UFO demons

 In my teenage years, I was into the UFO stuff, and one of my favorite books was by Erich Von Daniken. titled “Chariots of the Gods.”

I wanted to believe.

I don't recall the exact timing of things, but I believe I was either 18 or 19 (1976-77) when I watched an episode of the Science program “NOVA” on PBS when they did a critique of Von Daniken's claims that we humans have been visited by Aliens.

NOVA demonstrated that he misrepresented the evidence for things like landing sites for UFOs. They demonstrated that he was a liar. I don't remember exactly how I felt about that, but I think I accepted their conclusions.

About that time, I think I was becoming more positive towards Christianity, and my views about UFOs and such were changing. I remember that it just dawned on me one day that the UFO phenomenon was a deception. I kind of remember the moment a thought entered my mind: “it's

I think if a person goes looking for a UFO encounter, they will eventually have one.

I remember a coworker told me they were reading a book called “Communion” by Whitley Strieber, which was claimed to be a true story involving the author of his encounter with an alien. The coworker told me that the book was so disturbing, that he had to physically remove the book from his bedroom at night before he could go to sleep.

I went to the local Library to find the book. I read through a major portion of it. It's been many years since I read the book, and going off memory, I recall how the author says he was staying at a remote residence of his. He says that while he was sleeping, he was awakened by something, and when he looked towards his door, he saw someone peeking at him through the bedroom door. I remember something about him floating out of his bed and along the floor and outside. Outside, this creature or creatures did some physically invasive things to him. I seem to recall that as days went on, he was experiencing agitation, and I think his wife did the same. I think he said there was some sort of UFO sighting or activity claimed in the area. You'd have to read the book to get the details. Like I said, it was many years ago that I read it.

I thought the title “Communion” made sense. It was a paranormal encounter.  I thought of the Scripture that says we are not to have fellowship with demons: “I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.” 1 Corinthians 10:20

Government intervention

 

I know this oversimplifies things, but the difference between social liberals and social conservatives is what they believe government intervention should be.

What one side believes should require more government intervention, the other side believes less, and vice-versa.

I believe this is true whether the issue is about abortion, immigration, gender issues, law and order, or making life fair. There can be exceptions from individual to individual, but groups usually stick together on an issue, especially those in government when it comes to voting.

Sometimes, it seems, that the opposition of a certain view of government intervention just depends on who is in political office. If someone like Trump is for something, those who oppose him are against it, even if they align with or voted for someone in the past who was for it. You can find YouTube videos of those who took the same stance on an issue as the opposing person that the opposition rejects.

People will disagree on the role of government as they do everything else. The division seems to be getting greater and more violent. It's hard to discuss the issues because people get so upset and angry. God give us wisdom on how to respond to this.

“² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:2-5

^“18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.” 1 Corinthians 11:18-19

^'17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.' Romans 12:17-21

“Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. ²³ But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” Romans 14:22-23

^“10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10-11

Apostles' Creed

 

I've been thinking about the “Apostles' Creed.” 

I think a few things could be reworded or shortened, 

and a few things should have been included...

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NT Reliability

 

The Historical Reliability of the New Testament
by Craig L. Blomberg

I recently made it through this book of 725 pages.
I suppose it at least briefly dealt with
about every criticism of the New Testament.
I doubt few would want to read it,
but it could be a resource for answers
to questions about apparent inconsistencies
of a given text.

There is a subject index and a Scripture index.
Skeptics will never be satisfied,
for every answer has an argument against it.
I will give Scripture the benefit of the doubt.

Some quotes from the book...

“Growing up in a preInternet, pre-desktop-publishing world,
I never dreamed that if I ever got to write
real-live, peer-reviewed published books,
some of the perspectives I would have to rebut
would be those introduced in fictitious novels
or by self-published authors.

No one had conceived of the notion of a blog,
much less imagined that some people would think
that reading it was necessarily a means
of gaining accurate information.

Today, however, thanks to all these developments,
countless people around the world,
including some university professors,
believe that Constantine's calling
for the Council of Nicea in AD 325
led to the establishment of the canon of the New Testament.

That was a piece of fiction Dan Brown made up
in The Da Vinci Code and duped millions into believing.

The Council of Nicea was actually a gathering
of Christian bishops to debate Trinitarian doctrine;
its outgrowth, the Nicene Creed, is still recited regularly
in Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic,
and more liturgically minded Protestant churches,
enunciating what the vast majority of all Christians
through the centuries have believed
about the roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Constantine did commission Eusebius
to produce fifty new copies of the New Testament
to be distributed around the empire,
but that had nothing to do with any discussion
about which books should be included.
Eusebius, in fact, had already come to agree
with the twenty-seven that have remained
a part of the canon.

The councils that formally ratified these twenty-seven
were held in North Africa at Hippo (393) and Carthage (397)
at the end of the fourth century.

But Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria,
in 367 in his Easter-time encyclical
already compiled the same list of twenty-seven books,
officially endorsing them as uniquely worthy
of inclusion in the New Testament.”


“Despite frequent claims to the contrary,
the books of the New Testament
were copied with extraordinary care.

Because of the sheer volume of manuscripts,
both in Greek and in various other ancient languages
into which the Scriptures were translated,
there are an enormous number of textual variants.

But the vast majority of these are extremely minor,
and the size of the manuscript tradition
also makes it possible to determine
beyond any reasonable doubt
what the original reading would have been
in upwards of 99 percent of the text of the New Testament.

Where there still is uncertainty,
we can at least know that the original text
is represented by one of the variant readings
of a given passage.

We do not have to worry that some new discovery
could overthrow the testimony
of so many thousands of manuscripts
and their consistent usage
throughout the history of the church.

Certainly no theological doctrine
or ethical practice of the Christian faith
relies solely or even primarily
on any textually disputed passage or passages.”

Israel's distress

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AntiDispy

I’m in a Facebook discussion group called “I left dispensationalism behind.”

Dispensationalists—I’ll call them “Dispys”—understand certain prophecies to be unfulfilled while those who are called “Preterists” and “Historicists”--two major anti-Dispys in the group--believe have been fulfilled in the past or through history.

The Group gives criticisms of and answers for their anti-Dispy views.

Some of the big differences between Dispys and anti-Dispys (primarily the 2 major anti-Dispys) are the belief about the “70th Week of Daniel” (Daniel 9:24-27) and the future salvation of Israel as a people and nation of God for the 1000 year reign of Christ—the “Millenium”—after his Second Coming to earth.

Dispys believe the 70th Week of Daniel—a 7 year period—is the last 7 years before Christ returns during which the Antichrist will appear and reign, while anti-Dispys believe it was fulfilled during the ministry and death of Christ and the early advance of the gospel. The one group believe the 70^th Week is about Antichrist, while the other says it is about Christ.

Anti-Dispys don’t believe Israel as a nation will be saved and restored as the people of God at the coming of Christ, for the “Church” is the Israel of God.

Preterists believe most prophecy was fulfilled in the events of AD 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem, while Historicists would believe, in addition to the AD70 destruction of Jerusalem, that some prophecies were fulfilled later, such as the “lawless one” in Second Thessalonians 2:1-12, being the office of the pope—Preterists would say the lawless one was the Roman Emperor Nero. Dispys believe he is the final Antichrist.

Interestingly, Historicists believe that both Dispensationalism and Preterism was created by Jesuit Priests to take attention off the Pope as the “Lawless One” in Second Thessalonians 2:1-12.

The text of Second Thessalonians 2: 1-12 speaks of the revealing of the Lawless One when the Restrainer is removed. The revealing results in the Lawless One sitting in the Temple of God and showing himself as God. Historicists say it was the Roman Empire that restrained such an act of the papacy, but after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Pope could openly make such a claim in the Church (which they believe is the “Temple of God” in the text). Preterists believe the Lawless One was the Roman Emperor Nero, but the “abomination of desolation” spoken by Daniel and Jesus was the destruction of the temple by the Romans. Dispys say the Lawless One is the future Antichrist, and he is the same person as the “little horn” of Daniel 7 and “Beast” of Revelation 13 and 17. The act is in a future 3^rd Jewish Temple and is that abomination of desolation. After the act in the temple, in the middle of the 7 years, great tribulation will follow for 3 ½ years.

Dispys believe that the things Jesus spoke concerning—in the Olivet Discourse, being the time of the end of the age--were descriptive of how bad things will get on earth leading up to the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilence, persecution, and deception. Preterists and Historicists would identify these things with the period of AD70 and the destruction of Jerusalem.

Anti-Dispys would label Dispys as being doom and gloom, because Dispys see things getting worse as the age comes to a close, particularly those last 7 years.

Dispys believe Jesus will come the second time and end the time of great tribulation. Afterwards, Jesus will set up the 1000 year reign of the Millennial Kingdom (MK). Anti-Dispys believe Jesus comes after the MK, believing it is his authority exercised now on earth through the Church and the advance of the Gospel into the world.

Dispys believe with the return of Christ and the setting up of the MK that Israel will be restored as a people and nation as the people of God under the terms of the new Covenant. Christ will rule over the nations in a manifested way with the Law of God going forth from Jerusalem. Anti-Dispys say that the Church is Israel, and that national Israel has no future purpose as the people of God: there is no future MK after the return of Christ, for the MK is the reign of Christ now, of unspecified length—the 1000 years is not literal—or for a 1000 years yet to come through the advance of the Gospel before Christ Returns.

Time will tell.

Futurist Timeline

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