It has been way too long since I've posted. Here is a thought that popped up into my head yesterday as I was reading  for school.

Antony Flew was a famous atheist who has since converted to theism, and he classifies himself as a deist. My thoughts: Just because you're on the green, doesn't mean you're in the hole.

:)

I was shocked and upset when I heard that Michael Jackson had died. Not because I was a die hard fan or anything, but because to me he was a rock among entertainers. He was talented and such an icon... in the back of my head, I just thought he would always be around. Of course, I realize that everyone will face death.

People have proceeded to basically follow two roads in reaction to his death. Yes, these are two broad roads, but they apply. 1.) He was a talented man, getting ready to launch a new tour, and was a victim of having his name dragged through the mud by slanderous liars. Long live the king of pop. 2.) He was a metrosexual who looked like a woman, molested children, and lied about having skin lightening treatments and plastic surgeries done. He deserved death.

1.) is optimistic and relies on what we have to admit are possibilities. 2.) is condemnatory, slanderous, and disrespectful.

First of all, according to God, we all deserve death: Michael Jackson, me, and you. So you who condemn Michael Jackson to death, deserve it also. Don't forget that. God has shown mercy on us by forgiving us and not killing us for our sins, so show mercy to other people, instead of verbally pulling the trigger yourself.
Second, one of the things that makes America so great is that a person is considered innocent until proven guilty. The evidence against Michael Jackson in the molestation case is shady at best, and he was found not guilty in a court of law. You can't get any fairer than that. There are such things as golddiggers out there who would do anything to have even a small chunk of Michael Jackson's well-earned money.
Third, he claimed to have been afflicted with vitiligo. And he had doctors and others close to him testifying to that.
Lastly, his style was his style. Just say you don't prefer it, rather than calling him names. The Bible speaks heavily against slanderous talk and gossip, so don't find yourself giving in to it.

Have opinions? Hate mail? Praise?

I am taking seminary classes online. In my class, Personal Evangelism, I am reading a book called The Art of Personal Evangelism.

In my assigned reading for this week, I read the ten myths of communication (of the Gospel, duh). You, I hope, will be as sickened as I was by one of them.

It goes: (2.) "The words of the Bible are so powerful that all people need to bring them to Christ is to be exposed to hearing or reading the Bible."

Excuse me? I understand that people may need more explanation of what the Bible says, but the Gospel is in the Bible. If you are lost, and you read the Gospel and believe it, you can be saved. Period.

I am not saying we shouldn't explain things and should just walk around, quoting Bible verses to lost people. But if we did, that would NOT be sin.

The fact that this is in my book, which I am reading as part of a class about EVANGELISM, as part of a degree at a conservative, Bible-believing seminary is what sickens me.

Back to studying, end rant.