Fingertoe.com - Latest Comments

Re: Does Christianity have an academic hearsay problem?

Joe — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 12:57:56 -0000

Thank you for this because I was on the same quest as you. You saved me a lot of time.

Re: Does Christianity have an academic hearsay problem?

Josh Reighley — Tue, 28 May 2013 16:49:22 -0000

Every Dad has a vision for his family, and a last will and testament. Certain things, such as his successor as patriarch are certainly within his control. Other things are guesses, based on the character of his sons. Zebbulan did not live beside the sea -- based on any accounts I have seen. That is a problem if we are to take it to be divinely inspired. Not so much if it was Dad's last will and testament.

Saul being King is a problem for the "Scepter means Kingship" interpretation as well. The problem with many of these symbolic ideas is that people write them to "obviously" mean what they think they should mean, then run with it, ignoring any options to the contrary.

Re: Does Christianity have an academic hearsay problem?

Guest — Tue, 28 May 2013 16:21:20 -0000

That the scepter is symbolic is pretty obvious. It is a symbol of authority, kingship, and Jacob is saying it will continue through the line of Judah.

So it is actually not as tricky as you suppose to determine whether it is there or not, and when it ceased being there. It represents a verifiable state of affairs.

In Genesis 49:1 Jacob clearly says

"..Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days"

So this was a prophecy. So I'm not sure what you mean by "it wasn't necessarily divinely inspired" Where else would Israel get a vision of future events if not from God?

Re: Does Christianity have an academic hearsay problem?

Josh Reighley — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:48:10 -0000

It seems rather clear to me that scepter was symbolic.. It was not a physical stick that they where talking about. Therefore it is going to be murky business figuring out whether something symbolic is there or not there..

Everyone loves this prophecy of Jacob -- But I am not sure Jacob passes muster as a prophet if you look at the rest of them.. Zebulun living by the sea for example... I think Dad had a vision for his kids, and he passed along that vision to them.. That doesn't necessarily make them divinely inspired.

Re: Does Christianity have an academic hearsay problem?

Guest — Mon, 27 May 2013 11:27:08 -0000

The quote might or might not exist, but did the scepter not leave Judah at the time of the Romans? It is my understanding that the Babylonians did not totally destroy the Jews. A remnant was left behind in Judah (the scepter). Nebuchadnezzar did not deport everyone.

Re: There is no such thing as a flashdark.

Josh Reighley — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:42:52 -0000

But evil does not exist affirmatively. It is 0. it is nothing. It self balances. There is not +0 and -0 just zero. 1 - 0 =1 and 1+0 =1. Lies are the absence of 1, but they do not change the fact that. 1 does exist whether we include it in our dataset or not. Falsehood in no way balances truth. Falsehoods cannot equal truth any more than 0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0 can equal 1.

Re: There is no such thing as a flashdark.

Dual Arc — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:30:48 -0000

The brightest light creates the most shadow, never forget that balance overcomes morality; the world needs balance and wants morality. In the end light and dark will be how they always have, in perfect balance. Because that's how it has to be. But evil isn't constrained to the dark, evil spreads like disease infecting all. Evil lives wherever there is room for it to grow in the human heart and spreads from there, it must be fought as such, by strengthening our heart through good. Disease is unavoidable in some cases though, as is evil. Lies and fear keep the world running smoothly, what you call evil is all a basic necessity for intelligent life. Necessary evil does exist, but unnecessary evils should be eliminated. Our shelter of lies must kept intact, for lies are only the roof to keep out rain. Truth is the foundation, the walls, that which supports us and protects us from all else. Truth cannot save us from all things, therefore the lies are needed.

Re: Meet Lily, Our New Daughter.

Mrdell — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 22:00:45 -0000

What a pleasure to see the love in your family. Lily is such a blessing and you, Andee and the kids are such a blessing to Lily. She is such an inspiration to me. It is a reward to receive one of her beautiful smiles.
Mardell Grayhek

Re: www.womendesignerclothes.com fraud? incompetant?

Acreedonna — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:20:58 -0000

Good to know, I wont buy anything from them! I hate companies like that!

Re: Meet Lily, Our New Daughter.

Nanahen6 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 13:26:27 -0000

Thanks for sharing Lily's story. Lily is a beautiful blessing from God. She will enrich your life, just as you have enriched hers.
Love from Tim and Susan

Re: Meet Lily, Our New Daughter.

Marcy — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 10:56:43 -0000

What a wonderful story! She's very lucky, as are all of you :) Thanks for sharing.
Marcy

Re: Sensory Deprivation Tanks

Tim Hightower — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:26:18 -0000

Cool article. Very informative. I'm not sure I would trust a DIY tank though!

Re: Do we really believe in regeneration?

Josh Reighley — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:55:47 -0000

Not yet. But I will put it on my list... Sounds like a good book.

Re: Do we really believe in regeneration?

mattharmless — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:54:23 -0000

Have you read "Finally Alive" by John Piper?

