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Gary Patton

What is bibliolatry? - 0 views

  • The term bibliolatry comes from combining the Greek words for Bible and worship. In a Christian context, simply stated, bibliolatry is the worship of the Bible.
  • note that the charge of bibliolatry does not claim some Christians literally bow down before a Bible and worship it, as if it were an idol.
    • Gary Patton
       
      But some religious folks come awful close to this! (Note: No smiley. I'm serious!) gfp
  • what the Bible says about itself. Second Timothy 3:16-17 declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful
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  • the Bible is “God-breathed,” and “God does not lie” (Titus 1:2), then every word in the Bible must be true.
  • Believing in an inerrant, infallible, and authoritative Bible is not bibliolatry. Rather, it is simply believing what the Bible says about itself. Further, believing what the Bible says about itself is in fact worshipping the God who breathed out His Word.
  • Only a perfect, infallible, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God could create written revelation that is itself perfect and infallible.
  • Do some believers emphasize the Bible to the point that other things of importance—such as tradition, nature, reason, and experience—are neglected? Yes. However, the Bible, based on what it says about itself, must be a higher authority than any of these and must, in fact, be the authority against which they are judged.
  • The Bible is not God. The Bible does not contain all of God’s knowledge. While the Bible gives principles that apply to every situation, it does not explicitly give us all the information we need to daily live our lives. Part of the problem is that some Christians take the saying “the Bible says it, that settles it, I believe it” to extremes.
  • God’s Word does not instruct us to abandon our brains or ignore our experiences. True reason is completely compatible with Scripture.
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    This is an excellent explanation of the this dangerous term. And the term is only dangerous depending on how one defines the practise. The author talks about a key practise below that is "completely compatible with Scripture". Regrettably, his/her calling Scripture "God's Word" is NOT completely compatible with Scripture. Scripture makes perfectly clear that only Jesus is "God's Word"! And in the context of bibliolatry, I'm NOT just splitting hairs with my comment! gfp (2011-11-10)
Gary Patton

Andrew Sullivan: Christianity in Crisis - The Daily Beast - 0 views

  • Not the supernatural claims that, fused with politics and power, gave successive generations wars, inquisitions, pogroms, reformations, and counterreformations
    • Gary Patton
       
      I'm not so sure the Bible documantation of Jesus' miracles are responsible for the horrors Mr. Sullivan seems to attribute to them.
  • What does it matter how strictly you proclaim your belief in various doctrines if you do not live as these doctrines demand?
  • And more intensely relevant to our times. Jefferson’s vision of a simpler, purer, apolitical Christianity couldn’t be further from the 21st-century American reality.
    • Gary Patton
       
      Is using Matthew 5:13-16 to justify spending one's time in so-called "social action" really Biblical? Are we wise attempting to get worldly people to obey what they cannot and do what only Jesus Followers are commanded? Does it not seem a waste of time and energy better spent "making disciples" (Matthew 28:18-20) ...one on one (2 Timothy 2:1-2)... God's clearly commanded plan?
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  • evangelical Protestants who believe that religion must consume and influence every aspect of public life
    • Gary Patton
       
      Please note my questions in the e-Sticky Note above in this paragraph.
  • The crisis of Christianity is perhaps best captured in the new meaning of the word “secular.” It once meant belief in separating the spheres of faith and politics; it now means, for many, simply atheism.
  • you’ll find a small room containing an 18th-century Bible whose pages are full of holes. They are carefully razor-cut empty spaces, so this was not an act of vandalism. It was, rather, a project begun by Thomas Jefferson when he was 77 years old.
    • Gary Patton
       
      Some would argue that President Jefferson was the R-E-A-L founder of the current "Jesus Movement" of Bible reductionists. Or a kndred spirit of the "Red Letter Christians".
  • Christianity has been destroyed by politics, priests, and get-rich evangelists. Ignore them, writes Andrew Sullivan, and embrace Him. 
  • Christianity in Crisis
    • Gary Patton
       
      "What does it matter how strictly you proclaim your belief in various doctrines if you do not live as these doctrines demand? ", the writer asks. That's about as difficult a question as one can ask a so-called Christian. gfp (2012-04-11)
  • the unilateral prohibition of the pill
    • Gary Patton
       
