What follows may not be suitable for children.

I’m having a little trouble……..with pride month. Judging from the “Bud Light” and the Target turmoil…….I am not alone.

First, for my gay friend’s, I care for you and I’m sorry if this post causes you pain. There is no wrong in loving your fellow man. Love for another, male or female, is not wrong…….in fact, it is required.

It is not wrong for a man to love another man. So…….just exactly what is it that is troubling me?

The entire premise of pride month is for the LGBT+ community to come out of hiding and to feel good about themselves. This, in itself, is fine.

My problem……..is that everyone……..on both sides of the argument……….has skipped over a key question. This is a question that lurks in the background and colors the entire conversation about sexual identity and therefore about pride month.

And here is the question:

Is “non-traditional” sexual activity wrong?

There are many corrolaries:

Is it wrong…….for a man to have anal intercourse with another man?

Is it wrong for a biological male to look and behave as a woman…..including competitive sports?

Is it wrong for our teachers to teach our children that these behaviours are OK?

Is it wrong to denigrate the Catholic church?

This question is certainly timely. If this behaviour is right……there is no problem. But, if this behaviour is wrong……then we are formally celebrating bad behaviour…….sin. Moreover, as a society, we are endorsing it. And that, it seems to me, is the point of pride month.

Today, I do not intend to deal head on with the issue of the rightness or wrongness of non-traditional sex. That is a huge topic, that I may or may not return to someday.

For today, my charge is this:

Forget the pride issue. It is only a distraction. Instead, ask yourself the question that we, as a society, are running from:

Are these behaviours are right…….or are they wrong?

Because that is the real problem. If these behaviours are wrong, then taking pride in them……..is even worse. And that is my problem with pride month.

“Go forth…….and sin some more.”

The sisters of perpetual indulgence.

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.

God, ESV

I once visited the Louvre and saw Michaelangelo’s David. It was magnificent. The tour guide pointed out that David’s face, hands, and feet were too big. And this is a measureable fact. She said that Michaelangelo did this because the statue was to be placed high up on a building and that it would look right from that perspective. She presented this explanation as a fact. But, nobody had ever asked Michaelangelo about his design motivation. Her explanation was plausible…….but it was a theory…….not a fact.

I visited a palace on Crete. The guide took us through and explained the building and how each room was used. It turns out, that long ago an archeologist had found a pile of rubble. He stacked up the stones into what he thought the palace once looked like. Later, another archeologist went through the reconstruction and wrote a paper on how each room was used based on its construction. The guide’s explanations of the rooms and of their uses were presented as fact. But……in reality…….the way the rooms were used was a theory, which was based on the reconstruction, which was itself a theory.

And this is how science works.

We look at the world and we can test it, observe it, and measure it. These are facts. But, as we go back further in time, testing, observation, and measurement become impossible. We fill in the gaps with theories. Most of what we believe about our world begins with current facts. But if you track down the logical provenance of these facts, sooner or later you run into a theory, often based on another theory, and so on.

Here is the key “take home lesson”:

Interpretation of a fact that is based on a theory……..is a theory.

Interpretation of a fact that is based on a theory……..is a theory.

If the underlying theory…….which is unproven……or even unprovable…….is wrong, then your interpretation of the fact is wrong.

The “big bang” is the scientific theory that explains how the universe came into being. Suddenly, out of nothing, there was an infinite cloud of dust. The dust coalesced into clumps which, over billions of years, accumulated to became planets, moons, and stars. This means that the center of a planet is older than the surface. So, if you dig down into our planet earth, the deeper you go, the older the material is. This is a theory……based on another theory. The problem is that the entire field of geology, much of the field of archeology, and much of the field of anthropology are founded on these theories……..and they are unproven. If the big bang theory is wrong, then most of modern science is wrong.

Lightening striking a puddle of “primordial ooze” is the theory of how life began on earth. Darwinian evolution is the theory of how different species developed. These are theories……not tested, observed, measured facts. If these theories are wrong……then much, if not most, of current science falls apart.

