Monthly Archives: May 2012

No More Chances

No More Chances

Would you give this man another chance? The level of incompetence, deceit, and arrogance in him is staggering. This man cannot even pass a budget without being absolutely disgraced. How he got into office in the first place still baffles me. Honestly, I think the world would be better off if he worked as a janitor scrubbing toilets instead. At least he’d actually be cleaning up something, because he’s so far failed to clean up our economy or our bureaucratic system. Those who know this and still plan to vote for him are out of their minds. If that’s you, please explain your support of Obama for us.

Are You a Racist?

This is exactly the kind of victimology that liberals love to play today. It can be seen from their tax methodology, health care system, social security, interest groups, and support of agendas like SSM. Any sort of incompetence and sin on the part of the person is attributed to some “biological cause” or historical/environmental cause instead of their inherent ability to act contrary to what is true, virtuous, and right. As Isaiah 5:20 says:

“Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who substitute darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who substitute bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.”

Christ is not valued at all, unless He is valued above all.

— St Augustine

Straight Pride

Straight Pride

Straight Pride

Straightness is order, is union, is simple, is complimentary, is godly, is good, and is forever. Everything else is crooked. A straight line does not get to be a crooked line, nor does it get to be an orientation. It is a way of being – both in heart, mind, body, and soul. If a straight line is not straight all the way, it is not straight. Similarly, if you are straight in orientation but support crooked lines in your mind, you are not a straight line. Crookedness has no real boundaries, so choose your side carefully. What you chose shall define what you are and what you are shall put you against that which is straight or crooked. Those who support straightness align themselves with God, the angels, christians and their straight lovers. On the other hand, those who support crookedness align themselves with Satan, liberals, sinners, and their prostitutes. Where do you stand?

I stand straight with God. 

The End of America

Introduction

This nation has undoubtably become the land of corruption. Obama is perhaps the worst president in history, as he embodies the epitome of the liberal agenda and its moral depravity. Even worse, it is the people that voted this tool into office in the first place. They have become proud and dependent upon the government to do their bidding and have become nothing but wretched dogs. No street, no city, and no state is left untouched by their dung and their urine. The very scent of their existence brings disgust to me. They have forsaken the truth for lies and emotional drivel in the name of tolerance, equal rights, and freedom without a slight understanding of what such things even are. Freedom has become the excuse for sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, envy, drunkenness, and selfish ambition (Galatians 5:19). Where are those who have understanding? Where are those who live righteously? Even the Christians and their churches have fallen into the corruption and deception of tolerance. The government attempts to restrict their freedom in the name of “sexual freedom” and we sit back like punching bags. We’re wasted with the distractions and entertainment of this world.

Woe to False Profession

Do you really think you can get away with living life as if Christianity was some subjective belief? Don’t fool yourself. Either you live for Christ or you live indistinguishably from the rest of the world. We were blessed with the freedom to practice our religion and yet we turned that into an excuse to be free from practicing what Christ commanded us. The churches have separated themselves from culture or entice non-believers with candy, music, food, etc without enticing them with the truth of the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit. These gimmicks will do absolutely nothing to save anyone to be the kind of Christian that He commands us to be. The gospel is watered down to the point that God accepts you for who you are and will do nothing to change who you are except love, forgive and bless you. He’s not your personal genie in the sky, I’m sorry. There are Christians who separate themselves so far from sin that they cannot do something as simple as sit with sinners as Christ did. You’re not doing any good for this culture either.

Then there are those who think they can proclaim the gospel by just living like Christ without once mentioning His name. Really? Gee, I wonder why the apostles and early Christians never lived this way? Without the gospel, you’re only telling them how good of a person you are at best. You chickens will deny the name of Christ in the time of persecution and in return, He also will deny you. Go down to your eternal damnation and pay for your double mindedness, for the one who knows more will be judged more but the one who knows less will be judged less. It saddens me that this is the state of the church and the world today but it also infuriates me to see it flaunted so openly. Those who deny the truth and brag about their goodness with selfish ambition and bitter envy are “ earthly, unspiritual, [and] demonic” (James 3:14). You are indeed the begotten sons of Lucifer and will be crushed at the feet of Christ in the day of judgement. Look at what America has become, folks. It’s enemies draw nearer as it turns its back on its allies (e.g, Israel) and it’s corruption is sealed with their political games, lies, and economic attempts at self-gain.

The Judgement of Evil

Obama does not know how to run this country and it will financially and morally collapse on itself. He cannot even pass a budget, let alone reason properly. That goes without saying, however, as the people are the exact same way. Their knowledge of truth is as superficial as a fish’s understanding of water. They live in the blessing of God and yet operate against the very water that continues their existence. Liberals (or sinners), you are disgusting rats that are as painful to listen to as hearing the screeches on a chalkboard. I will watch you burn from this world as the Lord inflicts His righteous judgment upon you. Everything that you ever loved will be taken from you and screams of anguish will come from your choked throats. If only you’d call on the Lord to be saved, your hearts would not be hardened and fattened for the day of slaughter. There may be a day when I will be dragged from the streets and beaten down for my beliefs, but I will gladly suffer for His name just as He suffered for me.

