now, have in the past voiced our disagreement and disgust with these and many other issues. We shall continue.

On April 7, we will be in Dearborn, Michigan in front of the Islamic Center of America to take a stand for America.

1. During the month of August which is Ramadan (a month of fasting and prayer), Fordson High School holds football practices from midnight to 4am in order to satisfy the religious requirements of Islam.

2. 11 years ago Dearborn schools introduced a pilot program offering halal meats at a school building. Today, the program has grown— with more than half of Dearborn’s 32 schools offering halal options for Muslim students. In Dearborn Public Schools, some schools have Arab-American student populations of 90 percent or more.

Providing a halal menu in Dearborn does incur additional cost. Halal meats are 30 percent more expensive than typical meat. The district established a contract with a Dearborn grocer to provide halal meat, costing taxpayers $228,000.

Dearborn schools prepare five different menus each day.

1. normal menu

2. halal menu

3. halal without nuts

4. partial halal

5. peanut free

Dearborn's halal meals also means more money spent on staff to prepare, organize and store the meals.

3. Footbaths in State-Funded Colleges

University of Michigan in Dearborn installed two foot baths which cost taxpayers $100,000.

Minneapolis Community and Technical College has a policy that “strictly prohibits religious displays”, and have warned against any public display that may promote any particular religion. The college received threats saying the college will be bombed if we refuse to build this facility. The college used taxpayer funds to install facilities for Muslim ritual foot-washing.

George Washington University in Washington D.C., Boston University and University of Toledo in Ohio, Eastern Michigan University have installed foot baths.

4. Footbaths in Airports

The Indianapolis Airport and KCI Airport in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Kansas City International Airport added several foot-washing basins in restrooms to accommodate a growing number of Muslim taxicab drivers. There are approximately 250 taxicab drivers operating at KCI Airport in Missouri, one of the largest airports in the U.S. Approximately 70 percent of the drivers are of Middle Eastern heritage and practice Islam.

Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix provides prayer rugs and footbaths.

5. Muslims demand prayer breaks and other privileges of privately owned companies.

2008 ~ JBS Swift & Co. in Greeley, Colorado 100 Somali Muslim workers were fired after they did not report to work in protest of Swift's refusal to give them a prayer break during the holy month of Ramadan. The company was sued by the EEOC for religious discrimination.

2008 ~ approximately 250 Somalian Muslim workers at the Tyson, Inc. Shelbyville, Tennessee plant demanded that the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr be added as a paid holiday while Labor Day was removed as a paid holiday.

2008 ~ A Muslim teacher in suburban Chicago, who had been employed less than one year, requested three weeks of unpaid leave to go on a Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia . Her request was denied because it did not meet the requirements of the union contract which gave uniform standards for leave that applied to all employees. The teacher then quit her job and filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The United States Department of Justice filed a complaint on behalf of the teacher which accused the school district of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The school board was ordered to pay the teacher $75,000 to cover lost back pay, compensatory damages, and court costs.

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers cannot deny a "reasonable" religious accommodation request as long as it does not pose an undue hardship, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

2011 ~ In Seattle, Washington, 35 Hertz-Rent-A-Car employees demanded to be paid for prayer breaks. Hertz had already allowed the prayer breaks with pay until the Muslim workers began taking advantage of the company's generosity and did not return to work in a timely fashion.

2011 ~ The Cargill meat packing plant in Fort Morgan, Colorado produces 4 million pounds of beef daily and accommodates the vast majority of daily prayer requests by the roughly 500 Muslim employees. Cargill created two large gender-segregated reflection rooms with prayer rugs for Muslims to fulfill their daily prayer routine while at work. The company even sought the advice of Somali leaders to be certian that the workers' needs were being met. Muslims pray five times a day at times that are determined by the sun's position. This is an extreme hardship for companies with many Muslim workers. Federal workplace-discrimination complaints filed by Muslims shot up in 2009 and 2010, to almost 800 each year according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

2011 ~ 22 Islamic workers and Dianne's Gourmet Desserts, a Le Center, Minnesota, subsidiary of H.J. Heinz Co.'s foodservice operations claim they were fired and forcibly removed from the premises for saying their Friday evening prayers. The company had established new break times and the Friday evening prayers did not concide with the Islamic prayer times. Le Center has two prayer rooms for employees where the workers were "to take prayer breaks as a special accommodation to the requirements of their faith.

