The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth(Part 2 of 3)

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie,   Part 1

The Concept of Heaven, The Myth Part 2

Usually, when a famous person dies, especially glorified singing stars, friends, relatives and the presiding preacher conspire to place that person in Heaven long before the conclusion of the funeral service.  The deceased is usually elevated to the position of entertaining the masses such as singing in the Heavenly choir, regardless of the life they lived. When I think of the life that the followers of Christ lived, the pain and suffering, the neglect, and to be told that when I die I am going to a place to be entertained by rock stars and drug addicts the question of, "what's the use of trying to serve God", is often suppressed.

One prominent American described Heaven to a group of children as a place where everybody goes when they die.  Assigned to a cloud each person just floats around all day looking down on and caring for their friends.  One preacher justified the untimely death of a young football as, "God needed another quarterback on his team so he called the young man home."  This may or may not have calmed the inquisitive youthful mind of children but it was destructive to the biblically based belief of going to Heaven.  

In an apostate and permissive society, we must be careful what we say so as that we do not hurt anyone's feeling.  This is an impossible task but Christianity has bought into the ideology by toning down its rhetoric, and in some instances like much of the populace,  shamed into silence by those who are quick to apply meaningless labels to the things they don't agree with.  According to some Heaven and Hell is hate speech and unsuitable for use in the presence of Children, and Jesus coming back to establish the Kingdom of God here on Earth to rule over humanity has never set well with the politicians.     

While some believe that the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are referring to different things, a careful study of Jesus' use of the phrase will make it clear that both phrases are referring to the same thing.  The confusion surrounding the definition of the two phrases serves no purpose other than to promote the confusion of Christianity and confusion allows the charlatan priests to foster false doctrines.  The lack of reconciliation on this issue and many others are the cause for confusion within the household of faith.  Try to imagine what it would be like if all of this confusion found its way into the presence of God.   

The Hebrew word for “heavens” is shamayim; it is in a plural form, meaning “heights,” “elevations.  A careful reading and study of Genesis 1 seem to indicate, "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth."  After his restoration, and creative works Genesis 2: 1 indicate "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them."  Failure to address these entities properly in our bible study has caused many to cast these celestial places aside as irrelevant entities in the overall scheme of things.  In an apostate society, being able to say, "I just want to be able to make it in", might be fine for the true believer, but to the hearer in search of directions, it is often lacking in substance. 

The Bible speaks of three heavens.  The first being our immediate atmosphere, the second is outer space as far as it stretches, and the third is the place where God himself dwells. This is the place that Jesus called the “Father's house.”   "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3)  Somewhere in the  Heavens, there is a place of rest for the bride of Christ before it is transformed and presented to the Father.     


Out-of-body experiences are nothing new, like dreams they are a means of transmitting valuable knowledge about God's plan. But in a highly educated society, there is a stigma associated with the acknowledgment of such experiences.   There is a long list of words used to shame the person into silence.  Mention an out-of-body experience in some churches and the pastor will call you into the office.  

Paul wrote, "I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." (2^nd Corinthians 12:2)  It is because of this out-of-body experience he was able to speak so forceful of on the subject of the afterlife.  Paul affirms the thesis that there is more than one Heaven.   Therefore we must conclude that God's Kingdom exists in Heaven.  

In the Lord's Prayer Jesus stated, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)  "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21:1-2)

The phrase “Kingdom of God” occurs 69 times in 10 different New Testament books, while “Kingdom of heaven” occurs only 32 times, and only in the Gospel of Matthew. Based on Matthew’s exclusive use of the phrase and the Jewish nature of his Gospel, in an attempt to be profound, some interpreters have concluded that Matthew was writing concerning the millennial kingdom while the other New Testament authors were referring to the universal kingdom. However, a closer common sense study of the use of the phrase would reveal that this interpretation is in error.

For example, speaking to the rich young ruler, Christ uses “the Kingdom of Heaven” and “Kingdom of God” interchangeably. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven’” Matthew 19:23.   In the very next verse, Christ proclaims, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God” (verse 24). Jesus makes no distinction between the two terms but seems to consider them synonymous.

The keys to Understanding the Word of God have always been, "who is talking", "Who it is spoken to", and "What is the subject matter."  We also must honor context and perspective, failure to follow the guidelines of the knowledge of God or "common sense" will result in a polluted interpretation of God's Word.  A polluted interpretation allows for multiple interpretations or convoluted messages using the same scripture or verse as the reference.  

In order to support the financial aspiration of the numerous workers in the field, it was necessary to construct different message that would appeal to different groups.  Different companies don't produce the same or identical products because it is not financially expedient.  In the religious arena, different doctrines or interpretations allows the field to be crowded with workers competing for followers, fame, and financial support.  The elimination of or the reshaping the fire and brimstone message and the justification of sin is a welcoming change to those who are searching for a new and easier direction. The desire is for a direction governed by humanity, rather than a God who may or may not hesitate to kill his wayward children. 

With the increase in the Knowledge of Good and Evil as spoken of in Daniel 12:4, the concept of Heaven here on Earth is becoming more acceptable to the masses.  Working out our Soul's salvation, life after death and the return of Christ to establish his Kingdom are all deemed passé.  The existence of these once noble thoughts now is now nothing more than a figment of an overactive and ancient imagination.  The message emulating from the rabbit hole is God wants you to have it all right here on Earth. From that perspective, a natural perspective, God became a God of giving and money is leading the way.  To some having a good job and an outgoing personality is accepted as God's favor, but what profit does this have in the Kingdom of God?   Are we using it to promote ourselves or are we using it to promote the Kingdom of God?

During the early sixties, many belief structures came under attack as man sought to explore the moon and other "Heavenly bodies."  Today there is no consensus whether a man actually walked on the moon and we will not attempt to debate the issue.  A consensus is not necessary for an act, thought or hateful rhetoric to take root and become destructive to Christian values.  The concept of Heaven and the throne of God came under a new and intense attack when man began to explore the universe.  Christian's values suffered because of these events.  The Sheppard's of the flock was not prepared to discuss the supernatural aspects of, God, Heaven and the throne of God. The search for God or the Throne of God in a natural environment proved futile.  The focus of the church changed as one minister mused out loud, "I wonder where He was hiding."

