Traversing Babylon

Introduction ~

This site  is written for various groups of people: 

• Those who have given up on Christianity.

• Those who are turned off by Jesus because of contradictory church doctrines, such as the idea of a loving God creating eternal hell or ordering genocide.

• Those who believe God is more loving, tolerant, and gracious than many churches portray.

• New believers trying to understand the diverse landscape of Christianity.

If you don't question these things or are intolerant of differing scriptural interpretations, this site may not be for you. I believe that sincerity in your search for God and love for Him (Luke 10:27) is more important than any particular faith. Certainly I don’t believe you have to agree with everything written on this site to be saved. 

Doctrines are human interpretations established by organized religion. They are completely unnecessary for finding salvation. Jesus said that if we ask, seek, and knock, God will provide everything we need, including salvation.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Mat.7.7-8

I regard the Bible as a historical document and record that reflects humanity's evolving understanding of God, and its writers' spiritual beliefs. The most important value of scripture is the verses which are a record of Jesus's words, and His life on earth. 

Men in the past were just as vulnerable as humans today; and they were all diverse in their views.  Study Romans 14, and you will find that God honors convictions of every sort. As in Romans 14, one’s conscience will not allow eating meat offered to idols, another may allow it, still God accepts either view — but only if it’s born from honesty. And because God is love, He does not allow the belittling of another’s heartfelt faith. Nor will He allow those whose conscience allows more, tempt those who are sensitive to such things. 

Though Jesus didn't promise us the Bible, He did promise us the infilling of the Holy Spirit to guide us in our faith (Jn.14.26, Jn.15.26). Many churches, however, emphasize traditions and doctrines based on cultural interpretations of scripture, rather than the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Understandably, people might prefer following a rule-based system, like the Old Testament, rather than trusting in the promised 'still, small voice' (1Ki.19.12).  Like parents training children: initially, they give commands, but as the children mature, they understand the reasons behind the rules, and as they grow they learn to be guided by their conscience.

The following chapters explore the limitations of religious systems, which often treat believers as children needing constant and consistent direction.

 I believe God accepts all honest people, yes, even if they subscribe to a religious system. These individuals may have been born into that religion; God could have used that system to bring them out of a dark place; or their particular system may have been the only one available to them. A person adhering to a particular dogma does not automatically mean they are ignorant. The fact is, they may be smarter than me; they may even be more effective in their faith than me. They can gain insights as easily as another. As an example a quote I often use, "Ideology is idolatry," came from a Catholic theologian. All who are truly following Christ will eventually look back and see their past associations as part of their growth process.

If we are going to grow in our faith, we must follow truth/light where we find it. God has His own criteria for success, and it's not through intelligence or following perceived correct systems, but following God with a sincere heart. 

Because the human psyche is complex, we shouldn't judge others, especially their faith (as Jesus taught). Instead, we should offer genuine concern and thoughtful answers to people’s questions and frustrations. When we follow Jesus and His examples of Love, rather than dogma we will discover that God is far better than we were ever taught.

Viewing the Bible as solely supernatural, with God as its only author, can lead to contradictions of reason. Instead, we should see it as a valuable historical record of its writers' beliefs, and insights of God and their religion—which is their faith. This allows us to understand the scriptures within their cultural context; but also glean the principles and truths they contain.

Finally, you will read many attacks on institutions in these writings. Remember, Jesus did the same. While He didn’t attack individuals (as I will not) He attacked groups and the system with phrases like hypocrites, blind guides, children of hell, whitewashed tombs, broods of vipers. But only those who walked contrary to God’s ways. 

Chapter 1~ Beyond God’s voice: discovering God’s nature

What is the value of the Bible if not entirely a supernatural book? It offers profound spiritual insights and wisdom, yet it still reflects the cultural perspectives of its writers, sometimes obscuring the true nature of God.

God's communication doesn't depend on the perfection of those He uses. As in the story of Balaam (Num.22), God can even use a donkey to communicate. Also, as with modern preachers and translations of scripture, God never required everything to be verbatim. 

God works through all kinds of people, including those who struggle with sin. The writers of the Bible were no exception. Even King David, "a man after God’s own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14), wrestled with adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12:9). God understands our human imperfections, even those who appear sophisticated, educated, or mature, can still be in error. As an example, for years physiatrists were know to have a much higher rate of suicide than many schooled in the human psyche.   

As every Bible student is aware, there are no original Bible manuscripts in existence. Only, uncountable copies of those books. Add to this, translations from one language to another. Fallible men could not help but contribute their vulnerabilities to the text. As a result, the Bible is riddled with inconsistencies and obvious changes from one copy of scripture to another; mostly minor, but some more serious. Therefore it is irrational to believe every word in it is inspired to be perfect.*

 Throughout the history of Judaism and Christianity, the belief in biblical inerrancy, and the belief in following established institutional traditions, has led to using scripture to enforce implicit religious codes, a type of subtle legalism. I’ve been guilty of this myself, citing scripture to enforce my views on people whose faith allowed behaviors different than my own. For example:

“Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?” 1Cor.11.14

* “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” 2Tim.3.16  

I repented of pressuring people to conform when I discovered that ‘being Biblical’ usually evolves into legalism. Typically, Christian leaders take their views from scripture, and pressure others to adhere to their views. Those who provoke others to follow in this way must be careful, for it must be through Jesus & the Holy Spirit that is the correct way to grow in our faith. Following another’s interpretations & conscience too much can inadvertently make that person your lord.

 Regarding men having long hair (1Cor.11.14), the idea that nature schools us in God’s way, may sometimes be true, but defining how this works is highly subjective. Then to pressure others into our thinking goes beyond the boundaries of how their faith should work. Therefore, reenforcing my viewpoint based on cultures of the past can become a kind of violation of another's conscience. 

Legalism can manifest in even more serious ways, particularly in forcing unity of opinion. Many churches, both Catholic and Protestant, require members to abandon their views and consciences to fully subscribe to the group's doctrines. Those who disagree may be allowed to attend, but they are usually treated as second-class members.

True unity stems from two things: accepting Christ's gift of the Holy Spirit, which puts us in God’s family; and walking in love, which is the manifestation of God's work within us. False unity arises from viewing the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, as literal law from the mouth of God.

All things considered, and compared with other ancient writings, the Bible is remarkably accurate in its history. However, the people who recorded these events had cultural biases about what kind of God they served. Because God can’t be seen. The nature of God was surmised from mankind's premise that God controls all things, including nature — and they believed He uses nature and other events to bless or punish mankind. With variations within monotheism, these have been common assumptions since ancient times. Even though God may be able to control every molecule in the universe, to say that He always controls our actions takes away freewill, and is illogical. 

*Note: Since the New Testament wasn’t in existence when Paul wrote 2Tim.3.16, obviously the Apostle Paul had to be speaking of the Old Testament. Then, if you are of the opinion that God told Joshua to commit genocide, and the Bible is wholly accurate and perfect in inspiration; then if you believe God never changes, we must conclude that God may ask Christians to commit genocide; even though Jesus told us to “love your enemies.” A more indepth argument is coming.

Chapter 2 ~ Jesus and the Bible

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made, that was made.” Jn.1.1-3

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jn.1.14

God came to the Jews as the ‘Son of Man,’ Jesus. (Jn.8.28) He came first as a Jew, and primarily spoke to Jews. Moreover, all his disciples were Jews of one sort or another. Consequently, their former understanding of God, and their culture came from the Old Testament. However, with His life and His teachings, Jesus showed what the Jews at that time believed about God, was all wrong. So much so, that the Jews continually sought to kill Him. Like the Jews, fundamentalist Christians, and other systems, are so tethered to the Old Testament view of God they fail to see how far off the Jews were. If we believe that Jesus is the only begotten of God, we cannot expect Jesus to have considered Himself, a Jew. Yes, biologically He was a Jew. God had to come in the flesh somewhere on the planet, but this does not mean He endorsed all Israel’s beliefs about His nature.