      Given the Catholic "Doctrine of Infalibility", "unilateral" is the right word and one all Catholics are expected to obey.
  • The hierarchy was exposed as enabling, and then covering up, an international conspiracy to abuse and rape countless youths and children.
  • Inequality, poverty, even the torture institutionalized by the government after 9/11: these issues attract far less of their public attention.
  • the mainline Protestant churches, which long promoted religious moderation, have rapidly declined in the past 50 years. Evangelical Protestantism has stepped into the vacuum, but it has serious defects of its own.
  • many suburban evangelicals embrace a gospel of prosperity
  • Others defend a rigid biblical literalism
    • Gary Patton
       
      If an omnipotent, supernatural God cannot keep His own words to humankind accurate over time, is He really a God that should be worshipped by Mr. Sullivan? There is a great deal of documented proof for the accuracy of the Bible with Scripture documents available from a time when the eye witnesses to what Jesus said and did were alive and active. Does Mr. Sullivan really believe that the first Apostles and early Christians agreed to be tortured and killed, horribly, for lies in forged documents as they were for most of the 270 years after Jesus died? And if you feel the documents were forged after the eye witnesses died, please reflect on my opening question.
  • Still others insist that the earth is merely 6,000 years old—something we now know by the light of reason and science is simply untrue.
    • Gary Patton
       
      Is Mr. Sullivan really calling as witnesses the same science and it's so-called experts at proving their theories by replicating them that hasn't been able to produce one single shred of evidence for its sacrosanct "Theory of Evolution". Is he really criticizing estimates of the earth's age on the basis of Biblical dating by calling geologists as testamentarians who use the dating of fossils by archeologists to date their rocks when those same archeologists often date their fossils from the rock layers in which they are found. Some science that, eh?
  • Evangelical Christians
    • Gary Patton
       
      I agree that torture is unBiblical and something a Jesus Follower should NEVER condone to be used under any circumstances ...never mind the proven fact that it is a totsaally unreliable way to get accurate information. However, Jesus isn't yet finished conforming me to His character as well as His likeness any more than He is the people who support this barbarism. But, I have the promise of the loving, living God that He is doing so in His way and His timing documented in Romans 8:28-39! Any so-called Christian who's not seeing him/herself becoming more like Jesus "as time goes by" is probably not one!
  • Jesus never spoke of homosexuality or abortion, and his only remarks on marriage were a condemnation of divorce (now commonplace among American Christians) and forgiveness for adultery.
    • Gary Patton
       
      Jesus doesn't have to speak on every moral issue condemned in the Old Covenant and He did say He had come to fullfill it! Does Mr. Sullivan really see Jesus condoning the homosexual behaviour that is rampant now on TV while He still loves and died for the sin nature and sins of it's practitioners? How can Mr. Sullivan suggest the antiviolent God-man who deplores murder is not appalled by abortion ...let alone the malevolency of "Partial Birth Abortion" that is practised by so-called healers all over Canada and in many U.S. States.
Gary Patton

"Pagan Christianity" ~ By Frank Viola and George Barna - 0 views

  • ReChurch Your Life
    • Gary Patton
       
      This book and it's follow-up rocked the Christian world because of the difficult truths that it's authors clearly document from Scripture and history. gfp (2012-04-08)
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    This book and it's follow-up rocked the Christian world because of the difficult truths that it's authors clearly document from Scripture and history. gfp (2012-04-08)
Gary Patton

