Part 39 of Post Your Tough Questions Regarding Christianity

Just because the Bible says it it must be true, and Mitt has an explanation.

God's view of Women is quite clear. 'Then He(God) said to the woman " I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain will you give forth, and you will desire to control your husband but he will rule over you". Genesis 3:16. Whatever the Bible says the reality is that women in the East were of little value except as Childbearers and carers. That's why the Bible is so unreal and why it pays to understand the background.
By the time the scribes wrote their origin, the place of women had improved a little and various women were written into the origin as influential. Paul treated women as subservient to men in many ways.
And the valuing of men and women in Leviticus was only made up by Jewish scribes in the middle of the 1st Millenia in Babylon when they wrote their origin.. True Judaism started from then. The rebuilt Temple was dedicated to Jahweh who the Jews had chosen as their God in preference to El, who was worshipped by the nations around.
Ezekiel was instrumental in turning the nation to a theocracy where the Priests ruled. Kings in the Maccabean Kingdom were really titular kings (and a regnal Queen) and the priests ruled. That led to their eventual downfall.

To avoid any long explanation about Judaism and its beginning I quote Wiki It puts it better than I could.

Although most modern scholars agree that the First Temple existed on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem by the time of the Babylonian siege, there is significant debate over the date of its construction and the identity of its builder. many early scholars accepted the biblical narrative of the First Temple's construction by Solomon as authentic; however, during the 1980s, skeptical approaches to the biblical text as well as the archaeological record led some scholars to doubt whether there was any Temple in Jerusalem constructed as early as the 10th century BCE. Some scholars have suggested that the original structure built by 'Solomon' was relatively modest, and was later rebuilt on a larger scale. No direct evidence for the existence of Solomon's Temple has been found, with nineteenth and early-twentieth century excavations around the Temple Mount failing to identify "even a trace" of the fabled complex. The Temple supposedly built by Solomon was based on earlier temples in the Middle East with a few variations. The Ark of the Covenant is adapted from Egypt, and some of Judaism, Judiastic ritual is also adapted from Egypt and other nations.

Some of Christianity is also a 'followon' from Judaism and earlier beliefs. Purgatory, Incense, the raising of the Bible, or scroll in the Synagogue, in front of the congregation before reading. In the East the power of the Sun God who dwelt on the Sun and brought life to the earth would depart into the depths during autumn and death would appear. On a day in spring the power would return to bring life to the earth again. People who watch on a certain day in the Autumn as the sun set, would return on a spring day to welcome the Sun Gods power back to bring life. 'It is risen' they would cry.

As I said before the stories in the Pentatuech were made up in Babylon to give Israel an origin.

 

Although you've declared not to worship zombies, that doesn't exonerate you from being crazy because there could be things that you believe that could be considered crazy by others...lol

Ok, now to your statement. I detect you're insulting Christians. Nah, Gawd wouldn't do that now would he?...yes, he most certainly would...lol

But hey let me know if that is not what you're doing, and if that's the case then just disregard everything here on just keep it mind though for future reference...lol

Have you watched a lot of those horror movies like the "walking dead" or voodoo movies? You probably have, that's got to be the link where you get this crazy notion.

Let me put up the definitions of zombie:

1. in West African voodoo cults, the python deity.
2. any voodoo snake deity, as in Haiti and parts of the south U.S.
3. a) in West Indian superstition a supernatural power through which a corpse supposedly is brought to a state of trance-like animation and made to obey the commands of the person exercising the power. b) a corpse so animated.
4. a) a person considered to be like a zombie in listlessness, mechanical behavior etc. b) weird, eccentric or unattractive person.
5. a) will-less and speechless human (as in voodoo belief and in fictional stories) held to have died and been supernaturally reanimated. b) the supernatural power that according to voodoo belief may enter into and reanimate a dead body
6 a) a person held to resemble the so-called walking dead. b) a person markedly strange in appearance or behavior
7. a dead person’s body, reanimated but continuing the process of decay.
8. Undead rather than fully alive.

I guess we can consider those Frankenstein horror movies, the monster a zombie. Other depictions of zombies have a person’s soul actually returning to its body and causing it to move again, though technically still dead. (undead rather than fully alive)

So, are there any similarities to the idea of a zombie as compared to Christian belief of the resurrection of Jesus? ...nope, none whatsoever.