There has always been a stigma associated with the concept of Heaven and Hell, a God who has shown such great propensity for love would not treat his children in such a horrible manner.   Along the road of arriving at this conclusion, we cast aside the unwanted attributes of God.  The angry God or the God of war concept does not fit a sellable rhetoric.  However, do we all go to Heaven the moment they die, here again, consider carefully Jesus narrative of the events surrounding the rich man and Lazarus death. Luke 16:19-31.  The best interpretation of Abraham's bosom is paradise or a place of rest for the righteous souls. It is not the throne of God.   

To be continued in part 3

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth (Part 1 of 3)

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) [KJV] 

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2) [KJV]

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3) [KJV]

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." (Revelation 21:1) [KJV]

The Lie.

On sale in the Bookstore

When I die, I want to go to Heaven.  This is a common phrase echoed throughout the realm of Christendom. Because of our worldly attachments rarely heard is the phrase, "Lord I am tired, I want to go home."  The ideology of dying and going to Heaven is a part of our Christian indoctrination because Heaven is where Jesus is and we want to be with him, but we have an issue with dying.  The early Christians had a longing to be with Christ therefore dying was not an issue.  They were willing and some were glad to die for their beliefs. 

Often when we speak of Heaven, a mental condition which I refer to as cognitive dissonance is exposed.  Heaven may be all of those great things but if given a choice of going to Heaven, or staying here which would you choose? Cognitive dissonance is the mental stress or discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory or conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time.   We speak of going to Heaven but are we ready to go, we pray and performs actions that are contradictory to one or more of our beliefs, ideas, or values.   

A lack of knowledge is the cause of mental stress or cognitive dissonance over dying and going to Heaven.  In many of Jesus' teaching sessions, he explained the process of dying and the Kingdom of God.  The conversation with Nicodemus and the story of Lazarus should put us at ease, but what varies widely among different groups today is the description of Heaven and its location.  The English word "Heaven" has become synonymous with favors and enjoying the good life.  Not scripturally founded this definition is the result of various personal interpretations.  The word 'Heaven' is used 552 times In the King James translation, where as 'Heavens' is used 130 times.  There are three major meanings to the word Heaven.

(1) The word "Heaven" (Hebrew: shamyim, Greek: ouranos) can mean God’s dwelling place. "The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all." (Psalm 103:19) [KJV]  God’s throne is mentioned in connection with the mountain of God, (Ezekiel 28:16) [KJV].

2) Heaven may also refer to the endless planets, stars, and galaxies of the universe. "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have set in, place…," (Psalm 8:3) [KJV].

3) The Bible also speaks of the atmosphere that surrounds the earth as Heaven or Heavens (Genesis 1: 7, 8). Bible students must study the biblical context to understand which of the three meanings are implied.  Failure to do so can result in the perpetuation of lies.

Certain Christian groups proclaim that Christ will return and establish a Kingdom called the "Kingdom of Heaven" or the "Kingdom of God" on earth, whereas other insist we will all be given celestial bodies and spend eternity flying around in outer space.  Between those two concepts of Heaven, and whether the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God is the same there are numerous variations.  These variations based personal interpretations and what sounds good to a particular class or creed and is used to amass followers.     

Since early 1600, the concept of Heaven has undergone numerous changes. This was the age when the proliferation of the Christian faith took a firm root and began to flourish.  Splits and denominations became common place all based upon the teaching of one person or a group.  Understanding the Word of God suffered greatly as humanity began to shape and twists the Word of God.  The knowledge of "good and evil" increased and humanity began questioning the value of Christianity and the existence of God.   

During the early years of my upbringing, Heaven was a prepared place for a prepared people. This simple explanation in a simpler age seems to suffice a childish yearning for knowledge of this mysterious realm.  We would often look up to the sky and in our naive mindset, we could visualize God sitting on a cloud looking down and smiling on his creation.

While enduring the hardships of the land the ancients wrote songs that depicted the wonderful life in Heaven.  Heaven became a place where we would have nothing to do but fly around all day shouting, "Holy, Holy" This proved to be a rather boring conceit of eternity.  Taught that there were two choices in the afterlife, Heaven or Hell, the alternate made it an acceptable conclusion of our earthly journey.  

Heaven has always been the escape route for the poor.  The little child growing up without shoes could look up to the sky and say, "When I get to Heaven I am going to put on my shoes and walk all over God's Kingdom.  The naive concepts of Heaven soon began to crumble as knowledge began to increase but not before enterprising messengers learned ways to capitalize on the lack of knowledge thus preying of the gullibility of Christianity.

The gullibility of the ethnic divide is the greatest weapon yet the Devil has used against God, Heaven, and Christian values.   Pastors, Teachers, and Church members are distracted, they are chasing after fame, glory and earthly treasures and many are trying to determine the color of a supernatural or metaphysical God.  Moses saw God as a burning bush, Eve saw the Devil as a snake.  What does that tell us?  Imagine what a mess it would be if all who say they are going to Heaven ended up in Heaven.  The cauldron of hate that is been stoked and stirred would be transferred to Heaven and in simpler terms, the Devil will have won the war. 

To further amplify the ethnic divide the charlatan priests proclaimed Christianity to be the religion of the oppressor and the pie in the sky bye and bye was no longer viable goal.  The poor, the disenfranchised, and the gullible rushed to fill the coffer of those who promised Heaven here on earth.  This destruction of a belief structure created a vacuum and that vacuum filled with opposites.  Lying, hate, drugs, violence and other vices become an acceptable part of life.     

Because of the lack of a consensus, within the household of faith, some have begun to ask the question, "Do we go to Heaven when we die."  The lack of an example or constructive dialog has caused many of the emerging generations to reject the ideology of Heaven and Hell and live for the now.  There are many doctrines, whether it was their intent or not give credence to this ideology.  Jesus posed an interesting question in Matthew 16:26.  "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  The answer to this question does not prevent humanity, whether in the church or in the world "as we say" from seeking gain by misleading or defrauding their fellow man or fellow woman.  

In a Bible Study setting, a provocateur went even further and asked, "Why does everybody want to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die?" Both the question and the statement deserve consideration, but the consideration should not be in the form of a debate.   Debates create confusion as both sides seek to score points using the same Bible and the same scriptures.   We are quick to proclaim, "the bible said". 

Before any discussion of Heaven can proceed, both parties must accept the existence of the natural and supernatural.  We must also have in our possession that God given sense that I call common sense.  Heaven is above and the Earth is below.  In an attempt to question the existence of God the provocateur asked, "With all of the telescopes and satellites exploring outer space why has no evidence been found to prove that Heaven exist?"  When we look up to the sky, we see the heavenly bodies, but we do not see the throne of God.  If we traveled throughout the universe, we could see God's works but we would not see God.

