Evangelical church men's group, pornography, etcetera

The long drive home from work, last week

Evangelical Church Men's group, pornography, etcetera

My church is having a men's group in regard to pornography.

I theologically support the idea.

Accountability in regard to sexual sin (adultery, fornication, Matthew 5, for example) is a New Testament concept and a good thing.

This is true for married and singles.

For married men, and that is majority of evangelical men, they should seek sexual purity within the marriage covenant through the Church and male leadership. Within dealing with this issue, they are to seek their wives in regard to sexual fulfillment.

But for singles...

The New Testament, notably First Corinthians, notes that marriage is solution to the burn, as in lust. First Corinthians 7:9 shows that a Christian struggling with sexual sin should pursue marriage, but I must point out that if there is not at least minimal, significant mutual attraction, the ‘burn’ will not be appeased. A very small Christian Church in the Metropolitan Vancouver area makes this a very small market of dating/marriage.

There is little wonder than sexual sin is such a significant struggle in this metropolitan area!

(And in other metropolitan areas too, I reason)

In the context of sexuality, the single Christian man seeking a wife, often needs less male interaction and more female interaction.

I am not addicted to pornography.

I have no significant interest in a men's group, men's retreats in the context of singleness and sexual fulfillment because my personal life as an adult has been a series of unofficial men's groups. It has been a series of talking about being single with Christian men, both married and single.

And plenty of women as well, just not romantic options.

Men's groups is not the solution.

For an intellectual, biblical, theological, Christian man of my age and position, meeting more relatable women of marriageable age, with potentially, child-bearing possibility is far more beneficial than a men's group, men's retreat etcetera.

With all due respect (not stating my church), but in the evangelical church overall, I am detecting a serious misreading of the situation. Many times biblical, theological Christian single men seeking a wife do not need a male motivational event, etcetera.

What they need is more relatable, Christian women, where is there is significant, spiritual, intellectual, physical, mutual attraction, to be available.

FEE, GORDON (1987) The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT (1993) Stuttgart, United Bible Societies.

STRONG, J. (1986) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company.

WENHAM, J.W. (1991) The Elements of New Testament Greek, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered: Bob Barker

Facebook: United States of America ??? When I was child, my Dad had Rebel (German-Shepherd Husky) neutered but it did not seem to work based on the trouble Rebel got himself into, such as trying aggressively to fight male dogs and trying to aggressively mate with female dogs. Not to mention chasing cats...

Gilligan? (Chuck will not be present)

Vancouver attractions

My employer has been kind enough to invite me as part of my work, on a three hour boat tour this evening with the translation department.

I will try and post some photos onto: Dr RNM Facebook

With the way Facebook works, this will be easier to view if you can provide that Facebook page a ‘Like’, but I realize posts can be tedious.

May I please inform that the page does not have to be ‘Followed’. As the image demonstrates, ‘Like’ and ‘Follow’ are two different things. The numbers do happen to match at this time, but again I can understand if one prefers to ‘Like’ and not ‘Follow’. I personally turn off Notifications with many websites I ‘Like’.

Finally, even though it is a three hour tour, Gilligan will not be present, and I am not the Skipper or the Professor. Chucky has nothing to do with my work and therefore will not be present and cannot be confused as a fusion between Gilligan and the Skipper.

Current humble standing

Boundless wisdom??? (Boundless heights of wisdom)

Thank you from Ernest, from church and Air Canada

Boundless September 6

The audio link features a discussion on why certain American, evangelical, women will or will not, date a man.

At approximately the eight minute mark, although the consensus of the women on the program is that (paraphrased) everyone is different, their personal agreement is that an eight to ten year age difference is the maximum allowed in dating and marriage.

This is because, it is implied that (paraphrased) ALL older men, (over 35 years old age, typically in Western society) are presumed to all be at a different 'life stage' than younger women.

'Life stage' is not significantly defined on the program. It seems assumed. Again as ALL.

With married and divorced men in the Christian Church, yes, in general, they are at a different life stage than single women.

However, there are many over 35 year old men in North America and Western society that are single and would consider pursuing a wife and family, that are biologically capable of procreation.

Is this life stage closer to younger women seeking dating, marriage and family?

Is this life stage closer to older women seeking an older man to accept to existing family or no
family?

The answer in my case, is that I relate far more to the first group. The context is not the era I grew up in, etcetera. The context is dating and potential marriage and despite the objections of many, my 'life stage' in regards to dating and marriage is still in seek mode and not retirement mode, or whatever one calls it.