None whatsoever because the Bible presents a true return to life and not a reanimation. In Lord Jesus' resurrection, His physical body was perfected and glorified. Lord Jesus lives in His resurrection body today, which does not decay, has no appearance of death, and is forever immune from death, sickness and injury. So, in no sense is the Lord Jesus still dead or undead as a zombie.

We Read in Scripture:

Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ said,

18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. [a] Revelation 1:18 NLT

Footnotes
a. 1:18 Greek and Hades.

We Christians who are saved shall be like Our Lord. Our Lord Jesus' resurrection body will be perfect for all eternity, so we ourselves will be granted perfect resurrection bodies as well.

We Read in Scripture:

2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 1 John 3:2 NLT

So, no Gawd, we Christians are not worshiping a zombie, we are worshiping Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ who is alive and well. Lord Jesus was resurrected, not just reanimated. After His resurrection, He conversed with His disciples, performed miracles, and proved Himself to be, in every way, fully alive.

We Read in Scripture:

[Longer Ending of Mark]

9 After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. 11 But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.

12 Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. 13 They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.

14 Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.[a]

15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. 17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages

18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 20 And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs. Mark 16:9-20 NLT

Footnotes

a. 16:14 Some early manuscripts add: And they excused themselves, saying, “This age of lawlessness and unbelief is under Satan, who does not permit God’s truth and power to conquer the evil [unclean] spirits. Therefore, reveal your justice now.” This is what they said to Christ. And Christ replied to them, “The period of years of Satan’s power has been fulfilled, but other dreadful things will happen soon. And I was handed over to death for those who have sinned, so that they may return to the truth and sin no more, and so they may inherit the spiritual, incorruptible, and righteous glory in heaven.”

b. 16:17 Or new tongues; some manuscripts do not include new.

Ok thanks Gawd for your post, it was a pleasure for me to respond to it.

 

Ok, here’s one for anyone who believes they understand the Spirit…..

In The Revelation, 2:22:16 we find "I am the . . . bright and morning star."

Then 2:26-28 we read: "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, . . . I will give him the morning star."

What is the meaning in plain English?

 

Why you talking up Zombies and Demon's Brother Mitt - ... talking to ghosts from the past - rather than deal with the "tough questions" put before you ... You darn tricked us ... pretending to be a follower of Christ .. but seems theres someone else you would rather follow..

Asked you about Jesus dying on the Cross .. his last words -- declaring that his God has forsaken him - why do you run from the sacrifice .. towards the house of fire .. are you cold or something ?

 

Mitt is all talk and no substance. For instance, I doubt if he knows which events illustrate the 7th Commandment in action in the New Testament.

 

We simply have your/the Christian interpretation of words in a book, That the Jewish preacher died is quite probable. That he was the Son of God and rose from the dead is denied by studying the Bible, its background etc. And Mark 16:9-20 is not found in early copies of the Gospel but added later. There was no great commision. Jesus, according to the Bible, specifically told his disciples to ignore the Gentiles. He had come to his own people. Matthew and Luke both take from Mark. All you can do is quote from a Bible without any proof or facts. As I said before, if someone persuaded you that Alice was real figure that could talk to animals, grin at Cheshire cats, eat something that made her small, or tall, that miracle would be enough to make you believe Dodgson was a writer from God.

 

Today I would like to present a sermon from one of my favorite Pastors on the tube, Pastor Dr. Michael Youssef. He can be watched/seen on The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) or at his website: Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef https://www.ltw.org/#

This sermon I'm presenting is titled, "THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR, BUT WHY? (PART 2)"

It's 24 minutes in duration so not a very long sermon. Dr. Youssef gave this sermon back on Dec. 17, 2022, at his Atlanta, Georgia based Ministry.

Dr. Michael Youssef's sermon is in reference to 1 John 3:8 in Scripture. One of the reasons Lord Jesus came into the world was to destroy the works of the devil.

We Read in Scripture:

8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 NLT

Let me know Brothers Todd & Injeun and Sister Jeannette or anyone else for that matter if you decide to watch it, did you find it a very good, inspiring sermon given by Pastor Dr. Youssef?

