3. Addiction

Facts and Common Opinions

The following excerpt comes from Wikipedia.org.

The term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction (e.g. alcoholism, nicotine addiction), problem gambling, crime, money, work addiction, compulsive overeating, credit card addiction, compulsive debting, computer addiction, video game addiction, pornography (sexual) addiction, television addiction, etc.

The term addiction is also sometimes applied to compulsions that are not substance-related, such as problem gambling and computer addiction. In these kinds of common usages, the term addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences, as deemed by the user themself to their individual health, mental state, or social life.

Physical and Psychological Addictions can both be present.

Management or Treatment of Addictions typically depend on these six things:

• Acute intoxication and/or withdrawal potential
• Biomedical conditions or complications
• Emotional/behavioral conditions or complications
• Treatment acceptance/resistance
• Relapse potential
• Recovery environment

Causes for Addictions could include the disease model of addiction, the pleasure model, the genetic model, the experiential model, the opponent-process model, the allostatic (stability through change) model, the cultural model, the moral model, the habit model, and the blended model.

What I Believe and Why

                I think we should never get too involved with one thing or another and that our lives need a certain amount of balance in each aspect of our life. I also feel that these are ways of the world (human nature) and are harming yourself or someone else. God commands us to be separate from the world (in it, but not of it – John 17:13-16), proverbs focuses on how the ways of this world are foolish. Addictions are self-focused and not God-focused. Addictions typically will start out small and “innocent,” but grow and take over more and more of your life. To some extent an addiction will destroy your life. Although addictions are physical, they are more so spiritual issues that need to be addressed for a person to become more and more sanctified and holy as Jesus Christ is Holy (1 Pet 1:16).

                The only true and lasting way out of an addiction is through the help of Jesus Christ. 2 Pet 2:19 makes it clear that in addiction, we are slaves to sin, and only Jesus Christ frees us from sin and the law. Without God, you can do nothing (John 15:5). We need to live constantly careful, anxious for nothing, learn to be content no matter what, and live led by God’s grace. (Phil 4:6-13, 23, Eph 2:8-9) My advice in brief: stay away from potential addictions!

Drinking alcohol in itself is not bad, but in excess it is sin. Even allowing yourself the opportunity to have alcohol may create an addiction. Different things tempt different people more and different people can handle different temptations in different ways. Satan has many ways of destroying lives. Phil 4:5 (KJV) says “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” 1 Cor 6:12 says “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” Then shortly after that in 1 Cor 10:23, Paul says “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable All things are lawful, but not all things edify.” Eph 5:18 says “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

From The Bible

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Titus 2:3-8 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

2 Peter 2:19 [These false teachers] promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

Matthew 6:24 . . . You cannot serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other.

Romans 6:16 . . . Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.

Galatians 5:22-23 . . . When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Romans 8:5-9 . . . If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.

2. Abuse

Facts and Common Opinions

The following information comes from Wikipedia.org and I don’t think many, if anybody, would debate that abuse is not wrong. It stands that at its core, it is bad to every human being whether that comes from a conscience or a cultural upbringing.

Abuse most commonly refers to the use or treatment of something or someone (a person, item, substance, concept, idea or vocabulary) that is harmful, or the lack of proper care of these (neglect). Abuse could be defined as the misuse of opportunities around us.

Abuse to yourself or others could include drinking alcohol, drugs, smoking, cutting, rape, abuse, gluttony, eating disorders, addictions, or suicide. Wikipedia characterizes abuse in styles such as psychological, physical, sexual, child sexual, spiritual and verbal. There is also substance abuse, human rights abuse, legal abuse, and internet abuse. Wikipedia also characterizes abuse by victim type such as child abuse, elder abuse, spousal abuse, self abuse, peer abuse, employee abuse, and animal abuse.

The signs and symptoms would be different depending on type of abuse. The abuse might be minute and undetectable to one person, but not to another person. Detection signs would vary for several reasons: for the amount of abuse, the “strength” of the abuse, and the persons involved.

What is abuse? What causes abusive behaviors? What are signs of abuse? What can be done to limit or control abusive behaviors within our society?