Christian faith is not discussed significantly until 18/25 minute mark, approximately. But even at this point, the obedience to social dating rules perhaps leading to marriage is implied as far more important than biblical Christian character.

This is implied by the context of the discussion....

The women state (paraphrased) that an active faith is very important for a man to be considered as a potential date. But, except for someone that is different, and predictably, that is none of the women in the discussion on Boundless, if a man is eight years or more older, his Christian walk is irrelevant in regards to dating and marriage.

Seriously and prayerfully, if there is a mutual attraction between a younger woman and an older man, is it common sense to simply delete this?

If someone is on the mind, perhaps the Lord put that person there.

If there is no mutual attraction, there is no issue. I do not find most younger women attractive, no problem...

I agree with the program that men should build a friendship, relationship with women first, but if there is a significant age difference, this is only possible if the older man is not shunned. A shunned man cannot build a relationship with the woman that has shunned him.

This not to be confused with stunned, as many a significantly older man would be stunned if a younger woman from Boundless would date him...

I agree with the program that men should serve in church, for the sake of serving, and not primarily dating possibilities.

Brief Sunday statements: Pounding hip hop

Cactus Club Cafe, Friday. I drank coffee only.

Having now presented two recent lectures in regards to Biblical manuscripts and as well, several articles on Dr. Russell Norman Murray over the years; it seems to me that a typical conservative, scholarly position is that the original autographs were supernaturally inspired by God, inherent, and written using the intellects of the writers.

I agree with this position.

Many fundamentalist embrace a similar view, on that issue, although in some cases, hold to dictation theory which would negate, for the most part, the intellects of the writers. But in contrast to most conservative scholars, many fundamentalists equally hold to the view that the maintenance of the manuscripts is as well, done by supernatural means.

Whereas, my Reformed, moderate, conservative position on the maintenance of Scripture is that God as the first cause of all things, has maintained the Scripture by natural means. This has an allowance for some historical scribal errors, and alterations, although key and central biblical theology has not been impacted, in order for the gospel message to be preserved.

A fundamentalist view, for example, would be that the King James Version only, is the true word of God, reasoning only the manuscripts which support that version have been supernaturally maintained by God. Based on the textus receptus, largely based on Byzantine texts.

Revelation 22:19

King James Version (KJV) 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

This verse from the King James Version seems to support a theology, that indeed the text can be altered, although I would reason that it would still be maintained as virtually accurate. It is a context of the bible can be corrupted but will be reasonably, accurately maintained, based on copies of originals, as the Kingdom of God will be culminated and this requires person's to know the true gospel through Scripture.
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At Cactus Club Cafe on Friday night, the food was the standard 'excellent'. Our group tried to get into Earl's Restaurant but it was too full with longer line-ups. This too has excellent food. At Cactus, 'Mr. Lee' stated that as I looked like an executive, I should ask the server to ask the disk jockey (DJ) to turn down the pounding hip hop/hip-hop music slightly. In the photo, taken by Mr. Lee, the DJ is straight ahead, being ultra cool and wearing the Oakland, soon to Las Vegas Raiders cap...

I took my newish executive ranking (from work as well) seriously and I asked the server about the issue. She stated that she had just asked the DJ to turn down the music. She could not do her job properly. So, the trillion dollar question is why did (I drive a six-figure BMW) Mr. corporate real estate, Lee, feel that I would be the more effective man to speak up?

Is this that Kingpin thing again?

Documentary on the super-rich II

The documentary claims (paraphrased) it has been intentional economic planning in the United Kingdom and the United States of America to create the distinctive super-rich class and the growing poor class; and to simultaneously create and sell products for both. The elimination (over time) of the middle class comes as the poor class increases in size.

I am a moderate conservative. I am not a socialist, I am not embracing ideas of primarily government fixes. Nor am I, a radical capitalist that reasons and holds to Darwinian capitalism.

The danger of debt is discussed...

Paraphrased: Finance is other people's debts.

Is revolution to eventually occur in the Western world?
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James 5

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! 4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of [a]Sabaoth. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have [b]fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and [c]put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.

And further

Chapter 5 and 2, also present the New Testament solution:

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [k]anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer [l]offered in faith will [m]restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, [n]they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective [o]prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

James 2: 1-9

My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your [a]assembly with a gold ring and dressed in [b]fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you [c]pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil [d]motives? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor [e]of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and [f]personally drag you into [g]court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name [h]by which you have been called? 8 If, however, you are fulfilling the [i]royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the [j]law as transgressors.

