Stage In The Sky

Allow me to begin by saying, as a Christian, I believe the Gospels should be taught with love and kindness. Not guilt, ridicule, or a confrontation. 

What prompted me to write this essay is to conclude an internal conflict regarding faith. A new challenger has emerged. An Atheist. During a recent debate (argument) on my boss’s radio show, she challenged me to learn more about the views of Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens in order to understand why Atheists don’t believe in God.  

She said, “I’ll read something of the Bible that you suggest, if you check out a video by one of these Atheists.” 

My boss egged her on and encouraged me to accept the challenge. The thing is…while she openly admitted that she knew very little about the Bible or what it meant to be a Christian, I actually have been through my Atheist Phase. I already knew a lot about Atheism. Allow me to explain… 

Way back when I was in the midst of my Christian transformation, I encountered another atheist, a man named Lance.  

THE FRIENDLY ATHEIST:  

Lance was one of those Atheists who seemed more Christian than a lot Christians I knew. Meaning, he treated everyone with kindness. A big dude, but gentle, helpful, the type to give you the shirt off his back and exuded glowing optimism and positivity. 

In 2014, I was 28 when Lance found out I was reading the Bible from cover to cover. As an intelligent Atheist, he hit me with Atheist arguments that prompted me to consider whether or not my faith was true. In particular, he hit me with this comparison of Jesus Christ with the Egyptian deity Horus.  

I remember that image stumbled me for weeks. It was brutal.  

To my secular readers out there who have no clue what it’s like to have your faith tested…let’s put it this way. Imagine your closest relationship. Think of the human being who’s number one in your heart. It could be your best friend, your spouse, your girlfriend, father, anyone. You’ve known this person for years. And, for years, you’ve CHOSEN to be with this person at the cost of so many great and personal sacrifices…we’re talking about financial opportunities, social status, fame, love, sex, accolades…you’ve sacrifice so much…for this one person. Because they told you to. 

Now imagine they betrayed you. Imagine everything they ever told you was a lie. Imagine that everything you’ve ever confided in them…not only did they laugh about it behind your back, but they never cared about you. You could get fired and kicked out of your home and spit on and destitute…and they wouldn’t give two cents for you. 

The mere thought of that betrayal is likely to cause you to lose sleep. It’s an unimaginable anxiety. It hurts, and even the ones standing by with their “See, I told you so’s” in their pockets can do nothing to fix the broken walks of trust and confidence in your heart.  

When I saw that image, a certain pain burned deep in my chest. It begged the question, “What if my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ really is just some fictional lie?” 

I couldn’t talk to Lance for a couple of days after that. I tried to avoid him as we worked in the same building. And as much as I simply wanted to dismiss that image…a part of me felt it would be cowardice to do so. No, this doesn’t mean it would be cowardice if any other Christian to personally dismiss it. But more so, I’m just the arrogant type. I didn’t seek out the challenge, but something in me said I had to see it through. 

So as painful as it was, I let my mind go there. I looked at the image, contemplated it, and considered whether or not it may be true. And more importantly…I prayed to God for his help. If God wasn’t real, there’s no way I would’ve overcome this.  

In this Essay about how Reading the Bible Taught Me How Satan Works, you can read my answer to this Horus Conundrum. Just scroll down until you see the image. Or read the entire essay because it’s pretty good. The point is, I didn’t shy away from the Atheist arguments. 

Ladies and Gentlemen…let me pause for a moment to stress that “Intentions” and “Motives” matter a great deal. I’m not sure if most do this, but past age 30, whenever someone calls themself trying to give me advice or teach me about a particular worldview…I stop to consider “why” is this person telling me this? Why do they want me to know this? Is it really just to help me? 

When I was dealing with Lance, I asked myself the same questions. As I mentioned, Lance seemed to be a good person, well-intended with no malicious intent. When he taught me what Atheists believed, he didn’t do it competitively, but more so to explain why he felt there was a good reason to doubt the existence of God.  

As in, “Hey, Rock, Atheists aren’t dumb ignorant people who are just going against the grain for the hell of it. They’re nice, kind, considerate people too. They just don’t believe in what you believe in and here’s why.” 

These are conversations I actually don’t mind engaging in. Conversations where the individuals are genuinely in it to learn more about each other’s perspectives and world views. It’s not a confrontation of “I’m right and you’re wrong”.  You’re just conversing to learn what the other person believes. Unless they specifically ask for my opinion about their beliefs, I won’t tell them. It’s a sign of mutual respect. 

Also, if it’s my desire to help my fellow neighbors, to love them as Christ commanded, I think the most efficient way is to understand them. Doesn’t mean I have to accept and condone their lifestyles…but the ability to understand their point of view is key.  

And so, I entered my Atheist Phase. I looked up and soaked in knowledge of Atheists and Agnostics. I sought to understand why they refused to believe in the Bible and resisted religion. This was not easy. Let me emphasize…THIS WAS NOT EASY! 

By no means do I dismiss the collective concept of Atheism as ignorant or foolish. Many of the ones I’ve seen were highly intelligent, rational, and knowledgeable in their thinking. And more importantly, a lot of them actually have read the Bible and know more about it than some Christians who merely inherited their belief. 

So in talking to Lance and listening to other Atheists like Sam Harris and Dave Rubin in his early “Rubin Report” days, my faith and conscience was rocked on almost a daily basis. Even before I picked up the Bible, one of my favorite lines was from an Atheist named Tim Minchin who said, “Science adjusts its views based on what’s observed, Faith is the denial of observation so that belief can be preserved.” 