I think it would be a common viewpoint of every person that abuse is a bad thing. If someone were to say abuse is a good thing, we would probably label them insane. This common opinion comes from religious teachings, legal laws, and mostly from our conscience. Tendancies toward abuse is probably human nature. I would assume the majority of people acting out this abuse might be in one of the following positions:

• They would not know that they are causing abuse.
• They would play down the “badness” of what they are doing.
• They are deceived or deceiving themselves that it is a good thing.
• They would admit their wrong, but might be caught up in that lifestyle, pattern, or addiction leading to the abuse.

Abuse tends to be passed down from generation to generation. It has a lot of selfish motives and reasons that create it. It seems like if people aren’t properly instructed on virtuous morals, they don’t regard their lives or the lives of others as that important and the chances of abuse would be more likely. Many might be influenced by personal experiences involving family members, peers, coworkers, or whatever their culture was/is to them. Many might be influenced by drug activity or violence in television, movies, or sports and might take those influences to extreme or unbalanced ways in their own life.

Some abuse might start very small (it’s not a big deal) and it could slowly build to become a big problem.

Another issue related to abuse is whether spanking your children is or should be considered child abuse. The Bible has clear instruction to discipline your children and give them momentary pain to bring them lasting consequences. God works so much in this way especially in the individual lives of people. It is the loving thing to do. (Prov 13:24, 29:15,17) Physical discipline could lead to abuse if the parent is unaware or uncontrollable (we have to be careful with anger). More on this later.

Will God forgive a person who is guilty of abuse? –God forgives all sins, not selected ones. His mercy is to anyone, regardless of his or her past. (Ex. Manasseh from 2 Chron 33)

What I Believe and Why

            Abuse is sin whether it’s self-abuse or toward someone else. We should live by the two greatest commandments as written in Matt 22: 37-40 and therefore love each other, but abuse is not loving, but instead harmful. Abuse is a sin and/or a stumbling block or block of offense to others and we are not to make others sin. (Rom 14:13) We are all made in the image of God and we are all designed to be Holy Temples of God since God resides in the Christian’s heart. (Gen 1:27, 1 Cor 3:16-17, 6:19) So we should respect our bodies and the bodies of others too, and major health risks are common with abuse. We should help others and bear each other’s burdens. (Gal 6:2) We should die to self and the old sinful man and repent and live differently, set apart for God. (Eph 4:22-24) We should try to purify ourselves to be an instrument of glory for God’s use. (2 Tim 2:21) As we are therefore forgiven we should forgive others. (Eph 4:32)

            Although drunk driving accidents or rape “could never happen to you” or are fairly rare, by going to parties or bars, you put yourself into greater risk. So there are ways to reduce the risk of being abused. Drugs are illegal and along with following God’s laws we should also try to follow man’s laws as well, except when they are in violation to God’s laws. (Matt 22:21)

            Gluttony might strike you as an odd thing to add to this list, but it can be irresponsible and is even based on selfishness. Who are we pleasing, God or ourselves? With the money or food that God has given us, we should try to give some away to the poor and needy as God commands us to. (Matt 25:22)

From The Bible

Proverbs 29:15, 17 -To discipline and reprimand a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. Discipline your children, and they will give you happiness and peace of mind.

Matthew 15:30-31 . . . And [Jesus] healed them all.

Matt 27: 39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. (NLT)

Luke 23:34 -Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Romans 13:10 -Love does no wrong to anyone.

1 Cor 4: 12 We (believers) work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. (NLT) 

1 Cor 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

1 Cor 6: 19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

More Verses: Gen 1:27, 2 Chron 33:6, 13, Prov 13:24, Matt 17:12, 22:37-40, Rom 14:13, Acts 2:21, 1 Cor 6:9-13, Eph 4:22-24, Phil 4:8, 2 Tim 2:21, 1 Pet 3:7-9, 1 John 3:15…

Testimony and Background Add-on! Enjoy!

Here is my background so you can better understand where I am coming from.

My Life Up to Date

I have grown up in the same church all of my life, and that has instilled in me the morals, standards, and truth in my life. I always believed what I was taught in church, because I had no reason not to believe what everyone else did. In junior high, I realized that the next step in my life was then to become a member of my church. After a little bit of procrastination, my brother suddenly decided to repent and join the church and in more than one way that was God telling me that I should join the church as well. So in the beginning of high school, I went through the process of repentance and preparing myself for baptism, and consequently I was baptized. Through that whole process I never felt like anything changed in my life or that any great burden had been lifted from me or anything, but I figured that I just had to be patient and trusting in God. Sure enough little by little God in small ways taught me that he was there and helping me through every day. It was the little things, and the small answers to prayer that helped me. I was making my faith my own through everything.

