While my wife and I were at church today, I was watching people as they went up to the altar to take communion. What I wanted to see was if they were taking it seriously, going through the motions, or some other emotion. I'd have to say that most of the people in our congregation take it VERY seriously. There are a few that just go up there because they feel like they have to because: 1) They feel like they have to please someone else, or 2) They're being told to!
The latter of those should never be the case, because no one should have to feel that they have to come to the Lord's table unwillingly. The former is also a bad reason, because it is an ulterior motive, and therefore not for good intentions.
The Holy Eucharist is Jesus incarnate, and therefore should not be taken on bad or ulterior motives. As the scriptures say, one should examine themselves beforehand. I make sure I pray before each service to make sure that I'm in the right frame of mind to partake.
Just a note to anybody that just happens to read my blog(is there anybody?). Please make sure that you are prepared to take communion beforehand.
Erik
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Friday, June 8, 2007
Interesting article...but heretical and blasphemous
Hat Tip: Stand Firm
I read an article--no, make it two articles that happened to be in the Diocese of Olympia's Diocesan Newsletter. One was titled Is Jesus the only way to God? Hmm... my answer is, of course He s, and in the Gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 6, it reads, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one can come to the Father except through Me."(KJV) The author of the first article, The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding, PhD., believes that participating in the religions of our "Abrahamic cousins can illumine our blind spots, even as it sharpens our vision."
First of all, there are some stark differences between Islam and Christianity. And that one of the misconceptions is that we serve the same God. First, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the one whom came to save the world from sin is a triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Allah, the "god" of Islam, is not triune. Next, in Christianity, Jesus is divine, and is the Son of God. In Islam, Jesus is just a mere prophet, and is just a man. They deny the deity and divinity of Christ.
The second article is an interview with Dr. Redding. The title? Well, it gets even better: On Being Christian and Muslim. Yes, you read that right. Interesting. It says in the scriptures that one cannot serve God and mammon. Choose today whom you will serve. (Matthew 6:24, NKJV) She serves as a priest in the Episcopal Church, and THEN turns around and goes to the mosque and worships there!!!!! By doing that, she is DESECRATING the Lord's table. I know enough Sacramental Theology to be dangerous, and that is blasphemous, and downright wrong. She should renounce her orders; by doing this, she is showing that she is not a christian. One cannot serve two masters; allah and God are not the same God.
Erik
I read an article--no, make it two articles that happened to be in the Diocese of Olympia's Diocesan Newsletter. One was titled Is Jesus the only way to God? Hmm... my answer is, of course He s, and in the Gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 6, it reads, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one can come to the Father except through Me."(KJV) The author of the first article, The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding, PhD., believes that participating in the religions of our "Abrahamic cousins can illumine our blind spots, even as it sharpens our vision."
First of all, there are some stark differences between Islam and Christianity. And that one of the misconceptions is that we serve the same God. First, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the one whom came to save the world from sin is a triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Allah, the "god" of Islam, is not triune. Next, in Christianity, Jesus is divine, and is the Son of God. In Islam, Jesus is just a mere prophet, and is just a man. They deny the deity and divinity of Christ.
The second article is an interview with Dr. Redding. The title? Well, it gets even better: On Being Christian and Muslim. Yes, you read that right. Interesting. It says in the scriptures that one cannot serve God and mammon. Choose today whom you will serve. (Matthew 6:24, NKJV) She serves as a priest in the Episcopal Church, and THEN turns around and goes to the mosque and worships there!!!!! By doing that, she is DESECRATING the Lord's table. I know enough Sacramental Theology to be dangerous, and that is blasphemous, and downright wrong. She should renounce her orders; by doing this, she is showing that she is not a christian. One cannot serve two masters; allah and God are not the same God.
Erik
Friday, June 1, 2007
What version of the Bible?
A VERY interesting thread on Titus 1:9 about versions of the Bible is on-going, and needless to say, it is very interesting and refreshing. I would like comment a bit on what versions I have and what I use them for:
KJV(King James Version): The most authoritative; I use this version for my deep studies.
NKJV(New King James Version): I use this if I am just reading just to read the scriptures. The fluidity of the scriptures in this version are AMAZING.
