Truth (plus lies) » christianity

Harold Camping thinks the world’s about to end

Jefff — Thu, 12 May 2011 03:37:20 +0000

We’re 10 days away people! The end of the world is about a week-and-a-half away. Fritter away your precious remaining time by reading this interview with Harold Camping, chief prophesier at Family Radio.

Can Jewish people go to heaven?
Anybody — it’s not a matter of what religion you belong to, but it has to do with a personal attitude, and of course, if the Jewish people will accept the whole Bible — now if they reject Christ as their messiah, which the nation of Israel is doing, as was prophesied in the Bible also …. If they’re not trusting in the Bible, they’re not listening to the whole Bible, and so they’re under the wrath of God just like anybody else who’s not trusting the whole Bible.

So a Jew would have to believe that Jesus is the messiah.
Well you see, the fact is that Jesus is the eternal God, and if you deny that Christ is the eternal God, then you’re not listening to the Bible.

How low standards of evidence killed Lee Strobel’s faith in atheism

Jefff — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:58:58 +0000

I quickly determined that the alleged resurrection of Jesus was the key. Anyone can claim to be divine, but if Jesus backed up his claim by returning from the dead, then that was awfully good evidence he was telling the truth.

Poor Lee Strobel. He was an atheist whose agnostic wife found Jesus and became Christian. He thought he might have to get a divorce! Luckily, he instead did a whole bunch of research about Christianity and discovered it was definitely true. Marriage saved.

Here is Strobel’s response to Ricky Gervais’ Easter Message. In it, Strobel lays out the reasons why he thinks the resurrection is a historical certainty, which is basically just a list of possible alternate explanations and then him making extremely tentative cases against these suggestions.

For example:

Was Jesus’ tomb empty? Scholar William Lane Craig points out that its location was known to Christians and non-Christians alike. So if it hadn’t been empty, it would have been impossible for a movement founded on the resurrection to have exploded into existence in the same city where Jesus had been publicly executed just a few weeks before.

Besides, even Jesus’ opponents implicitly admitted the tomb was vacant by saying that his body had been stolen. But nobody had a motive for taking the body, especially the disciples. They wouldn’t have been willing to die brutal martyrs’ deaths if they knew this was all a lie.

Right. Because no one in human history has ever lied to support a passionately-held conviction. Or to solidify the legitimacy of a movement they’re a part of.

Besides, it’s much more likely that a man came back to life and then flew off into the sky, never to be seen again.

Hipster faith

Jefff — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:28:13 +0000

A primer on hipster faith:

In order to remain relevant in this new landscape, many evangelical pastors and church leaders are following the lead of the hipster trendsetters, making sure their churches can check off all the important items on the hipster checklist:

Get the church involved in social justice and creation care.

Show clips from R-rated Coen Brothers films (e.g., No Country for Old Men, Fargo) during services.

Sponsor church outings to microbreweries.

Put a worship pastor onstage decked in clothes from American Apparel.

Be okay with cussing.

Print bulletins only on recycled cardstock.

Use Helvetica fonts as much as possible.

Leverage technologies like Twitter.

Image via Epic Ponyz.

Man breaks dog out of pound, gets caught, goes to jail, dog gets euthanized

Jefff — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:22:44 +0000

Edwin Fry had a dog named Buddy Tough whom Fry let wander around off-leash. Buddy got into all kinds of trouble and was taken to the city pound — twice. The second time, instead of paying the $100 fine, Fry drove his lawn mower over to the pound and used a pair of bolt-cutters to get his dog out. He was stopped as he was leaving and was arrested. Then he was put in jail, and stayed there for several days because no one wanted to post his bail. By the time he got out, Buddy Tough was euthanized.

“He’s flying now with the angels, and I know I’ll see him again,” Fry said.

Which is very sweet, but if Fry were strict with his faith in heaven, he wouldn’t be so sure. As Randy Alcorn explains on a Christian advice website:

Q. Our beloved dog recently died. Should I correct my kids when they say they can’t wait to play with Rocky again in heaven?

A. Humorist Will Rogers said, “If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” This statement was, of course, based on sentiment, not theology.

Alcorn goes on to advise that the parent not correct the kids because, hey, maybe God will surprise. Even though he doesn’t have to.

In other news, only a quarter of dog owners who don’t keep their dogs leashed clean up after them when they poop.

Via Obscure Store and The Daily Dish.

Son of Sam is a born-again Christian

Jefff — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:50:59 +0000

David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam serial killer, is now a born-again Christian, who is in high demand within the evangelical community.

In 2007, the chaplain of a state youth development center in Somerville, Tenn., wrote to ask him for help in dealing with students who were veering toward Satanism.

“David, I am asking you to write out for me your warnings as to the study of the satanic bible,” he wrote. “Please be thorough but also concise. I may even forward your warnings to the commissioner of the department.”

It’s extremely cynical of me, but I don’t see anything surprising about a man who used to take orders from a dog now taking orders from some other imaginary voice. He is, apparently, more compassionate now. So if anything, it demonstrates the power of not being lonely.

Via The Morning News

An Easter Miracle

Jefff — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:00:36 +0000

Happy Easter! Dobson Admits Defeat

I’ll take care of your dog after you’ve vanished, like a jerk

Jefff — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:00:44 +0000

Eternal Earth-Bound Pets is a group of atheists who are happy to charge pet-owners a fee for agreeing to take care of animals after their owners have been whisked away to heaven by the rapture.
via Unreasonable Faith