As the Apostle John said (1Jn.4), Christ came to reveal God's true nature as Love. However, many people, both Jewish then, and Christians today, missed this message. As a result, some believers, like those who came before them, have adopted the view of God as a relentless judge, who hates sinners.

From the fundamentalist view, this justifies a type of God whose ultimate objective is to destroy all sinners. 

“The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.” Ps.5.5

So you see, if we take the Old Testament view of God, then transpose Christ into that image, Christianity becomes illogical and confusing. Yes, the Old Testament does speak of Christ, but indirectly. Truly there are some accurate pictures of God in the Old Testament, but overall, much less accurate than Jesus showed God to be. 

Another obstacle for religionists is inspiration. Inspiration does not imply perfection. This explains why we should not call the entirety of scripture, ‘God’s Word.’ Because anything filtered through the minds of men; either what we believe we hear, or insights, or interpretations, will certainly be tainted as it courses through our human minds. Jesus certainly quoted the Old Testament, but He didn’t endorse every word and nuance. For instance, the women taken in adultery. If Jesus had supported the Old Testament law, He would have allowed the stoning of her. (Jn.8 / Deut.22.22)

The Bible can be broken down into at least five categories: 

1. Laws and Religious instruction

• Old Testament Jewish Law / New Testament religious instructions via epistles.

2. Wisdom, various insights into human interaction and life.

• Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. Also various insights scattered throughout scripture.

3. Poetry

•  Song of Solomon, the book of Psalms

4. History

• Old Testament stories, records, Chronicled Books, including Jewish history relating to their world and political experiences.

•  New Testament Gospels, the book of Acts, which is a kind of documentary of the early days of Christianity. 

5. Revelations from God

• Words from Old Testament Prophets

•  New Testament Prophecies and book of Revelation

And many of these categories overlap in content.

The Jews were meticulous in their record keeping. But as I have also stated, the record keepers were only normal men. They shared similar intellectual faculties that modern humanity has. They also had the same personal vulnerabilities we have. Besides this, they didn't have technology to help them determine inconsistencies. They brought all these human frailties into their work...especially in regards to prophecy.

For instance, the book of Revelation, Martin Luther, a great hero of the Reformation, had some real issues with the book, supposedly written by Christ’s disciple, John. Luther doubted the book belonged in the collected books of the Bible (the Canon). He felt the Jesus represented in the book of Revelation did not match the Jesus represented in the Gospels.

* Read the year 1522, “Preface to the Revelation of St. John” in Luther’s translation of the New Testament. It explains his view of the book of Revelation.

Categories 1–4 are typical human activities. Similar textual resources might exist for all religions. But prophecy is a different issue; instead of men's perspectives on history, religion, poetry, and laws, men now declare, 'Thus saith The Lord.' 

It’s hard to debate or outright disagree with a person who says God spoke to them, and therefore believe what God has supposedly said? I believe God has spoken to me at times, as I do He does for everyone. But to say ‘thus saith the Lord,’ puts that voice in an inarguable category. Rarely does God speak audibly to anyone. His voice works much differently; He speaks to our spirit, bypassing the physical parts of our bodies. 

Though I believe prophets exist, no man, even prophets, can fully convey God's heart. Even the Apostle Paul said, 'we know in part and prophesy in part.' (1Cor.13.9) The reason for this is, all prophets are tied to their cultures to some degree. On the other hand, fundamentalists interpret prophetic words in scripture, as literal utterances from God. If we truly take all the words of scripture as literal, and we are extremely zealous, we will undoubtedly become militant or extremists. Many organized religions worship those ancient words; then, to convey their religious beliefs, they construct extravagant structures and intricate religious systems based on corporate interpretations (called  hermeneutics); and as a result, they are unable to convey the simplicity of genuine faith in God. 

 Logically, the cultural false information about God can be attributed to men's preconceived ideas, and their fallible understandings about God. 

The sooner one arrives at the conclusions I've offered here, the sooner all of the nagging questions about God, the horrific things He has alleged to have done, can be reasonably answered.

Throughout history, whenever mankind encounters phenomena beyond immediate grasp, we create imagination or myth to fill the gaps in understanding. For example, a bad dream might spark the idea of alien abduction. Unexplained noises could be attributed to poltergeists. In animistic cultures, the deaths of several tribe members might be blamed on a shaman's curse. Religious belief systems also offer their cultural explanations as consequenced from invisible forces. This tendency to explain the unknown through the lens of existing beliefs is a constant within all cultures. But if we are to really understand God we must escape the dominant cultural view of Him.   

However, though the history and beliefs of the Old Testament were imperfect, God has provided an alternative to man’s imperfect records, opinions and religious views:

"But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him." 1Jn.2.27

Keep in mind, God is invisible, and very rarely audible. Also It’s highly unusual that anyone says ‘God spoke verbally to me.’ In addition, most claims in scripture, except perhaps geography, are definitively unprovable. This is why faith is required of us. Even the original disciples needed faith after our Lord’s ascension. Therefore, whatever mankind comes up with and conveys to another person, requires faith. When John wrote, ‘you need not anyone teach you…,’ he was speaking of a supernatural leading of God. Again, this requires faith to be accomplished. 

Finally, the Bible has gone threw so many translation, and therefore interpretations before it has come to Americans:

1. Scholars believe Jesus spoke Aramaic, and also Hebrew. And probably Greek as well.

2. The writers of the New Testament probably wrote in Aramaic; no originals exist.

3. These were translated to Greek

4. The first translation of the Bible from Greek into Latin, the Catholic Vulgate 

5. The English translation of scripture didn’t occur until almost 1400 AD 

6. Now there are are over 450 English translations

7. And there are countless scripture interpretations. 

Chapter 3 ~ The Conundrum 

When God speaks to us it is seldom in a dynamic, obvious way. He incorporates His voice among our thoughts, conscience & feelings. But think about it — with few exceptions all of life’s decisions are accomplished, through our thinking, and feelings, seldom mathematically or scientifically. Like marriage, or where to live, or what friends to have. This list could go on and on. We need to understand when we make a decision which is as important as marriage, or having a child, or buying a house, etc. It requires a measure of faith in the counsel, or what you think we understand about the decision. Now, take your subtle decision about the understanding of God and who He loves, and plans to do with them in eternity. This is a bigger decision than we often think. Because it forms our picture of God. Then if we want to please God in all we do this forms the way we treat others.

Some people reject churches because they cannot swallow what is fed to them. Things like, ‘God chooses some for heaven, (Election) and therefore the rest of humanity are predestined to Hell.

If we follow the Old Testament God, either we will fall into a passive stupor, or be led to extremism —  to the point of setting aside Jesus' words to ‘love our neighbors, and love our enemies.’ Instead we will hate our neighbor (just as the Jews hated the Samaritans) by judging them because they don't believe popular doctrine; or fit into our perception of how faith should work. 

Look at the history of the church, especially the dark ages, where the Catholic church was a major contributor to those dark times. Because the nature of institutions is to control those around them, men are more likely to emulate what we think is the character of God. When drawn from the Old Testament, and not Christ’s example; as stated before, we may even condone genocide, believing this is one of God’s methods. (Josh.10.40) 

This can also make us inordinately political, attempting to force our community into conformity to, so called, “Christian” ideals, which is not the job of a true ambassador of the Kingdom of God (2Cor.5.20). An ambassador for God’s Kingdom allows God’s patience to change people from the inside, not by external political force. And instead of history teaching God hates sinners, a true ambassador for the Kingdom of God will always emphasize how much God continues to love sinners. 

