The Rose-Colored Glass is Half Full

Challenging your worldview

21 Apr

A Simple Challenge

Posted in Uncategorized on 21.04.10

I present to you a challenge: demonstrate the power of prayer.

The Bible is clear: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matt 7:7-8)

And: Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matt 18:19-20)

And again: For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

There are a host of Biblical assertions that a Christian can expect his or her prayers to be answered. So I ask you to demonstrate the truth of these statements. Can God answer your prayers? Can His answer be seen and verified?

I would like you who are Christians to choose a topic for the prayer. Please choose a prayer that is:

  1. Specific
  2. Verifiable
  3. Not a normal or expected occurrence

I would also like you to choose a reasonable time frame in which the prayer will be answered. I think we all may tend to lose interest or become forgetful if the target deadline is more than ten or twelve months in the future.

When several topic suggestions have been presented, I will give a chance for you who are Christians to choose by vote the one prayer that you will all pray. I will ask each of you to commit to pray for the selected topic as regularly as you see fit, and then we will wait for the result.

To avoid the possibility of manipulation, I suggest that we choose a public figure, location, or event to be a key component of the prayer, and that each participant pledge to limit his or her involvement to prayer.

Will you accept this simple challenge? Can you demonstrate the power of God through prayer?

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15 Apr

Useful Questions

Posted in Uncategorized on 15.04.10

Before engaging in a debate with an educated or intellectual opponent, there are a few questions you should consider asking:

1. Is knowledge accessible to someone without his degree/level of education?
2. Is knowledge accessible to persons of other faith or to persons of no faith? (If the opponent is religious.)
3. What would cause him to change his mind about his beliefs or ideas?

The answers to these questions will help you to know if discussion will be productive. If the answer to the first or second question is “no,” conversation will be futile if you do not hold the same title or degree as your opponent. He will attempt to teach you, but will not be open to a meaningful exchange of ideas.

If he does not provide at least one concrete, testable answer to the third question, conversation will be futile. A reasonable person will allow his mind to be changed by facts and truth. An ideologue will maintain his belief in spite of evidence to the contrary.

The third question is equally useful when beginning a dialog with an uneducated opponent. Discussion is meaningless unless each party recognizes the possibility of error and is willing to alter his position to fit the facts.

Finally, you should answer each question above for yourself. Do your answers reveal you to be a seeker of truth or an ideologue?

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01 Apr

Back On Track

Posted in Uncategorized on 01.04.10

I owe many of you an apology. Over the last year or so, I have used my Facebook page and this website to attack the Christian faith under the guise of “seeking the truth.” I chose not to be persuaded by reason or facts and instead followed my own sinful desires for freedom and self-governance. I am sorry to those of you for whom my misguided ideas have been a stumbling block.

Things have been going badly with my family for the last couple of years. The children are not minding as they once did, and have been in poor health. My relationship to my wife has become strained almost to the point of breaking. I finally came to the realization last night that the source of all of these problems is me: I rejected my savior, Jesus Christ, and chose to follow my own selfish ways. In so doing, I brought great harm on my family.

I want to let each of you know that as of last night, I have rededicated my life to Jesus and I am ready to follow him. I am thankful for each of you that did not cease to pray for us during this time. God heard your prayers, and has worked a miracle in my heart and in my family.

I recognize now that all of the research and study that I have done have been in vain. There is no understanding apart from Jesus, and all the facts in the world cannot change the truth that the Bible is his Word and that he is Lord of all.

For those of you who have not yet given your hearts to Jesus, I ask you to turn to him today. He is waiting with open arms to receive you and to forgive your sins. Don’t be rebellious as I once was; it will only cause you pain. God will pursue you until you give in, or until you die and go to hell. He loves you. Trust him today!

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