Sifted in Satan's sieve

"How did the Lord humble Job? By sifting him in Satan's sieve, and discovering as that riddle moved to and fro in Satan's hands the pride, peevishness, and self-righteousness of his carnal mind. There are many who cannot bear to hear the malady touched upon. They cannot bear to hear the corruptions of the heart even hinted at. But what real humility can a man have except through a knowledge of himself?" -- J. C. Philpot

A non-Christian named Christian teaches us about the Bible

Myth: The Bible is the Word of God by Christian Chiakulas is a typical Huff Post hatchet job.

The first section is "This idea [Biblical Inerrancy] is the source of all misuse and misunderstanding of biblical passages." In it he argues that, at best, all portions of the Bible are temporal -- "intended only for a specific time period" -- or, at worst, a hodge-podge of contradictory nonsense. Yet in his four "proof-texts" he does exactly what he chides Christians for doing: not "reading in proper historical and theological context."

His second section is "The truth is that the bible is a human product, each book written in a time and place for a specific audience, by authors who were shaped by their experiences of God." In it he provides two examples to show that Christians are not reading the Bible in its proper context and don't understand their own book. Here he rises to a little higher level of understanding, especially when noticing that Paul's instructions that if any would not work they should not eat" is written in a Christian communal context and is not directly applicable to the government's role in the matter.* 

Of course, one could wonder why he even bothers. What does it matter. He doesn't think 2 Thessalonians was written by Paul, must less God! If you don't believe it, just chunk it Chiakulas. Don't waste your time. I'm amazed at the time spent by those who don't believe the Bible to convince those who do believe it to believe something else. Before signing off, he takes one last parting shot at Christians, telling them "that the Bible requires devoted and critical study to fully understand, and this is a lifelong pursuit." I'm sure no Christians have ever thought about doing that!?

Moral: Know your Bible. People who don't believe the Bible still use the Bible to promote their own ends.

* But his lack of awareness of the broader context of the Bible means he misses the fact that Paul is not just talking about the spiritual works of the Christian community, but the physical labor that earns one's bread. (e.g., 1 Cor. 4:12 "And labour, working with our own hands..." Cf. Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 2:9, 4:11; Acts 18:3)

Using tea bags, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• 14 Unexpected Uses for Used Tea Bags -- "After you finish drinking your tea, don’t toss the bag!"
• Bakers Who Were Fined $135,000 for Refusing to Make Gay Wedding Cake Explain Why They’re Continuing to Defy the Order -- "We want to fight this, and we want to fight this all the way."
• Brief Survey of Historical Background to Church Discipline in Baptist Churches -- "John L. Dagg (1794–1884) said, “When discipline leaves a church, Christ goes with it.”"
• Government workers have right to refuse gay marriage licenses: pope -- "Pope Francis said on Monday government officials have a 'human right' to refuse to discharge a duty, such as issuing marriage licenses to homosexuals, if they feel it violates their conscience."
• Hero in French train attack reportedly stabbed -- "One of the three heroes who thwarted a terror attack on a French train over the summer has been stabbed and is in critical condition, according to reports."
• How to Format a Bulleted List (and More) -- "Once you’ve decided on a list, you have to make a few formatting choices. - See more at: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-to-format-a-bulleted-list-and-more#sthash.TRBHgLXa.dpuf"
• Kim Davis Exposes A Nerve Of American Law -- "Kim Davis—whether you find her actions obstinate, principled, or poorly expressed—has raised a question that seemed to have been safely filed away...Whether you agree with her or not, Davis stands in the tradition of appealing to a higher law."
• Sex, Evolution, and Evangelical Angst -- "Whenever I teach on one of two topics, though, the rules change entirely..."
• The GOP is Overmatched -- "If you can’t induce the CEO of Planned Parenthood to feel even slightly uncomfortable about defending videos that find her employees talking about humans as if they were commodities, you have the wrong people asking the questions."
• Why Probiotics Are Good For Your Health and Your Skin -- "Slathering yogurt on your face to create a mask can actually have anti-inflammatory and calming effects."

