A rebuttal to the concept of humanism versus the existence of God

 

To those following a new wave of humanism and not believing in the existence of God.  I was going to create a response, but found that the responses already exists in the bible.  These specific scriptures are from the New Living Translation version.

For deciding to go to humanism. Luke 23:34  Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.

How can you find the truth?   2 Chronicles 15:2c  Whenever you seek him, you will find him.  But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

Why you should not turn to humanism?  Psalm 118:8  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust people.

The danger of human answers.  Matthew 16:23  Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me.  You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

Why keep seeking the truth?  Matthew 7:7-8  Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.  Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives.  Everyone who seeks, finds.  And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Why is the easy solution of humanism not the right answer?   Matthew 7:13  You can’t enter God’s kingdom only through the narrow gate.  The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

Have you ever thought about how the human definition of “beginning”  just does not make sense?  You can’t explain the notion of beginning without a spiritual foundation.

Why Christians should speak boldly about the Word in the bible?

The world provides no answers or solutions.   1 John 2:15  Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.

Who do you trust?  Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Who guides you?   Psalm 16:7-8  I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.  I know the Lord is always with me.  I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

Ask for guidance in speaking boldly.  Psalm 25:4-5  Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.  Lead by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you.

Asking God for wisdom to speak boldly.  James 1:5-6   If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.  He will not rebuke you for asking.  But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.

Psalm 32:8-9  The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you.  Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle  to keep it under control.”

Humanistic ideas are a call to service for all who believe in God.  To speak boldly about the Word.

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with the endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith,

James 1:2-4  Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Ephesians 6:13  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.  Then after the battle you will be standing firm.

It's time to get to work.

A National Monument to Man's Desires versus God's Plan

 A former night club, which was the scene of a hate crime mass shooting has been declared a national monument by Congress and President Biden.  When I heard the news, I thought, why is the site of the massacre of people at a gay nightclub a national monument, when to my knowledge none of the sites of massacres of black people have been designated as a national monument?

Is it because our culture has accepted and now promotes gay/homosexual/lesbian life styles as being okay?  Is it because this country has no remorse regarding the atrocities committed against black people over the years?  

The man made decision that condones gay lifestyles is directly contrary to religious principles in many Christian faiths.  The tales of homosexual activities goes well back in time and is described in the bible.

As the bible describes, God created Man and Woman.  God did not create people to be labeled as non binary, pansexual, homosexual, transgender, or whatever other terminology is used.  The proliferation of support for man made, un Godly behavior is reaching its peak.  It is being pushed down onto children as something they can consider in defining their sexuality.

Why is this being done?  Simply because some people do whatever they want to do.  They do not believe in a God and that we should follow Godly guidelines in how we behave and live our lives.  These people do not believe in "sin".  They believe in "human rights".  The right to do whatever a person wants with no consideration that there is a God who created us and defined what behavior is proper.  These people operate under unlimited behavioral control.  They operate under the concept that people seeking pleasure can seek it without limitations on sexual morality.  Anything and everything goes.

This is why in the year 2021, national legislative bodies and even the President of the United States supports making the site of a mass killing at a gay nightclub a national monument.  This also shows how the national legislative body and the office of the President of the United States still is ignoring the fact the atrocities committed against black people in the United States need to be addressed.  Identify each black massacre site specifically as being a monumental reminder of the hate, and sinful behavior that black people have had to endure for hundreds of years in this "civilized" country.

Go To the Source Document

 

In the Game Show “Family Feud”, the host speaks the phrase, “survey said”, before giving the answer to a question.  I recently encountered another version of the Family Feud.  I will call it, “The World Says, but God Says!”

I was taking an on-line survey to earn points to redeem for goods at select vendors.  The survey asked you to identify your gender.  When I was a child that either meant male or female.  The survey I was completing had several more options to choose from.  Beyond female and male, the survey listed; non binary; transgender male; transgender female; and pansexual. I thought to myself, “I thought the bible said God created maIe and female?  So, I went back to the source, the bible.   I turned to Genesis in my NLT, New Living Translation, bible to ensure there was not some translation done that I may have missed.  No, it said God created male and female. 

Genesis 1:27.  “So God created human beings in his own image.  In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

So where did these other gender definitions come from?  The survey was using one of the world’s latest definitions of gender.  “The World Says.”  That’s when we as Christians need to add the qualifier, “But God Says!”

Romans 1:21-24 talks about what is behind man’s creation of all types of variations from what God intended. 

Romans 1:24.  “So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.  As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.  They traded the truth about God for a lie.”