Don’t get me wrong. Science tells us a lot about how to live in our world. It tells us a lot about where we are……based on the facts.

Science is far less reliable in telling us where we have been because the further back in time we go the more we rely on theories and the less we rely on facts. So, when someone presents you with a fact, you need to look into the ideas that the fact is founded on. If, in digging down, you shift from facts into theories…….and this is often the case…….you need to view the interpretation of the fact with a bit of skepticism.

You need to view science with the same degree of honest skepticism as you do Christianity. To trust your eternity to facts that are ultimately based on unprovable theories is dangerous. You could be in for an ugly surprise.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Moses, probably, ESV

So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Moses, probably, ESV

I’ve probably heard this a hundred times…….sadly……often from preachers.

There are many variations:

Be good……or you’ll go to hell.

Lie and you are going to hell.

Steal and you are going to hell.

Vote pro choice and you are going to hell.

Gays are going to hell.

First……a few clarifications:

Hell…….is real…….it is nasty……..and you don’t want to be there. To make matters worse…….eternity is a long time.

A whole lot of people are going to hell……it’s going to be crowded….. with a whole lot of unhappy people. Some of them are going to be very surprised…..they are going to feel cheated………because they truly are “good people”……..kind, generous, loving, honest people……..people with misconceptions.

And finally………the great misconceptions:

Christianity does NOT teach that sinners are going to hell.

Christianity does NOT teach that “good people” are going to paradise.

Sinners are not going to hell……..at least not primarily because of their sin. Their sin in incidental.

Good people are not going to paradise……..at least not primarily because they are good. Their goodness is incidental.

Fact is……if Christianity did teach that sinners are going to hell……..I wouldn’t find it to be a very appealing religion. Because…..I am a sinner…….just like you……and Joe Biden……and Donald Trump…….and Jeffrey Dahmer.

From God’s perspective, the difference between me……..and them………is inconsequential.

I am not here to tell you if you…….are going to hell. That decision is way above my pay grade…….and it is an invitation to self righteousness……..and we certainly don’t need any more self righteousness.

What I am here to tell you may be the most important thing you will ever learn on the internet…….if you read my blog for years and only remember one line……..remember this:

The way to get into hell is to refuse to accept Jesus as your lord and saviour and refuse to accept his free gift of forgiveness.

The way to get into hell is to refuse to accept Jesus as your lord and saviour and refuse to accept his free gift of forgiveness.

God’s rule……not mine. If you don’t like it……that’s irrelevant.

It’s as simple as that.

The son of God…….Jesus…..voluntarily died a death that redefines gruesome. He did it to earn a “GET OUT OF HELL FREE CARD”. He earned it. I didn’t earn it. You didn’t earn it. He has offered that precious card to you……because he loves you…….because he wants you to spend eternity with him……..in paradise. All that he asks in return is that you recognize his divinity and his sacrifice. That act is not a small thing……..it will change your life. And that is the whole point.

Hell comes down to this:

You voluntarily choose to spend eternity in hell if and when you reject Jesus’s gift, refuse to honor his sacrifice, and refuse to accept his divinity.

The irony here is that we rebell against our creator because we want to be in control…..and all the while, we are in absolute control of the single most important decision of our lives.

In effect……we believe that we are smarter than God.

But, God has empowered us.

We have the power to decide………whether we will spend eternity in paradise…….or in hell.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”

Paul, ESV

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus, ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John, ESV

“I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

Jesus, ESV

Imagine two men standing in the street. They are having an argument about a car that is blocking traffic. And it’s getting ugly. The first guy punches the second guy in the face. The second guy takes a step back……..then turns and walks away. The first guy yells, “go ahead, just walk away…….you p..sy”……..and then laughs.

Now…….add in the fact that the second guy is an out of uniform Marine. He has a concealed carry permit and he is carrying a pocket knife, a sheath knife, and a .45 caliber pistol. I know of several instances where this very thing has happened.

It really redefines the situation. It completely changes your assessment of both men. Suddenly, the first guy is a fool and the second guy is the noble and honorable man.