NIV(New International Version): This version I NEVER use. It is just too choppy, and it renders the verses that one goes to the most(John 3:16, Romans 8:37) either unreadable or indistinguishable to what a person remembers the scriptures were.
NRSV(New Revised Standard Version): This version is okay. Since I go to a Catholic university and I am a Theology major, the professors frown on the KJV. I bring my NRSV w/ the apocrypha.
NJB(New Jerusalem Bible): The translation I don't really like, but there is one thing I do like about it; the footnotes. They give Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and other words, as well as other texts. I will probably go back to it for that reason to see what it says about certain verses.
NAB(New American Bible): The translation is okay, but not like the NRSV or NKJV.
Anyway, I wanted to give an overview of what I have. I would like to get my hands on an RSV(Revised Standard Version). I have heard good things about that translation.
Erik
KJV(King James Version): The most authoritative; I use this version for my deep studies.
NKJV(New King James Version): I use this if I am just reading just to read the scriptures. The fluidity of the scriptures in this version are AMAZING.
NIV(New International Version): This version I NEVER use. It is just too choppy, and it renders the verses that one goes to the most(John 3:16, Romans 8:37) either unreadable or indistinguishable to what a person remembers the scriptures were.
NRSV(New Revised Standard Version): This version is okay. Since I go to a Catholic university and I am a Theology major, the professors frown on the KJV. I bring my NRSV w/ the apocrypha.
NJB(New Jerusalem Bible): The translation I don't really like, but there is one thing I do like about it; the footnotes. They give Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and other words, as well as other texts. I will probably go back to it for that reason to see what it says about certain verses.
NAB(New American Bible): The translation is okay, but not like the NRSV or NKJV.
Anyway, I wanted to give an overview of what I have. I would like to get my hands on an RSV(Revised Standard Version). I have heard good things about that translation.
Erik
It's Hurricane Season!
My wife and I often wonder about Florida(and this is just speculation). Is it God punishing them for their sin and wretchedness? It seems that every hurricane season not a year goes by that a hurricane hits Florida. My wife thinks this more than me; I think that it is more of the Ecclesiates "chance happens to the good and the bad..." etc... Just a thought...
Erik
Erik
Saturday, May 12, 2007
On to the MEAT!
I hear Susan Russell of "Integrity" fame mention that there is more to the Liberal side of the coin than Social Justice. Well, Ms. Russell, that's mighty fine, but how come THAT IS ALL WE HEAR??? How come we do not hear of Christ's redeeming blood? How come we do not hear that Christ died "once for all?" Instead, we hear from the liberals that "there is more than one way to God..." Rubbish... pure unexpurgated rubbish. We read in scripture that nobody comes to the Father except by the Son. That is VERY clear. No amount of "social justice" will change the reading of scripture. Scripture is VERY CLEAR, unless you're reading Thomas Jefferson's version of the Bible, Ms. Russell. God bless you, Ms. Russell. I will be praying for the scriptures to be clear to you.
Erik
Erik
A little off topic, but nonetheless IMPORTANT!
My wife Wanda showed me where my former employer Walgreens started giving medical benefits to partners of homosexuals. This hit us very hard, because we never thought that they would stoop so low as to offer benefits for "couples" that don't deserve it.
We are going to start to BOYCOTT Walgreens, and my wife has already started looking for another place of employment, so if you read this BOYCOTT WALGREENS!!!!! Bring your prescriptions elsewhere!
Erik
We are going to start to BOYCOTT Walgreens, and my wife has already started looking for another place of employment, so if you read this BOYCOTT WALGREENS!!!!! Bring your prescriptions elsewhere!
Erik
Sunday, May 6, 2007
This "Fr. MacGreevey" nonsense...
You know, I really thought I had heard it all when Gene Robinson had been consecrated at the Bishop of New Hampshire. But no, then we get a female Presiding Bishop who's not even a Christian. Now, we have the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Remember the former New Jersey Governor that got "outed" as a homosexual? Well, now he is in the discernment process as an Episcopal priest!!!! Doesn't this just get all. Next thing that you'll see on an application for the seminaries is that they'll ask you if you're a homosexual. And if you answer no, you won't get in. It also seems as if the "coming out" process for gays is naturally followed by the discernment process into the Episcopal priesthood!!! Isn't that just rich!!! Gotta love it... Nowhere else but the Diocese of Newark...
Erik
Erik
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