Global Terrorism: Is "Islam" Really "The Problem"?

Hello brothers and sisters.

As I look at local, national and global events on the rampant rise of Islamic extremists you have committed horrible acts of violence to their fellow man, human-beings; it is clear the Devil, Satan has been using the false religion of Islam as a powerful force of evil to inflict carnage on God's precious creature: man.

That said, is "Islam" really "the problem"?

Now any discerning Christian is aware to th..e evils coming out of this false religion of man; but he/she does not let this become a focus point out of the big picture.

Something evil is pulling and distorting people's minds to carry out this evil; an empty "void" people are trying to fill, Satan is coaxing them into the deceitful LIES that Islam promises its followers that carry out "Jihad"...

Could Christ intercept?

I think so.

Whenever I am out evangelizing the lost on the streets I make "mental notes" of people who may practice and follow the false religion of Islam just to be "aware" of how many need Christ and how many the Devil is trying to lead astray and in some cases as has unfortunately been the case lead these "blinded people of darkness" into carrying out Satan's evil schemes.

One more new convert to Christ out of Islam is one less potential "minion" of the Devil.

Truly, the false religion of Islam has become a serious threat by people who use it to flat-out kill people who do not follow its FALSE ways calling them "unbelievers"...

At the same token, I observe the REACTIONS of those who have been the victims of killings by deranged followers of Islamic extremists.

A lot of ANGER and even HATE has been directed to the Muslim community as a result of the actions of deranged followers of Islamic extremists and THEIR false ideals of wealth, power and estate that even the false doctrine of Islam that mosques have been vandalized and burned as natural "retaliation" against "the thing" that has cost their loved ones lives taken from earth.

I can't express their sadness or anger but I definitely understand it.

Nonetheless, in regards to the CHRIST-ian community, the Church, any violent actions taken against the mosques because of a few deranged individuals (because the ones who committed the crimes can't be dealt with directly they resort to "taking it out" on the masses...), I ponder what the LORD JESUS CHRIST would say about our REACTION as a result? Do we do any better by attacking the "followers of Islam" than by SHOWING THEM and GOING OUT TO the followers of Islam with the TRUTH OF CHRIST?

We can go into darkness or we can step back really see it HOW GOD SEES IT and CHOOSE TO SHINE THE LIGHT!

We must remember GOD IS NOT US. WE ARE NOT GOD. As evil as people are and do GOD STILL LOVES THEM AND WANTS ALL MAN TO BE SAVED. The only exception to this rule is the coming Man of Sin, the Antichrist.

From that foundation, we as CHRIST-ians should EXEMPLIFY CHRIST in showing HIM and HIS WORD in our conduct and daily comings-across with Muslims or those who identify with the false religion of Islam.

When I hear of such tragic killings I only see the DAMNED SOULS who DIED IN THEIR SINS with being BORN AGAIN of the HOLY GHOST of JESUS CHRIST. I do NOT see the "terrorists" because I already know they are CONDEMNED IN HELL FOREVER and unfortunately even the MURDERED VICTIMS!  

Whenever and wherever I am, I do my best to witness CHRIST to all people and perhaps unawaringly could come across people who could be radicalized to carry out mass genocides of humanity. Perhaps God will reach through to the people prone to kill innocent people...

Anywhere we are in the world we have to "patrol our own grounds" if you know what I mean; because we can sometimes have a part in preventing such evil from flaring up in our midst.

Lord Jesus foretold us how bad, ugly and evil it would be for people living in these Last Days but when He spoke He spoke with such matter-of-fact demeanor, assurance and calmness in His tone from what I could discern from reading His Scriptures...

We gotta be more DIRECT about EVANGELIZING the people of the false religion ISLAM and not misdirect our energy and anger against the PEOPLE instead of the PRINCIPALITY of DARKNESS! All this "talk" about Islam in the media who is being VERY VOCAL about CHRIST in all this!

We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against powers, principalities and rulers of darkness in the world.