Why do I speak this way? How do I know America will fall? It’s partly a matter of reason, justice, and (un)common sense but it’s also because I came across a prophetic word that made me seriously consider it becoming a reality. Frankly, I don’t care if you’re a skeptic and think prophecies are stupid. For my fellow brethren who do not believe the gifts of prophecy are today, I will not debate that with you here. The point of this post is “sin” – regardless of whether the destruction of America occurs or not. However, I would at least appreciate it if my brothers in Christ would at least consider this, rather than scoff at what is being said because it is not a far-fetched prophecy given what we know about America’s corruption, as well as how the Lord has handled such things in the past in the OT and NT. Note that this prophecy was carefully selected through some fairly respectable sources and examined for its alignment with Scripture, so it’s at least not the words of some random lunatic. Here are some select words from various posts:

The Prophecies

Yes, destruction is coming to America. Destruction must come – I must tear down before I can build up again that which was lost in unrighteousness. We must build again in holiness and what is right in My eyes, not the impurities that now exist. What is coming will be black and deadly and it will show no mercy and yet, unless it comes, I cannot show mercy to those who are left to rebuild for I cannot bless this sinful nation any longer. You are filled with abominations and whoredoms. Unrighteousness fills your homes and runs through the streets of every city in this nation. My people are content with the filth that abounds here and this is an abomination to Me. My gospel is a gospel of righteousness, of holiness, not of tolerance of evil and wickedness. Why do you call evil good, My people? How is it that you do not see it for what it is? If you looked into My word as I have told you time and time again, you would recognize sinfulness when you encounter it but you prefer the lies of this sinful world to the truth found in My holy word.

Destruction is Coming to America

Tell them I love them with a love that won’t die. I am the One who will never leave them, never be untrue. I long to see them living happy, fulfilled lives, not lives filled with empty fleeting pleasures.

I long for them to be found in Me during the coming storm so I can protect them, provide for them and keep them safe from harm, but so many see Me as weak or cruel because they have no understanding.
[…]
They have settled for the wisdom of the world instead of seeking My wisdom. They have built for themselves strong houses of refuge which they think will protect them from disaster but they are mistaken for they know not what disasters I have in store for those who deny Me and their strong houses will not save them

Famine comes soon to the land of America. The land known for plenty shall soon lack the food to feed even her own people for My mighty hand of judgment is on this land. Store up, My people – store up grain to feed your little ones for it shall come upon you quickly and without warning and it is indeed coming soon. Store up My word in your hearts for it shall be a comfort to you in these days of sorrow.

There shall be Weeping and Morning in America

My people, a sad time is approaching for the nation of America for her sins have come up before Me. Long have I pleaded with you to repent, but you would not and now the once great nation of America, founded on My name, must be judged. […] What is coming in the earth is truly too evil for your minds to comprehend, yet many of My people still do not believe My judgments are near and shall be caught unprepared. When I strike America, all the nations of the earth shall be affected. Her misery shall echo around the world.

Sad Time is Approaching

Oh America, America, why do you fight for what is wrong and abandon those who speak what is right? So shall you be left desolate in the day of your judgments.

You claim to know what is right, yet you do what is wrong in the darkness of your chambers. In your heart is only blackness and no mercy shall be shown you in that day.

I shall bring another, great and mighty, to tear you to pieces. It shall crush you under its feet and trample your beauty, and you shall be no more.

You refuse to show mercy and so shall you be refused mercy in your time of destruction.

America, America

America does not understand what it means to be under My mighty hand of judgment. For so long she has basked in her power and in her glory when she was originally created to worship Mine. She has turned from My ways and My words and become the harlot of the world, spreading her wickedness to other nations, partaking of her sins openly and proudly. I will now destroy her pridefulness. I will cast her beauty to the ground and trample it under My feet. She will have no reason for pridefulness then. She has turned her face from My holy city Jerusalem and turned her back on My beloved Israel. I will now turn My back on her. America will pay for her treachery, for her pridefulness, for her wickedness. Her sins have come up before Me and her cup of sin is full. My righteous anger at her sins, her abominations, her harlotry, shall be avenged.

Prepare My people, prepare to see what I will do to this once great country for her time of judgment is nearing with every moment. Prepare to see this great country destroyed for I shall leave no power in her when I am done. She will not hold her head high any longer, nor lord her power over other nations when I am done judging her, but beg for help from them. I will leave her people begging in the streets and their children stricken with disease. She is no longer called by My name.