Now let us establish several points that you may or may not believe.  There is the Heaven or Heavens and there is the Earth.  The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven occupies the Heaven(s) within the supernatural realm, unseen by the natural eyes.  The Devil and his demons also occupy the Earth in a supernatural realm.   We cannot see God or the Devil with our natural eyes but we can see the manifestation of God or the works of the Devil. 

Jesus speaking to Nicodemus established the parameters of the spiritual realm.  He stated that flesh and blood could not enter the Kingdom "or even see" the Kingdom of God.  John 3:5-6 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

(To be continued in Part 2)

The Rise of Cognitive Dissonance In The Religious Community

Many who are spiritual considers all suffering, whether, debts, unemployment, or any kind of illness an "attack from the enemy".  They give the credit for all bad choices to the Devil, and then pray for God to bind evil spirits or 'bad circumstances', placing the emphasis on God's doing instead of His person. Since "God's presence is always followed by miracles", the supposition is presented that God 'always wants to heal and bless us'.  

There is another group whose views are just as extreme as the first group.  They believe that everything that happens good or bad is the works of God.  The belief is that God is just sitting back directing the affairs of man. In the time of the storm the consolation is, "God know what he is doing and everything happens for a reason".   Even if a drunk driver kills a child in a horrific manner, "God know what he was doing".  There is a feel-good moment when we go to sleep knowing God is in charge.  

All sorts of claims, many I find unsupported by the Word of God emulating from these proclaimed messengers of God.  Brilliant minds are quick to explain the works of God in such a manner that those who are lacking in understanding or indoctrinated will subscribe to and defend an alien doctrine or ideology. The piecemeal skipping here and there does not present the true message of God, nor does it promote the plan of God.

Our conditioning or indoctrination causes us to response in a particular way when the messenger utters a certain word or phrase.  Jame Brown a Rock and Roll or Soul singer could turn  the concert out with the utterance of the word, "PLEASE."  Ask the question, "ain't God good", and the church will response with a thundering "AMEN" or "YES HE IS."  Meanwhile there are those in attendance wondering and asking God, "Why are you letting this happen to me?"  "God, I am praying and I am praying, but it seems like you are silent." This leads to or set the stage for a condition that I refer to as cognitive dissonance within the household of faith. 

The condition within our homes, communities, and the world is out of control and we are praying for Good to fix it.  Too often this presentation presents the metaphysical God of our salvation as an all-powerful but impotent God, one who is always working to make things right but never seems to accomplish the task.   The world is not evolving into a better place. Jesus said the condition would exist before the end of time, and no amount of praying is going to change the prophecy.   Mark 13:5-37 gives a detailed description of the world today.   Mark 13:12-13  Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

We pray for peace, but peace is forthcoming.  The truth is the scriptures do not condone praying for peace.   Throughout the scripture, there were acts of peace and peace offering, but Isaiah 26:3 say, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."  It seems as if the condition for peace is keeping one's mind stayed on God.  Paul stated, 2^nd Corinthians 13:11, "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."  Jesus said, Matthew 10:34, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

I struggle in this age of apostasy to extract myself from a self-imposed state of despair brought on by this condition of twisted scriptures and fakeness.  Unaware, sometimes, yet intentionally I limit my exposure to the things that are destructive to my belief in God and peace of mind, in doing so I have become a type of social hermit.  Not only have I limited my exposure to the media and public gatherings the religious community has also emerged as a strong contender in the destruction of the inner peace that once found in the household of faith.  There are just too many earthly promises made in the name of our Father and the simple truth is, these promises are not being fulfilled.  With all of the praying, it seems that sinners should be poor and Christians should be rich.

What is cognitive dissonance?  Let's define it this way.  Cognitive dissonance is the mental stress or discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory or conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time; performs or sees an action that is contradictory to one or more beliefs, ideas, or values.  When confronted by new information or revelations that conflict with existing beliefs, ideas, or values their faith suffers.  In essence, the twisting of the scripture to support a new age idea or doctrine weakens Christian values and is destructive to the building of a true relationship with God. 

There are several questions that I will ask that will expose this malady of what I refer to as cognitive dissonance.  How many have given their last to an unscrupulous preacher and is still waiting for the harvest?  The accomplished speaker can explain the seed and the harvest so beautiful that thousands will rush to swipe their debit card, and then they will patiently wait for God to deliver. The rhetoric that emulates from the rabbit-hole clearly states that God will always keep his promise.  How many have prayed for God to deliver them or their loved-one only to die or see their loved ones die a horrible death?  The question that we can no longer ask is, why do we pray for God's healing virtue to flow as we head to the doctor's office?  The pious are prepared to explain how God works thru the doctors to heal, whereas in time past he only spoke the word.  A true case of cognitive dissonance is at work but we cannot talk about that.

Fake words, fake faith, and fake testimonies cannot resolve the fact that many have prayed for God to move in a particular way and he did not move on their behalf.  Yet when we search for answers, we are told, he answered our prayer but not the way we wanted. Then there are those who will proclaim, "He might not come when we want him, but he is always on time."  Thus began the process of making excuses for God rather than accepting the silence of God or understanding how God works.  It is never about what the creator can do, he could have built a fence around Adam and protected him from the Devil, but he didn't.  Jesus could have saved John the Baptist's life but he didn't.  What we need is more Understanding the Word of God and less selling of the Christ.  

Too many of God children or being led to the banks of the Red Sea, there they are fleeced like Aaron did at the base of the Holy Mountain.  There they are being encouraged to solicit prayers for God to part the waters.  There is a feel good moment sustained through the cute cliché, "If he did it once he will do it again."  To ask why is to question the power of God. The same ideology holds true for those who proclaim to possess the ability to walk on water.  If God were to perform these feats, what would it prove?  Would people rush to God or would they just create another idol?  The gullibility of Christianity often comes into play when men and women seeking to impress they will use the name of God in vain. Few will question the validity of a message when it began with 'God said'.     