“Turn the other cheek”……..one of the most misunderstood concepts in the Bible.

To refrain from retaliating when you are not capable of retaliating is not turning the other cheek……..it is weakness.

To refrain from retaliating when you are fully capable of hurting your attacker is the true act of turning the other cheek.

When Jesus was taken before the Sanhedrin, an officer punched him in the face……..and he did not retaliate. Remember, Jesus is God. He created the universe. He has the power to destroy it and start all over from scratch. He certainly could have called down a bolt of lightning and taught them all a lesson. He could have given them a taste of the justice that they so richly deserved.

But he didn’t.

Jesus sets an example by not retaliating when he is punched in the face. We need to follow his example. This is the superficial lesson of “turn the other cheek”.

But there is a much more important…….deeper lesson. When we disrespect, disobey, or even deny Jesus…….we are, in effect, punching him in the face. And he does not retaliate. He withholds justice…….retaliation…….because he loves us and does not want to lose a single one of us to Satan. He gives us a chance to return to him. And he will wait…….as long as we have the breath of life in us.

The deeper lesson of “turn the other cheek” is that Jesus gives us the opportunity to return to him………after we punch him in the face.

But his forbearance expires……….when we do.

Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Jesus. ESV

“Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

Jesus, rebuking Peter for defending him with a sword, ESV

When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?”

Jesus, before the Sanhedrin, ESV

SPOILER ALERT

This post is not for children.
This post may offend you.

June is LGBT+ pride month…….a time of celebration for a great many people…….both Christians and secular humanists. This week I’d like to spend some time on the conflict between the church and the LGBT+ community. This conflict is serious and it is growing……major businesses are taking sides……as are some of our schools. Sometimes, it even becomes violent. For this discussion, I will include Christianity, Judaism, and Islam as the church. I will include those who practice non-traditional sexual activities……that is sex outside of marriage between one man and one woman……as LGBT+. For this post I will also include recreational heterosexual intercourse and the trans culture…..because the same logic applies.

First off…….what is this conflict NOT about? It is NOT about love. Fortunately, the church and the LGBT+ community agree on love. It is the most important thing on the planet and we need more of it.

What this conflict IS about…….is the physical expression of sex, including intercourse……and freedom.

Should the physical expression of sex be limited or confined?

It is pretty clear that the vast majority of adults have tried out non-traditional sex. Almost as many have tried traditional sex. So….this is not about ignorance or inexperience. It is about whether we restrain our appetites or exercise them freely. At its core, it is about right and wrong.

Is non-traditional sexual activity right…….or is it wrong?

The argument for wrong is that the three most widely accepted moral codes on the planet…….the Torah, the Koran, and the Bible…….all unequivocally say that it is wrong. These documents claim to be the word of God and God says that non-traditional sex is wrong. It requires an unacceptable amount of logical gymnastics to extort the Bible into condoning non-traditional sex.

The argument for right is just about as simple. Non-traditional sex is right……because we want it to be right……..because we enjoy it……..because we like our freedom.

It comes down to what…..or whom do you follow…….in what……or whom do you put your trust?

God and the Bible………or your appetites.

It comes down to what………..or whom do you reject……or restrict……..God and the Bible……..or your appetites?

Something to keep in mind…….the next time you go to God with a “to do list”.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Paul, ESV

But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Paul, ESV

And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Jesus, talking to an adultress, ESV

Some people experience it.
Others never seem to know doubt.

We respect confidence. We like confident people. We often follow them. Most people would say that confidence is a good thing. It certainly feels good to be confident.

But…..it’s not so simple.

I spent 40 years in the field of medicine. For the most part I stayed out of trouble. One thing that helped me….. was doubt……..the ever present thought that my diagnosis might be wrong…….that I might be wrong…….and hurt someone. The last step in my decision making process was to ask…….”what are the ways that I could be wrong……..and what are the consequences of each specific error”. This final step forced me to reconsider answers and outcomes that I thought were wrong……..just in case they were right. Often, it led to additional tests……..just to confirm my suspicions. But, on more than one occasion, this final step saved my patient from harm.