The world has created a different variation of gender to fit our human behaviors and choices.  There is an attempt to transform what God created as male and female, into supplemental humanistic  categories of gender.  The human or civil rights of people to do what they want and live as they want is often used to justify these new gender choices.

When you hear a worldly answer that seems suspect in truth, ask yourself, “What does God say?”  Then go to the bible for THE ANSWER!   Is the human answer/definition part of God’s will or God’s plan?

The world appears to be in an era of “human rights”.  The impetus on human rights is that humans can be and do whatever they want, just because they can.  We are told that we have to respect those choicesD. Whether the human right is a God given right seems to be a question never asked.  When you are confronted with a human interpretation that seems to conflict with your understanding of what God intended, refer to the source document.  The Bible.

The Issue of Recruitment and Retention

Recruitment and Retention of black students is a sub part of the overall retention issue at colleges and universities.

I saw some unofficial information several months ago, regarding the retention rate on UE students who either received a Zerah Priestly Carter (ZPC) scholarship or a "stipend".  Shortly after that came the yearly request for donations to the Zerah Priestly Carter scholarship fund.  Based on the retention rate data I saw before, I then posed this question to a UE administrator.  "What support systems are in place to assist in the retention of ZPC scholarship recipients at UE?"  I then quoted to the official the percentage rate for retention I had  some information on.  I am also curious as to what is the retention rate for African American students at UE compared to the overall retention rate at UE?  Plus the retention rate based on specific categories, e.g. women, men, etc.  I posed the questions several weeks ago and still have not received a final answer.

The first retention "problem" at UE for an African American student began one year after Zerah Priestly was admitted as the first black student allowed to attend UE.  Pat Alves, the first black male admitted to Evansville College (EC) in the 1935-1936 school year did not return to complete his education at EC.

Our reasons for attending UE vary.  For some it was due to what the college offered academically.  For some like me it was to "practice" in a multi cultural environment that I would see once I graduated. UE has never been identified as the best college for African American students to attend.  We all recall the students in our Freshman classes whom we did not see the next year.  The reasons for their returning varied.  For some it was the "environment" on campus.  But, we all knew about the environment before we started our days at UE.

There may be indicators of success for a black student on who will graduate from UE.  Is it coming from a high school that had a diverse student population?  Going through a college prep curriculum in high school?  Having experience in a day to day multi-cultural environment?

We may think that UE needs to recruit more black students, but think about that statement.  If the support mechanisms needed by black students are not at UE, why recruit black students to live in an environment not designed to fit our needs?

The admissions process needs to be open and honest to the families of black students on the cultural challenges of being at UE.  The university needs to be honest and openly share the retention rate for African American students.   What support systems are needed?  Here are a few ideas. The year to year opportunity to join a black fraternity or sorority regardless of the size of the black student population at UE.  Create a specific set of activities year to year designed for black students, to include road trips off campus.  Mentoring options and tutoring.

UE has made recruitment of black students a priority in the past.  Under former President Graves, in the early 1970s, the university sought to recruit black students from the Evansville area.  The recruitment effort was successful, but the retention rate was abysmal.  The granting of scholarships and provision of financial aid does not prevent students from leaving.  Financial aid opens the door.  Then, you are on your own.

I await "my" university's development of an innovative recruitment and retention plan!

Spirituality - Repairing A Damaged Heart

 

Repairing a Damaged Heart Through Spiritual Surgery

Part 1

In the Olivet Wednesday bible study sessions, Pastor Moore and Deacon Hedgepath have on occasion described the sinful actions of people as being a “heart” issue.  In a recent bible study session related to spiritual gifts, Pastor Moore referenced Jeremiah 17:9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” 

Initially, I found it depressing to hear that our heart is inclined towards sin from the moment we are born.  My thought was, “We don’t stand a chance. We start off from a disadvantage!”  Then the truth came.  God has provided us with the tools to help us repair our damaged hearts.  Just as human surgeons perform surgery on the bodily heart to heal it, God has provided us with spiritual tools and guidelines. The tools are methods to repair our damaged heart. The guidelines define what actions and lifestyle can repair our damaged hearts through spiritual surgery.

We have all inherited the damaged heart condition.  It’s a human family trait passed on from Adam and Eve.  What are the symptoms of having a damaged heart?  Sin.  Underneath the broad category of “Sin” are a number of specific actions that confirm the symptoms and diagnosis of a damaged heart.  Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, envy, selfish ambition, wild parties, murder, and on and on.