If, however, you are fulfilling the [i]royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 

This is key...

Working with what God gives...

July 2018

More lessons related to the finite nature of humanity, the last few days.

After I returned from the United Kingdom in 2001 (although there was return stays until the PhD Viva was passed in 2009), the Boss had declining health and for other unrelated reasons, we needed a new residence. A condominium was purchased for under $100, 000 Canadian which is now worth approximately three times that amount with a minimal mortgage remaining.

As I have homecared since 2002, and I am the last remaining local relative, legal measures have been made in order for me to inherit, with full support of my family and the strata, this property. The measures were taken for legal reasons, not any personal issues with any relative.

Up until recently, with now having a paid career, my focus has been finishing the PhD, and then finding work with that PhD. This in part, but not in totality, explains my diligence in writing online articles, especially academic ones on Dr. Russell Norman Murray. This work has definitely assisted me career wise.

The place was never a 'dump' and I kept where we 'lived' clean and workable, but the storage room in my upstairs section was neglected and filled with broken up cardboard boxes and related. The sunroom next to my bedroom was only used by the Boss once, but was too hot for her. The sunroom is a former deck that was turned into a sunroom sometime between building construction is 1987 and our purchase in 2002. The inside has vinyl siding and is not insulated. The result is outside temperatures inside the room as in quite cold and quite warm.

To make matters worse, with my Dr. Freeze attitude, keeping in mind this is a virtual second floor to our unit, I have only turned the heat on in the loft a handful of times since 2002. I may have noted online previously that without any heat, several summers ago, an old computer listed the loft room temperate as 38 degrees Celsius. which is 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The sunroom was likely warmer than that...

But, I could just avoid the sunroom in the very warmest days. I could turn on the heat in my bedroom beside the sunroom which does pipe in heat from the vent in the autumn and winter. But, I became set in my ways, and wrote the sunroom off, reasoning once I had full-time work I would renovate the 'ridiculous'' room without insulation that should have been left a deck. So at least my friends and I could enjoy it.

However, even with a well-paid Regional Director position, I would like to travel to Europe yearly, or at least the United States of America, if not Europe. I was not in full-time employment for many years and I am finding that if I save at a certain rate and avoid certain expenses, my bank account can look as if I worked all those years full-time.

I am deleting and cleaning to save!

First, in process, is the Boss's disastrous former bedroom, which with her dementia, led to basically a demented room. It is looking better, but still in process...

Several obsolete items removed.

Second, the small downstairs storage area underneath the stairs has been slightly cleaned out, but needs more work. But that is less relevant to life.

A few obsolete items removed.

Third, the storage room upstairs received a thorough clean-up this summer and even with it containing the furnace it still serves now as a fine dark place for segments of my growing book collection.

Obsolete items which prohibited progress were removed.

Fourth, I cleaned out the sunroom today. I cleaned the vinyl floor in its worst spots.

Obsolete items which prohibited progress were removed.

Yes, we need some minor renovations, mostly downstairs, minimally all the flooring needs to be cleaned, perhaps replaced especially in the heavy traffic areas downstairs where careworkers in shoes, visit the Boss. The place is very 1980's looking, I would like it to be modern like many of my neighbours with virtually identical units.

Actually, perhaps because of when I was born and what I viewed early in life, I would enjoy retro 1960's design, but I would also like modern.

However, I have to admit, I enjoy the sunroom as my work office. And now I only have my personal laptop on this desk and the old British gaming computer on the floor. The sunroom now contains my work computer and my former personal laptop kept to watch DVDs. It is reasonably clean and with the windows open and the annoying, bent by the wind, Venetian blinds pulled up, it is a relaxing, 'kool', cool place to work.

I was not open-minded enough in regard to the potential 'now' of my current residence, if I put in several hours over the spring-summer, deleting the obsolete and cleaning.

I need to be working more with what God gives as opposed to waiting for when improvements can be made. I need to be more thankful for what can be done with what I have now.

No matter how much I pray, study and fellowship, this side of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) and the restored Kingdom (Revelation 21-22), I am left lacking with certain insights, at times, admittedly, even though I do pray for divine wisdom as permanently finite and temporarily sinful.

My street flooded

A little earlier

Snipping tool, image

Too many computers

Pot shop attacked

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

CBC reports

A clerk at an Ontario cannabis dispensary used a bong to fight off a gang of would-be thieves.'

Were the thieves after the marijuana, the store cash, or both? Again, I am glad I have nothing to do with smoking...

Legal marijuana and there is still related crime (sinful human nature).