“We love Him because He first loved us.” 1Jn.4.19

Just because Evangelical Fundamentalism may be the loudest, or the most obvious form of Christianity for many, does not mean their beliefs are accurate.

Think about it, religion is man made. Therefore you can expect all kinds of mistakes, factual errors, illogical myths and fallacies; including moral inconsistencies, which violate your concept of right and wrong. 

As with prophecy people have a hand in every part of the Bible, religion, and  everything written about God; including all the supposed utterances of God. God’s servants are the sources of all that conflicts with our consciences, and how we perceive God & Christ. However, if we take in account that God has always used flawed men to do His will, and that God requires us to ultimately submit to His leading above all else, then we will become safer from following the biases of organized religion, and the teaching of bent men. Though all the above is true, Jesus did say, “As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” (Jn.20.21). This means we all have an immense responsibility. Therefore, we need to get it right.  

Fundamentalist believe that it was only the original manuscripts which were perfectly inspired, but not the copies. However, though I disagree with the fundamentalist view of inerrancy, even of the original documents, their doctrine on inerrancy is automatically moot; for the obvious reason, if such is the case, what’s the value in believing in original manuscript inerrancy, if no originals exist?

Some would argue that the Apostle Paul believed in something close to inerrancy: 

 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2Tim.3.16

The word inspiration, not only does not mean a perfect outcome, it just may be that Paul was speaking of non-literal guidelines of faith, often referred to as eisegesis, which is reading into a verse. Which allows for a broader interpretation, beyond face value. For instance, we can gather a lot from the story of Adam & Eve’s temptation. But we don’t have to create a definite timeline of when it happened. Neither must we believe in ‘talking snakes’ to get the lessons included in the story. Regardless, his fellow Jews accused Paul of being a heretic (Acts.24.14).

Interpretations of scripture down through history may have clouded this as well. It just may mean that, rather than the scripture being perfectly literal, generally our lives can be guided by the principles of scripture, without believing that every word in scripture was dictated from God’s mouth. Many believers stress the point, ‘God is omniscient, all knowing.’ Then isn’t it logical to assume, if God knew the original manuscripts would disappear, wouldn’t He likely have done something to solve the issue.

One of the keys to understanding God’s Kingdom is to understand what the Bible really is. As I have noted, the Bible is a record of what men believed about God, and believed what was God’s will. And though Jesus was correct in all things, those who interpreted and wrote of Him, may have misunderstood some things.  

Though the supernatural is the source of inspiration, we must logically take the supernatural out of the written word, which has been filtered through the minds of vulnerable mankind. Other than the disciples of Jesus, the ancients didn’t have any better revelation about God than modern believers do. And, as you’ll recall, the disciples made all kinds of errors while they walked with Jesus; the last being Peter, who hacked off one of Jesus’s captors ear. 

The logical answer for this is: They once walked according to scripture, but after their Pentecost experience, they walked a supernatural walk much more, but they still made mistakes:

“Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;...” Gal.2.11 (This note by Paul, several years after Pentecost)

And it wasn’t just Peter, all men, including the Apostle Paul, who said of himself and others: 

“we know in part, and prophesy in part..and we see through an obscured glass” (1Cor.13.9-12). 

 This was certainly true of those who were pre-Christ. Mankind has continued to get God’s Kingdom wrong, especially organized religious systems.

While the ideal suggests that believers follow God with their whole heart, the reality demonstrates that laws are actually needed in all segments of society. Obviously not for the mature believer who follows God’s heart. However, even the immature in churches, who believe in God, but  have not learned how to be led of the Spirit.  As with children, immature adults require The Law (the 10 commandments) to give them a foundation to begin their understanding. 

For a significant portion of the population, social media serves as the primary input for information about the world. The constant barrage of sensational content and the emphasis on instant gratification can hinder the development of a well-formed conscience. Conscience is not just an awareness of rules, but an inner guidance towards what is right and good, even when it's difficult. When individuals are continually exposed to messages that prioritize money, prestige, and sexual pleasures, they will struggle to hear God’s leading. This can lead to behaviors that seem driven by impulse rather than thoughtful consideration; much like the actions of someone still navigating the complexities of adolescence. While external rules are sometimes important, a God centered led conscience is essential for a successful life; as well as a truly just and ethical society. Those who lag behind in God’s leading to His principles, do need Law. 

 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1Jn.2.15-16

Chapter 4 ~ God is Reasonable, God is Logical

   “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool." Is.1.18

Earlier I displayed a verse about Israel's God (supposedly) commanding Joshua to commit genocide (Jos.10.40). Is this ‘reasonable’, is this the kind of God you serve? Think about it, apparently God "hates the hands that shed innocent blood." (Prov.6.16-17) Either babies are not innocent and were somehow worthy of death. Or… something is amiss here. To attribute such commands to a God, who is Love (1Jn.4.7-8) makes no sense. 

Do you see, why would god make such a command to Joshua, then through Jesus say, ‘Love your enemies.’ Isn’t it more reasonable that Joshua got it wrong?

The truth is, God is just like Jesus; Jesus and God are supposed to be one, right? Can you imagine Jesus commanding his disciples to kill a child or some other horrible thing supposedly commanded by God? The Jesus I've come to know, never would. This begs the question, are such references to a genocidal God accurate and what is God really like?' 

Isn't it more reasonable that the accounts of these supposed instructions to kill the inhabitants of Canaan were beliefs about God's character, and wrong impressions about what was His will?

Remember, Moses had no idea who was talking to him from the burning bush:

Until the burning bush, while hiding out from the Pharoah, God's voice was unfamiliar to Moses. Keep in mind, all the events surrounding the Exodus, etc., occurred prior to Jesus coming; without Him showing God's true character, and sending the Holy Spirit to guide us. Why then do theologians assume Moses, Joshua, and all the rest of Israel got things right? 

Those of us on this side of the cross, even after being "filled with the Spirit" and after having the Bible for thousands of years, still can't agree on what is the right course to follow! How can we expect Bronze Age humanity, after having been influenced by the Egyptians, to perfectly understand God's ways? Logically, they couldn’t. Then why should we follow their understanding about God? Especially since we know that much of what happened in the Old Testament violates what the Holy Spirit has taught us. 

“Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” Ex.3.13

God began to educate Moses about Himself. Up to this point of Mose’s life, and going back to the early patriarch, and even after Pentecost, and even in the present day, like Paul, ‘we see through an obscure glass. (1Cor.13.12)’ This was especially true of Moses. God’s identity, God’s goodness, was a complete mystery to him. God did not have a name, nor were there any written laws for Israel. As Israel gradually separated themselves from the gods of their surrounding neighbors, we can naturally surmise they had some wrong ideas about the nature of God. Since the Person of Jehovah God was new to the Israelites, they imagined Him to be someone entirely different from what is shown us in the four gospels. 

Remember, Israel had been in Egypt for over four hundred years (Ex.12.40). Not only was God obscure before their arrival to Egypt, but His identity began to be wholly compromised during Israel's time in Egypt.     

In addition, some believe, as I do (because of the scriptural dating of Israel’s stay in Egypt) that Pharaoh Akhenaten (Amenhotep) may have been influenced by Joseph’s and Israel’s stay in Egypt. As far as we know Akhenaton was the sole Monotheist Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt’s history. No one really knows how he arrived at his beliefs. Was he influenced by Israel’s beliefs, then amalgamated Joseph’s God into his belief system? Then Israel’s faith was further refined under Moses. Regardless, the monotheism of Egypt was short-lived and formally abandoned by Egypt after Akhenaten's death.

