Studies on the Fringe of Christianity
While in the check out line at a small discount store the other day, I watched as a customer complained about the person in front of her having a few too many items for the express lane. Her voice was loud and angry and she kept berating the offender and store employee over such an …
Fall has arrived, as I write this, and the once-bright green leaves on trees are beginning to change into a variety of brilliant colors. Before long, the city streets and rural highways will be lined with many shades of splendid yellows, oranges, reds, and browns. For me, Fall always seems to come and go at …
There is probably little in Christianity as controversial as whether or not God knew all the future details of our world. Was our human history laid out even before it started? Are our past, present, and future following a precise path toward a preplanned destiny? If so, is it even possible for humans to exercise …
The Epistle to the Hebrews is a “battleground of discordant opinion and conjecture: its author is unknown, its occasion unstated, and its destination disputed”1 and chapter six, which tells about the perils of falling away from the Christian faith, is one of the most misunderstood parts of the book. Before we dig into chapter 6, …
Most people think of Jonah and the whale as a child’s Bible story, but besides being swallowed and spit-up by a whale, there are very adult messages embedded within the narrative. It is a phenomenal tale that also includes a great storm, a prolific plant, an attacking worm, and a blistering sultry wind, all to …
The Bible gives many examples of God’s position concerning those who do not have faith or do not believe that his laws are just and necessary, but only a few shows the extreme extent of his capabilities to punish amoral behavior and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is one of them. These citizens lost …
Most Christian pastors, teachers, and parents believe that masturbation is a sin, because it gratifies the desires of the flesh, which means we are not walking in the spirit and living by faith. This study will involve ideas and language that many people find offensive, so if that is the case with you, please read …
I’m an easygoing kind of guy. I write articles relating to the Bible; some are just reflections on my life experiences and some are in-depth studies on subjects not usually discussed in church, and some others compare our modern world in relation to biblical principles. Usually, I just state the thoughts or facts and let …
I have a couple of full-sized medieval battle swords hanging on my living room wall. I’m told that they are museum replicas and both have a religious connection. Normally I would have put them in my office, but they are rather large (long) and there was not enough room to hang them there. I have …
All during the dreary winter, I daydream about the coming Spring season, when the weather turns warmer and the trees are budding out. I daydream about lunches in the park on a carpet of rich green grass in the open shade, under a large tree with brand-new leaves, and flowers blooming in patches all around. …