A Brownie Illustration on Sin

I picked this illustration up quite some time ago, and have used it many times.  Having recently gave this illustration, I thought I would post it in case some parent needs a little bit of help explaining how a little sin ruins the whole.

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Many parents are hard put to explain to their youth why some music, movies, books, games, and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring into the home to see or hear. One parent came up with an original idea that was hard to refute.

He listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie: it had their favorite actors, everyone else was seeing it, even church members said it was great, it was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex (they never really showed it), the language was pretty good (they only used the Lord's name in vain three times in the whole movie), the video effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. Yes, there was the scene where a building and a bunch of people got blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff, it wasn't very bad. Even with all these explanations for the rating, the father wouldn't give in. He didn't even give them a satisfying explanation for saying, "No." He just said "No."

Later that evening, this same father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had prepared. He explained that he had taken the family's favorite recipe and added something new. They asked what it was. He calmly replied that he had added dog poop. He stated that it was only a tiny bit and that all the other ingredients were gourmet quality. He had taken great care to bake it at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb.

Even with all the explanations of the perfect attributes of the brownies, the teens would not take one. The father acted surprised. There was only one minor ingredient that would have caused them to act so stubbornly. He assured them that they would hardly notice it at all. But they all held firm and would not try the brownies.

He then explained that the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. Satan tries to enter our minds and our homes by deceiving us into believing that just a little bit of evil doesn't matter. With the brownies, just a little bit makes all the difference between a great brownie and a totally unacceptable product. He explained that even though the smallest amount of dog poop makes the brownie totally unacceptable, they seemed to have no problem consuming a movie of similar ingredients. The movie people would have us believe the movies that are coming out are acceptable for adults and youths to see, but they are no more so than dog poop brownies are edible.

Now, when this father's children want to do something or see something they should not, the father merely asks them if they would like some of his special dog poop brownies and they never ask about that item again.

Begotten or Not Begotten...Why It Really Matters

I was working on a rebuttal to an Islamic apologist doc pointing out why the Bible is not God's word some time ago and thought I would post this. While one can argue with Islamic scholarship, they do make many great points, and cut to the heart of the rot at the core of those who say they follow the Bible. The Islamic apologist quoted from Ellen G. White, Jehovah's Witnesses, and many other cult or sect leaders to validate their Islamic teachings/beliefs. 

However, in working through their arguments the "begotten" issue they brought up proved a bit more interesting, for it pits the Qu'ran against the Holy Bible..but not quite. It pits the Qu'ran against translations, and they like what they see.

Here is a quote from the Islamic author:

"BEGOTTEN, NOT MADE
"Jesus is the only begotten son of God, begotten not made," is an adjunct of the orthodox catechism, leaning for support on the following:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only BEGOTTEN son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 - AV)

No priest worth his cloth would fail to quote "the only BEGOTTEN of the Father!" when preaching to a prospective convert. But this fabrication — "BEGOTTEN" — has now been unceremoniously excised by the Bible Revisers, without a word of excuse. They are as silent as church-mice and would not draw the reader's attention to their furtive excision. This blasphemous word "BEGOTTEN" was another of the many such interpolations in the "Holy Bible." God Almighty condemned this blasphemy in the strongest terms soon after its innovation. He did not wait for 2000 years for Bible scholars to reveal the fraud.

Qu'ran, Sura Maryam 88-92

88. And they say: "The Most Beneficent (Allâh) has begotten a son (or offspring or children) [as the Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allâh, and the Christians say that He has begotten a son ['Iesa (Christ)], and the pagan Arabs say that He has begotten daughters (angels, etc.)]."

89. Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing.

90. Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins,

91. That they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Beneficent (Allâh).

92. But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Beneficent (Allâh) that He should beget a son (or offspring or children).

Qu'ran, Sura al-Ikhlas

1. Say (O Muhammad ()): "He is Allâh, (the) One.

2. "Allâh-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks).

3. "He begets not, nor was He begotten;

4. "And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him."

The Muslim World should congratulate the "Fifty cooperating denominations" of Christendom and their Brains Trust the "Thirty-two scholars of the highest eminence" for bringing their Holy Bible a degree nearer to the Qur-anic truth."


Here is what I wrote in response:

Christian Response
The mystery of the word “begotten” is one that many Christians struggle with, and why its removal in modern translations meant very little to most believers. To a Moslem this is a critical issue as there are multiple verses, as quotes above show, in the Qur’an stating Jesus could not have been begotten of God. Lets look a little closer at the most quoted verse in the Bible.