In the last couple years of high school, I really wondered and tried to search out what God wanted me to do for college and the rest of my life. I wanted initially to go to the University of Illinois and it seemed like that was God’s will, but things started not working out that way. Throughout my whole senior year, I questioned God and kept trying to be patient and faithful and listen to his calling, and it seemed like every church service was meant for me that year. At one point I gave up the idea of going to the U of I, and instead started planning on going to Illinois State University. It was no less than a week after I had given up what I wanted that it seemed the option of U of I became possible again. Then throughout the rest of that year, God worked his plan through and led me to the University of Illinois.

The next step was to figure out what I wanted to do with my life and what God’s plans were for my life. I had always liked science, especially physics and my major was Engineering Physics. I wasn’t sure exactly what “Engineering Physics” actually meant as far as careers went. I found out that it would be either working in a research lab, continuing to get a doctorate in physics, or teaching. As I searched God for what his plan was and what He might lead my interests to, God started showing me that I really liked working with high school kids, and I always tried to be a good influence and leader for them. Throughout my first year at U of I, I realized that that is what I should do is become a high school physics teacher, which was really surprising to me, because I never thought that I would want to be in school for the rest of my life, but that started really interesting me. Through a few more surprising events, I ended up transferring to Illinois State University, which I didn’t really want to do, but they had a really good physics education program and I was reassured by the feeling that that was God’s will.

I completed my 2 years at ISU, including student teaching and graduated with my physics education bachelor’s degree. After that I applied for teaching positions for high schools in the area, but I was still trying to understand God’s will for my life. I had what I thought were three good interviews at “perfect” high schools to teach at, but God closed those doors on me. One night, I randomly found a unique small Creation focused college, Jackson Hole Bible College in Wyoming. I was intrigued, I didn’t think that I would ever go there, but I applied anyways. I already mentioned that I have always been interested in science and then also the Bible, and therefore through my literal interpretations of the Bible, I have then always been interested in creation science. Answers in Genesis caught my attention even early in high school, possibly 8 or 9 years ago. So God led me to Jackson Hole Bible College. I was accepted and was there in August for the beginning of school. I wasn’t completely sure why I was there, but loved the classes with the literal interpretation of the Bible and the emphasis on creation especially in the sciences. I have met so many contacts in the Creation Evangelism arena that I have been pondering and praying about the possibility of getting involved in some creation ministry and maybe even becoming a speaker and doing presentations about creation. So I have now graduated from Jackson Hole Bible College and an opportunity opened up there for me to go back to Jackson Hole for a research project (writing a book about Ancient Man!). This year has been a long year of learning and now I find myself yet again in another awkward transition period of not knowing what God has for me next year, but I am seeking His will and looking into the options before me. All I know is that God has His perfect plan waiting for me, even though sometimes it is hard to wait for, but that is what strengthens my faith.

Creation Belief Statement

I believe that God is self-existent and created everything in six days and rested on the seventh day as it says in the literal sense from the Genesis account. I believe the Bible is God’s Perfect and Infallible Word and is therefore Truth. I believe the timeline and records of the Bible indicating that the Earth is only a few thousands of years old. I believe that Adam and Eve sinned and therefore we are all born in sin and under the curse of sin in our lives. I believe all the accounts written in the Bible. I believe that there was evil abundant on the world and Noah and his family were saved from a worldwide flood. I believe that God created all the different animals according to their kinds, which include dinosaurs. I believe some of those animals may still exist today and are not discovered or documented. I believe that there is scientific evidence for these Creationist theories and that the Creationist theories are in many cases more consistent than the Evolutionary theories. I believe Satan and God are both still very active in the world today, Satan deceiving souls and God drawing souls to Himself. I believe that the Creation/Evolution issue is one of the largest mission fields in the world today, especially in western culture like here in America. I believe that creation is a starting point and foundation to reaching people for the gospel unto Salvation in Jesus Christ.

2. Bias and Objectivity

I am actually skipping a number of issues in going to this one, but I figured that I would do this one sooner than later. Please be gracious (yet teaching) with me if I don't completely have something completely researched or if there are better examples, ideas, analogies, bible verses, etc. That is why I am doing this project is to better solidify the arguments on these issues. Thanks again for your insights! And again be gracious if I haven't completely done my homework or reasoning on all of them, I want to try to get one up every day, but that might be a bigger task than I have time for. We'll see...

