Definitely not my profile

I am occasionally on a Christian dating site for 'free days'. I try to present the best possible profile, and this one is not mine!

Profile Particulars Age: 45-50, but look way older and extinguished
Height: 4 ft 11
Marital Status: Bachelor until the rapture
Weight: 350 lbs
Education: Grade 7 3x
Eyes - Vision: Cross-eyed, but I consider myself a visionary
Occupation: Federal Employee (welfare)
Eye Color: Black and Blue
Salary: I don't like vegetables
Hair Color: Bald by choice, but I have an Elvis hair tat
Race: I went for a run back in 1987
Hair Length: I was an extra on Planet of the Apes, and did not wear makeup or a costume
Region: Next to Bob Marshall, near the 7 11
Body Type: Goodyear
Have Children?: I donated to this bank, back in the 1980's
Do you smoke?: Yes, but I have not tried everything, yet
Children at home: No, I told yea they were donated
Drink: Only on my days off
Want Children?: Sure at Christmas
People would describe your looks as: Big, bald and bountiful
Denomination: My own interpretation of the Bible
People would describe your intellect as: I think I own an Intel computer and it's two years old
Church Involvement: On Sunday, I thank God for the nachos
Favorite reading: The funnies while I am on the throne
Christian Faith: I watch them t.v. evangelists sometimes and I love them prayer cloths
Organizational Habits: Who needs it, live and let die
Mood: Fine, as long as I have my pills from my doctor
Personality type: I think AB positive
Sense of Humor?: Better since I got out of the joint
Any Pets: I am not sure if they are mice or rats
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Walking to the bus stop
Fashion Sense: Real men don't need fashion, they just throw on that t-shirt and jeans, every week
Transportation: The bus
Favorite Music: Death Metal and Rap
Travel: I have been two towns east of here, and three towns west
Quirks/Habits?: Na, I am totally normal according to my shrink
Type of relationship: A nice girl to make me nachos during the football games, and help me pay my gamblin' debts

Is this why the guy takes the bus?

World Religions: estimated adherents

Chart from
http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html

Branch	Religion	Number of Adherents
Catholic	Christianity	1,050,000,000
Sunni	Islam	940,000,000
Vaishnavites	Hinduism	580,000,000
Orthodox/Eastern Christian	Christianity	240,000,000
Shaivites	Hinduism	220,000,000
Conservative Protestant	Christianity	200,000,000
Mahayana	Buddhism	185,000,000
Liberal Protestant	Christianity	150,000,000
Theravada	Buddhism	124,000,000
Shiite	Islam	120,000,000
African indigenous sects (AICs)	Christianity	110,000,000
Pentecostal	Christianity	105,000,000
Anglican	Christianity	73,000,000
Sikhism	Sikhism	23,000,000
neo-Hindus and reform Hindus	Hinduism	22,000,000
Lamaism (Vajrayana/Tibetan, etc.)	Buddhism	20,000,000
Jehovah's Witnesses	Christianity	14,800,000
Latter Day Saints	Christianity	12,500,000
Ahmadiyya	Islam	10,000,000
Veerashaivas (Lingayats)	Hinduism	10,000,000
Baha'i World Faith	Baha'i Faiths	6,000,000
Conservative	Judaism	4,500,000
Unaffiliated and Secular	Judaism	4,500,000
Svetambara	Jainism	4,000,000
Reform	Judaism	3,750,000
Seicho-No-Ie	New Japanese	3,200,000
Shinto all branches	Shinto	3,000,000
Tenrikyo	New Japanese	2,800,000
PL Kyodan	New Japanese	2,600,000
Orthodox	Judaism	2,000,000
New Thought (Unity, Christian Science, etc.)	Christianity	1,500,000
Sekai Kyuseikyo	New Japanese	800,000
Sthanakavasis	Jainism	750,000
Zenrinkai	New Japanese	600,000
Druze	Islam	450,000
Tensho Kotai Jingukyo	New Japanese	400,000
Friends (Quakers)	Christianity	300,000
Ennokyo	New Japanese	300,000
Digambaras	Jainism	155,000
Reconstructionist	Judaism	150,000
Parsis	Zoroastrianism	110,000
Gabars	Zoroastrianism	20,000

The source site list the last update as of 28 October 2005, and so these are 2005 statistics. Please see my notes in comments.

