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K J's avatar

I appreciate your openness about your stance. So many people when asked about their beliefs, are elusive and don’t answer. You shared James Delingpole’s post and video about David Ike, which I read and watched. In the video Ike is very elusive and almost robotic in his responses, repeating the same refrains over and over as if they were different programmed tracks on a CD. He reminded me a lot of Trump and his showmanship, in an eerie kind of way.

I am Christian, or at least I try to be. I appreciate you not wanting to repeat the magic words that so many Christians want to hear for affirmation purposes. For so long evangelical churches have taught what I call “fire insurance Christianity” and give no other discernment to their congregation than that repeating “Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior” means you are a “Christian.” And in order for people to “know” they have spread done their duty to spread the gospel, is to get others to repeat these magic words. Having now read the entire Bible several times this is woefully lacking in depth and it grieves me to my soul.

I appreciate your long articles about paganism as my husband and I accidentally started studying the subject in depth several years ago and there’s very few people talking about such subjects. I like your thoughtful and thorough approach. Because you are writing about religion, it begs the question “where do you stand on Christianity?” So thank you for answering it honestly. I’ve learned from my wonderful husband to always be discerning, even (especially?) when people claim Christianity as a title. So while I have been curious about where you stood, I wouldn’t have suddenly felt “safer” consuming your content if you had boldly declared yourself a Christian. I think people want a quick take so they can determine if they’re “wasting their time” on someone, but the Bible doesn’t even promote that either. If you dignify a person by listening to them long enough, what they say and often what they don’t say should be enough to allow for discernment. But like I said above, most Christian’s don’t build up their discernment and other biblical qualities and they end up using tricks because they lack the ability to see and are impatient for a result that affirms their shallow position. (In person, it’s not “a waste of time” to build friendships with people who believe differently, in fact, according to Jesus, people are each the most valuable thing aside from God.)

Once people like Ike reveal their delusion though, I have trouble consuming their content. I hadn’t followed him in particular, but after watching that video I won’t ever be able to. Others that I suspect are in the new age and truther movement are Dr. Zach Bush, Dr. Cowan, David E. Martin (he claims to be an actual prophet), Derek Broze (and Alison McDowell though they seem to be enemies). I see them as hopelessly lost right now and I cannot follow their content, but they are not “bad” people per se.

So thank you again for your in depth articles and your willingness to be honest.

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Gary’S's avatar

I was taught that there is an external source of powerful spiritual opposition to GOD. This powerful spiritual opposite of GOD seeks to destroy the agency of man. By “agency” I mean the ability and privilege GOD gives man to choose and to act for ourselves and which is essential for salvation in GOD’s kingdom.

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