What is troubling is the belief structure put in place thousands of years ago is no longer fashionable as we embrace a modern anything goes society. Churches rarely talk about sin or eternal life, the focus is on the everyday fix.  Pastors are becoming involved in politics and performing in high profile arenas. "Fix it now Jesus" or "Jesus, take the wheel" is in vogue now that sin has been justified. Somewhere in the scripture, but I haven't found it, there is a passage that supposedly says, "Jesus will fix all of our problems".   If this is true then why is it taking him more than two thousand years to fix humanities problems? This make the God of our salvation seems like an incompetent God.   Cognitive dissonance, a Devil's trick is in play.

In a world or society such as we live in, it is not rational to acknowledge one's fallacies or faults, but being honest can lead to inner growth.   Whether this is good or bad I have grown to that point where I am suspicious of what I hear and see.  Whether it is the news on television, social media or even in the church, bearing false witness is in vogue.  Messengers who proclaim to operate under the seal of God have become proficient in shaping and twisting the scripture. Regardless of what the truth is, the truth is often shaped, and then it is used to the advantage of the bearer.     

The cavalier approach to God and his works has created a condition among the followers of Christ that is akin to the spread of cancer. Many true believers are feeling trapped, they are indoctrinated into these new beliefs structures that leave them filled with an unspoken doubt and is contradictory to the early teaching of the church. Whereas a message of salvation once was the driving force behind Christianity and It was the belief and preparation for the after-life.  Many church pastors are becoming involved in collecting offering; they have mastered the art of shaming the congregation into giving.  Sowing seeds and reaping a financial harvest has become the message of today. Enterprising and motivational groups are capitalizing on this and they are amassing a fortune in the process and building monuments to them self.  

Contrary to what you hear or have been indoctrinated into believing, health, wealth, and prosperity teachers are the only ones who are getting rich off God's people.  The unanswered questions that resonate within my mind and the mind of the "struggling to believe and not fully indoctrinated Christian is", "What happened to the message of old?" "Why have we killed all of the sacred cows?"  "What do planting and sowing have to do with salvation?" When God did begin giving out miracle money?  If God buys you a car, do you still have a car note? 

Is our prayer effective, or have our prayers been rendered ineffective because we are learning to pray for the wrong thing?  We pray to save our life, we pray for wealth and we even pray for God to fix the problems of the world.  There are many who have emerged as a spokesperson for God and they are prepared to give the answer, but the answers they give are often self-serving and fail to satisfy those who are truly searching for the real God.  

For Bible study, let us consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:24-27.

(24) "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.  

The Messenger of God would do well to consider the words, "deny himself" as they struggle to be impressive.

(25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Jesus is talking about life in the hereafter, as a matter of fact, Jesus always addressed life in the Kingdom.

(26) For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 

(27) For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

In this presentation, Our Savior is trying to explain the relative values of our physical lives and what we can humanly accomplish compared to what awaits us in what is commonly called the afterlife. In short, there is no comparison!  There is nothing here that stresses the importance of sowing seed and reaping the harvest in the here and now.  That being said, one bible verse does not contradict the other. 

The Bible is consistent on the value of human life apart from God.  Notice the words of Ecclesiastes 1:2-4: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes, but the earth abides forever."  

Is salvation a relevant issue in today's modern churches, or has the focus shifted to entertainment?  The message of salvation has lost its luster as the church adopted the business model of a football game. If men and women will pay thousands of dollars to attend a football game and be entertained, they will do the same for the church. Sadly what was left in the better part of that church is a doctrine different yet equally wrong, 'confessing' the word, building protective walls around Christians, global prayer to ask for healing for someone (as if the fact that if enough people would pray for healing God would be in some way be forced to comply). 

Cognitive dissonance is supported when we are taught to pray for God's deliverance while we prepare for a surgical procedure. We pray for financial blessing while investing forty to fifty hours in our job. Global ministries have become the bread and butter of many rising mega-churches, promoting a get rich scheme and the surrounding neighbor suffers from a cognitive blight.  These fancy churches depicted in Revelation 3 now sit as a monument of the pastor's success while the community withers in darkness.  The commercialization and the selling of the Christ have left many of us standing by the side of the road, waiting for a miracle that is not coming, nor was it promised.

The Tribulation of Revelation 13.

Leading up to the solar eclipse that will be seen across the United States and the world I cannot help but wonder will this be the time Jesus make his appearance. Science has explained this event as a natural occurrence and the populace is at ease.  Hatred is at an all time high and it seems as if the prophecies of Revelation 13 is being fulfilled.  A new and ungodly nation is rising up out of a sea of confusion.  The past president established the path and proclaimed that this nation is no longer a Christian nation. 

Revelation 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Those who understand the Word of God know that a beast is a nation and a sea is representative of a multitude of confused people.  

Men and women seeking to be profound easily misled and misleading embracing a rhetoric filled with hate and designed to divide.  Ministers of God preaching and teaching messages of hate, yet proclaiming to believe in a God of love. Polarizing and confusing debates on what color is a metaphysical God, as if a color is an important entity in the kingdom of God. 

If Christ does not return with the darkening of the sun and we remain the tribulations spoken of in the Holy Scripture is upon us.  The world is groaning, yet like Nero, at the burning of Rome many are dancing and prancing and stoking the flames of hatred.  Christian values are at an all-time low as those who are easily swayed no longer believe in the immortal deity.

Never in my lifetime have I seen such a blatant attack on the Christian values of old. It seems as if for years the cauldron of hate was stoked. Now its foul and infectious contents are overflowing, and in the background, many of "God's ministers" are dancing in the flickering afterglow urging the sheep of God's pasture to keep the fire burning. There is a sad sickness engulfing the countryside, the nation, and the world. 

Revelation 13:6-9  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear.

In this volatile climate, what I find very discombobulating is ministers of God posting photo-shopped pictures that serve no purpose than to incite hatred. Posting fake messages or photo-shopped pictures is contrary to God's Word. This is bearing false witness in a high-tech society. Love is of God, hate is of the Devil and both have existed since the beginning of time. They are opposites and they complement each other, like light and day. Try as he may, man does not possess the ability to eradicate either. Hate is like a seed that lies dormant in the soil, expose it to the light and it will grow. Tend it and it will spread like a weed.

Revelation 13:9  If any man have an ear, let him hear.

Re 13:9

Observe here, 1. That this acclamation, If any man have an ear, let him hear, is added in scripture when something went before, which required a very diligent attention and close application of mind: If any man have an ear, that is, a spiritual understanding to discern the meaning of what has been foretold, let him ponder and consider what is here revealed concerning this beast, and take heed that he be not found amongst the number of the worshippers of it.