When it comes to (false) "religion" humanity is the same of any given group: either deceived and/or "going along with group consensus" as part of community.

Only the real "nutcases" of any social group carry out "extreme actions" against society; most people are just "going along" with what they know whether they truly believe in or not in the beliefs or values of any group. That is the common pattern of natural human social behaviour throughout man's history.

So no. "Islam" is not "the problem".

"The problem" is how people, especially my brethren in Christ, RESPOND to the EVIL in our MIDST. Any "retaliation" against Muslims by Christians is THE PROBLEM instead of THE SOLUTION.

The Solution is CHRIST and on our end our task is HOW WE GO ABOUT WITNESSING CHRIST THE "REAL GOD" to the Muslim community who worship their false god "Allah".

Christians: we NEED to REFRAME and NOT LASH BACK OUT. RESPOND and not "react"; that's the loser's tactic.

Let's USE the WORD OF GOD directly to the people. Let's SPEAK HIS WORD, lets interact with people we know are of false religions (in the case Islam) and lets see how GOD WILL WORK IN US TO GET TO THEM. God will surprise us with His Help as long as we INITIATE. I know this from personal experience seeing God work in me and the circumstances involving people when I just stepped out in faith and said "JESUS CHRIST LOVES YOU!" that caught someone or a group of people passing by as a surprise; a GOOD "surprise tactic" because it not only creates a pause of pondering to the hearer but also REMINDS them that LOVE EXISTS and is FOUND in the Source of JESUS CHRIST!

THAT'S HOW THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD RESPOND.

Think CHRIST, NOT man.

"What Would Jesus Do?" is ONLY what we go by. "What Does Jesus Think?" is ONLY what we go by. "How Does Jesus See The Terrorists And Perpetrators Of Evil Acts?"

We must remember God HATES the sin but he NEVER hates the sinner.

I'm no "terrorist sympathizer", I empathize for the victims. Their families and friends. Even the families and friends of the perpetrators of evil crimes who are often just as shocked and bewildered.

I'm certainly no "passive individual" who lets people walk all over me. God doesn't want us to be human "doormats to the Enemy; we are to be wise and strong SOLDIERS OF CHRIST; that means we KNOW HOW TO FIGHT AND WHEN. HOW TO SHIELD AND HOW TO STRIKE WITH THE SWORD (AKA "THE WORD OF GOD").

Soldiers are DISCIPLINED and TRAINED, NOT run-of-the-mill fighters out here on the battlefield running around of poor judgment, lack of experience, naïve combat tactics and mental, psychological, and physical WEAKNESS.

God calls us Christians SOLDIERS OF CHRIST: it is not simple "metaphor" of His Word it is LITERAL TRUTH. God expects us to have the DISCIPLINE of a SOLDIER for CHRIST. THAT'S HOW HIGH GOD'S STANDARDS ARE FOR HIS CHILDREN.

Now in reality many of us do not "match up" to be "soldiers of Christ" due to lack of ACTION. It's not our "performance" on the battlefield (i.e. evangelizing and winning souls to Christ in accordance to His Will for our lives) but our dedication to ACT on what HE HAS COMMANDED.

Why else is "spiritual warfare" even termed? It means there is a WAR GOING ON and that means in any war there are BATTLES to be FOUGHT and WON.

Now as individual soldiers scattered from the army (the Church) we all experience our own personal victories of battles WON FOR AND BY CHRIST but even still we FAIL SOME BATTLES but as SOLDIERS we rest assured than our Almighty General, LORD JESUS CHRIST will DESTROY His Adversary the Devil, SATAN and all those who go after God's Enemies...

(KJV) Ephesians 6 everyone. Code "(KJV) Ephesians 6".

There is (spiritual) war raging on nowadays like never before and it won't "slow down" apart from the working of God's Will and we must have OUR ARMOUR ON.

In this physical life "World War III" is passed around but that phrase will be truly minor to what's to come on the way to "Armageddon".

It's time to FIGHT. PREPARE. TRAIN. ORGANIZE. FIGHT ON!