As for me, in my view, it was an excellent, very inspiring sermon given by Pastor Dr. Youssef. Truth be told, I rated all of his sermons that I've watched over the years to be in this category. Like I've already mentioned, he is one of my favorite Pastors on the tube. I also like Pastor Dr. Charles Stanley and Pastor John Hagee to name a few others. I hope everyone who views the sermon enjoys it and find it very inspiring as I did. So just click on link below:

https://www.ltw.org/watch/teaching/series/its-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year-but-why/part-2

 

So post 1378 baffles you. Actually I’m not surprised. That’s very typical among religionists.

 

You made a false statement, but I'm not surprised by it. It's a typical response from people who are not well-informed, but they go ahead anyway jumping to false conclusions before getting all the pertinent information. It's that old, "rushing to judgment syndrome" type of mentality.

If only you had carefully read my entire 1st post that I posted on this thread, you would have been well-informed.

Take note of the part where I have it highlighted in bold face. To update I'm actually answering questions on Part 11 currently. But I have seen your question and made note of it and so don't be surprised if I answer it sooner than later, in the meantime please be patient dude. Like I said in my 1st post, "I don't want people to feel like I'm ignoring your question/questions................"

Ok thanks Kode for your post, they say, "Patience is a virtue"...how true that is, maybe we should all learn to practice it.

 

The usual excuse for not answering. The problem is that by the time you reckon to get round to answering if 5 years time - if at all - the questioner, you hope, will have given up and gone away.

 

First off let me present those verses you cited below using the NLT Bible.

We Read in Scripture:

Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ said,

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. [a] I am the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16 NLT

Footnotes
a. 22:16 Greek I am the root and offspring of David.


26 To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end,
To them I will give authority over all the nations.
27 They will rule the nations with an iron rod
and smash them like clay pots. [a]
28 They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star! Revelation 2:26-28 NLT

Footnotes
a. 2:26-27 Ps 2:8-9 (Greek version).

So, my understanding is that you're asking what Lord Jesus meant by saying, "I will also give them the "morning star" First let's understand the symbolic meaning of "morning star". It means glorious in royal splendor.

Basically, in my view/interpretation, Lord Jesus is saying to all Christians who have remained faithfully true and obeyed Him to the very end, when their lives on earth comes to an end, they will join Him in victory for their overcoming of the trials and tribulations on earth. We were always with Him in faith but now we will be with Him and be like Him at last in the Spirit in His Heavenly Kingdom. We will see Him as He truly is, a Bright Morning Star, a glorious brilliance, a brightness in royal splendor for He is the Lord Jesus, King Jesus and He gives to each of us His faithfully true believers the gift to be like Him in glorious royal splendor (the morning star) living all together happily forever and ever in eternal bliss!

We Read in Scripture:

Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ said,

18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.[a] Revelation 1:18 NLT

Footnotes
a. 1:18 Greek and Hades.

2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 1 John 3:2 NLT

Ok Kode thanks for your post, it was a pleasure for me to respond to it.

 

You need to provide a citation for “glorious in royal splendor”. I cannot imagine Jesus tooting his own horn (if I give testimony of myself, my testimony is a lie). He was stating a truth in symbolic language, and a very important and central truth at that. Let’s explore it just a bit….

You never mention the symbology and the accepted importance and meaning of “the morning star” in relation to the sun at that time. This was known well before Jesus’ time. Astronomy was in its infancy and the culture held meaning for “the morning star” and the understanding surrounding it was common knowledge.

The morning star, which was usually Venus, was known to precede the sun. It was like the morning star was announcing the impending arrival of the sun. And once the sun appeared over the horizon, its brightness overpowered and cancelled the morning star. Such an apt analogy!

I’ll let you figure out the rest. There isn’t much so it should be easy.

But it seems very interesting to me that modern Christianity fails nearly 100% to know anything about this most important symbolism, central to the Christian message.

 

I ran across this amazing website today. It answered some questions I had about God. https://enteringthelight.com/

 

I ran across this amazing website today. It answered some questions I had about God! https://enteringthelight.com/

 

I hear you I hear you already!
So does everyone else.

 

From your website:

"Consciousness resides within a field” …
"There’s a place in creation that transcends human consciousness! In it’s essence it is the very core of creation itself within the great I AM”

The mystic Rumi wrote:
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there."

 

Sorry but I don't need to provide anything to you or anybody else for that matter. You don't want to accept what "morning star" symbolizes to me fine so be it. I'm not going to debate you over it...that would only create a senseless exercise in futility.