Genesis 6:5   The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.

It has been shown that you can live your entire human existence with a damaged heart.  We have even created systems and activities that support sin and a damaged heart!  If we just accept the sinful character of our damaged heart, we relinquish the opportunity to have eternal life after our human death.  We have rationalized that some actions performed with a damaged heart are enjoyable, fulfilling, and what we are here on Earth to experience.  We describe those actions as those of a normal human and “nothing to feel bad about”.  “We’re only human” we say, as if that statement justifies our damaged heart actions. 

Hebrews 3:12   Be careful then dear brothers and sisters.  Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving turning you away from the living God.

Once we acknowledge our damaged heart symptoms, now comes the decision to seek healing through spiritual surgery.

Deuteronomy 10:16-19   Therefore change your hearts and stop being stubborn.

  

Repairing a Damaged Heart Through Spiritual Surgery

Part 2

Psalm 51: 10   Create in me a clean heart O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me.

This plea acknowledges the damaged condition of your heart and your request to God to help you heal. Unlike human surgery, you are an active participant in your spiritual surgery.   Giving your life to Christ is a first step as you enter the spiritual operating room.  Attending church regularly, bible study, Sunday school, establishing a regimen of reading and applying the Word, and replacing worldly adventures with spiritual entertainment ventures, are some of the surgical tools and techniques we are given to assist with our spiritual surgery. 

Your Pastor and fellow members of your church all have a surgical role in your spiritual surgery, providing the spiritual guidance and support you need to spiritually heal your damaged heart.  You will find that as in human bodily surgery, you may need to return to the spiritual surgery room for multiple surgeries to achieve long term healing of your heart.  So, don’t feel overly frustrated if you find yourself on occasion pulling up to the spiritual surgery outpatient clinic.  Think of those occasions as a tune up for your new heart.

Ezekiel 36:26-27   And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.  I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  And I will put my spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. 

During your rehabilitation period from spiritual surgery, you will need to keep your spiritual diet free of old habits and activities.  Those activities were for feeding a damaged heart, not the new heart God has given you.  Your rehabilitation and spiritual therapy during recovery from a damaged heart will be continuous.  Yes, you may have a relapse in keeping old habits out of your new spiritual diet.  If you do, get right back into your rehabilitative program.

2 Corinthians 1:22   He has commissioned us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything, he has promised us.

Luke 1:17(2)   He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.

Matthew 12: 35   A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.

1 Samuel 10:9   As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart…

A Tribute To Angela Williams

I recall the day I first met Angela Williams.  It was about 14 years ago at a U.E. Homecoming weekend. It was a crisp, cold, but sunny fall morning in Evansville. The leaves on the trees announced in their orange-reddish colors the arrival of fall.  I had parked my car in a lot near the Engineering building and was walking across the circle.  From afar I saw the sign in table set up outside the Union building.   I noticed Sylvia DeVault at the table.  The table had been equipped with hot apple cider to serve the alumni and to keep the table workers warm.  Then I noticed that there was an African American woman sitting next to Sylvia!  I strained my eyes to see who was this?  I then found myself jogging in slow motion over to the table, thrilled at the prospect of an African American being added to the alumni office.  It was like a scene out of the movie "The Color Purple" where the Whoopi Goldberg character is in the field playing patty cake with her friend.  I was mentally clapping my hands and playing patty cake while jogging over to the table in slow motion.

I made it over to the table and composed myself into professional alumni mode.  I gave Sylvia my professional alumni greeting and then turned to introduce myself to Angela Williams.  Now, I felt like saying "what's up sister girl?"  But, I maintained professional alumni decorum.  Angela was wearing the purple U.E. colors as she always did.  Angela always wore the school colors well, better than most alumni or U.E. staff.  I sometimes wanted to ask her, "Where do you shop at?"  Anyway, I recall Angela's first words to me were, "So, what brings you back to U.E.?"  Over the years I would joke with Angela that her first words to me were "What you doing back here fool?"  That would make her laugh, showing that big smile of hers.

Back in those days I was doing some research on the history of black students at U.E.  Each time I came to campus I made it a point to stop by and say hello to Angela and invite her out to lunch. We were about the same age and shared our life story with each other and the variety of challenges we had faced.  I discovered that her life had been more challenging than mine.  I recall one day I told her let's do dinner and a movie this time.  After a nice meal, we wound up just making it to a showing of the movie "The Bucket List" starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.  Well, the plot of the movie has several emotional moments and between Angela and me there were tears being shed by the film's end. So, Angela reaches into her purse and gives me some tissue to wipe my tears!