Because the one true God was so undefined; and since Jehovah God had not been identified as yet; prior to the giving of the Law, God could only be imagined, and could be believed to be anything, even a calf! (Ex.32.22-24)

Any study of the Patriarchs will show you, none of them had any sort of understanding who God actually was. From Joseph’s perspective, God could have been ‘Aton,' the Sun god.

This is not so far-fetched; remember the story of Jacob’s wife, Rachel, Joseph’s mother. How she lied to Laban, her father, when she stole his "idols" (Gen.31.34). 

The account of Rachel stealing her father's idols was a couple generations after God chose Abraham. Then Jacob's father, Isaac, grew in his understanding of God; Jacob had to go through his own process of developing an understanding of God. Finally we come to Joseph; his brothers sold him into slavery around the age of seventeen. To assume he had a perfect understanding of God and could clearly hear His voice is ridiculous. After Joseph finally settled in Egypt with years of imprisonment and slavery; though he was clearly a man of principle, we must assume his understanding of God was spotty at best. 

Now, consider this, the community of Israel and Jacob's descendants were resident in an Idolatrous nation; there is no way their incomplete theology could not pick up wrong pictures of God. 

I know this idea sounds odd to most Christians, this is because most assume God chose Moses, Joshua, and most of Israel’s early leaders, because they were excellent men, and had some great and righteous behavior, or special knowledge or insight into Jehovah God. Nothing is further from the truth. As Christianity rightly teaches, God reveals Himself to those whose hearts are inclined towards Him, regardless of their history. Furthermore, never do we see good works, in either Testament, as God's sole criteria to earn His favor. It is more likely Moses, Joshua, and all the Patriarchs were just as much ‘in process’ as men are today.

Fundamentalist theologians read the Bible as if it perfectly represents God's heart, His words and His actions. So you see, there are reasons theologians make God out to be genocidal. 

The layman looks on and thinks, 'with all their professionalism, their education, surely these men know the truth.' The reality is, these theologians have chosen their respective ideology over common sense, or logic and reason. All because the Bible is supposed to be a record of God’s voice.

Simply, the Bible is a record of what men thought they heard from God, in their minds and spirits. No doubt, as with any who seek God, there were many spiritual insights. But to my point, it is also a record of what they thought was happening in the spiritual realm. 

There’s the story of Uzzah, who was doing a good deed delivering the Ark of God to its home. The law said only Levites were allowed to handle the Ark (2Chron.15.2). Uzzah, not from the tribe of Levi, was concerned it was about to fall over. put his hand out to steady the Ark,  At that point he died (2Sam.6.6-7). The scriptures tell us that ‘God struck him dead;’ when in reality, he probably died of a heart attack. Both the ancients and many contemporary evangelical churches, due to their belief in scriptural inerrancy, have understood Uzzah's death as a direct act of God.

Remember ancient writers of the Bible didn't know God any better than you or I. In fact, the ancients knew God less than what is our potential; for Christ has come and given us an example of God, and promises and gifts they didn't have.  

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."  Mat.5.43-45, (Ps.139.21-22)

Chapter 5 ~ What then is the use of scripture? 

Though scripture technically cannot be ‘God's word,’ still the Bible has many advantages over other holy books; most especially because it tells the story of God's visitation to us, through Jesus. However, when it is implied and people are taught, ‘God is like mankind, with similar passions,’ the hearers experience inner turmoil and are left with questions, which institutions cannot answer. One of Christ’s missions was to change how the world sees God, but religious institutions persist in their Bronze Age mindset about what kind of God we have. 

If the Church is ever to transcend the Archaic images of God, we must acknowledge the failures of human institutions and their biased theology. Even those who claim to have no interest in God are aware of the distinction between a God of love and a nationalistic God of war and vengeance. Which, rationally, is simply men making God into their own image.

Does this mean the Old Testament and its followers are inherently evil? Absolutely not! Though these kinds of extreme feelings are prevalent in our society, disagreements should not be followed by hate towards the individuals who hold differing viewpoints. The Bible has a lot to teach us; especially if we read beyond the surface narrative.  Though the Pentateuch was made for a barbaric culture, still it is full of instruction. The Apostle Paul compares the Law to a guardian, nurturing a child until they mature, make wise choices, and inherit their full legacy. 

".. to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”  Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." Gal.4.4-7

Scripture is rich with insights available to anyone willing to engage with it thoughtfully. This engagement involves reflecting on the principles underlying the stories, rather than insisting on their literal accuracy. Our error lies in treating the Bible as an infallible text, bordering on idolatry. Calling the Bible "The Word of God" risks creating a "deep fake," similar to manipulating images or videos. Just as photos can be staged, written words can be altered, especially during translation, where cultural biases can affect interpretation.

Consider the book of Proverbs:

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ Prov.9.10 While "fear" is the most common translation of the Hebrew word, some versions render it as "reverence."

“To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord.” (Good News Translation) 

It may be the translators choose to alter the literal word because of other verses, like:

                                  ‘Perfect love casts out fear.’ 1Jn.4.18

These interpretive choices highlight the complexities of translation.

For those who have faith in Christ, the Law serves a purpose similar to that of a parent guiding a child. Many commands and laws in scripture should not be interpreted as prerequisites for a relationship with God, nor should they be taught in the rigid manner of organized religion. Imagine an eight-year-old playing in your yard. You wouldn't command them not to go into the street; you would explain the dangers lovingly, emphasizing their safety and your concern. Similarly, biblical "commands" should be understood as guidelines for a successful and safe life, both individually and communally.

This understanding connects to the definition of "sin" as "missing the mark." This "mark" isn't an arbitrary religious standard, but rather behavior that protects oneself and others. As Paul taught, this "mark" is not static (1 Corinthians 8:4-13), adapting to different contexts, like the issue of eating meat offered to idols. Or in the book of Romans:

 “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” Rom.14.14

Regarding the hold churches have had on morality, as most people know, religion has had a social and political hold on western culture for centuries. Gradually this hold is starting to wane. The Roman Catholic church, for example, had control over rulers in Europe and England for many generations (changing with Henry the 8th). The Roman Catholic church brought its brand of Christianity to many diverse tribes throughout the world. Now Catholicism is losing its political grip, and people are finding their own views of morality. 

The same has happened in North America where the influence of Protestant churches are  experiencing less control over society and has now been replaced by a variety of diverse beliefs. The consequences of these changes are unfolding: increased divorce rates, drug use, and sexual activity. Society has embraced a wider range of gender identities, promoting this freedom through social media.

Churches may interpret these trends as validation of their need for control, arguing for both moral and political authority. However, this is a misinterpretation of the Church's role. Their role is not to impose a moral code on people who have no interest in these institution's religious views. Also, it could be argued, society's moral decline has been helped along by the legalism emanating from organized religious institutions. 

The more these institutions flexed their muscles politically, the more people pulled back and found their own way. All legalism and forced moral dogma, whether in the home or at church, has a similar effect. 

The recent killing of a woman in Iran by morality police for "immodest" dress exemplifies the dangers of enforced morality. No religion has the right to dictate personal choices, whether as superficial as clothing or as complex as gender identity. Enforcing religious systems of morality undermines mankind's perception of God, which includes freewill. Except for parenthood, and explanation, it is not the job of those in the church to enforce their views on society. 

Therefore, by joining church and state, the undermining of God’s grace and freewill takes place, and affected mankind eventually grows to hate God. 