Observe, 2. The consolation here given to the saints, from the consideration of God's just retribution to his and their enemies, He that leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity; that is, the beast, who has brought many of the saints into captivity, shall himself at length be taken captive, and thrown into that lake of fire and brimstone, spoken of Re 19:20. With what measure antichrist metes to others, it shall be measured to him again: God has as many ways to hurt his church's enemies, as they have to hurt his people; if they lead into captivity, so can he; if they kill with the sword, so will he.

Observe, 3. The end and design of God in suffering antichrist's rage to break forth against the church: it is for the trial of his church's faith and patience, Here is the patience and faith of the saints.

Where note, 1. That none can stand under, or bear up under, sufferings like saints.

2. That under great sufferings, saints themselves will have great occasion for the exercise of faith and patience.

3. That the faith and patience of the saints will be made very conspicuous by great and sharp sufferings.

4. That faith and patience must accompany each other in suffering times. Patience is the soul's shoulder, to bear what is afflictive at present; faith is the Christian's eye, to discover a glorious deliverance to come: where no patience is, it is a token of no faith; and where no faith is, there will appear great impatience. Behold then the faith and patience of the saints.

An Immoral System.

2nd  Thessalonians 2:10-12  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

What is an immoral system?  Those who are familiar with the acts of the Papacy, or modern day Christianity, should have no doubt that the language in 2^nd Thessalonians 2:10-12 accurately describes an immoral system. The plausible reasoning, by which the advocates of that system have palliated and apologized for sins of various kinds, is among its most remarkable features.   Thus, love the sinner, hate the sin emerge as an apology and acceptance of sin.  Sinning is of no consequence for 'we all sin". 

Clichés have a way of sneaking into our sub consciousness and thru a process of self-coding, they emerge as something profound and worthy of reflecting upon.  Call them clichés, truisms, rhymes or even crude remarks they are capable of improving or even perverting our thought process.     Many of the clichés we heard as a child lay dormant waiting for that moment to spring forth and replicate themselves in the mind of those we meet.  Often they are nothing more than cute phrases that tickle the ear and soothe the mind of the discontented.   In the early onset of emerging, nations and communities the use clichés or truisms as learning or indoctrination tools were commonplace.  

Often, speeches that the presenter considers worthy of the populace remembering are filled clichés.  Although bordering on embellishment, John F. Kennedy's famous speech. "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country", was enshrined in history as one of the greatest presidential speeches made by an American president.

My grandmother used numerous clichés to teach me objectivity lessons.   Among her favorite were, "It is the early bird that gets the worm", and "You can't have your cake and eat it too."  Both of these statements drove her point home, but one afternoon while plowing my mother's garden I began to question the early bird concept, there were variables that created inconsistencies.  Even today, I still find myself wondering; why a cake is not a cake once you eat it or why one monkey doesn't stop the show.

The use of clichés or truisms in a religious setting often promotes a sublime intent to deflect or detract from or even shape the word of God.  When a Bible truth is reduced to a Cliché the values of Christianity suffers.  Clichés maintain the innate ability to cross the line between teaching and indoctrination in a veiled manner.  A cute phrase can create a point of reflection such as, "One monkey doesn't stop the show", or a point of action such as, "Love the sinner, and hate the sin". 

On any given Sunday, thousands of preachers will stand before their congregation and proclaim that Jesus said, "Love the sinner, and hate the sin."  Many of those hearing those words will believe because "my Pastor said it".  If we do not show love they will hate us.   If we do not show love they will not come to our churches, thus our bottom line will suffer.  The organized church has decided that in order to remain relevant in a pessimist society it must dumb down its rhetoric in the face of it an adversary.   Thus, the organized church has chosen to become a part of the immoral system rather than being shamed into an irrelevant existence.  Imagine the howls of the wolves if one would proclaim from the pulpit or on national television, "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Matthew 23:33) The political correctness police would descend upon the interloper, with the intent of shaming the pastor and the church into compliance with the immoral system.

Shaming has evolved into an art form.  It has morphed into something sinister from the days when one kid would say to the other, "Your mother wears cowboy boots".  Usually, a fight would erupt and afterward, they would usually leave the playground as friends unless an adult intervened.  The intervention of adults usually results in words used like antisocial and bully to describe a harmless prank. 

In today's society, we create new and potent words, and those that speak from self-elevated positions rush to provide the proper definition and narrative.  The media courts this new age narrative.  The list of the made-up word includes; racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, you name it.  Call a person one of these words and the result is similar to saying to the person you have body odor.  These words affect or offend a person whether it is true or not.

I was in a Sunday school when I first heard the words, "love the sinner and hate the sin".  To put things in the proper perspective, it was the Sunday after the Supreme Court of the United States validated the alternate lifestyle agenda. My world, based on the Holy Spirit led common sense and the Bible entered into a state of turmoil.  The Sunday school teacher took an ample amount of time explaining what I considered a new concept of Christian values.   The pastor made a feeble attempt to explain how and why we were supposed to love the sinner and hate the sin.  I am not alone in saying, "I don't get it", but the shame of acknowledgment it silences the voice of many.  The government's re-indoctrination of Christian values with the support of the clergy was in full play.  I left the church that day one very confused soul.  

A possible reason Christians have begun to spout these phrases and cliches as if they were God inspired scripture is they are a part of the process of justifying sin.  Now that sin has been justified by the government, the populace is facing cultural crises, church crises, and family crises.   These crises have torn our communities and cities apart and now they are on the verge of destroying the very nation that spawned them.  As marriage equality gained support, the traditional church and Christianity found itself in a dilemma. How do the churches attract people in a society that have turned its back on God?  Traditional churches are becoming empty and many churchgoers are wonders where it will end.     

Two statements in the above paragraph are not scriptural. The founding of the church was not to attract people to Christ, and Christians who study the Word of God know how this world is going to end.   I must restate to draw people to Christ was not the purpose of the church; it was a place of refuge for those who had found Christ. 

Many learned Bible scholars would have us to believe that Jesus actually said, "Love the sinner, and hate the sin."  Whether he said it or not our indoctrination implies that, he would be on board with this 'simple truth'.  Why would he not be?  The adage supports universal love.  We take the catchphrase from Mahatma Gandhi who morphed it from Augustine's, "With love for mankind and hatred of sins", not because we agree with everything Mahatma Gandhi said, but because he conveniently said, “Hate the sin and not the sinner.”  The problem of dealing with any sin is settled.