America Has Become the Harlot of the World

Closing

Be prepared for this folks. We will be hit with nuclear attacks, famine, and disease. Nothing will stop the judgement that is about to come if this indeed a word from God. Maybe you’re still uncertain whether this is true. Fair enough. Wait and see what happens. Even if by some chance this is false, sin always gets severely punished in one way or another, so you better get your act straight now and not later.

Aquinas on the State and the Common Good

“[E]ven though the good be the same objective for one man and for the whole state, it seems much better and more perfect to attain, that is, to procure and preserve the good of the whole state than the good of any one man. Certainly it is a part of that love which should exist among men that a man preserve the good even of a single human being. But it is much better and more divine that this be done for a whole people and for whole states. … This is said to be more divine because it shows greater likeness to God, who is the ultimate cause of all goodness.”

A Defense of Natural Theology: A Response to Tony Arsenal

Tony Arsenal wrote a very interesting and thought-provoking article over at the Theological Arsenal (I love the pun in his blog name). Basically he argues that natural theology fails mainly because of the fact that the fall affected our reasoning capabilities.

Tony points out that many of those who hold to two books of revelation–that is, that God has revealed himself through nature and His creation and through Scripture–cite Romans 1:20 as a proof text of general revelation. Romans 1:18-25 reads:

“18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[g] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but theybecame futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

Tony notes three problems:

(1) Nature (creation) is fallen.

(2) Human reasoning is fallen.

(3) Sola Scriptura is knocked off its rightful throne.

I am symphathetic to Tony’s view since we both do share a common belief in original sin and the fall (I would hope all Christians share that belief!). One could read Tony’s article to get his full argumentation. I’m merely going to respond to his points and show that they simply do not work against natural theology.

I. Nature is fallen

The points made in this section work mainly against the Fine Tuning Argument, which is an argument I personally don’t like too much (it’s just me). There are plenty more sophisticated arguments, and even better versions of the fine-tuning argument. So, I think it’s wrongheaded to disqualify Natural theology on the grounds of arguing that nature is fallen, thus because the Fine Tuning argument doesn’t work, all of natural theology must fail too. But Tony did give reasons in his comments as to why he chose this argument and its form. I still think that should have been noted in the section itself. As someone who is for natural theology, that doesn’t mean I agree with every argument used in the enterprise. I think some arguments even fail and are bad, given my own metaphysical assumptions. I don’t have much else to say here.

II. Human Reasoning is Fallen

Now, this is where it really takes the cake. Tony writes, “ Even if Nature were able to accurately and conclusively reveal details about God, we are so screwed up that we couldn’t get to those truths.” He then proceeds to quote a number of Scriptures that highlight the fact that we are indeed fallen, wicked people. He concludes, “If there is never a point in our lives in which our hearts and thoughts do not deceive us, and there is no one who is exempt from this estate… then how could we ever trust our fallen reasoning to approach a fallen creation to tell us about a transcendent and wholly other God?” Where to begin….Ok, here goes. This is extremely problematic. I mean if we can never trust reason, why should I trust your argument? Why should you trust mine? So let’s lay out a charitable argument for Tony’s case.

1. The fall affected our reasoning capabilities to the point that we cannot apprehend the truths of nature (Even if Nature were able to accurately and conclusively reveal details about God, we are so screwed up that we couldn’t get to those truths)

Ok, so far so good. Now suppose this is true. Suppose that our minds are such that they’re affected to the point of not apprehend the truths of nature. Wouldn’t this apply to reality as well? Sure. Our minds are so affected by the fall that we cannot trust our reason to apprehend reality. 2+2 could equal five for all we know. This all sounds very Kantian to me (the fact that we cannot know reality in-itself) I would hope Tony Arsenal is not a Kantian.

But why stop at natural theology? Why not apply Tony’s analysis to theology too? If we cannot rely on reason, which is corrupted, to approach a corrupted book of nature, how is it that our corrupted minds can approach the holy book and study it? Our minds are so screwed up that we cannot apprehend the truths of scripture with our own minds. Now, one could just appeal to God and say God makes it so we can apprehend His truths. But, then why can’t we say that God makes it so that people are able to apprehend the truths of nature? Doesn’t this fit in with the fact the scripture itself teaches that men are without excuse since “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them”? It seems like Tony’s own argument undercuts his own enterprise of theology. No surprise there. So, let me formalize my argument using Tony’s own premise.

1. The fall affected our reasoning capabilities to the point that we cannot apprehend the truths of nature (Even if Nature were able to accurately and conclusively reveal details about God, we are so screwed up that we couldn’t get to those truths)

2. If the fall affected our reasoning capabilities to the point that we cannot apprehend the truths of nature, then it seems that we cannot trust our reasoning capabilities for anything.