If you take a room full of experts and give them a difficult problem, the guy who gives you an answer and is absolutely confident………is probably the dumbest guy in the room…….because he has stopped thinking. The guy who harbors doubt…….is still thinking.

There are two things to consider.

For the Christian, doubt is OK. It is OK to ask…….is this whole Bible thing legit? God can handle your doubt. He will answer your doubts……and the answer is right there in the “owner’s manual”. Even Jesus asked his father……”Why have you forsaken me?” The key is to keep thinking…….to keep searching……..and, most important of all, to search in the right places. Because, if you exclude sources that you don’t agree with, you will be ignorant………and sometimes…….you will be wrong.

For the non-believer…….the secular humanist……..the key is to respect your doubt. If you are so sure that God is a myth…….that you have stopped searching…….then you may be like the guy in the room who has stopped thinking. You may be that supremely confident guy…….the dumbest guy in the room. My hope is that you will keep questioning…….keep seeking………keep doubting.

The final point in my decision making process was to weigh the consequences of being wrong. And often there was more than one way to be wrong. This is especially important when you just cannot be sure. Because the consequences of the God vs. accident decision are the greatest consequences that you will ever face.

There is some ambiguity in the God vs. accident decision. Both sides are confident. But, neither side has absolute proof of their position…….regardless of what they say. This is not an accident. God wants you to keep thinking. God wants you to come to him because you carefully considered the situation……..and chose him.

And so God gave you the gift……..of doubt.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

David, ESV

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Jesus, ESV

Freedom…..the ability to do and be anything you choose.

Righteousness…….the wisdom to choose to do and be what is moral……to act based on the principles of right and wrong.

Truth……..an idea that is real.

America is a nation based on the ideal of freedom. We hear this all of the time. “Land of the free”. And yet, even a cursory look at freedom clearly shows that absolute freedom is not a good ideal.

Freedom must be tempered……restrained…..by righteousness and truth.

Freedom must be tempered……restrained…..by righteousness and truth.

In America today, we still have freedom. But, what we are losing is righteousness and truth.

In America today, freedom is becoming untethered from righteousness and truth.

When the freedom to express your opinion becomes untethered from right and wrong……..you get the destruction of Portland……you get the January 6th insurrection. Freedom, unrestrained by righteousness, is a destructive force.

When freedom becomes untethered from truth…….you get men dominating and destroying women’s sports. Freedom, unrestrained by truth, is a destructive force.

Freedom, in America today, is becoming a destructive force. To save ourselves, we must deal with this problem.

So……we must deal with the questions:

What is truth…….what is right……what is wrong?

First……let me tell you what truth, right, and wrong are NOT: they are not “whatever we want them to be”.

Unfortunately, this where we are today. We decide what we want. We choose media outlets that tell us that these things are right and true. We choose politicians who promise to give us what we want. Then we throw a fit if we don’t get what we want.

Truth:

Truth is real. It doesn’t change. It is completely external to us. We don’t get to decide if we like it. We don’t get to choose what truths we want (aka “alternate truths”). We are bound by the consequences of the truth…….even if we deny it or ignore it. The truth was here before we were……..and it will be here long after we are gone.

Right and wrong:

Like truth…..right and wrong are external to us. We do not control them. We do not have the authority to choose among them or manipulate them. The authority to decide what is right and what is wrong is outside of our power. If we take something that is wrong and redefine it as right…….that changes nothing. We are still bound by the consequences of being wrong.

So…….what are the specifics……of truth, right, and wrong? Don’t bother trying to figure it out…….those decisions are above your pay grade……mine too. Besides…..we would both find a way to justify the things we want to do as being right and true…….even if they are wrong and untrue.

The best we can do is to subscribe to an external moral code. And I can give you a clue…….if it doesn’t tell you to do something that you don’t want to do…….if it doesn’t tell you to stop doing something that you do want to do……..then you are perfect……….and you are kidding yourself.