The Command is in His Word: WHO are those faithful servants of the LORD that will carry out His Command?

By His Grace, I want to be one of those faithful servants on the FRONTLINES of enemy fire!

Too many of my dear brothers and sisters take the "back end" and no hard feelings but...

WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT FOR GOD and ONLY HIM!

People Of The World: There Is HOPE In JESUS CHRIST!

Brethren in Christ: there are many things going on in the World and a lot of despair and hopeless in the hearts of people.

If we are not abiding and LIVING in the Spirit of Christ, the Devil sure is planning to deceive the whole world by playing the "peacemaker" as the Antichrist.


Lately, I have felt the Lord has put it on my heart to remind and tell people of the HOPE there is in CHRIST.

Many people may "know about" Jesus as some kind of important "historical figure", "religious teacher" or "mythical figure without giving Him due Credence; and so the people in the world cannot know the TRUE JESUS that is revealed in HIS WORD: in the King James Version Holy Bible.


People need to know NOT to put "their trust in man": money fails the people, government fails the people, politicians fail the people, court justices fail the people, education fails the people, hospitals fail the people, law enforcement fails the people and RELIGION fails the people...

What else is there to this LIFE?

ONLY GOD is the ANSWER!

It's time for people to know and LEARN of the REAL GOD revealed in HIS WORD and the wonderful gift of ETERNAL LIFE by His HOLY SPIRIT and FORGIVENESS OF SIN He gives people by trusting on His Son, Lord JESUS CHRIST to be SAVED.

Once any unbelieving sinner trusts on the Lord Jesus Christ there whole lives are COMPLETELY CHANGED! They are a "new creation"; a new man!

The way they see the world, experience life; even their physical health may change for the better!

There is FULLNESS OF LIFE and MEANING when one comes to know GOD and what HE ALWAYS DOES AND WANTS TO DO IN ONE'S LIFE!

Everywhere I look I see DECAY and CORRUPTION in all facet of life and human experience: endless warring and military conflict across the world; crooks in government, mass shootings, crime epidemics, economic depression and failure, decay of quality education, decay of society, community and the family; rampant apostasy and lukewarm Christian churches going astray after ungodly lusts and worldliness... Distrust, hatred, depression and despair of the future among everyday people walking the streets (especially in the younger generations like in my generation the "millennials"...) in all manner of groups and crowds... I can sense an ugly aura of ROT in society and coldness of people's hearts towards their fellow man... People dying on the streets. I see it too vividly - UNCENSORED and RAW... Decay of normal social skills, face-to-face communication and lack of learning essential life skills in young adults like myself and even in older adults who may have gone through hardships in life.

Everything just seems as it's said, so "f'-d up" that where would anyone know where to begin to "save this fallen world"?

Well, the answer is simply LORD JESUS CHRIST!

It's not our mission to "save the world" because the world HAS ALREADY BEEN SAVED by the SAVIOUR of the world who is CHRIST JESUS! The world just needs to know Him and the REAL HIM of His WORD and LIVE and DO ACCORDINGLY to HIS WILL.

GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD. GOD.

We must TURN TO HIM to SAVE US from all our FAILURES AND MISTAKES! Only HE CAN FIX this!

Though some may say "God can't fix this"; my question is if God can't fix it, who else could? No one else is doing any better.

It's HATRED, REJECTION, OSTRACIZATION, ISOLATION, LONLINESS, DESPAIR and LACK OF LOVE AND CARING than oftentimes is "background causes" for why people lash out and go into the killing sprees we see and hear about on the television news broadcasts.

As fallen man in this fallen world, the human heart is BORN EVIL. PURE EVIL! There is NO GOOD in man apart from the Goodness of God expressed in man!

When his time is come, the Man of Sin himself will manifest the PURE EVIL that is MAN! 

ONLY GOD ALMIGHTY, LORD JESUS CHRIST is PURE LOVE!

The Antichrist is the antithesis of the Lord Jesus Christ in every way: pure evil.