3. Thus, we cannot trust our reasoning capabilities for anything. [1, 2 modus ponens]

4. If we cannot trust our reasoning capabilities, then we cannot trust this argument or any argument.

5. But we can trust this argument or any argument for that matter.

6. So, it is false that we cannot trust our reasoning capabilities. [4, 5 modus tollens]

7.  Therefore it is false that the fall affected our reasoning capabilities to the point that we cannot apprehend the truths of nature. [2, 6 modus tollens]

QED.

Note that my conclusion isn’t that the fall hasn’t affected our reasoning capabilities at all. It’s that it hasn’t affected it to the point of not apprehending any truths of nature. Surely, people apprehend moral truths, and this is based on a natural law conception. Surely, people apprehend mathematical truths. Unless you want to go as far as deny those. So, Tony’s second reason just utterly fails on all grounds. I mean I could go further and talk about moral truths and responsibility. But I think quoting Maverick Philosopher will suffice. He writes,

“Objection: ’You are ignoring the deleterious noetic consequences of original sin. Because our faculties have been corrupted by it, we fail to find evident what is in itself evident, namely, that the world is a divine artifact.  And it is because of this original sin that unbelief is inexcusable.’

This response raises its own difficulties.  First, how can one be morally responsible for a sin that one has not oneself committed but has somehow inherited? Second, if our faculties have been so corrupted by original sin that we can no longer reliably distinguish between the evident and the non-evident, then this corruption will extend to all our cognitive operations including Paul’s theological reasoning, which we therefore should not trust either.”

He brilliantly sums up the argument I just made in this entire section. If Tony wants to say that our reasoning faculties are that bad, then be my guest. If so, he just undermined theology and everything else with it.

III. Natural Theology usurps Sola Scriptura 

Now, I spotted something that bugs me a little. Perhaps I’m reading into it or not. You be the judge. Tony writes, “For example, philosopher William Lane Craig holds to a so-called Molinist understanding of God’s foreknowledge. Without getting into a lot of details, this means that God has exhaustive knowledge of not only what is, but also what could logically be. However, this system requires God to be bound by what is logically possible” (emphasis mine). So, is Tony implying that God is not bound by logic? So, then, God is not bound by the fact that something cannot be and not be at the same time in the same sense? So, if God is not bound by what is logically possible, then I guess God can exist and not exist at the same time in the same sense. I mean, why can’t God create himself too? Like I said, perhaps this is not what Tony was getting at, but it’s there and it stuck out to me.

Tony also comments on Craig’s remarks of molinism saying, “All of this, based on a philosophical system constructed by fallen creatures, with fallen logic, observing a fallen creation.” See my critique of his argument about reason. Now, am I implying that reasoning is somehow infallible and that we are infallible interpreters and reasoners? Of course not! That’s nonsense. We’re human, we’re finite, we’re limited, and fallible. I think we can trust reason as far as it goes. But to throw reason completely out the window is just, well, nonsense! To what degree our minds are affected by the fall is another question which I don’t look to answer here.

Tony goes on to say that “God has given us the Scriptures as a sufficient revelation for all things concerning faith and salvation. This includes all of Theology. To affirm Natural Theology is to say that God has also given us another source of revelation that is sufficient concerning faith and salvation, and often times is to say that there are aspects of God’s very nature or salvation that he has not revealed to us in scripture.”

I beg to differ with regard to the point that affirming natural theology means God has given us another source of revelation concerning faith and salvation. I don’t think that’s the case. I think God has given us tools to think deeply and evaluate these issues, i.e., reasoning and logic, but I in no way think that it serves as another piece of revelation. God tells us things in scripture but he doesn’t break it down in the nitty gritty. Philosophy comes in and assists with theology in this, e.g., looking at issues of freewill and sovereignty. In no way is natural theology elevated above scripture, or even general revelation for that matter. I see general revelation as complimentary and a little below special revelation. I don’t think anyone would affirm the claim that “To affirm Natural Theology is to say that God has also given us another source of revelation that is sufficient concerning faith and salvation.” I don’t think natural theology is sufficient. It gives us a starting point and gets us far, but it doesn’t get us the whole enchilada.

But I mean there’s a lot that isn’t really in scripture but is assumed in scripture. Such as language, the fact that we can understand language, logic, reasoning capabilities, and the fact that we can approach scripture and reason about it, unless, of course, you think we cannot trust our reasoning. Then we have a problem. But all these assumptions are used to approach scripture and theology to try and understand God. As I said before, I don’t think we’re infallible and I don’t think our reason is impeccable. I do think our will and intellects have been disordered by the fall and they need to be restored by God’s grace. How fallen they are and how much help we need is another question that I am not going to look at right now.

I hope this post didn’t come off as brash. I was just alarmed at some of the points raised in Tony’s post and I wanted to shed out some arguments as to why I think his reasons do not work.

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