Muslim scholars agree that obligatory prayers can be made up at a later time. If an employee is not able to take a break for prayer times, then the prayers can be made up at a later time.

The Muslim Student Association of America has created it's Political Action Task Force after several MSA chapters did not react adequately enough, according to the MSA, to U.S. and international policital situations. The MSA includes leaders such as Anwar al-Awlaki, the al Qaeda cleric linked to terror plots from Fort Hood to Times Square and others, Omar Hammami, a leader of the al-Shabaab terrorist group in Somalia, Abdurahman Alamoudi, who was national president of the MSA during the 1980s, was al Qaeda's top fundraiser in America and is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence, Ramy Zamzam before convicted in Pakistan for attempting to join the Taliban and kill American troops. The MSA is well-known as an "incubator" of Islamic radicalism and has deep roots in the Muslim Brotherhood whose goal is to establish Islamic Sharia worldwide.

According to the MSA's Political Action Task Force (PATF) section on the University of Michigan ~ Dearborn's web site, it declares to stage rallies, protests, and teach-ins to spearhead a united political movement.

Rick Warren - "I'm NOT a Freemason!"

We hate rumors and gossip. Generally speaking it's always best to get the facts from the source. That's not to say the source can always be trusted but it is important to get as much information as we can from the source, compare it with the facts on the ground, how the source acts in public, and what the source says in relation to how it acts and who owns the microphone and/or camera.

So we fired off an e-mail to the Warren camp about allegations that Rick Warren is a Freemason. Freemasonry is a fraternal organization which conflates many of the world's religions and philosophy into one ideology including Islam and Christianity.

Many people assumed Rick Warren is a Freemason because of his push to include Muslim groups in his "ministry" outreach to bring about a "common good", calling Muslims his "brothers". See our article outlining the evidence for this here.

So there's really no question Rick Warren has crossed a few lines here. He is promoting the idea that Muslims, who the Bible calls "cursed" and who clearly qualify as "unequally yoked" when Christians seek to unite with them, can be "good" people who Christians should be willing to work with to promote a better world.

So it's no wonder people are making the assumption Warren is a Freemason, yet, he doesn't have to be so in order for Warren to hold his views. Barack Obama is not a Freemason and he holds very similar syncretic views. So we sent off an email to the Warren camp and received a response.

PPSIMMONS -

Dear Sir...

Can you confirm or deny rumors that you are a member of the freemasons?

Thank you.

Michael D. Shoesmith

Social Networking Director

PPSIMMONS Ministries

Linda Black, Representative for Rick Warren -

Dear Michael,

Pastor Rick is NOT a member/attender of the freemasons. This is a RUMOR.

Thanks for coming to us for the truth.

Blessings,

Linda

Well there it is. Warren is emphatically "NOT" a Freemason according to his rep. It makes sense that he would not be a Freemason. We are pursuing this matter however. We have responded with questions about Warren's membership in the CFR and asked about his reference to Muslims as his "brothers". Stay tuned.

Borrowing From Atheists Part 3 - Defeatism

Over the years atheists have gone to great lengths to hide behind the cloak of non-religion. Whenever someone like me comes on the scene, atheists come out by the hundreds to defend the "non-religion" of Atheism. I refer to those people as apologists. There's no doubt they are highly intelligent and skilled debaters. However, resulting from their attempts has been some overwhelming evidence to support a doctrinal structure that appears to form a constitution. I have been able to isolate five "doctrines" as I call them and this third element is extremely disturbing on a psychological level. It is the doctrine of defeatism. Here's how dictionary.com defines it.

the attitude, policy, or conduct of a person who admits, expects, or no longer resists defeat, as because of a conviction that further struggle or effort is futile; pessimistic resignation.

There you go. Defeatism. As someone who has personally experienced the love of God in both an emotional and tangible sense, it is heart wrenching to read many of the defeatist comments posted on my various internet ministries. For example, one gentleman who will go unnamed expressed a public lament for having to take antibiotics and painkillers because he felt he was slowing the process of evolution. Here are some other examples of the doctrine of defeatism as expressed by actual atheists.