Satan was once an angel of God as Lucifer; his original nature was good, but turned evil when his pride lifted his heart to think he could be "God's Equal" in Heaven... The Devil, Satan, evil as he is, is NOT pure evil because he was once holy and good as an holy angel of light.


Nevertheless, despite all the death, evil and sin in the world; the One HOPE for this world came down to earth 2,000+years ago in the small village in Bethlehem, Israel and lives on inside the souls of people who have put their FAITH on Him.

It's up to US believers, CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH GOD to abide in all of our individual callings from our Lord and gather together in the churches to do HIS WILL.

No church is perfect or every will be but as Christians we are given commandment by our Lord to fellowship with each other no matter what we believe.

God will LEAD US in HIS DIRECTION and there's no "saving the world on our part" because HE IS THE SAVIOUR. We just OBEY and DO, DO His Will in our lives on an individual basis in addition to collectively as the Church Body.

God-willing, HOPE may indeed be the continuing MESSAGE the Lord has put on my heart to share with the world in these Last Days. HOPE: because this is the coming END of this world as we know it and the coming of GOD'S ETERNAL KINGDOM here on earth in Christ's Millennial Reign and in the Creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth.

The people of the world must LOOK TO JESUS and not the problems of this life to end. Because JESUS is the Past, Present and our FUTURE!

You Are Who God Always Wanted You To Be

God created us EXACTLY the way He wanted us to be.

Think back to who you were as a "little child".

The natural behaviours, actions, interests and abilities you naturally-possessed in your childhood are the gifts God has given you to accomplish His Purpose for you in this earthly world and the world to come in His Eternal Kingdom.

As a child I was always an imaginative, creative "daydreamer" of vivid imagination and creativity. I could see visions of beautiful worlds and creations. I was also a "wanderer" and "traveler of the wilderness". I would go for long walks of exploration in the woods and outdoors.

I liked hiking, walking all around the land exploring... I liked the good outdoors. I remember sharpening the end of a stick with a knife to make my own "spear" to "go hunting" as a little kid even.

I loved making new friends, going on adventures, endlessly traveling but always being stable and returning home to familiar territory when I got tired.

I liked eating and trying out new things. I was an artist of life. I have a natural talent, passion and interest for writing of all literary works especially in storytelling and adventure.

Whatever your natural inclinations, the key as an adult is to find work that aligns to your own natural aptitude so you are most fulfilled and can make a living for yourself and family as you follow God's Will in your life.

I remember in my elementary and middle school years I would walk around a lot of my friends and fellow students like a "lil' preacher man' as my momma calls me and say something in my naïve and ignorant childhood days "You need to be SAVED!" and I would place my hands on top of my peers' heads and literally pray over them and although I was really being silly and maybe even acting "in vain" (I sincerely meant to pray for my peers) and I now realize I was unconsciously doing what the Lord would have always have me to in my life... Kind of like how the Lord predestined the great Old Testament prophet Samuel to be as he grew up in his early childhood... Now it's making sense.

You see, I always wondered about Jesus, God and the Bible with vague but "personable" curiosity in my childhood days because I "intellectually" understood Who He was but I never really understood HIM until my later teens when the Lord brought me into His Ministry at age 19. I just vaguely "wondered" about Who Jesus really was besides what they say on T.V. or what the movies portrayed of Him; but I never really sought the Lord in the Word because it was "too much reading" for my childhood mind to fathom, lol. I was always a 'lil' preacher man" since birth; my mom has the pictures showing me with the pose and temperament of a "lil' pastor" as a child. I always had "It" but I never understood "It" until the Lord lifted my veil as I got older; hint-by-hint... leading up to this point since after really "being busy for the Lord" since last year 2014 up to this point I'm actually on Google+, Facebook and Twitter... He's Leading...

The natural skills and abilities God has put inside you since before birth IS WHAT HE USES TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL FOR YOU IN LIFE.

We should all reexamine ourselves and lives from the origin of who we were as "children".