Few in prophecy want to have lived in the middle of history: Boring

Facebook

Since occasionally listening to and watching supposed prophecy observers and experts since I was a child in the 1980's; I have found it interesting that so many claim that the end is near, that we are in the last days of the last days.

Few involved state or write, (paraphrased) 'Well this could be a thousand years from now for all we know.' It is as if few want to have lived in the middle of history. That is boring. (Supposedly).

Perhaps it is being over-zealous?

Perhaps 'the boring' does not sell as many ministry products?

1 John 2: 18

New American Standard Bible

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.

English Standard Version

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

King James

Version Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

These verses are from approximately two thousands years ago and that was the last hour. The last hour has a long duration by human standards of time and there is no biblical or theological requirement to assume the 2010's decade is the last decade within this present realm.

Only God knows.

Mounce has a balanced, academic approach.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Documentary on super-rich

Another interesting British documentary from the BBC and Jacques Peretti on Knowledge Network.

Paraphrased notes:

Documentary claims 85 people have as much wealth as half the world's population.

Claims these wealthy have become more so since the 2008 recession. The point where many people in the Western world suffered more.

The super-rich is the top 1% of wealthy.

Trickle-down economics was the assumed economic system by the United Kingdom and the United States since the late 1970's and early 1980s.

A supporting economist interviewed called it trickle-through economics.

The documentary claims 99% people in the United Kingdom are not getting wealthier.

Inflation is making many people in the United Kingdom, poorer.

The United Kingdom has become a tax haven for the wealthy and the 1% to avoid paying taxes with certain government laws and the use of tricky tax accountants. Some accountants and agents being former government employees.

The same supporting economist of trickle-through economics states that equality is good as long as society is generally getting wealthier, not a forced 'equality' getting everyone poorer.

A leading economist stated a robust middle-class was vital for any Western economy, but the middle-class was disappearing.

Property in London, especially (and Vancouver, my add) is unaffordable for most. The documentary and a leading economist blamed this on foreign ownership of property in London by 'Non-domiciled' residents, British residents who have their permanent home ('domicile') outside the United Kingdom may not have to pay British tax on foreign income. Income generated or money held outside the United Kingdom is nontaxable.

Sure let's play hockey at work

Well, there goes our stock of quality tweets we’ve been storing in the CH warehouse pic.twitter.com/rPLX1ax3ri

— 🏆 (@CapitalsHill) September 8, 2018

My intellectual level?

This has been at my new desk all week. It was there when I started at the corporate office, three days a week, the rest at home. A problem is, from what I can remember when I was child, I was terrible at colouring (no effort at it in reality).

Incredible Hulk shoe guy: So much for the fix

For work and church, I bought a new pair of dress shoes and had three other pairs repaired. I take it this pair was the pair the shoe technician stated 'might not be repairable'. This was after a walk on the streets of Vancouver, today.

Tracks II: The good is not always the greater good

From with edits and revisions for today: Tracks: April 14, 2013

Back in my Christian academic education days at Canadian Baptist Seminary/Trinity Western University, I had a very fine Baptist theology professor that is now a Facebook friend, the late Dr. Earl Radmacher.

Within Theology 1 and Theology 2 which were long several hour sessions, he brought us the theological concept of 'Tracks' in other words, from how I understood back in the late 1990's, it was the concept that a Christian may be well-meaning to do something better and greater for God and yet a track or tracks associated with sin or a track or tracks associated with something less than God's perfect will were holding a Christian back in life. Seems to me he used the example of sexual sin and someone wanting to repent sincerely to God, but habitual sin prevented change. The person could not change tracks. Not in their own strength. It can be difficult to move onto a different track or tracks. I find 'tracks' quite fascinating.

A biblically-based pursuit of God requires being indwelt and guided by the Holy Spirit within God's will in obedience

At rimes, prayerfully, I can catch myself on tracks that, can be reasoned biblically, are not within God's perfect will. This enlightenment to question my tracks can be assisted by prayer, my own private study, life observations, church interactions and fellowship with Christian friends.

I am observing that Christians at times are following tracks that have aspects of good within them.

But, are many of these tracks merely being caused (willingly allowed) by God, being fueled as good things significantly via sinful human natures, tainted desires and limited human free will?

For example:

Placing good political aims before the gospel in priority.

Placing personal agenda before the gospel in priority.

The good is not always the greater good...

Today

Stove top stuffed? (Over thirty years of cooking?)

You Tube; Not here thankfully. My fear from risking self-cleaning. It might not even work with his old stove/oven.