In the entire record of Jesus's conversations with individuals, never did He confront anyone about particular sins. Yes, He conversed about sin with the woman at the well, as well as telling others, 'sin no more,' but it wasn't confrontational. Neither was behavior the point of their discussion; He was, as we are now, ambassadors of a better kind of kingdom. One where those who want the abundant life may have it — if they follow the Lord. 

Christians should look at the subject of sin in a different manner altogether, and question the traditional responses we have had in the past. Instead of seeing people as 'violators of God's laws,' people should have empathy for the "sinners" situation; and respect them. 

Chapter 6 ~ Submission and Culture 

"And when the ten heard it, (James and John wanting a special place next to Jesus in His future Kingdom) they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matt.20.24-28

Organized religions' view:

Popes, down to pastors, priests, husbands, are taught that they are the authorities in their groups and families. Yet, this is a contradiction to what Christ said in Matthew 20, above.

Certainly those in authority will assent and quote the scripture above, but their actual attitudes and actions are dominated by their doctrinal thinking. 

At the writing of this chapter my wife and I have been married since 1969. The same year as our conversion to Christ.  Many of the following years we were deeply involved in our evangelical churches where we attended, and I taught the doctrine of submission as well. However, after awakening from my evangelical stupor I was able to see and experience the truth about submission. I found that the actual concept of submission has nothing to do with "authority," or anything resembling the doctrinal roots or present day Christian culture, inherited from the Apostle Paul's Jewish history.  But it has everything to do with love and freewill.

Note: After realizing I was wrong about the church doctrine of submission I was compelled to write to all the women, and their husbands who might have been influenced by my teaching. Click here to see the letter. 

The culture of Submission:

Where did the idea of submission come from? When you speak to a person raised in a church, they will take you to Genesis as the Apostle Paul did:

"Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control." 1Tim.2.11-15

As said, the core doctrine that Fundamentalist's teach is that the inspiration which brought about the Bible was originally, verbatim. That the ancient writers had perfect revelation from God. So when they speak of any doctrine which is part of their system, it cannot be argued with; because in their view, you'd be arguing with God! They call this 'verbal plenary inspiration,' indicating absolute authority of scripture.

Consequently, anyone who deviates from their interpretation of scripture is by default, a heretic. It is not just fundamentalists heresy who believe in the concept of heresy, most religions operate in this manner; often with the view their traditions were inspired by God; and thus one cannot disagree with their traditions. 

What is one to do if he or she has decided to believe differently, to follow what they believe is the right way to worship God, and encourage others to do so? 

The consequences could be severe. As an example, back in medieval times, when Protestant Fundamentalism was first being formed, there was a man named Servetus. He was a person with some influence, so he was captured and taken prisoner, then brought to John Calvin (The author of Calvinism, the prominent doctrine of many Fundamentalist churches). Servetus was tried in Calvin's court, but he would not submit to Calvin's doctrine and give up his beliefs, so he was found guilty of heresy and soon burned at the stake. 

I write this so simply...'burned at the stake;' The religionists in those days did not make it that simple. Calvin, though a reformer, learned much from the Catholics before him. The way Servetus was burned was not just casting him into an inferno for quick results. No, so he might finally turn from his heresy, the fire was a smoldering and intentionally prolonged & tortuous fire. All with the intent of convincing him to finally repent before he dies. If you'd like to read the whole account, read 'The Right to Heresy,' by Stefan Zweig. 

I could go into detail about Servetus and what he believed but that is not my intent. Servetus was a man who followed God the best way he understood. He followed his conscience. But when he did this it brought him into conflict with those who thought they should dictate what was truth and error. And they believed their version of truth must be submitted to. 

I began this chapter with a few verses about the place of women in the church. Though I dislike the extremes of feminism, on this point feminists are correct! A woman's submission to a man, though taught in scripture, is in my view,  a concept contrary to the principles of the Kingdom of God. 

But I'm jumping ahead too much. Let me lay it out this way: If the Bible is the absolute authority for the Church, then yes, women should keep their mouths shut when men are around. Or, all mankind should submit to the dominant religion in their region. But if churches have the idea of 'inspiration' wrong, that God verbally dictated scripture, then we must conclude that many concepts in the Bible are a product of culture. 

The way churches teach the doctrine of submission is all about control. That said, I confess, it is much more complicated than this. Aside from gender equality, the principles of 'Submission' unfortunately do perform some workable functions in all societies, groups and organizations, large and small. For instance, children should be in submission to their parents and their teachers. 

That said, 'submission' is only supposed to be a temporary supporting prop for institutions composed of individuals who have not gained, or have lost their ability to independently govern themselves, or able to act in love towards each other. 

But the truth is, though ‘submission’ can work to make things more productive, (like submission to authority in the army) the idea of submission is only a barbaric short term fix. When people mature in their faith, submission takes on a whole new principle; we do things which look like submission, but these acts are born of love. And in the true Christian life, as Jesus showed, even those in authority will submit to those supposedly ‘under’ them.

Think of it this way, ‘in the kingdom of God, the word submission is a synonym of the word, ‘love.’ We do things for someone, not because he is the boss, but out of love. Likewise, the boss is able to submit to those under him when it is clear that the person is better equipped to take the controls. Therefore, the boss loves that person, loves God’s ways. When Jesus washed His disciples feet, even though He was the only begotten son of God, He demonstrated the extent of submission, as love. Though our Lord was probably less equipped to do the job of washing feet, he did so to teach them to disregard the cultural interpretation of the word, submission. Today the mature Christian knows the word, submission, is an act of love. And we can abandon cultural views of the word,  and just love. A good example are older Christian adults. They usually settle into their strengths, capabilities, and talents, regardless of what the Bible says. The husband and wife learn from their many years together to respect each other's strengths. This only comes from listening to God's voice/common sense, not laws about submission.

Chapter 7 ~  Lord of  the Flies, as an example:

If you've ever worked in an office or known someone who has, you know it can function well if #1, everyone is a friend, they are honest and cooperative with each other. #2, Everyone knows their strengths and weaknesses and stays within these boundaries.  However, if one irregular person comes into that work environment, and that someone is a bully, or a liar, two faced, or non-cooperative, it can make a week of work almost unbearable.  If that person leaves, everyone experiences a huge sense of relief. 

Because not everyone can agree on or maintain a consistent ethical standards, this and many other situations can be unbearable for people. I'm not suggesting a religious norm! If one's life is controlled by the dictates of legalism, which are enforced by the spirit of men rather than the Spirit of God, which is Love, a religious community can be just as, or more oppressive than those who are  secular.

When I was a young teenager I watched the movie 'Lord of the Flies' (1963 version) and it had a profound effect on me and my thinking. Briefly, it was a movie about a large group of children who, after a shipwreck, were stranded on an island without adult supervision. The subsequent story included all manner of evil the children participated in, including murder. From the day I watched the movie I started seeing its relevance in the everyday affairs of men. I've since learned this is especially true with organized religion. 

As I stated before, 'sin is anything that will hurt oneself or those around you.' Children, not having the knowledge, experience, or wisdom to avoid the things that hurt others or themselves, need some kind of parental supervision. As they grow in independence they eventually create their own rules for life. When someone has grown up without proper tutoring in life's principles, or they have ignored them; they must learn in the school of 'hard knocks.'  Some of these hard knocks come from those in our societies who are appointed to keep society safe. This is where submission is necessary, and must be enforced by law. 

Back in medieval times, organized religion thought they should be the proper institution to be teachers of morals; and they should be judges, jury's and executioners on any who violated their views of right or wrong. Unlike medieval times, modern day religious groups no longer are able to influence 'the King,' so they do all they can politically, to control society. This is why Evangelicals jump on the bandwagon when they think a particular candidate for President will enforce their views of right and wrong.  