The problem with Mahatma Gandhi statement “Hate the sin, not the sinner” is, there is nothing in the Word of God to validate the statement.  The question that it does present is how does humanity separate sin from a sinner?   Will the creation of laws eliminate hate? Can we accent the positive and the negative will disappear? 

The immoral system that has become a part of the organized church teaches that the use of the word sinner is hate speech and it would be judging to make such an assessment of a person's nature.  According to the pious prelates, the bible says, we are not to judge, yet, every day we make judgment calls.  We judge when we refuse to hire a person because of his history or calling a person names because they do not agree with modernist views. 

The use of Matthew 7:1 as the foundation of the dissent against judging is a miss-characterization of the heart of Jesus.   Matthew 7:1 does not say, "Judge not", it says, "Judge not that ye may not be judged", and in the rest of the paragraph Jesus explains his meaning.  If you do not want to be judge, do not judge, because if you judge, you will be judged.  My Grandmother said it this way, "If you can't stand hot grease stay out of the kitchen."   My brother interpreted it as, "grandmother said to stay out of the kitchen when she is cooking."  We err when we surgical remove a segment of a verse or scripture and present it as a complete thought.  To do so is an attempt to turns the Word of God into a polluted mess.

The provincial rabbit hole has re-emerged or recreated itself in the name of political correctness, and now it has become a safe haven for the church.  The leader of this immoral system is promoting, promising and dispensing the blessings of God for a fee.  "This was the problem with the early church that the protestant reformation was supposed to correct."  Salvation and money have become synonymous and sin is not a part of the equation.  The church is no longer a place for the broke and poor because if you are serving God, he will give you money.  The Santa Claus concept of Christianity has placed many in a Lazarus syndrome; we are begging God for the crumbs that fall from the rich man's table.   A careful study of Lazarus offers a clear path of refutation to many of the notions and clichés that have caused Christian values to suffer.   Cliché after cliché emerge, but they are lacking in the constancy and power of God word.     

The Bible makes a clear distinction between the fate of the righteous and the sinner.  "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1^st Peter 4:18)   "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD." (Romans 6:23)  Paul's message to the Corinthians was as such, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.  (2^nd Corinthians 6:17).   "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24) 

The problem with most truisms, clichés, and new age interpretations is that they seek to justify a preconceived ideology.  My perspective is supportive of what I expect to prove.   In essence, if we want to prove that infidelity is acceptable all we need to do is study the life of Abraham and other great bible figures.  Once we have completed our study we can proudly proclaim, David was a man after God's own heart, "BUT" he sinned.

Are We Playing With God?

There is an argument that uses the Word of God as the basis of justifying sin.   This argument implies that sin is of no consequence because it is covered by the Blood of Jesus.  The justification of sin, once the rhetoric of the heretic was necessary because of the testimony of the saints.  When the spotlight once again shifted from believing to receiving the Holy Ghost, the saints began to testify of living a life free and separated from sin.  This was unacceptable and not conducive to the expansion of multi-facet and multi-denominational churches.   does not the Bible teach, we all sin? 

Standing in the grocery check out I was not amused as the young child threaten to "knock out", his mother.  Annoyed by the verbal altercation  a customer's intervention was met by a stinging rebuff by the mother who exclaimed, "You don't stand there looking down your nose at me and talk to my child that way." Shaming, a new age form of one-upmanship was employed placing the concerned customer in a defensive position.   The young mother of two barely sixteen years of age, explained to all within hearing distance, "There is no shame in my game, and what ever I do GOD got my back."

In the olden days when the knowledge of the ancients prevailed, there were certain protocols put in place that governed the interaction of children with their parents.  Parent was to always address by the title of their position in the household, thus "mother or father", was the proper way to address one parent. Certain deviations were allowed such as "ma, momma, dad or daddy", but never by the first name.   This was not to enhance the standing of the parent within the household, but merely a sign of respect.  Respect was the first step on the path to obedience.

It seems as if it was my generation that tore down the walls of that were put in place to govern the process of being a parent.  The child became the controlling factor and the parent became the facilitator.   I still shudder when I think of the first time I heard a child address his parent by their first name.  The easing of the parenting protocol was necessary because we were of a generation that wanted to be a part of our children lives and not controlling their lives.  Respect for the office of parenthood soon became a declining entity in many children lives.   It was only natural that the lack of respect for God followed.

Years ago it was almost unthinkable and a rarity to hear of children attacking or killing their mother or father.  The code of the family was tight under the rule of "Blood was thicker than water."  We can amuse ourselves by asking, "what happen", but the inconvenient truth is, we know what happened.  We are the generation that killed all of the sacred cows.  There is nothing left that is sacred, not even the name of God.

Much of the posting on the social media cause me to shudder as enlighten men and women speak so cavalier about God or his works.  I am not impressed when a pile of money is used to imply that God is going to work to resolve financial situations in a matter of days.  How many people type "amen" and share, then sit back and wait for supernatural money to fill their bank account?  The question that fills my conscious when I see these type of remarks is, "Do we really believe in God or are we just playing?"

At this point of our dissertation, we should ask, what is causing the erosion of Christian values when the field is crowded with worker?  However, to ask or even answer the question we can become guilty of validating the "pretentious nature of Christianity".   It is easy to pretend that we know the answer, invoking deliberate confusion through the twisting of the scripture and the trivialization of the name of God, his works, and his plan.

Deliberation confusion exists when those who proclaim to know the answer, cloud their message with supposition and obscured platitudes, quoting scriptures out of context and saying nothing in the process.   Confusion is a politician's gambit; distraction is a magician's trick, combine together they form the necessary elements of deliberate confusion.     Much is spoken but very little is said while we are distracted, often by the pomp and pageantry.  

 A most grievous display of contempt for the LORD of our Salvation is the flagrant abuse that we bestow upon the use of His name.  God addressed the subject of disrespecting his name, in the first major group of commandants given to the children of Israel.  "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." (Exodus 20:7)   There are made-up words or phrases that use "god" as the first part of a compound word or phrase, these words or phrases serve no purpose other than to trivialize the name of God.   Does god-awful-truth make the truth more believable?   What about when we scream "Jesus take the wheel" when things are not going our way?