Facts and Common Opinions

Bias is a tendency towards a favored perspective or ideology. Bias indicates that the subject is previously influenced by their culture or environment. Bias can be considered a “one-sided” perspective and is the opposite of being open minded and objective when making judgments and decisions.

These aspects create bias or are types of bias: cultural, ethnic, grographical, media, gender, linguistic, news, political, corporate, advertising, sociological, entertainment, personal, religious, sensationalist, scientific, etc…

I think a fair assessment of bias is that everyone has previous experiences and is therefore biased whether they really realize it or not. I know I am and don’t try to read this thinking that you are not, because then you are really being close minded to the fact that you are biased. This is my purpose in even writing this book is to show you that you have opinions on all these issues already and I believe (bias) most people do not think these issues through completely.

As much as modern science would like to admit they are completely objective and open minded, that is just not possible. There is a scale to how objective or how biased one can be, but both still have to be present somewhere along the scale, whether to a high degree or a low degree…no zero bias. Science is always changing as we discover new things. At the same time science builds on previous scientific theories and ideas. It has to build on itself to get to a more sophisticated level of science. Therefore Science is biased by previous theories and ideas (which is not always a bad thing) as well as sometimes the purposes of experiments, which have to be proposed before the experiments by the scientist. In order to do an experiment one must determine a given purpose for the experiment and choose the frameworks of the experiment which can limit or reduce the objectivity of the experiment and observer. Results and data can be interpreted differently by differing worldviews (such as Creation vs. Evolution) and sometimes because even if the data is marginally inconclusive if it still fits in the expectations or previous theories then it can be accepted as such. Only later can that data be reinterpreted with further scientific knowledge (this is the case with Newton’s Laws and how Einstein’s General Relativity corrected minute problems with Newton’s Laws).

If someone says “I have no bias,” it is clear there is some bias about the fact that they have the ability to say “I am not biased,” or else they could not make that judgment about their bias. This is like saying “there are no absolute statements.” This is self-defeating. A response could be “are you absolutely sure?” Judgments are formed by bias.

Bias can be detected although sometimes it is more subtle than other times. If you are familiar with the media and specifically political news broadcasts, bias can be easily sniffed out though we need to be able to tune in to watch out for those biases. People will try to sugar-coat things and deceive people to get their way (this is another skepticism that I have toward politics and science especially, because both are trying to get votes and more money to continue their livelihood). Thus I just would warn you to be SKEPTICAL of everything and realizing/analyzing their bias and your bias. I invite you to please be skeptical of this book, you will see my bias.

What I Believe and Why

From My Christian worldview, I would say that Christians are biased and Non-Christians are biased. That is human-nature. That is just something everyone should admit to first of all and then work through the motive and logic of the bias. Is it leading to truth or suppressing truths? Since I believe the Bible is God’s Word, even though it was written by men and translated and goofed up by men, God is using all of that for His purposes and God is the only source of Truth. So I put complete faith in the Bible even though it can be tarnished by man, because God is working through it.

We like to know the Truth or discover the Truth, and we like to know the facts to become intelligent, and I think God has shown us and helped us discover a lot of that, but there is a lot of bias among people and I am no different. Even statistics can be interpreted to some extents in numerous ways by how you want to look at the data.

Thus I am skeptical of a lot of things that I hear, because people will deceive to get their way. And when someone says that they are not religious, we all have faith in something even if that faith is in self or even in nothing.

Bias can lead to misunderstandings, disagreements, judging, disunity. The bias that you have determines how you live. Your conscience can affect your bias and your bias can affect your conscience.

            There are only two religions: Believers and Nonbelievers. You can either accept or suppress the Truth…for Christ or against Christ. (Rom 1)

From The Bible

Prov 10:32 -The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable,But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.

Prov 11:23 -The desire of the righteous is only good,But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

Matt 6:21 -for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Mark 16:16 -He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

1 Cor 2: 9-16 -but just as it is written,"THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.

2 Cor 6:14 -Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

More Verses: 1 Cor 5:12-13, Ps 1:1, John 15:5

1. Abortion

So I am going in alphabetical order and so this first one happens to be quite a doozy, but one of the most important political and moral issues in our society today. I found some facts and arguments from the website listed, but I will interject my responses with some of those points.