Regardless of who is in control, because of the moral makeup of mankind, and the principle of 'The Lord of the Flies,' there must be some institution/authority to guide mankind; or at least keep them in check. Organized religion always, and miserably fails at this. This is one reason, those who promote God's ways shouldn't be involved in politics, and compromise Christ's central message of love. Regardless, there is a way for those in the Church to help, but not force their views; it’s through Love, but it only works one person at a time.

Chapter 8 ~ The Worth of Organized church

Most Christians are convinced into thinking they need teachers to tell them how to live proper Christians lives. Earlier I referenced a letter of apology I felt compelled to write to the women and their husbands, about my teaching and supporting the doctrine of submission. Though it was an honest and heartfelt apology, I still feel badly about it and consider myself responsible for propagating an error; still there is more to this issue than, 'it's my fault.' The following is why.

"But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him."  1Jn.2.27

Everyone can hear from God, and He can, and will save us from error. However, there are mitigating circumstances which distract from God's leading. There is a type of emotional bonding a convert goes through with the entity which conveys the message of what God has done for us. But just because the message of freedom is largely true, does not mean it is all accurate, because the conveyors of the message are simple humans.

 There is a kind of 'cult of the Bible,' and this confuses things. For instance, Personally I believe the Biblical narrative about Israel's history is largely true. After all, most modern archeological discoveries in Israel have confirmed this to be a fact. But just because the histories recorded in scripture can be verified as true, does not mean Israel's understanding of our invisible God was accurate. Therefore, just because the Bible records that there was a flood, it does not guarantee the Old Testament view, that the flood covered the entire planet (Gen.7.19), But it is likely these accounts were surmised, and the story was handed down through tradition....How could the writers of the Old Testament actually know the waters 'covered the whole earth?'

Similarly, spiritual things work that way too. My wife and I had an incredibly dramatic conversion to Christianity. With this conversion (which is spiritual) there was a physical church we attended. The fellow who led us to our conversion introduced us to that church. Naturally, because our life had dramatically changed, everything that church taught was swallowed by us, hook line and sinker! 

Here's my point about "submission," and by the way, all other potentially false information coming from church, or even the people you love and respect—  before everyone else, our primary teacher must be God! If He and His principles are considered at all times, He will save us from lots of deception. 

No, this does not mean #1, we have an inner voice which we always understand accurately. #2, Nor does it mean we will not make mistakes. It just means, with the Holy Spirit's help, we are just as capable of finding our spiritual way as the greatest genius in Bible college...maybe better! It all depends, not on education of any type, but a continual open heart to God. 

To whom does God reveal Himself?

"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty:" 1Cor.1.27

Certainly we should learn as much as we can. But the world's way of measuring success should not be copied by the Church. Supposedly, though we are in the world, we should not love the world's ways (1Jn.2). The Apostle James said:

"Listen, my beloved brethren: God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?"  Jame.2.5

God's default choice for whom to use, are 'the poor in spirit.' And it is no surprise, the more we are rich (in any way) the less we call out to God. In the same way, the more educated we are, the more prone to pride we are, and harder for us to learn new things outside our box. The more handsome, talented, and popular we are in this world, the more rich in spirit we feel. Though these are not absolutes, still they are so common in our collective experience. They almost feel inevitable and absolute; this is why James wrote such things.

The false premise of submission has lodged itself in the minds of the cultural churches because these churches have bought it while ignoring God's opinion on the matter. Though I feel either The Apostle Paul had it wrong, or it was a cultural necessity at the time. It is likely Paul just couldn't see the difference, and thought this was a principle set in concrete. 

Elsewhere, Paul says, "Submit yourselves one to another." Eph.5.21. This I think is the central and most important part of the concept of submission. If we read 1 Corinthians 13 with submission in mind, we'll see . Just as with Grace, Mercy, compassion, submission is all about our willingness to love, honor and serve one another. Jesus demonstrated this concept with His entire life:

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  Mk.10.45

For a moment try to forget religion's doctrine and what it says. As I've indicated before, there are so many words in religion's different categories for shaping our view of God: His mercy, longsuffering, Grace, Faithfulness, Truthfulness, Gentleness, and finally His death on the cross; all of these are simply attributes of His essence—  Love. 

When Jesus said He came to serve, and He washed the disciples feet, this is the way we must see God. Jesus was not just pretending to be a servant when He washed the disciples feet. This is the way He, and God, truly are! Jesus didn't come to represent power; so called sovereignty, or Judgment, He came to earth to submit and serve mankind, even when He knew it would cost Him His life.

 "So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Jn.20.21

"You are gods"

What does that mean? 

"Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods?”  Jn.10.34

"I have said, 'You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High." Ps.82.6

The only way this can make sense of this, is if Jesus is referring to our adoption and inheritance we have from God the Father, and/or because we were created in His image: 

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mat.16.24

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." Ro.8.16-17

What does it mean, 'if indeed we suffer with Him..?' Some believed this meant we must live in a monastery, or beat ourselves with a scourge until bloody. Oh, it's much more difficult than that....it means we must be as Christ, deny ourselves and take up our cross -for those we LOVE....and for those we don't like we love them!

No, not in some ritualistic fashion, but in daily life, serving others; beginning with those closest to us, and all the way to the neighbor we once hated. 

When we do the above, and from a sincere and willing heart, we are walking in God's Spirit, and in genuine Love. We then are demonstrating our true association and relationship to God. 

While people of any Christian faith may perform righteous acts based on teachings, commands, or examples, genuine love and concern for those who have wronged them requires the presence of God's Spirit. This often involves willingly accepting suffering, mirroring Jesus' example. True submission, then, is the act of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others – in other words, love.

"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”  1Pe.5.5

  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Jn.3.16

Chapter 9 ~ What about other faiths? 

"Behold, You (God) desire truth in the inward parts,

And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom." Ps.51.6

By this time I hope you've read my essay on the myth of heresy, and agree, there is no such thing as heresy, unless someone insists on division based on opinion. Yes, there is such a thing as 'error,' but God holds us responsible, not that we have correct doctrine, but whether our hearts are honest before Him.

Our spiritual growth is utterly dependent on our open heart to God and our response to only Him. As long as we have faith in Him (trust, follow and rely on), a wrong viewpoint is merely a passing thing.  I will give you a simple example of how the process works throughout human nature: 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. " — The Declaration of  Independence. Penned by Thomas Jefferson, a slave owner.

The spirit of this declaration is universally inscribed on every person's soul. Perhaps not the exact words, but the truth of it. Why, because this truth comes from the very nature and love of God.

However, with few exceptions, the very men who wrote and endorsed the Declaration of Independence, knowingly failed to live up to these principles! 

When we study the history of America, the why of this can be very complicated. Which, by the way, we needn't go into now; sufficient to say here, when mankind is faced with a truth which contradicts their lives, our nature defaults to something more selfish. Then these truths are "temporarily" set aside until we find a workable compromise to accommodate both truth and the contradiction (Which is seldom accomplished). Like giving up wealth. One measure of wealth for our nation's forefathers was in numbers of slaves. 

Change always involves some degree of sacrifice. It could be a simple act of a child willing to turn his back on his best friend's suggestion they steal some candy bars. Or a senator being the only no vote on their party's nominee. These all require that we follow that inner leading of God's quiet voice, which every person on earth potentially can hear. But it usually only happens after the common parroted voices have been quieted. The result of following God's Spirit doesn't just make us more moral, it also helps us become more like God. 

As I've tried to make clear, following institutions, or a culture, is just as debilitating as following an idol, but it's worse than that; when following society- religious, national or otherwise, this will lead you deeper into complacency and a passive stupor; which is away from God. 

“ My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,

So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 

Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,

If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 

Then you will understand the reverence of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.”