Umpqua College and gun control

Shortly after the shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, people began to line up to again debate “gun control”. President Obama blamed the mass killings on guns and called for stricter gun control. Among other things, he said, “I’d ask the American people to think about how they can get our government to change these laws, and to save these lives and let these people grow up.” On the other hand, Erich Pratt of Gun Owners of America blamed “gun-free zones”. He said that almost all of public shootings since 1950 have occurred in “gun-free zones” (which Umpqua is, though some have incorrectly claimed it is not).

There are elements of truth in the arguments of both sides. Nevertheless, we must be somehow missing the core issue, which is something wrong with the shooter. No doubt he broke many existing laws in his crime spree and didn't care about any of them. And while there are problems with creating zones where folks cannot well defend themselves, there are many “gun-free zones” (so far) where no one has been killed. Anger, hatred, violence, moral collapse are in play. I don't have the answers, but I wonder whether we are even asking the right questions.

Songs on lips, not ears, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources.

"I'd really rather put songs on people's lips than in their ears." -- Pete Seeger

"Befriending someone so that you can evangelize them is manipulative and undermining of trust." -- Christine Pohl

"Family zones are demarcated by fences. And within the home, family members are zoned into private bedrooms – each with a television, Internet connection, and telephone. The suburb, like the consumer worldview from which it came, forms us to live fragmented and isolated lives of private consumption." -- Skye Jethani

"We learn from Jesus fellowship meals that our tables should be places of radical welcome, especially for those who feel lonely and on the outside. This is the shape of the Kingdom of God!" -- Mark Glanville

"If we really believe the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, we don't need bureaucrats to herd people into cowering before it." -- Russell Moore

"Self-identity is the delusional fruit of moral relativism." -- John Horvat

"Today is unlike any other day you've ever woken up to." -- Zach Steiner

The dying Christian

"The dying Christian has a God to go to; a Saviour into whose arms he may cast his weary soul; a blessed Spirit who from time to time relieves his doubts and fears, applies a sweet promise to his burdened spirit, gives him resignation and submission to the afflicting hand of God, and illuminates the dark valley of the shadow of death, which he has to tread, with a blessed ray of gospel light." -- J. C . Philpot

Happy Birthday and other music links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Digitized Version of J. L. White’s 1909 Fifth Edition of The Sacred Harp -- "...the first of J. L. White’s three different attempts at revising the Sacred Harp between 1909 and 1911...You can download a searchable grayscale version of the digitized book as a PDF file created by Nathan Rees..."
• Exsultet! (Rejoice!) -- "How holy is this night, when wickedness is put to flight, and sin is washed away."
• "Happy Birthday" Copyright Ruled to Be Invalid -- "The 'Happy Birthday' song dates to late 19th century work by a schoolteacher named Patty Smith Hill and her sister Mildred Hill."
• New generation leads revival of shape-note singing tradition -- "Young singers are breathing new life into shape note, one of the oldest forms of American music."
• Set Your Fields on Fire, Volume I: Music Clips and Liner Notes -- "These recordings showcase musicians carrying on the folk traditions of West Georgia."
• Singing History, Loudly -- "Sacred Harp music indeed is strange to ears accustomed to, well, just about anything else."
• South River Museum -- "Exhibits include all aspects of Borough history including: schools; churches and houses of worship; local businesses and organizations; daily life; events and celebrations; and more."
• Sweet Affliction -- "Liberals and conservatives, believers and atheists—all are welcome in the hollow square of Sacred Harp singing."
• The Story of the United Sacred Harp Musical Association --"...the United Convention sought to serve as a central organization unifying singers from all different communities."
• U.Va. Shape-Note Singing Apprentices Keep Folk Music Traditions Alive -- "The shapes jump off the page at you, but it's not a geometry lesson."