Trivialization, an innate form of disrespect that traverses generations and with each passing generation, it grows more acceptable.   It is sad to say but even a threat from God did not protect his name or his Word from abuse.  The evolution of man was as such that the name of God, even the Word of God became more and more irrelevant in the affair of man. 

God has become the butt of many comedy-show-off-colored jokes.  Music of all genres seems to have learned the emotional and financial value of invoking the name of God in their lyrics.  The entertainment value of misusing God's name in music has created a profitable crossover that appeals to the churchgoers as well as the nightclub crowd. 

The name of God has become synonymous with disgust or cursing, whereas the use of the name of Jesus often expresses alarm or despair.   Furthermore, the name of Jesus has evolved into just a figure of speech.   This misuse of the name of God or the attributes of the Godhead is not limited to those who are of the world; the misuse and abuse exist in the household of faith. 

Those that are of the world, as a Christian's would say, is not totally the blame for the condition of Christianity, the church and it leaders must accept much of the blame.   Our leaders have abused and misused the metaphysical God of our salvation.   What once was a solid foundation has emerged into a fairy tale ideology, based upon a foundation of entertainment.   The stellar awards go to those who can entertain as they recount the stories of a God rendered impotent by our greed. 

One of the most pathetic abuses occurs in the Church.  This type of abuse emulates from the pulpit, spreading through the congregation and community, it exists in the form of a testimony of what God is doing.  From positions of authority, they indoctrinated the masses into a belief that God is just standing by to fix all of humanities problems.  This is not scripture.  In the midst of pain and suffering, "Fix it Jesus" is the cry of the indoctrinated.  Trained to interpret the scripture from a naturalistic perspective the same as the Devil did in the Garden of Eden, they make unfulfilled demands and promises in God's name.

The sad truth is church members are dying waiting on Jesus to fix it, and many have crashed and burned while waiting on Jesus to take the wheel.  Those that are left behind are having are having a hard time reconciling their shattered faith.  

      

The Truth, the Myth and the Lie

""The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:1-4)

The Twenty-Third Psalm is one of many classic feel good scriptures.  An accomplished speaker can place special emphases on certain word that will causing burdens to disperse and smiles to radiate from once frowning faces.  Those of us who enjoy an ethnic flavor often rejoice in that moment when the preacher tone up and roar, "The LORD is my Sheppard."

       

What do we think off when we think about LORD as a Sheppard or a protector?  If you are like most Christians, you think of someone who will shield you from the hardships of this life.  Since David described him as a Sheppard, we ask him to protect our family and us, from sickness and diseases like heart trouble and cancer.   We ask for traveling grace and protection when we travel and the list could go on.  Some even pray for and testify of the LORD putting gas in their car.

It’s tempting to read the verses in the Bible of God as a protector with a kind of absolute interpretation, applying these verses to ourselves directly and proclaiming it to be the truth for all times and places.  If I read about God as a shield, it is logical that I want him to be a shield in all situations.   However, does God protect all of us in every situation?   Most of us cannot answer the question with a simple "Yes" or "No", we must add a disclaimer.  How often have you heard the phrase, "He might not come when you want him but He is always on time"?  From what perspective are we speaking?  Does God have to show up every time we get into trouble?  Here is where a type of disclaimer comes in handy.  In one sense, we will never know how many times God actually protected us, then there are times when God simply left us to karma.   Reaping what we have sown is as much a part of the scripture as God building a fence around us.  In a world with the freewill to make our own choices, we cannot get around the fact that hardships await us—Jesus promised us as much.  However, he has a perfect will for us and that includes different kinds of protection.

Trying to answer the questions of what God do and do not do without adding the disclaimer exposes a cognitive dissonance.  This is one of many common examples of cognitive dissonance activated when people confront the scriptural reality of their concept of God's protection or even miracles.  Cognitive dissonance is the mental stress or discomfort experienced by an individual who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time; performs an action that is contradictory to one or more beliefs, ideas, or values; or confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs, ideas, or values.  Therefore, if you are reading this right now and you are feeling uneasy, nervous even; it is a normal reaction.   This is what cognitive dissonance does, but confusion can be the prelude to clarity. 

We need be careful that we do not use too cavalier approach when interpreting the scripture.    Christian values suffer most when myth and lies impregnate the truth through bogus interpretation.  This fallacy occurs when we shape the scripture in such a manner that it says what makes the listeners feel good.  When we read the Old Testament we see that God was a deliverer to the Children of Israel, in the New Testament, to the church he was a comforter. 

 The three Hebrew men who was about to be casted into the fiery furnace knew they served an all-powerful God, but they did not pray for God to display his power.  When asked by the evil King they confirmed their faith by stating, "Whether He deliver us or not He is still God."  Deliverance was not a prerequisite of their faith, yet God showed up.   John the Baptist sent a message to Christ, his concern was are you the Christ or shall we look for another. Deliverance was not a prerequisite of his faith.   After receiving an answer from Christ, John was contented to languish in Jail and face execution, refusing to tone down his rhetoric.  Jesus did not show up and save John's life.  Stephen, like his Savior, when confronted with death called upon God to receive his spirit.  It seems the Martyrs were comfortable with dying to be with their LORD.

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Revelation 6:9-11)

Let us come together and reason, do we believe in God?  Maybe we should rephrase the question, “what God do we believe in”?   There is the God of Moses who left his children to wander in the wilderness forty years because they were rude and disobedient.   There is the God of John the Baptist who left the forerunner of his son to languish in jail until a grumpy old King ordered his head removed.  Then there is the God who allowed the execution of his Son for a crime he did not commit, and there is that God, whose vial of wrath is overflowing.  Both Simon Peter and Paul expressed a profound desire to die to be with the Son of God who said I am going away to prepare a place for you.   

There seems to be a new God in charge today, one that has changed all of the rules.  This new God has "flip the script' and it's about now and not the hereafter.  The rules only apply when it comes to getting stuff.  The wages of sin is passé and the feel-good gospel is in vogue.   The rowdiness of the world has invaded the church house and the sacredness of worship is discarded or desecrated.   Money and power have become the new gods of salvation.  To be able to use the word salvation, I must post the question; do we still believe in salvation of the soul?   What is it that drives us to church each Sunday?    Is it the performance of the preacher, the choir or the dance team?    Is our desire to get our ‘praise on’ greater than our desire to be like Jesus?  Imagine Jesus, that person that we say we want to be like, telling his disciples, let us go to the temple and get our praise on "Yawl"?