What Is a Berean Christian? - Bible Gateway - 1 views

  • Acts 17:10-12
    • Gary Patton
       
      Acts 17:10-12 confirms why Jesus Followers are often taught to use their Bibles like the Jews of the town of Berea in Biblical times. gfp (2012-02-18)
  • ---Amuzgo de Guerrero (AMU)--- Amuzgo de Guerrero &nbsp; ---العربية (AR)--- Arabic Bible: Easy-to-Read Version Arabic Life Application Bible &nbsp; ---Български (BG)--- 1940 Bulgarian Bible Bulgarian Bible Bulgarian New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version &nbsp; ---Chinanteco de Comaltepec (CCO)--- Chinanteco de Comaltepec &nbsp; ---Cakchiquel Occidental (CKW)--- Cakchiquel Occidental &nbsp; ---Kreyol (CPF)--- Haitian Creole Version &nbsp; ---Čeština (CS)--- Bible 21 Slovo na cestu &nbsp; ---Dansk (DA)--- Dette er Biblen på dansk &nbsp; ---Deutsch (DE)--- Hoffnung für Alle Luther Bibel 1545 &nbsp; ---English (EN)--- 21st Century King James Version American Standard Version Amplified Bible Common English Bible Contemporary English Version Darby Translation Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition Easy-to-Read Version English Standard Version English Standard Version Anglicised GOD’S WORD Translation Good News Translation Holman Christian Standard Bible J.B. Phillips New Testament King James Version Lexham English Bible The Message New American Standard Bible New Century Version New International Reader's Version New International Version New International Version 1984 New International Version - UK New King James Version New Life Version New Living Translation Today's New International Version Worldwide English (New Testament) Wycliffe Bible Young's Literal Translation &nbsp; ---Español (ES)--- La Biblia de las Américas Castilian Dios Habla Hoy Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy Nueva Traducción Viviente Nueva Versión Internacional Palabra de Dios para Todos Reina Valera Contemporánea Reina-Valera 1960 Reina-Valera 1995 Reina-Valera Antigua Traducción en lenguaje actual &nbsp; ---Français (FR)--- La Bible du Semeur Louis Segond Nouvelle Edition de Genève – NEG1979 Segond 21 &nbsp; ---Κοινη (GRC)--- 1550 Stephanus New Testament 1881 Westcott-Hort New Testament 1894 Scrivener New Testament SBL Greek New Testament &nbsp; ---עיברית (HE)--- The Westminster Leningrad Codex &nbsp; ---Ilonggo (HIL)--- Hiligaynon Bible &nbsp; ---Hrvatski (HR)--- Croatian Bible &nbsp; ---Magyar (HU)--- Hungarian Károli Hungarian New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version &nbsp; ---Hawai‘i Pidgin (HWC)--- Hawai‘i Pidgin &nbsp; ---Íslenska (IS)--- Icelandic Bible &nbsp; ---Italiano (IT)--- Conferenza Episcopale Italiana La Nuova Diodati La Parola è Vita Nuova Riveduta 1994 Nuova Riveduta 2006 &nbsp; ---Jacalteco, Oriental (JAC)--- Jacalteco, Oriental &nbsp; ---Kekchi (KEK)--- Kekchi &nbsp; ---Latina (LA)--- Biblia Sacra Vulgata &nbsp; ---Māori (MI)--- Maori Bible &nbsp; ---Macedonian (MK)--- Macedonian New Testament &nbsp; ---Mam, Central (MVC)--- Mam, Central &nbsp; ---Mam, Todos Santos (MVJ)--- Mam de Todos Santos Chuchumatán &nbsp; ---Plautdietsch (NDS)--- Reimer 2001 &nbsp; ---Náhuatl de Guerrero (NGU)--- Náhuatl de Guerrero &nbsp; ---Nederlands (NL)--- Het Boek &nbsp; ---Norsk (NO)--- Det Norsk Bibelselskap 1930 En Levende Bok &nbsp; ---Português (PT)--- João Ferreira de Almeida Atualizada O Livro Portuguese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version &nbsp; ---Quiché, Centro Occidenta (QUT)--- Quiché, Centro Occidental &nbsp; ---Română (RO)--- Cornilescu Romanian &nbsp; ---Русский (RU)--- Russian New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version Russian Synodal Version Slovo Zhizny &nbsp; ---Slovenčina (SK)--- Nádej pre kazdého &nbsp; ---Shqip (SQ)--- Albanian Bible &nbsp; ---Српски (SR)--- Serbian New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version <option class
  • the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true
    • Gary Patton
       
      Given the recurring warnings in the Bible, especially the whole Book of Jude (http://diigo.com/0neqs), Jesus Followers are wise to do like the Bereans of the Apostle Paul's day when he taught them something they had not heard before. Use of the Scriptues can, however, turn into bibliolatry when we don't use it in the Spirit. Some religious Christians can arrogantly and legalistically use Scripture as a club against others.
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    Acts 17:10-12 confirms why Jesus Followers are often taught to use their Bibles like the Jews of the town of Berea in Biblical times.
Gary Patton

Jesus Great Commandment - Bible Gateway - 0 views

  • 40 (D)On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
    • Gary Patton
       
      Religious, legalistic, so-called christians, who worship the Old Covenant, seem to miss this, Jesus' "bottom-line", plus His fulfilment of it & "the law" here, on His cross & through His resurrection ...which Jesus said He had come to do. Lord, please forgive for their Bibliolatry and show them Your "Truth", Jesus! gfp
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    Matthew 22:35-40 contains Jesus' clear teaching on both the vertical and horizontal dimension of our followership of Him! gfp (2011-11-17)
Gary Patton