For there must be good reason why God Almighty, Lord Jesus Christ referred to us as "children" in the spirit. God knows who we were created to be and are in His Image even though we all have fallen short in sin and do not fully understand the spiritual "real world" around us when can't see in our natural eye. God knows us in eternity since before and after the world began. We only discover "glimpses" who God always knew us to be as we reflect over the course of our lives.

I pray the Lord gives you the Guidance you need in PRAYER and REFLECTION as you REALIZE who you are in the Body of Christ and can walk faithfully conquering life for Christ for His Glory and to help BUILD up HIS KINGDOM OF SOULS! God's Currency is measured in SOULS of people; not material. We must remember to REACH OUT to people with the GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST and the WORD OF GOD in these LAST DAYS!

DO or DIE!

This is IT!

After the Rapture it's all over what we "could have done for Jesus" and what's left is "what we did for Jesus" if anything.

I pray we are ALL faithful, soulwinning servants of the Lord who have won MANY souls over to the Lord before our departure from this world. Amen.

Life Lesson From The Lord From Picking Up Pecan Nuts With Family

Yesterday I was picking up some pecans with family and at first I had a "resistant spirit".

I planned to pick some up out in the yard by the abandoned house and property next door on "my own time".

The Holy Ghost convicted me of my "self-willed" spirit and I promptly joined everyone outside picking up fallen pecans from the pecan tree.

At first I thought this "lowly activity" was a "waste of time" of something I could do later on "my own time"; yet the Lord rebuked my high minded, self-willed spirit and I eventually "caught on" to what he was teaching me at that moment...

The lesson was "mind not 'high things' for wisdom is found in the lowliest of daily activities".

Indeed, as I learned and connected this experience to the Scripture in )(KJV) Proverbs about "gathering up the harvest while it is yet summer and being prepared for the summer". It was a proverbial "Aha!" epiphany moment.

Spiritual Positions In The Body Of Christ (To Be Developed...)

KJV Ephesians 4:11, And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;



1. Apostle - All apostles are disciples personally-chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ and are known to be a position held by a man in accordance to the biblically pattern of God's Word. There are no women apostles.

2. Prophet/Prophetess - Prophets are anointed by the Holy Ghost of the Lord Jesus Christ and can be men or women. Most of the prophets in God's Word are men although a few women like Anna (KJV Luke 2:36-39) were called "prophetesses" among women prophets. In God's Word there are "major" and "minor" prophets. Prophets like "Agabus" are the lowest tier prophets of God who are still called as "prophets" unto this day: KJV Acts 21:10-11, 10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

3. Teacher -

4. Evangelist -

5. Pastor -

6. Bishop (KJV 1 Timothy 3:1-7) -

7. Deacon (KJV 1 Timothy 3:8-13) -

Knowing Thy Spiritual Identity In The Body Of Jesus Christ

Down below is an assessment I did concerning understanding and knowing my spiritual identity in the Body of Christ under the guidance of the Scripture of God's Word.

I recommend all the brethren to take time in prayer and "seek out" their proper spiritual identity in the Body of Christ as led by the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Jed's Spiritual Identity In The Body Of Jesus Christ

1. Preacher

2. Teacher (KJV 1 Corinthians 12:28)

3. Prophet (KJV 1 Corinthians 12:28, KJV 1 Corinthians 14:1-6)

4. Helps (KJV 1 Corinthians 12:28)

Jed's Spiritual Gifts

(Note: As BORN AGAIN believers of Lord Jesus Christ "spiritual gifts" are given by the Holy Ghost.)

1. Word of Wisdom (KJV 1 Corinthians 12:8)

2. Word of Knowledge (KJV 1 Corinthians 12:8)

3. Faith (KJV 1 Corinthians 12:9)

4. Prophecy (KJV 1 Corinthians 12:10)

5. Discerning of spirits (KJV 1 Corinthians 12:10)

______________________________________________________________________________

Now brethren, I pray thee that the Lord gives you guidance by the Holy Ghost to "know thyself".

