The Holy Bible – How Much Do You Believe?

First let me start by saying that I am a Christian. I am saved and believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and for that I am forever grateful. I take the Holy Bible as God’s holy word.

With that being said, I am putting myself out there by saying that I can honestly understand why many choose not to read or give the Holy Bible much significance.

Now don’t get me wrong, I try to live by the bible as best as I can (many shortfalls sadly) but for those who aren’t committed to the belief of the Gospel then there is undoubtedly much room for scrutiny.

For example many people believe that the events chronicled in the bible are just as sketchy as those described in the theory of evolution. Some take the theory of evolution as solid fact while others do not believe that it is an accurate or complete explanation of how human life began. This too goes for the bible. There are people who swear by the words contained in the Holy Bible while others feel that there may be some truth to the bible, but there is too much room for doubt for them to believe in its entirety.

Some Christians even have trouble coming to terms that every word written in the bible should be taken as truth. They read their bibles, they are taught from the bible in church, yet they still find difficulty in believing and abiding by what the word tells them.

One of the most controversial issues dealing with what the bible actually states is the subject of homosexuality. Many homosexual people (including Homosexual Christians) argue that the bible does not in any certain terms state that same sex relationships or sexual behavior is immoral. They also argue that nowhere in the bible is it written that the scriptures mainly used by true Christians today to note God’s judgment of homosexuality does not relate to homosexuality today, but rather that of the original meaning of homosexuality and therefore does not point out today’s definition and its context. 

Of course those who believe otherwise will generally point out this scripture in the 18th chapter of Leviticus

²²Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

…followed by this scripture in Leviticus the 20th chapter

¹³If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

They will conclude by telling the story of Sodom and Gomorrah

Another small, but often talked about example of what is actually stated in the bible is the art of tattooing and body piercing. Many pastors touch on the topic of tattooing/body piercing somewhere along the way during their ministering. They generally use the following scripture:

Leviticus 19:28 (King James Version)

 ²⁸Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

For some, that is enough to make them believe that tattooing is forbidden by God because but for others that scripture does not exactly state that you should not get a tattoo. Then there are those that have read this scripture, are Christians yet they have tattoos and see nothing wrong with it because they do not feel that is in any way possible to live your life completely as directed by the bible. Everyone will fall short at some point in time, so yes they believe in the Bible but don’t feel that is a realistic thought that  one can follow the instructions for life given by the bible 100%.

I saw this acronym somewhere and it made me stop and think

Basic

Instructions

Before

Leaving

Earth

 If the bible should be the instruction manual of how Christians live their lives, why is it so difficult to believe that even the controversial issues that many see inaccuracy in are true? Could it be that many of those who proclaim to be true Christians are not completely convinced that each word of the book of their God is 100% truth? Or, is it easier to believe the parts that suit you and that you choose to live by while leaving those that are not as convincing behind?

**And for those that may be interested here is what former President George W. Bush who is a Christian said about whether he believes the bible to be true.

**all scriptures noted are from the King James Version of the bible from BibleGateway.com**

The New Marriage

“My wife and I have an understanding”

That is what I was told recently by a married man who has extramarital affairs. Now as I have said before, maybe it is just my old fashioned ways that keeps me in this little box of morals and helps me to maintain my fear of God, but when did it become okay to have any kind of understanding with your wife except the understanding that you both would be faithful?

Well that thought goes with the old marriage, the new marriage sometimes and for some people incorporates openness and that great word of “understanding”.

 I am single and I respect marriage, so why is it that so many married people don’t respect marriage?

This guy went on to say that he has a girlfriend who knows that he is married, and that he maintains both relationships pretty well because they have an “understanding”. They both love him and yes he could be with just his wife but he doesn’t want to. The guy has options I guess. Obviously in his marriage he has the option to see other people.

When did marriage become open? If you want to see other people and have relationships with other people why get married? When did marriage become a relationship where you could see who you want, have sex with who you want, enjoying both the single and married life, as long as there was this “understanding”?

Who came up with this brilliant as shit policy of “understanding”?

So many people are taking marriage as just something to do. Who cares about the vow that was made before God, who cares that they vowed to love and cherish each other till death do they part? Those important concepts of the wedding vow have been disrespected and tossed aside. Now people marry, separate and move on with their lives as if the fact that they are still married is just a minor technicality.

