‘Transhumanism is a movement that holds that scientific and technological advances can be used to improve humanity. For example, to increase life-span, to get rid of diseases through gene modification, to implant electronic microchips for security purposes, or to monitor a person’s location, purchases, and movements. Some of this might seem only vaguely relevant to creation science apologetics. However, at its heart it is a godless movement, and ultimately is one that is justified by belief in evolution. Creation Ministries International first tackled the question of transhumanism in 2011. Fast forward to 2023 and it is being promoted more than ever by notable academics and leading forums, together with well-funded research grants such as one from President Biden’s government.’https://creation.com/transhumanism-image-of-god
God’s Grace
All posts tagged God’s Grace
2 Corinthians 13:11
“Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
‘Love is one of the necessities of life that is both physical and spiritual. While it doesn’t fit with a strictly materialistic view of life, love and touch, or lack of love and touch, can determine our health and sometimes even life and death.
The claim that love and touch are necessary to life and health was considered so outrageous that it wasn’t until relatively recently that scientists began to test such claims. Researchers selected 40 hospitalized infants. These infants were not in intensive care, on oxygen, or intravenous feedings, but they were too tiny to leave the hospital. Researchers randomly selected half the group for attention. These infants were touched for three 15-minute periods a day. The first five minutes were spent stroking the infants’ bodies. The next five minutes were spend lightly moving the infants’ arms and legs. This was followed by five more minutes of stroking.
Even though the infants often didn’t seem to notice the attention, it made a difference. After only 10 weekdays of this attention, the stroked infants had gained 47% more weight than the infants that were ignored. This is especially amazing considering the infants that gained less weight had been fed the same number of calories. The stroked infants were also more active, so they should have actually metabolized more of the calories and lost weight rather than increasing in weight.
Can we literally live on love? Well, we do need food and other things, but we also need love—especially from our Creator.’https://creationmoments.com/sermons/touching-love-4/?mc_cid=8f47ba1c04&mc_eid=00c1dcff3c
This is the testimony of Keith Becker as told on Pacific Garden Mission’s Unshackled. “Keith had his own plans for his life, but bankrupt and brokenhearted, he starts to wonder where he’s going wrong. From rebellion to bending the knee, to devastating tragedy, Keith saw God’s power turn his family’s story into a powerful ministry.” John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
‘Christalignment is a false Christian group based out of Melbourne, Australia that has aligned itself with the cult of Bethel Church. Christalignment is well-known for its “Christian” version of tarot card readings and other occult practices. A few years ago, Christalignment made headlines when it held a nude festival and posted a topless “spirit dance” and wrote it off as part of its “evangelism” strategy.
It is utterly abhorrent that the people at Bethel Church and other charismatic communities have taken something as completely and unmistakably occultic as “tarot cards” and sought to disguise it as “Christalignment.” There is no way to make something so heavily steeped in the dark arts seem like a sensible approach to “empowering destiny” and “making better decisions in the future.”’https://disntr.com/2023/01/09/christian-psychic-readings-and-taro-cards-continue-to-grow-in-popularity/
‘It is a harsh but undeniable truth that the majority of what calls itself the Church in the modern world is nothing more than a shallow facade, a shell of its former self. Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest theologians and preachers of the past, had the foresight to recognize this disturbing trend even in his own lifetime. He famously declared, “A time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have clowns entertaining the goats!”
Tragically, Spurgeon’s prediction has become a reality. As one looks out at the landscape of the contemporary Church, it is nearly impossible to find any semblance of genuine faith or spiritual depth. Instead, one is confronted with an endless parade of superficial and shallow antics, designed to titillate the senses and distract from the emptiness within.
A recent spectacle at the Center for Hope, a United Methodist church in Wintersville, Ohio, where a couple sang a trite and manipulative cover of “Eye of the Tiger,” is just one example of the degradation and degeneration that plagues the modern Church. It is a damning indictment of our spiritual state that we have become so enamored with cheap thrills and vacuous entertainment rather than seeking the nourishment of the soul and the timeless wisdom of the divine through His word.
Below are some of the altered lyrics the couple sang that were overly cheesy and focused on charismatic self-help themes:
Before I was a Christian, Something was missin,
felt a little distant, dark resistant,
made a decision, got a new vision,
wrote my goals yeah wrote my mission,
BC I was aimlessly walkin
then one day I heard the voice of God talkin,
rise up child to the enemy mockin’,
prayer is your weapon pray without stoppin’‘https://disntr.com/2023/01/05/church-performs-cringworthy-rap-edition-of-eye-of-the-tiger/
‘If one was to go by the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, they would be under the impression that they believed the Bible. This might lead one to ask why do Mormons use the KJV? After all, when the LDS Missionaries stop by your home in their attempts to convert you to the “church,” they always carry a King James Bible. They will gladly open it and go to a few select verses that seem to indicate that the books promoted as the “standard works” of the church, especially the Book of Mormon, are prophesied by the Bible. In fact, when you ask a Mormon if they believe the Bible, they will wholeheartedly confirm that they do, but sadly they only believe it, “…as far as it is translated correctly” as is stated in the eighth article of faith.