When we all know who we are in the Body of Christ we can function optimally by prayer, faith and ACTION to the Glory of God.

We can avoid "in-fighting" and "strife" over petty matters and pursue only the Objectives of the Kingdom of God; one of which is spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to unsaved sinners so they may believe on the Son of God, Lord Jesus Christ and be SAVED as new citizens of God's Heaven...

Daily Bread: "Naked" Blessing Without Prayer?

I have made it almost an "ingrained habit" that if I do not consciously pray to Lord Jesus Christ giving Him "Thanksgiving" to bless my food before eating any food I feel as though I'm eating my food "naked without prayer'. It just doesn't feel right in my spirit when I (accidentally) eat food without praying to God first giving Him thanks.

It's as though I feel convicted in the Holy Ghost if I ever "rush to eat" anything before giving God thanks in prayer for as the Lord saith, 'man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' Amen.

Even so, amen.

Brethren: do any of y'all have similar experiences in your daily lives?

Ever-Learning But Failing To Come To The Acknowledgement Of The TRUTH?

The following excerpt passage down below was my email reply to my sociology college professor I sent regarding his "faith" in something more than the interworking of human society back in 2013 when I attended Skagit Valley Community College.

 

I emailed him previously about the "deeper" issues concerning mankind such as humanity's SIN NATURE.

 

Although, he replied in good spirit he seemed to disregard my inquiry into the "corruption of mankind" as "religious matters" and not supported by factual "scientific proof" and therefore not relevant enough to look further into.

 

I pray for this elder man's SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST and to know the true WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE that is only found in God Almighty, LORD JESUS CHRIST!

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

~Thanks for the reply!

(Long letter, read whenever you have time.......)

I agree with your premise, however, I must say in addition to these human "issues" there is a much deeper conflict within the human condition besides the corruption of humanity's flawed constructions (i.e. the institutions, social groups of community, etc.). It is not something "material" or "physical" that can be fully observed in a scientific method - it's a "spiritual" conflict in the human condition.

Say, with all our knowledge, data and information this hasn't necessary changed our world for the better. Petty human vices like greed, jealousy and selfishness run rampant in any man-constructed thing - this is what always gets in the way of fulfilling, say, the "ideal type". Our flawed humanity prevents the greatest possible outcome provided by our knowledge and data.

Humanity is on a different plane than mere animals; we have higher thoughts of processing, can overcome our base instincts, learn wisdom and attain higher levels of consciousness and understandings as we go through live and age. "Sin" as is called humanity's "offenses" in the Christian bible attests to our flawed nature and how this causes our various moods in life and gives us a way to repent (through Jesus Christ) and baptism in His Name so that we live a life of Truth & Meaning and can overcome our human vices as above.

I am fully aware of how "religious" responses to "real" phenomenon can be "subjective" and I wasn't always "sure" and devoted to Faith until recently rather. I am a skeptic in all things I am presented with, but part of being a skeptic is accepting new information once it has passed your "test screenings". And it has for me, many times. Faith cannot be measured by logical means - that's the whole thing that Faith is not about. It's about "believing" in something whether your have "proof" or not that it exists. It's a practice which has meaning throughout life even if it doesn't have a measurable extent.

I've looked and speculated a lot, but the time came for me to believe after it was proven to me  without a benefit of a doubt (though I still doubt in times of anxiety) - it's not a "coincidence" that I've lived this far given how much things I've experienced in my life thus far..Something or Someone has literally been guiding me in the actions I've taken.

Though I wouldn't call the "Buddha" (Siddhartha Gautama) and "Jesus Christ" "mythical" (since there's historical evidence out there that proves both were "real" individuals that existed), I suppose it's say to say that the "religious" side of them can be a "subjective" practice. However, a distinction must be made between religious "churchianity" than the true spirituality of the faith.

I'm not the kind to go out of my way to convince you otherwise or insult you for different beliefs, but I'm curious: Are you agnostic or atheist? Do you have a faith or not?