We all have our opinions/interpretations and so forth. No one can say without a doubt they are correct. But of course, we can recognize when someone is really way out of line/bounds in their opinions/interpretations.

There are no doubt several reasonable interpretations as to the significance of "morning star" in Revelation 2:28, each of which could be entirely consistent with information elsewhere in the biblical record.

One need not feel compelled to tie down to a specific view, so long as that view is not in conflict with other clear teachings of scripture. In other words, not contradicting.

The careful and courteous path for the devout Christian is to refrain from dogmatism when there is room for reasonable dissent.

So, I guess you have missed reading what Lord Jesus have spoken throughout Scripture or if you have read what He has spoken then you have misinterpreted Him.

Lord Jesus numerous of times toots His own horn (using your expression). But why do you say when He gives testimony about Himself, His testimony is a lie? No, Mr. Kode, it's always the truth, that's how we Christians have always understood it.

We Read in Scripture:

Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ said,

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. [a] I am the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16 NLT
(He tells us He is the bright morning star.)

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, John 10:28 NLT
(He tells us He has the power to give people eternal life)

16 For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 NLT
(He tells us He is the Son of God and if you believe in Him you will not perish but have eternal life.)

6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6 NLT
(He tells us we cannot go straight to the Father, we need to go through Him first, because He is the way, the truth and the life.)

36 why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. John 10:36 NLT
(He tells us He is the Son of God)

48 "But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken." John 12:48 NLT
(He tells us anyone who rejects Him and His message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth He has spoken)

30 “The Father and I are one.” John 10:30 NLT
(He tells us He and the Father are one)

18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. [a] Revelation 1:18 NLT
(He tells us He died but look, He is alive forever and ever and He hold the keys of death and the grave)

There are more but these will suffice, since the point has been clearly made.

Huh? What kind of whacky statement is this?...lol...Christianity fails nearly 100% to know anything......."...lol

Oh, but you yourself have never failed because you have 100% of all knowledge...lol

You told me, "So post 1378 baffles you". I responded by telling you, "You made a false statement".

Then I answer your question, because your post 1378 didn't baffle me, I gave you my interpretation only for you to respond back to give me all this "chatter" all this "noise".

So, you don't have 100% of all knowledge after all because you were wrong about me being baffled about your post 1378, you have 99.9998% of all knowledge now...lol

Ok Kode thanks for your post, you can have the last word but don't expect me to respond to it if you do take the last word. As far as I'm concerned, I'm done here, I answered your question, gave you my interpretation that you didn't like and so be it. I have to move on now, I have numerous of other questions/comments to respond to, a little over 21,000 of them...ouch!

 

You basically say Christianity is a matter of opinion and no one has the right to question your opinions. That’s consistent with the single, most fundamental fact about it which is that it is all “faith”. IOW, believe devoid of reliable fact.

And yet you question ME on my explanation of morning star. I don't need to provide anything to you or anybody else for that matter. You don't want to accept what "morning star" symbolizes to me fine so be it. I'm not going to debate you over it...that would only create a senseless exercise in futility.

And BTW, you misquoted me regarding “100%” in such a way as to totally change what I said. How honest of you!
Not

 

One of the main points in Revelation that everyone will curse the God creature for being such a pain in the butt. The good thing is that people will learn lots of new curse words.

 

It seems that way to you because you have a closed mind, a mind that's incapable of understanding God's righteous ways.

God only does what is right for He is never wrong. He is perfectly Holy therefore He is sinless.

Yes, God was not pleased when the Israelites did not obey His orders fully and for good reason, I'll get to that in a short while.

First, we must understand that God ordered the killings because He was punishing these people for their depraved, despicable sins.

The Canaan and Amorite people come to mind. These people were so repugnantly evil and because of their sins & disobedience our righteous God of the Old Testament allowed the killings (punishments) of the Canaanites and the Amorites. God had morally sufficient reasons for ordering the destruction of these nations. These cultures revealed its inherent moral wickedness, they were a brutal, aggressive people who engaged in idolatry, incest, bestiality, and even child sacrifice. Deviant sexual acts were the norm for these depraved people.

The sins of these depraved people were so repellent! so gross! so disgusting! that God said because the entire land has become defiled, He was punishing the people who lived there and will cause the land to vomit them out.