Facts and Common Opinions

            What is abortion? Is it good or is it bad or both? When is it a living human?

                        -The information below comes from www.abortionfacts.com and more details and information can be found there.

• The heartbeat begins on the 21st day after conception.
• Electrical brain waves have been recorded as early as forty days.
• The accepted minimum that a baby can survive outside of a mother’s womb is 20 weeks after conception, which will most likely continue to get smaller with more technological and medical advances.

Pro-Abortion: (with my responses)

• The fetus is not a human, just a mass of tissue 
• (me) It is human. This is God's creative act from the very moment of conception. That's why God uses sex, to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28)
• Abortion is safer than childbirth. 
• (me) Safer for who?
• Abortion is Safe 
• (me) not for a new life
• Every child should be a wanted child. 
• (me) God often brings difficult people into our lives that we don't want to deal with, but God uses those people to teach us (patience, kindness, understanding, etc). It is our attitude (each person) that must change to accept this burden from God. God often uses the hardest and worst situations to work out even better. (Rom 8:28) Blessings in disguise (Ex. A friend just told me that if her grandpa hadn't had cancer, he probably would have never come to the Lord...he died of cancer, but now he can live forever with God - in my opinion that's a good trade-off).
• The number of abortions is relatively small. 
• (me) And many are advocating for more, which is still murder.
• Nobody has the right to impose their morals on me. 
• (me) Where do morals come from?...God. He has the advantage in this one, so you might as well submit.
• A woman should be able to control her own body. 
• (me) True and has the responsibility to care for her children, no matter how illigitimate. Children are a blessing. (Ps 127:3-5)
• Abortion must be kept legal, especially for all the rape and incest pregnancies.
• (me) It's not fair - true. So now I am entitled to murder - false. Also see 4 up above.
• If abortion is outlawed women will be forced to go to back-alley abortion clinics. 
• (me) That is their choice, but it is still wrong. Hopefully less children will be murdered.
• Aborting unwanted children reduces the number of abused children. 
• (me) So to kill is better to abuse.(?) Counsel people to be good parents. Our society is messed up because we all live in sinful and are selfish. People's hearts need to change and yeah, that's a tall order.
• We need to remember that we are overpopulating the planet. 
• (me) The planet is not overpopulated, we just need to learn to manage it and our systems better or more efficient. If we do want to reduce or keep a lower population, teach abstinence, stricter punishment for rape, etc...
• Planned Parenthood is a group that focuses on contraception. 
• (me) Sex outside of marriage is still sin and sin will worsen (possibly ruin) our lives. (Rom 3:23)

Pro-Life: (also from www.abortionfacts.com)

• I believe that the unborn child is human. 
• I believe life begins at conception. 
• I believe that abortion is not safe. 
• I believe that abortion is a war on the unborn. 
• I believe that the Roe v. Wade decision, legalizing abortion on demand in America, was one of the most important and devastating Supreme Court decisions. 
• I believe that a constitutional amendment should be passed that gives equal protection to all living humans, including the unborn.
• I believe that the violence inside and outside abortion clinics is morally wrong. 
• I believe that rape and incest are horrible crimes and should be punished, but I don't believe that a child conceived from either should be killed. 
• I do not believe that the government should fund abortions. 
• I do not believe that the government should fund Planned Parenthood - the largest national supplier of abortions. 
• Being a religious person, I believe that the Bible backs up my views on abortion.

What I Believe and Why

            Man and Woman were created to be together in this fashion and this is the act of life. To interrupt that process of life is murdering. That is taking control of the situation and “playing God.”

            Sure, it is unfortunate if one gets pregnant and they are not ready, but we have to live with the consequences of a mistake (often when it is not your mistake). We know the possible consequences of having sex.

            If it’s a rape, it is still not right to abort a baby and kill them, because the Bible says “thou shalt not kill.” God has bigger things planned and this might be a miracle coming out of what seems like a horrible, hopeless situation.  We cannot question why God does things like this (at least not until we see the whole puzzle) (Job), even if things don’t go the way we plan because God has a better plan even if it doesn't make sense. This is where more faith in God comes in.

From The Bible

Genesis 1:27-28 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it...

Exodus 20:13 -Thou shalt not kill.