Re: Don’t throw your own baby out because of somebody else’s soiled bathwater

Monica — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:46:02 -0000

I think there's alot of false dichotomies in Christianity - and that's our human nature poking in it's two cents worth, and not God. God's Truth is subtle and wise, and can't be boiled down to "talking points". Sometimes it truly isn't "this or that", but "this AND that, but in this WAY." The older I get, the more I am realizing that. When we "throw the baby out with the bath water", from either side of the aisle, we may very well be missing TRUTH.

Re: Do we really believe in regeneration?

Josh Reighley — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:57:43 -0000

Correct -- People deceive themselves without a doubt. But just because the unsaved are deceived we cannot shy away from the fact that there is a very powerful promise in the bible about how people ARE saved.. Is Jeremiah Speaking of a regenerate heart under the discipline of the Holy Spirit? I don't think so.. And when we teach as if it is, we undermine the accuracy of our portrayal of power of the Spirit, don't we?

The unregenerate reject teaching. It is the Spirit that changes them - and if our testimony fails to accurately portray the promised work of the Spirit, it seems like we are fighting a losing battle on two fonts.

Re: Do we really believe in regeneration?

Bob Carter — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:35:21 -0000

Yeah, I am with you on "unlearning the lies". But I think the way to do that is to be taught by good teaching. We cannot depend on our heart to discern the truth, when it comes to things of God. Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can
understand it?" Mormons claim that they got a burning of the bosom when they ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. That gives them their testimony and beats out reason. We need good teaching, and that should be emphasized, along with good worship, praises, and prayers.

Re: Do we really believe in regeneration?

Josh Reighley — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:42:48 -0000

I certainly am not against Bible-teaching... I just think that we tend to put the wrong emphasis on it... I would say that 2 Tim 3:15-16 supports the "Unlearning" theory a lot more than it would contradict it. "Correction" and "Reproof" are certainly unlearning words.. The passage also makes a case that God has been known since childhood. Repentance of our faith in lies gets us to the place where we can fully see God for who he undeniably is. Without the "unlearning" part we only get a distorted picture that we choose to see.

Re: Do we really believe in regeneration?

Bob Carter — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:10:11 -0000

I see your point, Josh. I also agree with you that in God, we are a new creation. But He also exhorts us to grow in faith. We are sanctified and need to continue on growing in holiness. But I do agree that there is a big need to (as you say) "unlearn the lies that let ourselves to shelter ourselves from accepting his truth".

I think it is somewhat difficult to argue the case against good biblical teaching. The key is to discern good teachers, and good teaching. Let me quote for you some scripture concerning this: 2Tim 4:13 "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to
exhortation, to teaching." 2Tim 3:15-16: "and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness". Romans 15:4 "For
everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through
endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." There is more concerning the need for teaching, but I think this might suffice. God clearly does not want us to stay as we are, but to grow in faith. I believe He puts that desire in us to grow.

Re: Worth a watch

Eric Blauer — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:26:54 -0000

What a powerful message from a beautiful story.

Re: The Common Man’s heart

Sarah Cunningham — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:13:05 -0000

Thought the line "a call to self judgment rather than a call to judge God" was worth the price of the post. :) Thanks for the thought.

Re: Cheap and easy internet filter..

Internet Filter — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 05:00:35 -0000

Thanks for sharing this. It is very useful for the parents.

Re: The Common Man’s heart

Josh Reighley — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:04:36 -0000

Yes, Like I said in previous posts, God seems to get his work done in spite of our crazy methods. Apologetics are good, so long as they don't subvert their cause for the sake of their process.

Re: The Common Man’s heart

Kylan — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:00:10 -0000

Everyone who comes to God come by a unique path. It is the seeking of truth that drew me to Him, and the holiness of God that drew another. Imago Dei; there is a shadow of Gods wisdom in mans knowledge. The curiosity of man in itself is questioning the falsity of this world.
But ultimately it is relationship that is the proof. Whether it began with apologetics or began with your testimony of Gods glory, it is the honesty and love of a real relationship that reflects God most of all.

Re: The Common Man’s heart

Josh Reighley — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:42:35 -0000

I still stick to Romans 1. All have the truth, and suppress it in unrighteousness.

Lies are self revealing in the end. If our percieved self generated reality doesn't line up with real reality a collision occurs periodically. When that collision occurs, there is an opportunity for repentance.

God is real. All of the other options are illusions. We don't need to
reconcile God to the illusion. Chasing the mirage will eventually lead
to the realization that there is no lake. Trying to paint the image of God on the mirage is impossible, because the mirage is fake and God is real. Yet that is what we are trying to do when we use human wisdom as the canvas. God isn't the image at all, he is actually the light that illuminates everything.

I say that the way you get an atheist to see God isn't to weave him into their belief structure, but to make His truth known so that when their imagined truth collapses under it's own weight, they will recognize the plain truth that they have had from the beginning.

Saying "God is not real to the atheist" is kinda the root of the problem. He is real enough that most of them hate him.. And in the end He is real to everybody. The key is to speak of him in a way that he is a truth and not a proposition, because when we make him a proposition we place him below human wisdom, and thus distort the reality of who He is.