The word in question is the Greek word monogenes, the combination of monos and genes. Monos means single, and we use it often in words such as monopoly, monotonous, etc. Genao we see used in words like generation and genes, and its meaning is “I bear” or “I beget”. Today scholars feel monogenes means “unique” or “one of a kind”, and that is why modern version have taken out “begotten” (for the full picture of why it is taken out, one has to study Gnostic teachings and their influence on text families and translations). It should be noted that modern versions also remove the word “begotten” from John 1:14, John 1:18, John 3:18, and 1 John 4:9.

By removing the word begotten we get this in the RSV, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”, and this in the NIV, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

So, does that work? Does it really mean the same thing? Consider this, if Jesus is God’s only son, then what do we do with these verses:

• John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

• Romans 8:14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

• Romans 8:19, “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”

• Philippians 2:15, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

• I John 3:1-2, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Here is the verse modern translators painted themselves into a corner with to justify the John 3:16 translation of “one and only”:

Hebrews 11:17, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,”. In the NIV it again says, “one and only”.

Was Isaac really Abraham’s only son? What about Ishmael? Here the word begotten means the only son to be born via a lawful wife through Abraham, just like God used Mary to have his only begotten son. While we can become sons of God, there is only one begotten son, and to take that away from him is non-Biblical, and opens the doors for cults and other religions to castigate the name and nature of Jesus, the God-man. In this verse, the Bible shows us the heavy difference between Isaac, the legitimate son, and the illegitimate son Ishmael. It is well known Isaac is an Old Testament type of Christ, so the intentional error carries double meanings, one impacting Isaac and his brother, and one Christ. 

Cult Mentality

I had the opportunity recently to help a friend deal with some Mormons who felt they were tired of being told they were not correct, and wished to use the Bible to settle some issues.  They referred to 1 Corinthians 15:33-42 as proof they had discovered three degrees of heaven or glory.  Having never really looked into these verses from any alternate viewpoint, I was a bit surprised at what I learned.

Since the Mormons felt these verses truly defined and proved their beliefs in multiple heavens, the following was written back to them to help them understand their beliefs better.  Their request was filled with the usual desire to be better "brothers" in the same belief and to deal in kindness as "Christians" are to.

"First, some perspective.  I am sure you are aware that Bible believers since Christ have never accepted any variance from what the Bible taught.  As such, those who follow other beliefs, in any form, the Bible tells us to correct and never to call fellow believers.  However, we are told to love them, while correcting them, so accept this in love. 

Second, a discussion about filters:  A Mormon looking at these verses sees them several ways.  They see it in light of their church teaching, the Doctrine and Covenants teaching, and the Joseph Smith mistranslation that started the belief.  I ask you to remove those filters and see it from what Paul wrote. 

Paul, Jew of the Jews, a master of the Law, took this paragraph (15:35-49), to counter those Jews who constantly told Christians there was no resurrection (in part to dissuade any belief Christ had not risen from the dead, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary).  This section is used as the logic flow from the Jew’s mindset over why we will one day have new bodies. 

Ok, lets dig in.  First, the passage as stated above we can all agree on is Paul's decidedly intellectual passage using several argumentative tools to prove that God allows for 2 things - a resurrection of our dead bodies, and a better body after death.  The actual passage is I Corinthians 15:35-49, but I agree that the warning in verse 33, "be not deceived" is appropriate.  

As verse 40 is where the perceived conflict comes in, we will discuss that.  

"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another." (KJV)

“Also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial; but the glory of the celestial, one; and the terrestrial, another; and the telestial, another.” (JST)

As any student of Greek can tell you, Joseph Smith clearly added text to the scripture to support a non-Biblical teaching (this isn’t being mean, just factual).   As Joseph took parts of “celestial” and “terrestrial” to make "telestial", he mistakenly left out the textual evidence that should have been there to prove it belonged.  Paul carefully gives examples of the different types of bodies terrestrial (the first heaven per the Jewish beliefs) showing the differences in flesh (vs. 39), as well as the contrast between a fleshly body and heavenly “bodies” (the second heaven per Jewish beliefs).  There are no evidences of a third heaven as Joseph indicates, as the third heaven, or Paradise, was the abode of God and those who have died before.  There was no reason for Paul to give examples as there is where the resurrected bodies dwell, outside our experience. 