I have used several moral codes in my life:

The Boy Scout Oath and Law………in my youth

Whatever makes me happy…….as a young adult

Love God…Love man….aka the Bible…as a mature adult

The Bible is the best explanation of right, wrong, and truth that I have found in 70 years of searching.

The Bible has tempered my use…..and abuse….of freedom. I strongly recommend it. It is a far more honest moral code……….than your appetites……or mine. It is a far more honest moral compass than your favorite politician……..or your favorite talking head.

“Take all of this Book upon reason that you can and the balance upon faith, and you will live and die a better man.”

Abraham Lincoln

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus, ESV

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Isaiah, ESV

It’s spring……and time for some annual chores:

Rake the plant beds, spray the weeds with roundup, spread preen.

I know that the weeds are God’s creation……..but I just won’t allow them in my plant beds. I may have to answer for that some day…….but for now…..they are going down. I give little weak weeds a small dose of roundup. But, when I come upon a big strong healthy vibrant weed, I give it a double dose of poison.

It occurred to me that Satan probably behaves the same way. When he comes upon a weak Christian or a non-Christian, he dishes out a small dose of poison. No sense wasting perfectly good poison on a soft target. A little dose of temptation or trials will likely do the job.

But then he comes across a person of strong faith………maybe a Job……he knows that he has his work cut out for him. And he pulls out all of the stops. He really lets Job have it…….with an extra helping of poison. Satan knows that ordinary, garden variety, temptation will have no impact on Job.

Do you ever wonder about big league preachers who mess up. Were they really that bad to begin with or did they just get an extra dose of temptation………a double dose of poison.

I believe that, sometimes, Satan sees a person of strong faith. He sees that person as a threat to his dominion. And his response is to double down on his attack in order to destroy that person. The sad reality is that Satan works much harder to destroy a person of strong faith than he does to destroy a weak Christian.

The irony here is that it may very well be…….that the stronger your faith……..the more viciously Satan will attack you. It is just possible that the misfortunes that befall you are a sign that you are doing something right.

So……when temptation……or outright tragedy befalls you, understand that you may be receiving a compliment………from your enemy. Satan may be telling you that you have moved up a spot or two on his list of problems.

A warrior is measured by the quality of his enemies.

Native American proverb.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Peter, ESV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Paul, ESV

We all sense that there is a non-physical component of our being. We might call it our heart or our soul. We talk about people who are very close as being “soul-mates”. A popular wedding song refers to “the union of your spirits”.

Spirit
Soul
Heart
Essence
Vital force
Life force
Breath of life
and many other synonyms

I will call it the soul.

Most people would say that the soul is the most important part of our being. Many would say that the soul can exist apart from the body…….both before birth and after death. People who have had near death experiences often describe their soul as floating above their body. We typically see people who have “good souls” as good people……..whether they have money, health, success or anything else. We say that truly evil people……..and they do exist……..have black souls.

If the soul is real and if it is so important, then the question comes up……..who does my soul belong to?

This is so terribly important……..because it colors how we run our lives. More importantly, whoever owns my soul effectively owns me……and can dispose of me and my soul as he sees fit.

What are the possibilities?

My soul belongs exclusively to:

Me
God
Satan
Nobody
Some other human
It doesn’t matter because it doesn’t exist.

I’ll start with the easiest and work up to the most important:

It doesn’t exist. I doubt that many people believe this except for a few deeply committed (and intellectually honest) secular humanists. This includes the belief that when you die, the lights just go out. Thus, this is not popular. But, it does free me……..to do whatever I want to do. And that freedom is the big attraction.

Some other human. Again, not a popular option. Even for the most ardent star crossed lovers, nobody believes that their life force belongs to another flawed person. When push comes to shove…..we simply don’t trust the other guy……..and his agenda. This is the domain of those who join “cults”.

Satan. History is replete with stories of people selling their souls to Satan. Where it gets interesting is this: since he owns your soul, he controls it and can do with it as he pleases……….so what will he do with it? Since Satan is a liar, I cannot tell you what he will do with the soul that he has purchased and neither can the person who has sold their soul. But, I suspect that it will not be pleasant.