Prov.2.1-5

The Apostle Paul affirmed that even those outside Christ's influence can find righteousness when they follow God:

 "For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. Rom.2.14-16

How we must pursue truth:

As  the verse in Proverbs tells us, we cannot be lazy in our pursuit for truth. We must search for knowledge, wisdom and understanding as if we were searching for treasure. In other words, this search cannot be lethargic but aggressively proactive. And as the Apostle Paul said, all mankind may do this, not just Christians. 

And regardless where each person is on their journey to better understand God, we are not allowed to judge and condemn another's faith, but only attempt to help them on their pilgrimage. And it is likely they can help ours too. 

Chapter 10 ~ Learning to separate truth from Fantasy. 

As stated, all organized religions of the world believe themselves to be the pinnacle of truth. Obviously this cannot be the case. Each group has their countless experts and Phd's to prove their points of difference from other faiths. So how does one choose from all the options?

I've already brought up this point in another context, but it is extremely relevant in choosing how to serve God, it's  the use of reasoning and logic. 

Fantasy novels, like the popular ones about magicians, often use magic to break the rules of physics, logic, and reason. Science fiction does this too, often through advanced (and sometimes unbelievable) technology. This kind of "reality bending" is also how some people view the Bible, believing God dictated it.

Basically, if something doesn't make sense, magic, advanced technology, or divine intervention can be used to explain it away. Lies work similarly. In politics, for example, a candidate can spread false information about themselves. If they have enough media support, their message can drown out opposing viewpoints, regardless of the truth.

How true is the following, written long before the end of slavery in America: "Land of the free and the home of the brave...." Every country provides an anthem pointing to its highest ideals and the pride of their country's accomplishments; but as for the truth of the extent of these ideals, this, more often than not, comes down to where you are at in time, class (caste), and how much money you make. Regardless, the false ideals expressed in anthems still accomplish the goals of those in power. And their words pacify those who ignore logic and reason.

Like patriotism, religion is full of people of passion for their beliefs. But how do we determine what is truth and what is error? Even though the facts clearly contradict 'The star spangled banner,' still there are those who believe its claims. There must be reason, logic, and the fruits of truth, are the ways to verify claims, or what is propaganda, but merely tradition, or a lie. 

My premise is, the men who wrote the Bible, those who passed on their stories to Luke, the translators, and those who interpret scripture are mere men. Except for Jesus (who wrote nothing), all these people who recorded their observations, or heard them second hand, were subject to the same cultural and social traps modern men are. Ultimately, if we are to settle on and promote a truth, we must first use reason to find it. After this comes our own experiences. But how?  

Chapter 11 ~ Yes, there are events and processes which are supernatural, but how?

My argument about inspiration challenged by those who believe God dictated the words of scripture (verbal plenary inspiration) is pretty easy to answer. Since what’s the use of ‘dictated’ if there are no original manuscripts? However, the hard question is, ‘then why quote from scripture.’ We quote from the Bible because:

• The Bible is full of reasonable and proven wisdom.

• The Bible contains records of our Lord’s life and words.

• The Bible is a record of humanities mistakes

• The Bible is a record that can be a source for inspiration. 

• The Bible is a source of records of inspiration. 

God speaks to us through the Bible in the same way He speaks to us through sermons from the pulpit, or if some insights from our elders or those with experience. However, obvious 'supernatural’ events are a rarity in real life. 

And why is this, because the more supernatural events happen — which can be seen, the less there is of actual faith. Otherwise, why wouldn’t God do miracles constantly?

“ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb.11.1

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Heb.11.6

This is why, when God does something supernatural there isn’t any absolute proof that it came from God. All things He does still have an element of ‘things unseen.’ Therefore, what happens to us, even Him sealing our salvation, still requires faith. But regarding our relationship with God, there will always be an element of the “unseen;” so will the insights the Holy Spirit has confirmed in our hearts, we must not have faith wholly in the Bible, but of God’s work in our lives.

Chapter 12 ~ Now the Good News, God is Love

I did a study on the following verse:

“O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us! Happy the one who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock!” Ps.137.8-9

How sad that a pastor, highly respected, and an influencer of masses of Christians, believed and taught that it was God’s will for children to be part of His judgement, and allowed such behavior! This is what he said:

“We confess that as we read some of these verses we have need of all our faith and reverence to accept them as the voice of inspiration; but the exercise is good for the soul, for it educates our sense of ignorance, and tests our teachableness. Yes, Divine Spirit, we can and do believe that even these dread words from which we shrink have a meaning consistent with the attributes of the Judge of all the earth, though his name is LOVE. How this may be we shall know hereafter.” Charles Spurgeon

To follow my reasoning you'll have to set aside some doctrine, and believe this:

Firstly, God is Love (1Jn.4.7). Second, God is good (Mk.10.18). How is He Love and good, what does that mean exactly?

He is "Love and good" according to the standard definitions of the words. Therefore, God does not endorse genocide, nor does He rain fire and brimstone on those who serve other gods, or whom we find as immoral. Neither would any loving person do such things.

God IS Love, and any characteristic men ascribes to God contrary to this, is a fiction, or a myth. Therefore, He doesn't need to be excused through some high sounding rhetoric from theologians who proclaim He does do such things. 

What does this mean for you and I, and those who do not share your doctrinal beliefs? Since He is love and instructs us to be loving, we can expect Him to be consistent in the same things where He commands us:

~ "Love your enemies" (Matt.5.44)

~ "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."  1Cor.13.4-7

~ "And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

Do you think God changed when He was incarnate in Jesus?

 ~ "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Heb.13.8

~ “For I am the Lord, I do not change. Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’  Mal.3.6-7*

Question to you: Do you believe Jesus would ask His Father to forgive those who were killing Him on the cross, unless He thought this was something Father would not do, or against God’s nature? Do you believe God ignored Jesus' prayer, or did God answer His prayer?

My view is, Jesus prayed that prayer, because that was in His heart. Second, that He reflected God’s nature, and is His example to us. And if Jesus is God (As all evangelical Fundamentalists believe), then God's way; and this way is coming from the essence of who He is. Therefore, His behavior on the cross is not an exception, but a reflection of who God is and has always been. Why would God send Jesus if Jesus would not reflect God’s heart?

In order to support their doctrine theologians often tell a some convoluted story, that when Jesus asked His Father to forgive His executioners, was because He was looking forward to His resurrection, and it would be at that time these people would accept Him into their hearts.; and only then would they be forgiven.

The truth is, God came in the person of Jesus to demonstrate His predisposition to forgive us. God IS a good Father who only wants the best for His children. And He is patient with the blindness of their hearts.

Resolving the issue of 'sin' is entirely different than what theologians tell us.

As I have noted before, most varieties of Christians regard God as bronze age Israelites described Him. But anyone who has interacted with God and experienced His love, will always tell you how wonderful He is. The issue of sin (again, I define sin, as 'hurting oneself, or hurting someone else) is resolved in other ways, not seeing God as holding a tortuous flame of judgment over our heads if we fail. 

Neither is the issue of sin resolved merely by self discipline, and following a set of rules. Jesus said the sin problem is resolved, simply by our love for God and those around us. (Mat.22.33-40) To the degree we love God and those around us, is the degree the sin issue is resolved. 

Allow me to give you a very simple illustration: At the writing of this page my wife and I have been together since 1967. Like all relationships ours has had its ups and downs. In the early years of our union we went through some really hard times. But with each incremental success, our love for eachother grew, and our troubles diminished. That sounds so cliche, but it's not as easy as it sounds. Love is not just a feeling, but an act of will. It almost always involves some degree of self denial (putting your wants & pride aside). This will work and change the heart. Each success is created by both, or either of us wanting to surrender our wants for the sake of what the other needs or wants. Love for God works the same way. This creates what James says is pure religion. 