If one can put away the Mormon filter and read the text without pre-taught perceptions (or any foreknowledge given from the JST’s textual addition), it is a beautiful and compelling argument showing those who accept Christ as their savior to cover their sins will one day dwell in heaven with their savior, with a resurrected body.  Trying to bring any other meaning into this, adding kingdom discussions that are not there, or any other thing, lies far outside Biblical purview. "

While not my best debate, the response I didn't expect.  Truly I thought they would read, and go back and try to defend Smith's translation.  To not do so opens up all his teachings as false as they even teach a prophet must be without error.  As they cannot defend additions to the Greek, the response was to cut off all ties with my friend, and to refuse to defend their position.  

What is saddening, as like most (I believe over 90% of Americans) people they will continue to believe what they believe, despite truth or reality.  Today most people have locked themselves into false beliefs over the Bible, their food, politics, etc, and no amount of evidence can change them.  In the end it is as God said, up to prayer.  

Mile High Biscuits

As there are many that enjoy biscuits at restaurants but have never actually had homemade biscuits, here is a great recipe that works well and tastes great that my mother gave me.  You can slice them for breakfast sandwiches (a little egg, cheese, and bacon better than fast food fair), put honey or jelly on them, or just enjoy them with butter.  And yes, they are great under chipped-beef gravy.

Mile High Biscuits

3 cups flour                                   3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar                                 1/2 cup shortening

4 teaspoons baking powder          1 egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar         1-1/8 cups milk

      Mix all together. Place on well-floured spot and coat until the dough is no longer sticky (*knead VERY BRIEFLY) and roll out on floured board, (can flatten with hands), to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter and bake. Makes around 15 biscuits, depending on how flat you make the dough before cutting.

• Coat a baking sheet with butter

• Bake at 375° for 10 to 14 minutes, depending on your oven (I have found them to more typically take around 18 minutes, so the oven does matter).

The reason for kneading biscuits briefly is that they will be tough if dough is overworked. It is better said to “fold” the dough to coat with the flour before cutting. 

Book Review - New Heart, New Spirit, New Song

I just finished this book and highly recommend it for those seeking to examine their music in the light of God's standards.  Granted, those who would rather listen to what music they wish to will ignore it, but those who have tender hearts will get much from it.

My review:

This book has done a marvelous job outlining Biblical standards and how they apply to our lives - especially in music. The adventure through the Bible and its teachings on music was an eye-opener. It never ceases to amaze me how an astute Bible teacher such as Mr. Bachorik can take a passage we have read many times and show you yet another key Bible truth from it. This book was that to me, a constant look back at what I thought I knew, laid out in an easily understood manner that kept opening my eyes to new understanding.

For anyone willing to honestly examine their musical tastes in the light of God's word, this book will walk you through what is right and wrong better than any I have read. It is clear, concise, and easily understood and followed, but with enough footnotes and helps for one to continue looking into whatever area they wish.

New Heart, New Spirit, New Song by Douglas Bachorik Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



View all my reviews



You can get it in paperback or ebook formats.  Here is the Amazon link. 

http://www.amazon.com/New-Heart-Spirit-Song-ebook/dp/B009WF8J52/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

Conundrums

The following are some odd thoughts that have been racing around my head for some time.  All point to the illogical thought processes of most of the world's sheeples. 

1.  Do those who suck down high fructose corn syrup laden foods/drinks do so because it is addictive, or because it reduces their mental capacity?  Either way a problem, but wonder why no one cares. 

2.  Aspartame (Nutrasweet) has formaldehyde in it.  Are people trying to save the embalmer some time or get a discount?  Either way they are racing there faster. 

3.  Why do those proclaiming to follow Christ get so caught up with what goes on in Catholicism?  It amazes me continually that those who say they believe the Bible do not understand their roots.  Those who followed Christ did not start Catholicism.  It was a move to get rid of God's leadership and move to man's.  Through the years they have killed millions of Christ's followers while claiming to be the true bride of Christ.  No "Protestant" faith has truly left their Roman cult origination. I just saw this week the premise that communism was a way for Russia to fight off the Roman church's inroads, causing the death of even more true believers. 

4.  Why would a president set up a fake national emergency and hurt people via his sequester (his idea), blame it on someone else, and then shut doors to those who wish to visit the White House due to fund shortage, at the same time sending $250 million to his Islamic buddies in Egypt. 

Well, those are a few.  Shows how odd I think, I suppose, just had to get them all down.  If you agree, shows you are not alone.