Carson's commotion

Recently presidential candidate Ben Carson stirred up a stink. On Meet the Press Carson said, "I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that." Trying to clarify or backtrack (according to which way you look at it) he later said that he could support a Muslim politician if that person would "clearly will swear to place our Constitution above their religion." 

First, I understand where Carson is coming from, considering the amount of opposition and terrorism our country and others suffer from radical Muslims. But his "clarification" goes too far to suit me -- at least it is not something I could swear. While I am a law-abiding citizen and believe in obedience to authority, I could not swear to place our Constitution above my church, or my government above my God."

On the other hand, his original comment inflamed silly sophists who cannot find the facts. Some shouted that our Constitution "expressly prohibits a religious test for office." Of course it does, you numbskulls, but our Constitution prohibits the government from setting a religious test -- it DOES NOT prohibit a voting citizen from setting a religious test for office. Any voters can set any test for any politician who is plying for their votes!

How is Paul Waldman both so incredibly smart and so spectacularly stupid?

"You don't get to be one of the world's most renowned neurosurgeons without the ability to understand complex systems, evaluate evidence, sift the plausible from the implausible, and integrate disparate pieces of data into a coherent whole. And yet he thinks that the theory of evolution is not just a great big hoax, but a hoax literally delivered to us from Hell." (Paul Waldman)

I just finished reading How is Ben Carson both so incredibly smart and so spectacularly stupid by Paul Waldman. Waldman is "a senior writer with The American Prospect magazine and a blogger for The Washington Post," "a contributor to The Plum Line blog," and his writing "has appeared in dozens of newspapers, magazines, and web sites, and he is the author or co-author of four books on media and politics." (Didn't notice scientist in there anywhere.)

In his self-admitted contemptuous tone, Waldman takes presidential candidate Ben Carson to task for being both smart and stupid. While recognizing all of us are smart in some areas and stupid in others, it is Carson's supposedly spectacular stupidity in one area that Waldman just can't tolerate -- Carson accepts the biblical account of creation over the prevailing scientific account of origins. Where do I line up to get the "stupid" stamp on my forehead?

Good news

"The Gospel is not good news because we have “tribulation”, but because our Lord and Savior has of a certainty “overcome the world”. It is indeed a joyous privilege to endure “tribulation” as we serve our Lord. The joy is not that have we have “tribulation” in His service, but that we can show our love to Him by serving Him in spite of the “tribulation” associated with our service." -- J. C. Stanaland

Glory of Heaven, and other book reviews

The posting of book reviews does not constitute endorsement of the books or book reviews that are linked.

• Book Review: enGendered -- "enGendered is essentially a theology of gender demonstrating the importance of and biblical basics for gender in relationships."
• Did the Early Church Teach ‘Faith Alone’? a Book Review -- "Engage Schreiner’s book to understand this historical teaching of the church, the scriptural teaching on justification, and why this sola still matters.
• Jesus Outside the Lines --"A certain ugliness accompanies the way American evangelicals often do cultural engagement...many Christians are equally tempted to disengage from culture altogether."
• Laura Clawson – I Belong to This Band, Hallelujah! [Brief Review] -- "Rather than focusing on the southern singers who nursed this tradition (as Jackson and Cobb do), or the non-southern “diaspora” singers whom Miller investigates, Clawson looks in depth at four locations where Sacred Harp singing occurs..."
• Probing the Libertarian Mind: a Book Review -- "The tenet is not problematic in a world where some kind of strong cultural heritage and moral framework exists."
  
• The Glory of Heaven Book Review -- "In some ways this is two books: a look at what the Bible says about heaven and the afterlife, and a pointed critique of the many heaven tourism books cluttering bookshelves."

Star of Bethlehem

I guess now it's over

Yogi Berra's most famous quotes: The wit and wisdom of the late Yankees legend

Forget health food, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources.