There is NO loving, personal deity that has a specific plan for individuals & such claims are nothing more than a desire & tenacity to carry on living & a reluctance to accept you're not special.

I could care less what name i give to ur pethatic therapy group! the fact is, it's all about ME, life has no meaning, so stop pretending u can do better, just shut up and get on with ur day

Life is merely a meaningless accident, and there is no actual meaning or purpose to any living creatures, as Meaning only applies to conscious entities, when there are no concious beings (human) , there also is no such a thing as meaning.

Isn't that amazing? These cases are not isolated bursts of insanity like, you know, that crazy uncle that embarrasses you all the time. No. This is a doctrine that is woven through the faith structure of atheism. They've given in to the sensually known environment and given up on the other ninety percent of their brain. They are defeated. They are atheists.

Get the PPSIMMONS resource book "The Atheists are Wrong" TODAY.

New Study Can't Explain Blue Stragglers' Youth

ICR

Blue stragglers, according to NASA, "are older stars that acquire a new lease on life when they collide and merge with other stars."¹ But a new study calls into question whether stellar collisions can account for these remarkable stars. And blue stars burn their fuel so quickly that they actually look young.

Since their discovery, evolutionary astronomers have sought a way to explain how these stars can even exist. They burn fuel so fast that they should have burned out billions of years ago. American astronomers Aaron Geller and Robert Mathieu published in Nature a description of their model for how older stars could have acquired a "new lease on life" by siphoning matter from nearby gas giant stars through "mass transfer."²

They investigated stars within a cluster called NGC 188, found in the constellation Cepheus. It contains 21 blue stragglers, 16 of which are binary stars that closely interact with nearby stars. The researchers suspected that the blue stragglers' partners were white dwarfs, which would be small, leftover remnants of larger red stars that the blue ones had drained of fuel. Such dwarfs are too faint for direct observation, but they have sufficient mass to cause their partner stars to wobble.

Of the 16 binaries, 12 had rotational periods right at 1,000 days and were thus called "long-period" blue stragglers. The study authors ran a statistical analysis that showed "the theoretical and observed [mass] distributions are indistinguishable."² In other words, their theory that other stars "fed" these 12 blue stragglers matched well with what they observed.

But did this reconcile the relative youthfulness of these binary blue stars with their assumed billions of years of history? The answer is no. The authors wrote, "Blue straggler stars…should already have evolved into giant stars and stellar remnants,"² and their new observations do not solve this deep-time problem.

Blue stragglers should burn through all their fuel in "a few million years at best."³ But these NGC 188 stars are supposed to be seven billion years old. So, to make them fit that age, these authors maintain that they were not initially blue stars, but instead burned fuel at a normal rate for billions of years. Then suddenly, within the last one million years, all 12 of them began siphoning extra fuel from their binary partners so that they only look young right now.

However, nothing explains the many blue stragglers that are not binary stars and yet exist near and far throughout the universe. Could they have received recent "youthfulness" through collisions with other stars?

In an article summarizing the Geller and Mathieu paper, University of Cambridge astronomer Christopher Tout wrote, "Thus, in this cluster [NGC 188], a collisional origin for blue stragglers is much rarer than expected, and the authors' study casts doubt on whether it occurs at all."⁴ The modeled scenario in which blue stars form by collision did not match observations.

So, isolated blue stars could not have received their young looks from a binary system, since by definition they have no binary from which to siphon fuel. They probably didn't receive their youthful appearance from collisions, either, according to these results. And though the binary blue stragglers may have siphoned fuel from nearby partners, the idea that 12 of 16 only did so recently—after an imagined 7-billion-year wait—defies reasonable odds.

Thus, the best explanation is still the most straightforward one—blue straggler stars look young because they are young.

Original Article with references.

Halloween

ICR

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 4:1)

Halloween was a corruption of "Hallowed E'en," the evening before "All Saints Day" in which civil disobedience and sinful license were tolerated prior to the forgiveness and penance sought the next day.

Although the level of debauchery and wickedness has waxed and waned over the centuries, nothing "hallowed" has ever been associated with the practice--until more recent times among evangelical churches. Now we promote a "Harvest Festival" or a "Bible Character Dress-up Night"--much of which encourages the practice of costuming and treats as a harmless alternative.