Interpreting Scripture: Our Greek-ness is Showing - 0 views

  • All of us who have been raised and/or educated in a western culture…regardless of our ethnicity or heritage…think like Greeks. And this can cause us some problems when we attempt to interpret the Bible.Because God is not a Greek.
  • Among other things, we Greeks believe that there is only one correct way to interpret any particular scripture and apply it to our lives
  • hen interpret biblical truth through our own personal religious, cultural, societal, and experiential lenses
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  • That’s how we get more than 20,000 versions of the same truth.
  • When a verse or passage in the Bible lends itself to more than one interpretation, we Greeks seem unable to consider the possibility that both interpretations might be equally valid.
    • Gary Patton
       
      Actually, this tension is not really a "big deal" because the simple English word, 'antinomy' explains the Biblical concept of "equal and opposing truths"! Might it be that christains simply like to fight? In discussing contrary points-of-view on a 'proof-text', for example, do we allow Mr. Sin to rear up our flesh like a wild, untamed stallion ...rather than the Indian warrior pony in North American terms... to which Jesus was referring via the 'Greek' word He used when commanding us to be 'meek'. (Forgive me David, I don't speak Aramaic, either! :-)) gfp
  • I have been awestruck by the preciousness of Jesus and determined to obtain an intimate relationship with Him regardless of the cost because He is the only One who is worth what I will pay for Him. And I have been brought to tears to know that He loves, cherishes, and values me so much that He would pay the ultimate price to invite me into the relationship that He and the Father &amp; the Spirit have enjoyed from eternity past.
  • I’m not convinced Jesus had any interpretation in mind when He spoke these words. He always did what He saw the Father doing, and He always spoke what He heard the Father speaking. I don’t know that Jesus needed much explanation or clarification before revealing the works and words of the Father.
    • Gary Patton
       
      And prior to going to His cross and being resurrected, Jesus, the incarnate "God Man", would have had to later think through what the Father gave him. Maybe He even talked through optional interpretations with "His boys"? Might He even have argued with Himself over them? (I hear that muttered "God forbid", Dr. Dave! :-)) gfp
  • Or we can put aside our Greek-ness and give up on the idea of objective truth defined as a body of information and correct interpretation. How about we simply adopt the Bible’s definition of objective truth?
    • Gary Patton
       
      I can suspect the horror this suggestion is generating in the flesh of "anti-grace-teaching" Pastors and the religious spawn they have misled! gfp
  • how about we let the Author of the scriptures quicken them to our hearts so that we see them in whatever light He wishes for us to see them at that particular moment?
    • Gary Patton
       
      WoW! What a novel idea!! Here again, this will be fleshly fear-inducing for religous people and their mistaken and misleading mentors. (And Dr. Dave knows that and does it intentionally, eh David! :-)) gfp
  • Only a Greek would ask such questions.
    • Gary Patton
       
      Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!
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    Dr. David Ryser, my Friend and a Greek and Hebrew scholar and teacher points out some core challenge of Scripture interpretation. The challenge applies cross-culturally and to followers of different gods ...with some adaptation to your culture and faith for non-Jesus Following religious people. All of us who have been raised and/or educated in a western culture…regardless of our ethnicity or heritage…think like Greeks. And this can cause us some problems when we attempt to interpret the Bible ...because God is not a Greek. gfp (2011-11-18)
Gary Patton

Are There Too Many Bibles? | Pathways International - 0 views

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    Here's a thesis many North American 'bibliolaters' will not want to hear or believe the measure of truth it contains. http://is.gd/nR7Ymg gfp (2012-01-0)
Gary Patton

The History & Modern Manifestation of Christian Zionism - Red Letter Christians - 0 views

  • they will eventually push the Palestinian humanity to a point where non-violent resistance will no longer be pursued.&nbsp;
  • a State that has displaced and oppressed millions of innocent people.&nbsp;
  • the God of the Bible as was revealed in Jesus does not make justice through injustice, nor does he make peace through violence. Dr. Salim Munayer, professor at Bethlehem Bible College, once said, “Any theology that promotes the oppression of neighbor or enemy isn’t Biblical.”
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  • The History &amp; Modern Manifestation of Christian Zionism
Gary Patton

An Open Letter to America's Christian Zionists | The New Evangelical Partnership for th... - 0 views

  • An Open Letter to America’s Christian Zionists
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    A point of view by two Christian "Ethics Professors at US theological schools which argues that "Christian Zionism" cannot be supported Biblically. The authors further state that Christians who support Israel's alleged inhumanity towards the so-called Palestinians will be judged by God. gfp (2012-06-20)
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