"Forget health food. I'm at the age where I need all the preservatives I can get!" - Jane Seabrook

"Trust in God, and lock your door." -- copied

"Our conduct in worship services must be more spiritual than physical, reverential and not sensual, orderly and not unrestrained, holy and not corrupted." -- Daniel E. Parks

"Let us bow down to worship, not rise up to play." -- Daniel E. Parks

"Instead of creating the world at the starting point for all these natural processes, He created the whole thing out of nothing about six thousand years ago, effectively stepping into the middle of a trillions-of-years chronology, with the past only virtually existent and everything from creation onward actually existent." -- Ken Hamrick

"The easiest way to avoid wrong notes is to never open your mouth and sing. What a mistake that would be." -- Pete Seeger

"My forgiveness didn’t excuse what they did; it allowed me to stop being the victim." -- Tracey Casciano

"Forgiveness is more than a choice. Forgiveness is a calling." -- copied

"We will either be welcomed into a life that’s better than we’ve ever dreamed, or we will be cast out into a life that’s worse than we’ve ever dreaded." -- Scott Sauls 

"The good news is that anyone who fears God will never have any reason to be afraid of God." -- Scott Sauls 

"There are five gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the Christian. Most people never read the first four, and some people may only find poor editions of the fifth." -- Heard

20 biases, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• 20 cognitive biases that screw up your decisions -- "You make thousands of rational decisions every day — or so you think."
• Alexander Hamilton was one of the greatest Americans and shouldn't be removed from the $10 bill -- "Hamilton himself – why is he the greatest American? It is almost impossible to believe the sheer daring of his imagination. He envisaged a United States of America that was improbable beyond reason, and then set about systematically putting into place the conditions that made his astonishing vision a reality."
• Is any marriage safe in an adulterous culture? -- "One night I just told him, 'I'm concerned about her coming so much because I think you're just infatuated with her attention.'"
• President Obama Orders Behavioral Experiments On American Public -- "The desired choices almost always advance the goals of the federal government, though they are often couched as ways to cut overall program spending."
• Report: A Christian Is Martyred Every 5 Minutes -- "According to a report from the group Christian Freedom International, every five minutes, a Christian is martyred for their faith somewhere in the world."
• There's a Woman in the United States Whose Religious Freedom Is Under Attack, But Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz are Silent -- "Yes, it is incumbent upon employers to provide a safe environment where employees can practice their religion. In fact, it's the law." (A good article had the author kept his own hypocrisy in check)
• The Rise of Victimhood Culture -- "People are intolerant of insults, even if unintentional, and react by bringing them to the attention of authorities or to the public at large."
• Top 10 myths about the Constitution on Constitution Day -- "The Constitution is our most endearing document, but not everything you read online about the Constitution is accurate!"
• What Your Pastors’ Jeans Say About Their Theology -- "After months of research, investigation and study, we’ve uncovered an issue that the Church must reckon with..."

Dothan

Genesis 37:17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

2 Kings 6:13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

Dothan and Houston County: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

All-day singing and a funeral on the grounds

SACRED HARP SINGERS MEET AT REHOBETH 

The Houston county Sacred Harp singing Convention met with the church at Rehobeth in memory of M. V. White* for a memorial sing and funeral. First elected the following officers: H. McMath, President; S. T. Spivey, vice president, M. D. Day, secretary. The house was called to order by the president, singing one song, page. 45, then appointed Bro. J. C. Kelley to sing the introductory lesson of 20 minutes. Recess 5 minutes. 

First lesson by 3, 15 minutes each, first by S. H. Tew, followed by Z. Williams, closed by J. N. Roney. Adjourned for the old soldiers to finish burying the deceased. 

Then met back at the house. The house was called to order by the vice president by singing No. 82. A special lesson by F. M. Roney, singing Nos. 81, 191, 369 and then adjourned for preaching the funeral. 