Humanity has reached a level of indifference and intolerance to the truth.  From our leaders in high places to the lowly minions whose life is a constant struggle, the truth has become elusive.  Many have bought into the lie because it is the acceptable thing to do.  Without an honest dialog, we quickly digress into a conversation of lies.

In a conversation of lies, stretching and shaping the truth is a necessary element to accommodate or appease the person or speaker who might have a difference of opinion.     Sadly, to say, in many instances nothing can resolve the differences when we elevate our opinion above all other opinions.   

The Hypocrisy of Christianity

After a three month habitat, I began this discourse in a confused state, it is not the confusion of dealing with my business associates or writer friends that shape my gloomy outlook, nor is it the gloomy breaking of daylight outside my office window, it is the confusion of humanity. The people of the world and the people of this nation now exist in a total confused state. Undeniably, this nation has become a sea of confusion.  It is not necessary to establish a timeline when these changes began to occur, they began when we began systematically removing God from the equation, thus preparing the way for the advancement of (the) antichrist.   Revelation 13:1 speaks of a new nation rising up out of the sea (confusion).

The world I once knew, the community and the social groups that I once was a part of have undergone drastic changes.  Even the church was not immune to these changes.  It is as if awakening from a beautiful, peaceful dream and realizing that reality is a cold, dark place. Instead of awakening from a nightmare, those of my generation and older often speak of this dilemma as having awakened to, or within a nightmare.  We can no longer ignore the problems or questions by burying our heads in the sand or pretending the Elephant in the room do not exist.   It is the time we face our own reality.  How did we get to this point?  Did we not train up our children in the way they should go?  If so then why are we plagued with a godless generation whose intent is to destroy our Christian values?  It is easy to cover ourselves with scriptures, plead the blood and proclaim, "God knows what he is doing." Are we contributing to the decline of Christian values by blaming God for our shortcoming?  


If we look closely at the dilemma that we are in, at least two inconvenient truths will emerge.   I use the word inconvenient truth because it can be hard to accept these truths.  The first truth is the millennial generation that precedes us is a product of our own creation.   The base of the second truth is as follows.  "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38)  Our generation has produced preachers, apostles, teachers, prophets and other workers of the harvest by many different names, more than any other generation.  This being true, the question is where is the harvest.  Instead of a harvest, God, church and Christian values have become toxic.   

The cumulative effect of the past eight years has been a blatant attack on Christianity and Christian values.   The attack on Christian values is the elephant in the room that is being overlooked by those who profess to teach the Word of God.  If the attack on Christian values were to be acknowledged, many ministers who have sided with the losing party would lose their credibility.   In this day of confusion, the ancient teaching of the Bible has been cast aside or reinterpreted to accommodate the sinful nature of humanity, and the ministers are saying Amen with cute cliches and shaped truths.  Bible history and science confirms the effects of challenging God, the evidence presents itself when we trample through the relics of lost civilizations that were wiped from the face of the earth.  
  

There are biblical accounts of civilizations perishing and the reason given in the Holy Scripture.  Sodom and Gomorrah, the flood, the threat on Nineveh is just to name a few.   What happened to Africa, the birthplace of humanity?  Consider Eygpt and all its great gods and even the Maya civilization.  Why did a cloud of darkness descend over these along with other civilization, separating it people from their past?  Many of these civilizations demonstrated a technology for surpassing that of today.   There seem to be dark clouds rising. 

The Hypocrisy of Christianity manifests itself as a religion that seeks compromise with other religions.  

As I watched the twisting and shaping of the scripture that 30,000 plus different denominations can attest to, I was overcome with fear.  Theis type of fear has allowed me to believe we are standing on the eve of destruction.  In simplest terms, as pertaining to the United States I assumed that martial law would be declared,  the elections would be set aside and a new and ungodly nation emerges. This worst-case scenario did not happen or did it happen in a way that I and many did not expect.  

Even now as I watch the events unfolding, I am still convinced that America is the nucleus of the birth of this new and ungodly nation.  The cauldron of hate that once was hidden or suppressed has been brought center stage, the fires are stoked and it constant stirring has caused it to overflow and infect the country and entire world. A one world government seems to be on the horizon.  Whether history is repeating itself and whether we are in the first act or last act, the stage is set for an apocalyptical conclusion.

In my study of the Book of Revelation, there were numerous inconvenient truths uncovered.  Revelation is a book about the vengeance of heaven. Ignorance of God is naturally accompanied by vice and crime, filling the nations and communities with violence and bloodshed, and making it ripe for the vengeance of heaven. (Hosea 4:6)  To mask these truths it is necessary that the interpretation of this book follow certain guidelines (denominational and politically correctness).  These guidelines often inject variables into the book that renders it incoherent.  This technique discredits the book of Revelation as well as the entire Bible.  Here again, tampering with the Holy Scripture is a reality that most are not prepared to acknowledge.  If we consider the numerous interpretations and revisions, we should be able to draw a conclusion as to what has and is taking place.

Never in my lifetime has the attack on Christian values been so intense.  Many failed to see the shift in the battle and belief structure as a "man of color" took the helm of a nation that once was proud to proclaim it a Christian nation.  A change was what he proposed and he soon issued a proclamation that America was not a Christian nation.  The institutions of old that made this country what it is, though not perfect, suddenly came under attack.  Those who shared his ethnic background or views accepted much of what he proposed.  To implement changes, the empowerment of dredge elements was used solidified a campaign of shaming and hatred directed at anyone who did not agree with the emerging agenda.  The enactment of laws that in theory was supposed to eliminate hate created an environment that allowed hate to thrive.   

Once these laws were enactment, sermons, certain verses in the Bible and the teaching of Christian values were subject to intense scrutiny.    Appling the hate speech label indiscriminately became the focus of the newly enlightens.  For protection, the church scrambled to change, even the ancient focus and direction of Christianity.  Subjected to reinterpretation the Word of God the church was able to embrace new and alien concepts.  To implement changes pagan values were intermixed with Christian values thereby forming an unholy union.    


We can use Biblical and secular history to document the effect of mixing pagan values with Christian values.  Once our values shift, the warnings of old tend to go unheeded.  The Roman Empire became weak and floundered when its values shifted to include Christian values mixed with Pagan values.  Christian values do not mix with pagan or worldly valued.  Christianity seeks to impress upon the individual or church the need to form a wall of separation from the world. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," (2 Corinthians 6:17)