The difficulty is not with the church activities, but with the timing and the association with that which is evil. That obvious connection with a pagan holiday will undermine resolve to "come out from among them, and be ye separate" (2 Corinthians 6:17).

Yes, no doubt that passage warns against an "unequal yoke" in marriage--but its primary focus is on church and individual purity! "What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).

As a parent, I know the pain of restricting my children from participating in the "fun" of Halloween. And as a former pastor, I know the pressure to accommodate the majority of church members who see no "harm" in such things. However, our allegiance and our responsibility are to the Lord, not men (Colossians 3:23). HMM III

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

NEVER has a TRUE Christian become an ATHEIST

Imagine this scenario in the theatre of your mind. You walk into a Walmart, shop around for a while, and then leave. A couple of days later you come across a friend and he tells you he's on his way to Walmart. You tell your friend there is no such thing as Walmart and you have a great debate on the existence of Walmart. Eventually your friend gives up and goes to Walmart anyway. What have you just done?

This is exactly what Atheists who claim to be former Christians are expecting to convince others to be true about them. They don't know that's what they are doing but alas, just as John Locke told Jack Shepherd on "LOST"... "crazy people don't admit when they're crazy".

Christianity does not have an arbitrary definition. The first six letters in the word "Christian" spell "CHRIST". A Christian is - a the very minimum - someone who believes and follows the teachings of Christ! And one of the core tenets of His teaching is this:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:27

So then, since Jesus now dwells in the supernatural (transcendental) realm, and a Christian, according to Christ, is someone who hears His voice and follows Him, how could it ever be possible that a person who believes supernatural realities do not exist was ever a Christian? It is not possible.



So how does a person hear from Jesus? How does that work? If we're only saved when we hear and follow Him then how do we know we're hearing from Him? How do we know we're following Him? This is a huge problem for ministries like Ray Comfort's "Way of the Master". He talks people into the Kingdom. He reasons with them and convinces them they are sinners in need of a savior and by intellectual ascension they embrace Christ - intellectually. The question remains: are they REALLY saved? Ray's ministry is valuable, don't get me wrong. It is certain that many people probably are saved because of his effort. The apostle Paul was a highly skilled debater and won many converts because of this. However it should be emphasized that if a smart person can talk you into the Kingdom then someone smarter can talk you out of it. This is the overwhelming state of the vast majority of atheists today.

I can remember being in the office of a ministry colleague many years ago in Salt Lake City talking about the things of God when a young man walked right into our meeting and said he was driving along I-80 and suddenly realized, without any intellectual manipulation at all, that he needed to be saved. Jesus was speaking to this young man. He gave his life to the Lord right then and there. Twenty minutes later he was back on the road headed for California.

To know when Jesus is speaking to us we should first know when He is not. The believer must always be led, even when conversing with God, by peace. Jesus is not speaking while you are in a fit of rage, confusion, mentally disturbed, or in the flesh. He waits for you to be still - to relax - to chill out and wait for Him. He waits for you - patiently - while you go through all the motions of trying to figure it all out on your own. When you've finally stopped doing that He can, and will, speak to you. Even when we THINK we are still and quiet, we often are not. Our minds tend to go a mile a minute even in our quiet time. We think "geeeeez when will this be over so I can go out and think some more".

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5

Picture this scene - you're a truck driver. You hear that your friend is injured in the hospital and you rush to see him. You head to the nurses station and wait for assistance. While standing there a doctor comes and stands beside you. All of a sudden everything that doctor knows is transferred to your mind. In an instant you gain the knowledge required to do what took the doctor a decade or more to learn. This is what it is like to hear from God. This scenario happens every day to millions of believers around the world who are literally hearing from Jesus. It is a form of knowledge communication. Just like the young man who was driving down the interstate, perhaps in a quiet moment of meditation, and he heard from God that salvation was his and he was led, by God, to two men who would lead him to say the words with his mouth which broke the curse of death off of his soul and voila! He was born again!

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:10

Believers do not hear the audible voice of Jesus but the voice or instructions from Jesus get downloaded to us. Have you ever bee in a church and the pastor pulls someone out of the crown and says something like "the Lord has shown me this about you" and the person breaks down and can't believe his ears? Generally it will be something the Lord does to show Himself to a person - to show that you cannot hide from Him - but it will ALWAYS be a way for the person to get free or get an answer to a secret question. I have seen this countless times. In fact this is how I was delivered from smoking.