Funeral was preached by J. C. Kelley, text, Job 14:14 followed by S. T. Spivey, closed by A. E. Smith, making of a memorial talk of 20 minutes. 

Then F. M. Roney sang one song, No. 396, adjourned one hour for dinner. After noon the house was called to order by the president singing two songs, first lesson by 3, first by Joel Tew followed by P. L. Everett, closed by Jack Sarling, 3 pieces each. Recess 5 minutes. 

Second lesson by 3, three pieces each, first by W. J. Hicks, Followed by A. L. Payne, closed by S. T. Spivey. Recess 5 minutes. 

Third lesson by 3, three pieces each. First by J. H. Halstead, followed by O. G. Grace, closed by J. P. Smith, singing. Closed by singing the Parting Hand. 

H. McMath, President, and S. T. Spivey, vice president. Dr. M. D. Day, secretary. 

Committee of arrangements, J. M. Baxley, John Harrison, W. H. Haddon, E. Grice and John C. Kelley. 

From Dothan Home Journal, Vol. 18 No. 16 June 29, 1916, p. 1 
(Thanks to Sarah Kahre, who found this)
* Martin Van Buren White

What we know about science, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• A Look at What the Public Knows and Does Not Know About Science -- "How much Americans appear to know about science depends on the kinds of questions asked, of course."
• Assisted dying is the equivalent of a zero-hours contract with life -- "Let’s not pretend this ‘personal choice’ is unaffected by wider economic realities."
• How a consumer culture threatens to destroy pastors -- "When a faith community is church-centralized, the staff is expected to take full spiritual responsibility for people, which is well beyond their capacity."
• How Democrats became secular and Republicans became religious - "The “God Gap” is just a very misleading phrase when it comes to understanding how the parties represent people of faith."
• Inerrancy and the Death by a Thousand Qualifications -- "According to one website, this “death by a thousand qualifications” is a logical fallacy."
• It's Sunday Morning. Where Should Your Cell Phone Be? -- "Half of Americans who use their mobile device during worship services find their phones are an easy way to look up scriptures and songs."
• Pastor Outed on Ashley Madison Commits Suicide -- "These were real people with real families, real pain and real loss."
• Pastor speaks out about man who allegedly threatened his church -- "According to Pastor John Johnson, Aziz appeared distressed and said that god had told him to 'slay infidels'."
• Shedding Light on the Length of Pre-Sun Creation Days: A Text-Based Approach - "Notice in verses 4-5 that God defined the idea of a day before there was a sun..."
• The history of religion in the United States: Liberty and theocracy -- "...these two most authoritative forces in human existence have been warned to co-exist without either taking over the other."
• The works of the Honourable James Wilson -- "Wilson lived from 1742 to 1798."
• 10 Ways Orthodox Parents Set Children Up for Moral Failure -- "Life gets busy and we don’t step back enough to see what we might be doing as parents to hurt our children’s spiritual growth."
• 103-year-old woman banned from church -- "She said [the pastor is] not following the covenant of the Baptist Church and is trying to change the denomination to a Holiness Church."

The Lord's Church

Where the Bible is believed and taught...

• All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
• Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. (2 Timothy 4:2)

Where people are loved...

• But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44)
• By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35)

Where God is...

• And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am... (Exodus 3:14)
• ...there am I into the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20; cf. Matt. 28:20)
• ...God is true... (2 Corinthians 1:18)
• ...God is love. (1 John 4:8)

Jesus and sinners

• Jesus came for sinners – 1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Jesus came to earth “in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3).
• Jesus sought sinners – Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. He needed to go through Samaria in order to save an adulterous woman (See John 4:4ff).
• Jesus called sinners – Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Cf. Luke 5:32 
• Jesus forgave sinners – Luke 7:36-48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
• Jesus justified sinners – Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other... 
• Jesus received sinners – Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
• Jesus befriended sinners – Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. Cf. Luke 7:34
• Jesus died for sinners – Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

[Derived from a piece by Daniel E. Parks]