Job 31:15 -Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

Psalm 127:3-5 -Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 139:13-14 - For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Proverbs 24:11 -Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

Isaiah 49:1 -The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

Jeremiah 1:5 -Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

1 Peter 2:16 (NLT) -For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

More Verses: Gen 5:1-2, 30:1, 33:5, 49:25, Ex 21:22, Num 35:33-34, Deut 33:24, Job 31:15, Ps 106:35-38, 113:9, 128:3, Prov 17:6, Jer 1:5, Lam 4:3

Also Check Out: http://www.dianedew.com/kidspage.shtml

WHAT DO WE BELIEVE AND WHY INTRO

This is my new Blog/Bible Study and I want your help! I will hopefully write a new note every day or so and hopefully we can learn and dig deeper to better understanding of “The Truth.”


Okay, here’s the deal, I have been thinking a lot as that is one of my favorite and sometimes destructive hobbies. My educations thus far have spurred on many questions, and as probably many or most of you know I am a Christian, and quite fundamental and conservative at that. But I want to be able to discuss the many questions that arise with philosophy, religion, science and just general beliefs that we all have about life as we have experienced it.

I feel that most people, myself completely included have many beliefs, and we have reasons for them, but often they are not rationalized out completely, which leads to confusion or strange customs or beliefs. I admit that I have grown up in the same church all my life and so my Christian faith started as the faith of my family and fellow church members, but I am in the process and will continue to make my beliefs my own and not just what has been mindlessly passed to me.

So my project here, is to just discuss these issues, some might call this a very informal Bible study, and I apologize for the form of communication (if some people want to meet to discuss this, I would be totally up for it).

I WANT TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS, BUT IF YOU WRITE DOWN YOUR VIEWS YOU MUST AT LEAST TRY TO THOROUGHLY EXPLAIN THEM, to minimize misunderstandings (which I am sure will be inevitable). ALL OPINIONS AND COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED, but I would ask that you watch your language (sorry that just offends me, and I do not feel it is needed or useful) and be considerate of others.

This is a personal journey to better understanding and I hope it can be the same for you. Again I want to say that I believe that everyone is BIASED, and I will not lie, that I am very guilty of that, and since Christianity and the issues surrounding it are very relevant to my interests, I apologize if the questions are worded in my favor or are most often related to Christian issues and not those of other beliefs. If you have questions that should be added please do add them and I will try to edit the post for those additions. This is a project to learn and I hope you join me in checking these notes, I will write a new note every day and hopefully we can learn and dig deeper to better understanding of “The Truth.”


Some Questions to keep in mind:
Define:
What is it?
Why is it an issue?

Common facts and opinions and explanations?

Is it good or bad or both (at what times)?


How do we deal with it?
If your view is true, are there other consequences or conclusions that can be drawn (about other issues)?
What actions might you take because of what you believe about this issue?
What are the Bible verses that are relevant (in context)?
                 -This question I want to stress as I go through this project.


Here's a better possible Disclaimer and Introduction:

Disclaimer

In this book, I will be drawing from the following sources: Citing Bible.com, Biblegateway.com, wikipedia.org, iLumina bible software, and others noted.

Even though I have pulled out random verses from here or there, I have tried to keep the appropriate context of the verse but there may be times where it would help you to read the verse in its passage for better understanding. Sometimes I have added my own emphasis to explain the context or added titles and questions in the Bible verse sections.

Introduction

            So, here’s the deal, throughout my life and over the past few years in general I have been very interested in trying to figure out what “Truth” is and to truly try to understand for sure what I believe.

I feel that most people, myself completely included, have many beliefs, and we have reasons for them, but often they are not rationalized out completely, which leads to confusion or strange customs or beliefs. Sometimes we need to flush out our beliefs on paper or computer and think them through and take them to their logical conclusions. I admit that I have grown up in the same church all my life and so my Christian faith started as the faith of my family and fellow church members, but I am in the process and will continue to make my beliefs my own and not just what has been passed to me.

So my project is to simply lay out the basics of each of these issues. Each chapter begins in stating common facts, beliefs, and opinions about each issue. I cannot consider myself even close to expert level on any of these topics nor am I a trained research analyst. Also I do not do each of these issues justice as entire books or volumes of books can and have been written on each issue, but I simply want to get an overview of the most common and accepted facts, beliefs and opinions. For this reason, much of the information has been pulled from Wikipedia.org or other websites that might not be the most credible, but they serve as great starting points to get an overview and then be able to continue into further research.