When I was saved I smoked and couldn't quit. I tried and tried but could not. So one day I just said "Jesus when you're ready you just take it from me" and that was it. Eight years later the church I was attending had a guest speaker come up from Dallas. I came in late so I sat in the back. With my chair leaning against the wall I listened to this man and all of a sudden he interrupted himself and said "you - come up here". He was pointing to me. I went up front, stood in from of him and he said "God is taking tobacco out of your life right now". Remember that eight years prior I had said to God that when He was ready he could just "take" it! And now, eight years later, this preacher from Texas, who could not possible know what I had said all those years ago or even that I smoked for that matter (he didn't know me and we came in late) tells me God is "taking" tobacco out of my life? Astounding! I haven`t had a cigarette since. Did God mess with my mind - possibly - but whatever the means the result is that I was delivered from a 21 year addiction because a preacher from Texas knew how to hear from God, get information downloaded to him about me that God wanted him to know so that I could be free.

That is how we hear the voice of Jesus; by getting quiet before Him and recieving information He wants us to know. If a person has never heard the Voice of Jesus and yet has recieved the free gift of salvation that person should at least be striving to hear from Him - to enter into that perpetual Sabbath Rest purchased in the cross. We enter into that rest so that we can hear from Him.

Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.11 ¶Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Mercury's Surface Looks Young - evidence AGAINST deep time evolution

ICR

NASA's Messenger spacecraft mission to Mercury has given scientists the opportunity to learn more about the properties of the solar system's innermost planet. After supposedly billions of years since its formation, the planet should be dead, or geologically inactive. New data from Messenger, however, show that Mercury remains active and is still generating surface features.

Before the Messenger data acquisition, astronomers observed that the sunny side of Mercury is hot enough to melt lead, and like other rocky objects in the solar system, many craters pockmark the planet's surface. In early 2011, Messenger carefully maneuvered into orbit and took photographs with unprecedented detail.

Images of the planet's surface revealed unusual, irregularly shaped hollows or depressions with rounded edges that were comprised of material so bright that many showed "high reflectance halos." Researchers hadn't expected to find such highly reflective features, which "appear fresh and lack superposed impact craters, implying that they are relatively young," according to the report published in Science.1

The study authors evaluated several possible causes for these fresh-looking features and ultimately described the most likely explanation as outgassing of volatile material from below the planet surface.

Of course, this conclusion only prompted new questions. How did Mercury obtain volatile chemicals in the first place, especially since its proximity to the sun should have burned them all off when the planet was supposedly forming? And, assuming they somehow did form, why would any such materials stay put for billions of years? After all, they're volatile. And how, after billions of years, does the planet still have the energy to expel the volatile-containing material through the planet's crust?

But if Mercury was created, then its volatile and non-volatile constituents would have been formed on purpose. And if Mercury was created only thousands of years ago, as the Bible clearly indicates, then it could easily have plenty of residual energy.

The study authors wrote, "Mercury is a small rocky-metal world whose internal geological activity was generally thought to have ended long ago. The presence of potentially recent surface modification implies that Mercury's nonimpact geological evolution may still be ongoing."1

Mercury's active geology is the exact opposite of long-age predictions—but it is just what one would expect if Mercury is only thousands of years old.

Full article with references.

THE END TIMES ARE NOW! Biblical/Historical Evidence (Mini Documentary and Study) transcript

Despite what the naysayers may claim, we are living in biblically prophetic times… indisputable and irrefutable evidence is before our eyes if one cares to see it. Specific prophecies about the end times that were written over two thousand years ago have now come to pass and/or are coming to pass in our historical lifetime. And we are the only historical generation in the entirety of human history to see these exacting prophecies being fulfilled. There are four distinct prophecies to which I am referring. Consider each of them with me.

After almost two thousand years of dispersion throughout the world the nation of Israel has finally been re-established. Never before in the entirety of history has a nation been destroyed and the remnants of that nation scattered around the world. The nation of Israel lost their government, military, economic and trade systems, language distinctions, cultural distinctions, and their sovereign borders.