Flat Bible

Not flat earth

Progressive revelation is defined as the understanding that God's self-disclosure is in progression from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 96). Therefore the New Testament offers a more complete revelation. The Old Testament is to be understood in light of the fuller teaching of the New Testament. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 96).

Recently someone asked me in person about progressive revelation and we had a discussion. The following is a later non-exhaustive email response sent by me in answer to an email from this person. It is slightly revised for this blog.

At Columbia Bible College (Mennonite) and Canadian Baptist Seminary, I was taught that the Bible is not flat, as there is progressive revelation which ended in the apostolic age. There is no place for Islam, Latter-Day Saints, etc, continuing the Christian faith.

Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. (Hebrews 12: 24). The law in particular was only a shadow of good things to come. (Hebrews 10). The law cannot save as in Romans 4, but persons are saved through righteousness of faith fulfilled in Christ. Galatians 2 mentions the folly of following the law as we now have Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 4-6, Jesus explains the deeper spiritual meanings of the law.

The Old Testament/Hebrew Bible is as valid as the New Testament, but it is often stated that we must interpret the Old Testament through the New Testament. Well, I can understand this since there is progressive revelation, but the Old Testament must be read in context, or else one risks reading the New Testament into the Old Testament. Christianity explains that the New Testament revelation of Christ/apostles does not contradict the previous revelation and instead adds to it explaining the plan of God. Islam is rejected for reasons such as the denial of key doctrines about Christ, including his deity, and the Latter-Day Saints theology is rejected for reasons such as holding to polytheism which is against Scriptural teaching. (Isaiah 43, 44, 45). There are various reasons why these other religions are rejected as well, but I mention those key points. If my concentration academically was on the Hebrew Bible, I would have no problem with studying Hebrew scholars for the original context, but I reason the New Testament can shed light on many of the older teachings.

Russ:)

GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.


A famous guitar player, practicing.

This is not a political statement, and I enjoy Coca-Cola as a drink, but I find the parody interesting.

Don't buy what you cannot afford

1. My thanks to Chucky for the clip below. I am not a fan of Saturday Night Live, as I find it usually non-humourous, but this clip is good and educational. It concerns debt.



Now, I have student debt, but I have very worked hard as an academic and have had part-time work. If when I started academics, I would have known about all the health problems, academic delays and changed advisors/institutions, I would have pursued another career and worked on the goal of obtaining a Theology PhD on the side. As it is, I live cheaply, and do not buy what I cannot afford. Some debt is required in life, as Romans 13:6-7 explains that Christians are to pay taxes to the state. Debt from foolish unwise purchases may eventually put a person into the position where income does not cover debt, and this is a serious situation.

I reason that the stress associated with unmanageable debt, is not worth the pleasure of unwise purchases. I realize there is necessary debt at times such as student loans, and mortgages, but I am discussing unnecessary purchases. Even with necessary purchases it is wise to limit debt as much possible. For example, it is good to drive that fine older car a few more years, if a newer vehicle is not that affordable.

2.Below is a clip of a blown call from the Turkey-Hungary, Euro 2008 qualification game. In my view, the player in the box was taken down by the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper should have been carded and not the player who was given a yellow and red. For the largest and most popular sport in the world there are quite a few controversies that should be avoided.

3. Even for those of you who are not Rush fans there are a couple of funny solos with this song below. It is rare to see them goof around this much. The solos also feature some excellent playing. The clip is from the R30, 2004 tour in New York. By-Tor and the Snow Dog is featured.



4. Okay, I am not interested in promoting celebrity culture on this blog, but this is funny. Paris Hilton runs out of gas and photographers assists. It is funny how Ms. Hilton dumps change in the back seat.

Recently, I had the misfortune of running out of gas at 70 miles per hour on a freeway. It felt like being rear-ended! I was not driving and it was not my car!



Opinions?

I updated the following older article.

http://thekingpin68.blogspot.com/2006/05/arminianism-and-free-will.html