In the second section of each chapter the most relevant Bible verses corresponding to the topic are included. For the most part the New American Standard Bible (NASB) will be used here unless otherwise noted, and this is for the fact that the NASB is defined by scholars as a Literal Essential Equivalent Interpretation of the Bible meaning that it is accurate in it’s use of word choice although often difficult to completely understand and comprehend. To simplify as other versions do can sometimes lose a lot of valuable information, but there are other versions that do add and offer new insights in the context and meaning of the text. Also sometimes these verses do need some help in explanation and because specific verses are plucked out as pertaining to these issues they can be taken out of context. I have tried to stay try to their context as I see it, as scholars see it, and if you see problems, search it out in the scriptures and read it for yourself.

Some of you may not believe in the Bible. I am sorry, but that is what I know and what I as a Christian believe is God’s Word. If you disagree, why? If you disagree, use your holy writings and beliefs. How do they match up in going through these issues? This is a project to learn more about our beliefs. Again, I am no religious scholar, so forgive me where I lack.

I do not claim to be perfect in my presentation of these issues and of these verses, and in fact I see this book as above my ability, but I will do the best I can to simplify and yet still make these issues clear to you. The next step is yours.

            In the third section of each chapter is a place for you to comment and write out your opinions and beliefs on the matter. And please do not take my word alone or don’t take this book as the Bible, because though it may include the Bible, this book is still a tool to discern and better understand the many issues that we believe in. Search out more information from other sources, from the Bible. I pray that this will not be the end of your journey, it should really be the beginning of your journey. You might also find some beliefs of yours change over time and that is okay and normal. Search out “The Truth.”

There are many issues that could be considered and should be, but I have tried to condense these issues down to manageable amount for the reader.

This has been and continues to be my personal journey to better understanding and I hope it can be the same for you. Again I want to say that I believe that everyone is BIASED, and I will not lie, that I am very guilty of that, and since Christianity and the issues surrounding it are very relevant to my interests, I apologize if the questions are worded in my favor or are most often related to Christian issues and not those of other beliefs. I am praying for you, Enjoy, and hopefully we can learn and dig deeper to better understanding of “The Truth.”



The List Includes:
Abortion
Abuse
Addictions
Aliens/UFO’s
Angels (see Spiritual Warfare)
Appearance (Clothing, Head Covering, Skirts, Hair…)
Baptism (Testimonies)
Being a Christian (born again!)
Bias
Bible
Blessing (Happiness/Joy, Peace)
Calling of God
Character/Integrity
Choices (God’s Will)
Church
Commandments
Conscience
Creation and Evolution
Curses
Dating
Death
Death Penalty
Democracy
Demons (see Spiritual Warfare)
Diet
Divorce and Remarriage
Doctrine
End Times (Rumors, Prophecies, WW3)
Evil (see Spiritual Warfare)
Faith
False Prophets
Fasting
Father God
Forgiveness
Fornication
Freedom of Speech (Bridling our tongue/speech, profanity)
Friends
Gambling
Ghosts (see Spiritual Warfare)
Giving (see Tithing)
Globalization (Commercialism)
Good (see Spiritual Warfare)
Gun Laws
Halloween
Harming your body or someone else’s body (drinking alcohol, drugs, smoking, cutting, rape, abuse, gluttony)
Harry Potter
Healers
Heart/Soul/Mind/Strength
Heaven and Hell
Hero
Hollywood (Culture, Movies, Music…)
Holy Spirit
Homosexuality
Humility
Hungry People
Hunting
Influence
Intentions
Jesus Christ the Son
Judging/Judgement
Literal Interpretation of the Bible
Living the Christian Life
Living together before marriage (premarital sex)
Love
Luck
Lust
Man
Marriage
Masturbation (Porn)
Mercy Killing (Euthanasia, pulling the plug)
Missionaries
Money
Obedience (to God, to Parents, w/ respect to Sacrifice)
Overcoming
Patience
Politics
Pornography
Possessed (“Crazy People”, see Spiritual Warfare)
Poverty
Prayer
Predestination
Profanity
Prophecy
Prophets
Psychics
Rapture (Jesus’ Return!)
Reconciliation
Religion in schools/government
Repentance
Respect
Revelations
Right and Wrong (Absolutes)
Sacrifice
Saints
Salvation
Satan
Science
Sex
Signs
Simple
Sin (stealing, cheating, profanity…)
Spanking Children
Speaking in Tongues
Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual Warfare (Angels, Demons, Ghosts, Good, Evil, Possessed, Psychics)
Sports
Stem Cell Research
Stress
Submission
Suicide
Tatoos
Temptation
Ten Commandments
Terrorism
Thanksgiving
The DaVinci Code
This World
Tithing (Finances, taxes)
Trials
Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost)
Unclean Thoughts
Unfortunate Events Happening to Good and Bad People
Vanity
War (Military, Euthanasia, Genocide)
Witchcraft
Witnessing
Women
Worship
Religion
Christianity
Buddhism
Islam
Judaism
Hinduism
Shinto
Taoism
Confusianism
Zen
Mysticism
Atheism
Secular Humanism
Agnostic
Those that have never heard the Gospel Message.
World Peace and Feeding the Needy
-Aid to Needy (homeless, orphans, widows, unemployed)
-Aid to Foreign peoples (outreach)
            -Creating more people to do this.
            -How to do this, set up factories and things that those people will be able to run for themselves to support themselves.
“You gotta do what you gotta do to better yourself, it doesn’t matter how it affects others.”
Why does Christianity seem so right to me and not to other very intelligent people (more intelligent than me)?