I was watching Divorce Court one day and I heard a man say something that since then I have heard adulterers say over and over “I am married but separated”. If you are married and you don’t get a divorce or become widowed, aren’t you still married?

If you are done with the marriage, maybe you should do something about resolving it i.e. a divorce before you decide to move on with your life as if that little marriage thing you did a while back will just disappear.

Marriage was once a sacred union, now people wear marriage like a loose garment. They don’t hold on to it. If there is a problem with it, just let it go, no need to hold on, it’s only marriage….

 

Has the church gone too far?

I attend a small Baptist church. You know, one of those small churches that sit on a hill, the ones that make you think of the Color Purple when Shug and the juke joint folks ran down the dirt road to the church where the choir was singing Speak to Me.

didn’t that chile sing that song!

My church is based on what I like to call old time religion. No pop locking because the choir is singing your favorite song, no huge bands playing R&B mixed with Gospel, no songs that straddle the line between secular and gospel and last but not least, no pretense for participation. My pastor will not wear fancy suits and buy a new car every year just to get attention. It is a bible based church and that’s the way I like it.

I say all of that to ask a question, has the church gone too far?

First let me say that this post is in no way meant to offend anyone or personally attack any specific person’s religious preference, place of worship or religious beliefs.

Not too long ago, World Overcomer’s Outreach Ministries Church here in Memphis, TN caught quite a bit of flack for a statue they had built in front of the church. The Statue of Liberation Through Christ cost the church a whopping $260,000.

The 72 foot statue which is a replica of the Statue of Liberty holds a cross in her right hand and the Ten Commandments in her left hand.  You can find the complete breakdown of the statue’s attributes and symbolism here.

Some were outraged by the placement of the statue and called the statue a form of idol worship and proclaimed that the church should be ashamed. My first thought was wow $260,000 that money could have built some low income homes or provided home placement or other necessities to families in need or even a shelter for the homeless….

The same church also came under heavy scrutiny when the pastor and his wife put on a play which sought to teach husbands and wives about their sexual relationships and how to keep your spouse interested. The stage where the pastor normally preaches was set up as a bedroom and the pastor and wife entertained the members of the congregation.

At this point many people felt that it was no longer a question it was true, the church had gone too far!

Then there are the churches that proclaim that the youth must be reached. These churches seem to be willing to bring anything into the church to get the youth to feel welcome and comfortable during worship. They allow things like this to take place in the church:

True, the youth do need to be reached, but is the only way to reach them is to let them lean wit it rock wit in on the church platform?

Along with sex plays and hip hop dancing there is also the lavish lifestyles of many of the pastors that have the eyebrows of many raised and wondering.  A while back WLMT Memphis news anchor Jeni Diprizio covered the story “Preacher’s Pads”  (which I cannot find the article anywhere, still searching though) where she investigated just how large pastors were living. After the research, the conclusion was that preacher’s were living VERY large. They had huge homes, multiple cars and many of the home’s mortgages were paid by the church. This was no surprise to many because they were members at some of these churches were the preachers drove Escalades while the members struggled to pay utility bills. However for some this was even more proof that church is no longer based on religion and worship but for the most part it is just a paycheck for the preacher and an entertainment outlet for the congregation.

Then there is TBN….

It has been around longer than I can remember and honestly the network does nothing for me. I know that they have a very faithful audience, some who contribute dutifully and others who tune in just to hear the word, but personally some of the stuff broadcast on TBN rubs me the wrong way.

There are a list of reasons TBN doesn’t provoke a Hallelujah from me, a few of the reasons include the prayer cloths, trinkets for donations and astonishing healing services I have an awkward feeling towards the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Remember this is the same network in which scandalous Jimmy Swaggart  proclaimed to heal souls and live by the word

did he say he would kill a homosexual????

AND the same network that allowed adulterous Jim Bakker to preach the word for so many years.

With the lavish living, sex in the pulpit and the uncountable number of Unholy Rollers, many people have given up on the church. They no longer believe that it is a place to worship or profess their love for God. These are the people who crinkle their noses at you and quickly say no thank you when invited to worship service. These are the people who believe that religion is overrated and most church services are artificial.

Has the church gone too far?