One day I noticed she had signed an email with the name Honey Angela Williams.  I asked her "is Honey your nickname?"  She explained that was her real first name and that only family called her Honey.  I told her one day I was going to walk into her office, when Sylvia was present, and say loudly, "Honey, let's go to lunch!" and then I would turn to watch the reaction on Sylvia's face.

I was always impressed by Angela's devotion to her daughter and Angela's strong faith in God.  I recall after a Dr. King march from the U.E. campus Angela was overseeing her daughter on the bus back to campus.  It was clearly evident her motherly love and devotion to her daughter was very strong.  With my job changes and relocation I lost having consistent communication with Angela for a year or so. When we did reconnect it was very apparent to me that her faith in God had gotten stronger and I made that comment to her.  I recall one time I sent her a message through Facebook asking a religious question.  After several minutes she responded to my question.  Her reply must have included quotations from 10 scriptures!  I said to myself, "She should be a minister!"  It was during that time when Angela published her book of poems.  I eagerly ordered a copy to support this woman of God.

I found out in mid February 2017 through the UEAAA Facebook page that Angela had left this world. Ironically I had just put myself on a self imposed 2 week vacation from Facebook.  But, I kept seeing notifications pop up from the UEAAA page and wondered what was going on.  Angela worked at U.E. for a long period.  While some came and went, Angela remained at U.E.  Always loyal, always devoted to getting the job done.   I recall last talking to her in December 2016 during a teleconference about the mentoring program she was attempting to get started.  Her bubbly voice, would make you smile if you were having a bad day.

Angela Williams was a pivotal person in the operation of UEAAA as an organization.   She was the inspiration for me to revisit and update our UE black student history.

This world needs a million people and more like Angela Williams.  I was saddened to hear she was gone. But, I know her faith has her in the ultimate place we all aspire to be when we must depart this life. She earned it.  Well done Angela.

2020 - The Year In Review

 You know what kind of year this was!  The year we were all put into time out for our continuing pattern of bad behavior.  It had the potential to be a devastating year in many ways.  Some trauma came to fruition while other categories in my personal life achieved growth and found prosperity during a pandemic.

Ironically there were indications late in 2019 that a China trip I had planned for April of this year would not happen.  Not due to Covid but due to my chosen dates not being filled with anyone traveling except me.  The trip was officially canceled in early January by the tour company I had signed up with saving me thousands of dollars that would be needed elsewhere in the coming months. 

My mother's health continued to decline from Alzheimer's and dementia.  Her home care wasn't up to adequacy resulting in her having to go to a nursing home in late January.  January also began our search for a winter getaway home which we found.  Then came a relaxing trip to New Orleans in February just as Mardi Gras was starting.  We then took a Western Caribbean cruise from New Orleans.  So we were in environments that were to become Covid spreaders due to the closeness of contact during Mardi Gras parades and on cruise ships.

March brought the full blown impact of Covid as it spread throughout the United States.  This put an end to normal routines such as going to restaurants, movies, or spending time with relatives and friends.  Masks became a new required fashion accessory that would save your life. People we knew started getting ill from Covid and some died.

One thing Covid brought to my life was financial discipline. I no longer was spending money on discretionary items.  The Veterans administration finally resolved a claim for benefits that I had filed on my mother's behalf some two years before.  The lump sum payment of retroactive benefits she was owed came right on time as her nursing home stay ended.  This got her out of a dangerous Covid environment and allowed her to return home where she passed away a month later.  The retroactive VA benefits paid for her 24 hour professional homecare her last month of life.  God worked it out that way.

We closed on our winter getaway home in July.  My spouse retired in late December.  Under the grace of God we have both avoided the deadly effects of Covid, so far.  The promise of a vaccine is on the horizon.  We never go without food.  We have more than one place to live.  We can pay our bills on our fixed retirement incomes.  Our health is good.  

I grew spiritually during this year.  I am at the point where my writing skills are now being utilized in the church. My other writing and research projects are going well.  I am doing what I want to do.  Covid helped to keep me away from people and situations that were not good for me personally.  Covid refocused my mind on what I should be focused on.  Covid helped me manage my financial resources better. 

I still have my human faults. But I am a better person than I was on December 30, 2019.  The ways of the world have always failed me.  I no longer seek the glory of this world.

2021. It may get better, it could be worse.  All I can say is so far with one day left, I have survived a world wide pandemic.  In the United States, some 300,000 people did not.