50 Questions about Life
Starters, Checking our Beliefs.
1. With a good God, why is there evil in the world?
2. Can Good come from Evil?
3. Why do Bad things happen to Good people?
4. What does it mean to be a Good person?
5. What is sin? Do we sin?
6. What is Death?
7. Is there a Heaven and/or a Hell?
8. What does it take to get to Heaven?
9. What is free will and what is God’s will?
10. What is our Conscience? (or our Heart? Mind? Soul? Body?)
11. Are there spirits or spiritual components to life as we know it?
Religion.
12. Which is/are correct? (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Confusianism, Atheism, Agnostic, Ethnic, those who have never heard of these)
13. Can they all be correct?
14. Should it be a social activity or strictly personal or somewhere in between?
15. What are the roles of churches or other groups?
16. What is Truth?
The Bible.
17. Does it contradict itself? If so, why?
18. Is it reliable?
19. Who are the authors?
            Were they writing God’s words?
20. Should we add other accounts to it that have been found?
21. How has it managed to have been passed down and with what precision?
22. Which translation is the best?
23. Are there really many fulfilled prophecies?
24. Is it the Truth?
            If it is the Truth, we cannot take away or add anything to it as it says, so we must believe everything, even creation in 6 days, Noah’s ark and the Flood, Jesus and ALL his teachings, right? We cannot pick and choose or take something as just a conceptual example instead of a literal example, can we?
25. Who was Jesus?
26. Was he just a good man or a prophet?
27. The Bible claims He is man and God, how is this possible?
28. Why did He have to die if He was God?
29. How is the trinity possible, yet the three are all One?
30. For Christians and Non-Christians: what does being a Christian mean?
31. What are the commandments (greatest) that we should live by?
32. What benefit is prayer?
33. Will God give us signs or answer our prayers?
34. Are there different answers to prayer, God knows best, right?
35. Is there faith in science? To what degree?
36. How much bias is evident in science?
37. What should science be? What is science?
38. What about what science cannot prove?
39. Can science ever prove God? The Bible? The Truth?
Creation versus Evolution
40. Is there anything/anyone not biased?
            -are there good sources?
41. What does the universe, astronomy say?
42. What does the Earth say?
            -fossil record?
            -approximate dates of rocks/fossils?
43. Genetics. Natural Selection. Microevolution. Macroevolution.
Politics
44. Can a woman be a leader, such as pastor or president? Why?
45. If you were president, would you legalize gay marriage? Why?
46. Is it right to deny someone of their freedom?
47. Abortion? At what stage is it/he/she living?
48. War. Is it necessary in some cases?
            -Can war be what God wants, like in the Old Testament?
                        -Why was the Old Testament God different than the New Testament God?
49. If there is a God (Jesus), then the Christian is correct and saved by his faith and a relationship with God and the atheist is punished for his unbelief, but if there is not a God, the Christian does not gain anything nor does the atheist.
50. Answer this: Who is this written about and when was it written?
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."