I've had atheistic/agnostic thoughts in my early to mid teens and still have them occasionally but what turned me away from them wasn't the harsh reality or life or denial of mortality - I wanted more meaning and inspiration to live. With atheism I could just see no moral judgment for actions. You would just die and be the end of it, so what really mattered...Family? I suppose if one has one that's good but if not, what of those without? (P.S. I have a family in case you have "those" thoughts!)

Life is more than pre-described notions of living based of man's flawed character. Something created everything and though some call it the "Big Bang" and whatnot I learned towards the idea of "Intelligent Design". Where did consciousness, knowledge and very "existence" come from? This source can have many names but it's usually summarized in the three-letter form: GOD. God is a the eternal, Almighty spiritual entity; he encompasses everything and everyone. He's not seen; this could be described as "Nothingness" but He is There.

I really understand the connection behind human evolution theory and where we are today. It definitely makes more "objective" sense than the story of Genesis in the bible. In many ways I think our continual creation stemmed from human evolution than Adam & Eve. They are both conflicting perspectives though their may be some truth in it both ways.

But the main theme of the Holy Bible (however you view it) is about the wickedness of man as in prone-corruption and how this manifests as "sin". "Sin" is the spiritual equivalent of a "crime offense" that tarnishes the soul. Because all human beings, (from the "Curse" in Genesis) are born "sinful", uncleaned, we are in danger of being punished for our unrepented sins. Through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we are given a Bridge to be accepted by God through Jesus Christ's holy sacrifice to be cleansed off sin by accepting him as our Lord & Savior AND being baptized ("reborn") in His Name to live a "proper" (meaning good "moral") life. Developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Beyond that, anything else is "religion" and that's NOT what the root of Christianity is. Christianity at its core is about Repentance, Faith and Devotion to the ONE TRUE GOD and living a righteous life according His words in the Holy Bible. Most of what you see by "religion" nowadays is "churchianity" which is simply subjective, inauthentic "ritualism" (as you could call it) that is now genuine to the Faith; just a vacuum people use for their own purposes.

I can't really change your mind (and that wasn't my primary purpose) you've lived much longer than I have and so have more experiences to recall and affirm your beliefs but one thing I understand from all this is "Logic" is a very limited way of understanding and discovering our world. In life, we can't always make hard decisions by practical logic; sometimes in certain situations we can only take a chance and hope things work out our way. That's called Faith. Sometimes the outcome is confused with "luck" but I know better. If you get through things or have favorable things happen to you at your benefit when you least expect it; it's not really a coincidence - it's a blessing.

Dr. M., it's always good to question things to discern truth, reality and facts. Evidence. But at the end of it, what's the total sum goal? To prove or disprove? When information or experience comes to the contrary of your suspicions do you accept it as it is or how you wished it would be? Would you accept new information that changes your point of view if it has been proven false?

Now that's more of a "personal" thing, but when new knowledge OR experience has proven my old perspectives wrong, false, misleading or inaccurate I take on the truth that is the truth regardless of my ideas/opinions.

Someday (soon) I hope you take the idea of "spirituality" as a credible source. For it is. Our physical world is but one dimension and how can we be "certain" that "spirituality" is not a different level or dimension of reality that we aren't able to "actively" observe? If there's one recurring theme in Life it's that it is Big, Mysterious and Complex with things we don't and may never understand. Not everything can and will be explained or measured. Nor does that mean it doesn't exist based on "our" human limitations. Perhaps life is experienced on different levels for different life forms? We will ever know? Who knows? But all I can say is I consider everything with a measure of merit until proven otherwise and that even what's proven "wrong" may not be "wrong" based on a different system.

I won't lie. I really wish you do come to know our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ and His Truth, Light and Love. Maybe you will maybe you won't. It's your decision. However, I challenge you to take a different approach beyond "logical analysis" and see if something "different" is revealed. Time to change the "lens" so-to-speak.

~Jed