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world (and its ways). Jame.1.27

Religion is the means whereby we exercise our faith in God, even organized religion. Though participating in organized religion can be healthy, organized religion usually complicates things. For instance, they often initiate all kinds of programs and outreaches to the community. Which, yes, in many ways is a good thing, but what they often fail to do is help the participants understand that such good works should eventually be initiated from the provoking from their own hearts. Because, being transformed by the Holy Spirit living in us, activates us, and it’s not just instruction from church leadership. 

In a similar fashion, marriages can have the appearance of success, but the many married partners really don't have a union of hearts, they are merely carrying out the disciplines of what is expected of them; acting well in public, but perhaps arguing in private.

Depending on the Christian group you'll hear various teachings on what constitutes salvation. All these groups have their own ideas, tying various verses to others, even the Old Testament scriptures, to formulate what they call, soteriology —’The study of salvation’ (from their view). Then after they tie all these verses together they have what is called their hermeneutical system. I'm using big words here to demonstrate that it all sounds so sophisticated and elegant. However, in reality, few groups wholly agree on what is salvation. All evangelical groups know that salvation is in some way connected to Jesus. Most believe Jesus' blood is part of a contract, that it had to be spilled to satisfy God's sense of justice. In addition they believe that when we accept the blood of Jesus (as in a contract) then we are forgiven. I do not believe this. 

My view is that the blood of Christ is a symbol of God's life in us. Jesus said, 'unless you drink my blood and eat my flesh, you have no life in you. Read John's sixth chapter and you'll see this is true. Every time we have communion, this is not only to remind us that God sent His son to be executed instead of us; rather, that His kind of life, flowing from the love of God, is sacrificial for the world. And to spread the love of God, everyday we are called to sacrifice our lives for others.

People, including husbands and wives, often settle on a compromise, saying, ‘you got that, so I get this.’ Yes, no big deal, but if we persist in selfishness in a marriage, we miss the point of God's central message. I believe salvation is as simple as loving God and following Jesus' example. So in marriage we give ourselves for each other, not just adolescent type Christians, and work out things with ‘compromise. ‘This is not to say we should not 'repent, as we often hear; or declare the religious mantra, 'Jesus is my savior.' But if He is our savior, one the greatest ways He saves us, is by teaching us not to obey our selfishness, but learn to live sacrificially. 

The fact is, we cannot find the Kingdom of God's love if we insist on walking in our former ways. If we're to be successful citizens of the Kingdom of God we must repent, which literally means, turn around. And in this context, turn around from being selfish. Our emphasis should not be on our past sins, but taking care of behaviors which are deeply rooted in us, which automatically rise up in us.

One purpose of The Cross:

“...that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2Cor.5.19-21 (New King James Version)

Try for a moment to make the above paragraph more like a letter and less like perfect pros with a thousand years of traditional interpretation. Doing this, I call 'taking the Catholic from scripture.' Try reading the above verses from another version, The Message Bible.

"God has given us the task of telling everyone what He is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you."  2Cor.5.19-21 The Message Bible

  As for the last part of the verse, "[God] made Him to be sin for us..."(NKJV) Consider again, translations from the original languages are never word for word and exact. Therefore the process  provides opportunities to make the words say all kinds of things. A more accurate account of what God did might be along these lines: 

‘God allowed Christ to have the appearance of being a sinner, but He displayed true righteousness by loving those who falsely accused and executed Him.’

What is the significance of this interpretation above? Put simply, this is how righteousness and love acts. We are to be forgiving even when wrongfully accused. This is the life of Christ. If we 'eat His flesh, drink His blood,' then His life is in us, we are then capable of demonstrating God's love for mankind.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Lev.17.11

Though eating His flesh, and drinking His blood is allegorical, and almost always a ritual in churches, nevertheless, the message is simple. Eating His flesh implies Christ is our strength, our unwavering fortitude. The image of drinking His blood speaks to the way His very being courses through those who know, and ingest His nature. It is this daily infusion of His life which truly makes our life successful.

Chapter 13 ~ You Are gods 

Atonement is a term derived from the Old Testament. The definition in the Hebrew is, ‘to cover.’ It has a broader meaning of reconciliation, but is translated over a dozen ways in scripture. The Old Testament religion had its rituals of atonement, thereby God forgiving sins. This is why when people accept Christ as savior they are told that Jesus covers their sins by His act of sacrifice. 

My view is simpler than that. Taking the ritual out of it, ‘accepting Christ,’ means following Him and His ways. The  more we follow Him, the more we become like Him, and the more we are closer to God — Who is Love.

 “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” Jn.6.54-56

Simply put, atonement means — ‘At-one-ment.’ This is reconciliation and unity with God. Drinking Christ’s blood simply means His life gives us a kind of genetic advantage over only doing things on our own.

“Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”? Jn.10.34

When Jesus said things like ‘eat my flesh and drink my blood,’ the religious institutions at that time went berserk. They did the same when Jesus said He was God’s son. 

The way doctrinal systems work is they develop within the structures of their traditional beliefs. Instead of allowing logic, reason, and faith in the Holy Spirit to guide their understanding (political institutions can’t do this), they instead create all kinds of complex explanations of the various beliefs which their institutions promote.

 For instance, Calvinists hold that all of humanity is divided into two categories; those whom God has predestined to eternal life, and the rest are predestined to eternal torment in hell. Ask them about scriptures which indicate ‘Freewill,’ and get ready to be totally confused as they dance around their explanation, and the scriptures which contradict.

If you have been raised in a culture of Calvinists, you’ll have likely accepted their views by faith in them. In like manner, if you’ve been raised among Catholics, the same bent (as the twig is bent…) the same will be true. And, as I’ve said before, all these institutions claim their affirmations come from the same source, “God’s Word.” 

Oddly, scripture says, ‘God is not the author of confusion but of peace..’ (1Cor.13.33). But the Church overall is in total disunity about most topics in scripture. So the lack of understanding of the various conflicting views they hold, more or less creates a kind of blindness to the faithful of these ideologies.  

If you are looking for what is truth versus error, we must step back from the indoctrination we’ve all received; or, at least take them with a grain of salt. 

Doctrine is actually a distraction. The vital point we must learn is the central purpose Christ came for us. We can argue the doctrine till we’re blue in the face, but what God really wants is for us to be like Jesus. And the way to be like Jesus, is not to believe certain doctrines; or to make promises to God; or even settle on our past ‘acceptance of Jesus in their hearts,’ but to live our lives loving God, and to love others as Jesus taught us, today.

There are different ways to create change in our own behavior. As stated, in the beginning of our lives our parents control us. Then later children act out of habit what was taught to them. Ideally children learn in their hearts which ways to live and act towards others. Thereby develop their own consciences. However, human nature—such as the love of money, peer pressure, and physical desires—interferes with this process. Therefore the person must use self discipline to live how they know is correct behavior. But, the need for self discipline indicates the heart has not entirely changed. The closer we get to God the more our inner fleshly human nature starts to dissipate, and our actions are more born from our hearts united with God, and therefore we become much more successful in the things that matter in life. This is true Christian unity with God.                                                                               

The more we love, the more we are walking in the glories of our inheritance, to be sons and daughters of God. The more we love, the more fear is cast from us. As we find the darkness around us is only temporary, we are able to let go of our fear. The more we love, the more we cease to hurt ourselves and those around us, because, in our loving God, we are inclined to walk in ways that are healthy for us and those around us. ‘God is love,’ therefore the more loving we become, the more we become as gods.