The amazing thing about this occurrence is that the Bible prophesied that this particular dispersion would happen long before the fall did happen. And furthermore the Bible prophesied that Israel would return to the land to become a mighty nation again - in the last days.

In 1948 the world saw this prophecy come to pass. We are the only historical generation in well over 2000 years to see this amazing end time prophecy unfold. Now we watch stories about Israel and the world’s hatred for her every day.

Secondly, in relation to this prophecy, there are also prophecies in the Old Testament clearly outlining an alignment of certain nations that would ally themselves together for the expressed purpose of attacking the restored “last days” Israel. These prophecies, over 2500 years old, predicted that these nations would be enraged at Israel and would seek her total annihilation in the last days. Who are these biblically mentioned nations? Their modern names are Iran, Iraq, Russia, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, parts of Sudan, and Saudi Arabia. Does any of this sound familiar? We are the first and only historical generation to see this prophecy being fulfilled.

Egypt has now fallen into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood – deep and mortal enemies of Israel. Libya will be next. We are living the prophecies and they are happening before our very eyes.

Thirdly, Daniel chapters nine through twelve, hold some interesting keys to the understanding of the timing of the Lord’s return. In about 550 BC Daniel prophesied the time of the Messiah’s first and second coming and it has been demonstrated time and time again how Daniel’s prophecy was accurately fulfilled at Jesus’ first coming. The Angel Gabriel, who gave Daniel the information about the Messiah’s second coming, said that the understanding of the timing of the second coming was sealed until the time of the end. In other words it could not be understood until this special period of history in which we are living.

But in addition to other clues, Gabriel gave two conditions that would prevail at the time of the end. Travel and knowledge (or information) would be vastly increased according to Daniel’s prophecy.

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.

Daniel 12:4

Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “running to and fro” literally means to travel great distances. The Hebrew word for “knowledge” means not only knowledge but information and a clever dissemination of that knowledge. The Hebrew word for “increase” literally means an abundant surprising increase or addition.

So a more modern rendition of this prophecy could be stated something like this – In the very last days man’s ability to travel and traverse the earth will explode with technology. Information systems and information dispersion will increase like the world has never known.

Out of the ten thousand years of human existence, for nine thousand, nine hundred of those years man has walked, ridden beasts, or built carts and wagons pulled by beasts. Only in the last one hundred years or so did man go from animal travel to mechanical and mass transportation systems. Only in the last sixty years or so has man travelled into space. Practically everyone on the globe now has access to world travel; for the first time in human history and only in our lifetime. That is only the first half of the prophecy.

Education and knowledge has also exploded in the twentieth century. From the time of Christ until 1900 it is estimated that msn’s knowledge has doubled. In just the next fifty years – from 1900 to the late 1940’s, it reportedly doubled again. Then man’s knowledge began an extremely rapid doubling – first every seven years and then every two years beginning in the 1960’s.

It appears in the late 1940’s or the early 1950’s marked the time in history when knowledge, and education, and information vastly increased and literally began exploding. This explosion of knowledge just happens to correspond exactly to the rebirth of Israel in 1948.

And the fourth amazing end time prophecy that we are now living is from the mouth of Jesus himself.

“And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then the end will come”

When Jesus spoke these words the gospel was not yet completed. He had not yet gone to the cross. There was no empty tomb. The Holy Spirit had not been given. The church had not been born. The whole world had not been discovered yet and the technology to take the gospel to the world had not been invented. But he spoke the words as an end time prophecy and now it is happening.

Again, we are the only generation that has ever lived that is witnessing the gospel being reached to the entire world by information technologies invented only in the last twenty years. Now is the time of the end according to Jesus himself.

What you will read next is very important. When the Bible speaks of the time of the end it is speaking of man’s time of wicked corruption and deceitful ruling and reigning being over or ended. And it is speaking of the beginning of the time of Jesus’ reign of righteousness, holiness, perfection, and a restored paradise. So for the born again believer the soon-coming time of the end or the last days of man’s wicked rule is something that we should look forward to, something we should pray for, something that should encourage us.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we implore you – call upon Him today for salvation. If you need biblical ministry assistance in your salvation you can email the ppsimmons ministry to ppsimmons@live.com.

The fact remains - we are living in the last days. We are the only generation to experience these specific end times prophecies. Even so, come Lord Jesus… come.