Mystical Magical Tour

As a gay man who extols the inerrancy of the Bible, I know I'm cutting my own throat with gays who would otherwise be blessed and informed by this blog. The same fundamental beliefs in the Bible I believe in, have been used against them by churches and churchy individuals who don't know which end of the Bible is up and those who offer "spirituality" have welcomed queers with open arms. Most self-identified Christians won't follow my blog because of my homosexuality, a sexuality they see as separating myself from God so how can I be Christian? Whatever you do believe in, God Bless you. I happen to believe the Bible is the way to knowing God, in other words, I believe an absolute truth has a name and His name is Jesus and that same Bible that gives me that absolute truth, will tell me who He is and what He had to say and it's up to me if I want to believe it or not. No one likes to be told there is only one way to God, someone who says that is resented, like it's some secret only some of us get and it's to be lorded over others when salvation by Christ is anything but. If you look very closely at the various belief systems, you'll see they'll take you to very different paths than the one that's in the Bible, paths that don't seem right in an observable way. I also see Atheism has a strong foothold with queers in the blogsphere. I'm sure they see what's called an 'Ugly Christian" with all his anti-gay rhetoric and they're poisoned to the whole concept of the God of Genesis, Jesus, or anything smelling of Peter, Paul, or Mary ("I hate God because He hated me first" is the sub-conscious underpinning behind much of it). I don't believe in chance. If you found this blog, I believe there was a reason, whoever you are. I pray this place helps you in some small way.

Bart Ehrman

Great Bible scholar Bart Ehrman wrote how he lost his faith. He describes it as little black bubbles that just started to leave him and by the time the last bubble left, every speck of faith in a God left with it. I don't know why bubbles leave, or why you would let them, but I do know I have mine in a tight jam jar (grape), wrapped in plastic, with a few telephone books on top in case they try to make a getaway. Ehrman Project  Everything Ehrman says about the Bible is just a re-hashing of what better writers have said in the past and refuted by people like Craig A. Evans, Daniel B. Wallace and William Lane Craig. I know Ehrman, and I know Jesus isn't done with you yet.

On Q

"Q" is claimed to be the earlier document by which Matthew and Luke are derived (with Mark being the other source). The problem with Q is we have no historical bases to say it existed, not a shred. It's not referenced by anyone (else?) or it's existence even hinted at in any writing of antiquity for a simple reason, It just didn't exist. The concept should have been left in the 19th century where it first started along with other half-crocked religious theories that were popping up everywhere at that time.
about Q
A Hebrew Matthew.

Bible Speak

Sometimes saying words like "Speaketh" just sounds right in a religious context. Jesus didn't speak in the King James (a man who batted for my lavender team) lingo, but it packs a power of authority like nobody's business. It's also great if you want to cast out snooty demons or start a King James ministry. Some Christians take it to a new level by believing the King James version is the only correct version of the Bible (see here) like it was given by automatic writing to the Apostles (Matthew didn't wake up from a Holy Spirit-induced sleep when he wrote his book and say; "What did I just write?!"). There are thousands of Bible manuscripts that have been discovered since King James that have flushed out the meaning of the Word more richly and accurately. The Bible isn't changed because of the manuscripts, they just authenticate it. The story of the "The Good Samaritan" (Jesus used a Samaritan as the example because the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other. They were the Hatfields and McCoys of their day) doesn't change because the story of the "Good Samaritan" is the same no matter what manuscript it's found in. There is no account of the Samaritan kicking the man on the side of the road back to the curb in a manuscript. You'll never find a manuscript that'll change the Bible stories in the Gospels unless it's the Gnostic ones that sound like they were written as a practical joke or by someone on a datura trip.

I also love words and terms spoken by church folk between themselves that can pack in them a whole belief system ("Interpretation of Tongues") or scenario ("Great Tribulation"). Not all of us have the same "religious speak" and I give away my Pentecostal leanings by using terms like, "Shekhinah Glory" like "Blessed Mother" which will give away a Catholic. I use Bible Speak in the proper setting and I don't do it as a rule because it's not how normal people speak and an unbeliever won't get it. So don't expect me to speak like this.... unless you throw down first.