Me. I own and control my soul. I direct it where I want it to go. It does my bidding. I bend it to satisfy my appetites. I define it so that I can do as I please. This is best summed up in “Invictus” by Henley. “I am the master of my fate…….I am the captain of my soul”. The only problem here is that the as the “master of my fate”…..we never seem to honestly deal with the final disposition of our soul…..when we die. Some dream up a paradise that conforms to their appetites. Others accept death as the end for our soul. This is the heart of secular humanism.

Nobody. Your soul is a completely independent entity. It operates by its own rules. Nobody controls it. Nobody tells it what it can or cannot do. Your soul dictates your every action directly or indirectly. Your soul could be wildly different from mine. In a way, we are captive to an inner motivating force……and so is the other guy. This accounts for much of the conflict in our culture.

God. This is the Christian perspective. God created me…..including my soul. He did this for his own purposes, which I do not claim to fully understand. He has expectations of me and has given me guidelines to use in my life. Depending on how I manage in this world……depending on how I follow God’s agenda…….. when I die, he will send my soul either to paradise or to hell.

Most people operate on a combination of the last three choices. Christians generally say God owns and has dominion over their souls. God has ultimate control over my soul…….and its disposition. Most secular humanists fall somewhere between self ownership and an independent soul. The key to the secular humanist perspective is that no outside being has ownership of and therefore control over his soul.

In the final analysis……it all comes down to one thing……control. Either the primary control of my being…..of my soul……. is internal……or it is external. Either God is in charge……or I am.

Either I run my world based on “love God….love man” or I run it based on “what I want”…….today.

I propose that “what I want” isn’t working very well.

I propose that love and its cousins…….trust and obey………will work better. That is God’s promise.

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Jesus, ESV

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Solomon, ESV

do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus, ESV

Meet Elsie…….the happiest cow on the planet.

First, let me fill you in on the back story.

About 30 years ago, I was driving down the California coast and I passed a pasture full of cows. What made this memorable was that the pasture was on a prime piece of beachfront property. My first thought was, “what a waste of valuable land……there are people who would spend millions of dollars to live on that pasture”. My second thought was, “those are the luckiest cows in the world”. They have a view to kill for, they enjoy cool ocean breezes day and night, they are well fed, and they have a million dollar view. They are living “the life”. Elsie truly is the most contented cow on earth

Years later, I had an epiphany. Elsie’s future is in fact rather grim. In a year or so, someone will lead her into a truck, take her to a smelly building, hit her on the head with a hammer, grind her up into little pieces and turn her into “quarter-pounders”. Elsie gets up each day, munches on the grass, enjoys the sun and sea breezes, and puts on a few pounds. She doesn’t have a clue. In a word…….Elsie is oblivious.

So…….what’s the point?

In a country like America, there are millions, perhaps hundreds of millions of people who are in the same spot as Elsie. They get up each day, they are well fed, well clothed, and they have good shelter. They can get anything that they need and just about anything that they want.

And yet, just around the corner, a few years down the road, there is a destiny, a fate awaiting them……..a fate that makes Elsie’s fate pale in comparison.

And they give it no thought, they haven’t a clue.

They too are oblivious.

Maybe you are one of them. If you aren’t, then you know dozens of people who are. This post is a plea to those people.

If you have carefully evaluated the facts. If you have decided that human knowledge is complete…….that God, paradise, and hell are a myth, then this post isn’t for you.

If you have given the Bible some thought and decided that you don’t like the philosophy…….it’s narrow minded, judgemental, old fashioned. If you reject it because it tells you that some of the things that you like…….are wrong. Even worse, if you reject it because it conflicts with your politics……or your favorite talking head, then you really need to reconsider. Because, if the Bible is true………then the fact that you disapprove is utterly and completely irrelevant.

Finally, if you just never gave it any thought……if, like Elsie, you have just been enjoying the view……….you really owe it to yourself to carefully study Christianity.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus, ESV

“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my ybarns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, aeat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

Jesus, ESV