We Read in Scripture:

25 Because the entire land has become defiled, I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out. 26 You must obey all my decrees and regulations. You must not commit any of these detestable sins. This applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.

27 “All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled. 28 So do not defile the land and give it a reason to vomit you out, as it will vomit out the people who live there now. 29 Whoever commits any of these detestable sins will be cut off from the community of Israel. 30 So obey my instructions, and do not defile yourselves by committing any of these detestable practices that were committed by the people who lived in the land before you. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 18:25-30 NLT

Now let's understand why God was not pleased when the Israelites on some occasions didn't thoroughly follow through with His command of killing all of these depraved people.

Let me make a simple analogy here. When skilled surgeons perform their operations on patients afflicted with cancer, they operate with the intent of killing off all of the cancerous cells, not leaving any to survive. If they perform a haphazard job, leaving some of the cancerous cells to survive, it will only be a matter of time when the patient will get a relapse of the cancer returning full force and sickening the patient again.

When the Israelites didn't kill off all these depraved people it would be only a matter of time when these depraved people who were spared their lives would spread their wickedness while living among the Israelites. And this is exactly what happened to the Israelites, some of them would be influenced and turn to the practices of these deviant, amoral people. This plagued the people of Israel for quite some time.

So, this is why God was not pleased, for He knew when the Israelites didn't carry out His orders fully it would only be a matter of time when His people would turn away from His righteous laws and engage in sinful, wicked behavior and practices.

Ok thanks Gawd for your post, it was a pleasure for me to respond to it.

 

A few additional comments….

Yeah, because a “way out” interpretation doesn’t line up with the most literal understanding, right? You started this saying "I don't want my intentions to come across as converting you or whatever lol... but rather clear up things regarding the Christian religion/faith..etc... so ask away.”

IOW you set yourself up as a resource for reliable truths. Now you say your answer to my question is your opinion and you offer some ridiculous justification for not having to verify or prove what you say is anything else but your opinion. So answer this: how is your opinion any more valid than mine or anyone else’s? And what was that opinion? It was that “morning star” means "glorious in royal splendor.” But there is no wording in the bible anywhere to support that meaning. In fact, NOTHING exists in antiquity to support it. But my answer relies on the knowledge of astronomy at the time and centuries before. It upholds Christ as the one who could say “I go to the Father” (John 14:12), and “the true Light which lighteth every man who comes into the world”, and whose Father was described as "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights”. Also, we read in John 8:12 - "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world”, and in 1 John 1:5 "God is light”. This is entirely consistent with “I am the morning star” and it isn’t anything that you can call “way out of line/bounds”.

My interpretation of “morning star”, unlike yours, supports and agrees with other verses like:
1 Corinthians 15:28 - "And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son Himself also be subject unto Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”

Colossians 2:9 - "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form”

And:
John 14:26
Colossians 3:3

It even supports the notion of the Trinity.

Yours? Yours reflects your personal opinion. You said so.

You’re making that up. Again this says "Christianity is a matter of opinion, but specifically MY opinion”. And that makes your Christianity worthless.

So you never read John 5:31?


You said you’re done with this question. And you reveal no spiritual understanding in your replies to it. Ok, fine, maybe you can figure out what “circumcision of the heart” is. Tell me. I want to know whether you read that and understand that literally, too.

 

What a pile of contorted bullshit. You read the bible like an attorney reads legal abstracts, except you allow for conflicts and contradictions.

 

What's all that chatter, noise I hear, where is it coming from?...lol

 

Mitt Ryan says he can answer questions about the bible, but that is a fraudulent claim. He admits it’s his own opinion and that he will not be accountable for his opinions. And he won’t answer anyone who poses a challenge to his “genius”.

This thread is about Mitt Ryan because he specifically made it about him. So a post about him like this one is completely legitimate as it addresses his claim made in the OP by him.

 

Mitt is too funny! The God character gets ticked off about people engaging in child sacrifice when he built his whole religion on it! He tells the despicable Abraham to gut and roast his son. Later on, he nails his own son to the cross as a sacrifice to himself.

If the God character was so concerned about the evil amoral people contaminating his precious Israelites the dummy should have given them their own planet in a galaxy a zillion light years from here. Everyone else would have certainly been better off.