There are two main reasons that the Mormon church utilizes and endorses only the King James Version. The first is that at the time of the organization of the church in 1830, the King James or Authorized Version was accepted as the authoritative Bible among English speaking people. The Mormon use of the King James Version would certainly work towards credibility as they were trying to gain converts, whereas if they had utilized a less common and less available version, the opposite would no doubt had occurred. Franklin Gonzales, Institute Teacher at the University of Utah states, “Early church leaders were partial to the KJV not only because they have grown up with it, but also because the KJV was couched in language unparalleled for its literary beauty.”1 For the Mormons to use the King James all the way from the beginning was necessary, as they quickly gained a reputation for being “cult-like” in the surrounding areas of church influence.
The Mormon (LDS) movement started at Palmyra, New York, then moved to Kirtland, Ohio, Independence, Missouri, and lastly to Nauvoo, Illinois. If the Mormons had begun their proselytizing efforts with any version of the Bible than the King James, it would have been another warning flag to those they were seeking to convert. It is interesting to note is that Smith was supposedly divinely commissioned to make a new translation of the Bible called the Joseph Smith Translation, yet the church has never employed the Smith translation in their “evangelistic” work, as he died having only translated the Gospel of Matthew.
The second reason for why Mormons use the King James Version, even in these “latter days” (pun intended) with all the many modern versions available such as the NIV, NAS, ESV, etc. is that the King James Version was respected and chosen by Joseph Smith. The (false) prophet used an 1828 King James Bible to prepare the above-mentioned translation of Matthew. Gonzales states that Smith learned early on that “original Bible texts” had been corrupted.2 Of course the “originals” no longer exist, and though Smith and the leadership in the Mormon church held the King James Bible as being more accurate and reliable, Smith still fell into the same trap that modern revisionists have done since 1881, correcting the King James Bible using their wisdom, relying on that they think a specific word, phrase or verse should read. In fact, on March 7th, 1881, The “Prophet,” as he is known by church members, received a revelation that is an alternate revelation of the olivet discourse of Matt 24, this time God supposedly speaking directly to Smith. This adding to the word of God is found in another LDS standard work called Doctrine and Covenants 45:60-61.
While there is much more that can be added concerning the Joseph Smith Translation, in a desire to stay with the content of the article here about “Why do Mormons Use the KJV” it is very strange indeed that the KJV was not replaced by this translation, especially when BYU publications state that it provides clarity and understanding. Regarding the church’s continued use of the KJV, the Statement of the First Presidency states, “While other Bible versions may be easier to read than the KJV, in doctrinal matters latter-day revelation supports the KJV in preference to other translations. All of the Presidents of the Church, beginning with the Prophet Joseph Smith, have supported the KJV by encouraging its continued use in the Church. In light of all the above, it is the English language Bible used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
In Summary, the Mormons use the KJV because it was the most accepted version during the time of its origins and because the founder, Joseph Smith, endorsed it. It is interesting that a cult leader and his religion recognize the errors of modern versions, yet equally disheartening is that they add and take away from the KJV, just as the scholars of the past have done. So, in essence, it is the same double-speak that we get from those that have produced the NIV, NASB, ESV, Living Bible, etc. Thankfully we can trust that what we have in the KJV is God’s preserved word! As a side note I will also state as one that was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for about 3 years, that while they use and carry a KJV, it is hardly opened during their church meetings. Rather, it is primarily utilized when proselytizing, twisting scriptures to make it seem that those verses point to the Book Mormon.
By James Lyman
References:
1. Why does the Church still use the King James Version?
2. Ibid.’ https://www.kjvchurches.com/why-do-mormons-use-the-kjv/
1Timothy 3:1-7 ¶ This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
‘Since his abrupt resignation from Mars Hill Church in 2014, Mark Driscoll has claimed he was the victim of a vindictive plot. But last week, Driscoll dropped a bombshell. He claimed that Mars Hill leaders were planning to accuse him of adultery if he didn’t resign. In this week’s podcast, Sutton Turner—one of only three former executive elders at Mars Hill—joins me to set the record straight. Divulging new accounts revealing the extent of Driscoll’s bullying and rage, Turner paints a picture of a man who refused accountability and abandoned his congregation.’https://julieroys.com/podcast/mark-driscoll-the-trap-the-truth?mc_cid=8cf478b4d8&mc_eid=b13d34ad49
whatyareckon 