I remember hearing that and was like, “Whoa!” But is that true? Certainly sounds catchy. I prayed for wisdom and understanding, and by the grace of God, I’d like to think I was blessed with it. And no, I don’t just go looking for something to tell me what I want to hear. Trust me when I say there’s plenty in the Bible that I sometimes wish I could claim ignorance too…but in the end I know it’ll benefit me far more.  

In considering the Atheist arguments, reflecting on it, while still reading the Bible every night…the answers came to me. 

PROOF AND EVIDENCE:

One of the most common arguments is the notion of “evidence” and “proof.” And I remember dwelling on that for weeks. I’d listened to arguments like, “How do you know God really exists, where’s the proof?” 

Christians would say, “we are proof” as human beings. But I knew that wasn’t going to work if you’re talking to someone who doesn’t fundamentally believe.  

Instead, I tackled what the secular person considers to be “proof or evidence.” From what I’ve seen, it appears they rely on things like documentation, reason, photographs, eyewitnesses, studies. And in the broadest sense, some will simply say “Science”. Which is really just a broad umbrella term for all the above.  

So then I ask…“Alright. Well…I was born in 1986. How do I know if anything that happened before my own personal recollection, actually happened as the history books say it happened? They say Pres. Lincoln was assassinated by a man named John Wilkes Booth. Is that really what happened? How do I know? Where’s the proof?” 

Off the bat, one would answer “hundreds of eyewitnesses and documented accounts.” 

And as a skeptic, I could ask, “is that it?” 

The shooting took place in Ford’s Theater, Washington. Thousands of miles away, people were getting reports in San Francisco that Wilkes Booth was the assassin based on what was printed in newspaper and spread through word of mouth. But no one in San Francisco was actually there. Yet they believed this is what happened based on eyewitnesses and what was documented in newspapers. Just like people believed Christopher Columbus discovered America or the propaganda that started the Spanish-American War.

“What’s your point, Rock?”  

In considering the Atheist question of “where’s the proof? Where’s the evidence?” I’ve discerned that they’ve placed a similar type of faith in human knowledge and understanding, that Christians have in the Bible. Easy…I said similar. Not the same. 

By similar, I mean, if it’s in the realm of what their minds can personally comprehend as realistic, possible, and plausible, they’re more than likely to believe in something, even if it’s a lie. I think this poses an issue when it comes to the concept of history. Because how likely are they to believe the eyewitness accounts of an entire nation that’s passed down to generation to generation? Like when Israel witnessed God parting the Red Sea.  

Even when Jesus Christ was alive, this was during the Golden Age of the Roman Empire, the Pharisees kept asking him for a sign (proof and evidence) that he is the prophesied Messiah. Mind you, these Pharisees were not Atheists. They believed God existed, that God was real. They just didn’t believe that Jesus was the son of God.  

Even one of Jesus’s own apostles! Thomas, who had seen Lazarus raised from the dead, who saw Jesus walking on water in the middle of a storm, refused to believe Jesus Christ had risen after being dead for three days. It wasn’t until Thomas saw “proof” in the form of the holes that nailed Jesus to the cross that Thomas believed. Jesus said at John 20:29, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The issue with the Pharisees is quite similar to today’s disbelief. Israel went over 400 years since the book of Malachi before John the Baptist came calling out in the wilderness heralding the coming of Jesus Christ. Generations had come and gone. Time had passed. Traditions fade and like King Solomon wrote, “Because sentence against a bad deed isn’t carried out speedily, the children of men become emboldened to do what’s bad.” (Eccl 8:11) 

When it comes to a Christian’s “evidence,” God’s word the Bible is our newspaper, our files, our records, encyclopedia, and collection of eye-witness testimonies. The Bible isn’t just a book of rules, it’s recorded prophecies that were documented long before those prophesies ever happened, such as the prophecy that Cyrus the Great would exist (Isaiah 45). Not to mention the long list of Bible Prophecies that are still being fulfilled to this day.   

Our eyewitnesses accounts are apostles (Jesus’s Disciples, Paul, Luke, Mark, Mary, etc,), prophets (Elijah, Jeremiah, Samuel), Kings (Solomon, David) scholars (Martin Luther), and civilians who passed the stories down from generation to generation. These are real men who existed even by Secular standards. 

The same can be said about their “studies,” produced throughout the ages and are still being produced by contemporaries such as Dennis Prager, the late Ravi Zacharias’ associates, and Pastor John MacArthur.  

When it comes to photographic evidence, the Grand Canyon is a prime example. Most people don’t even know what they’re looking at when they see the layers of sedimentary rock and its beautiful colors. But the Grand Canyon is prime evidence of a global water-based catastrophe…ie The Great Flood.  

In each point I just mentioned, if you Google the topics, you’ll likely find it hotly contested, debated, and debunked on all sides, whether you’re a Christian, Atheist, Geologian, etc. The point is, I as an individual, considered the evidence, and settled on a decision based on the logic and facts presented. It is possible that I may be wrong about everything, but as an individual with the same freedom of thought that everyone else has…I choose to believe, to live my life and die by my faith.  

Don’t you see? This is conviction. If lined in front of a firing squad, I’d stand by my beliefs whether the consequences lead to life or death. That might sound like hyperbole…but make no mistake, to a Christian who’s read the entire Bible…just reading Revelation Chapter 16 and knowing in full confidence that the world will be destroyed if you fail to repent…it is a matter of life and death.  

We’re talking about the most powerful earthquake that will cause islands to disappear and flatten the mountains. I don’t say this to scare you. But to encourage you. Read it for yourself. This ship, the earth, is going down. In order to reserve your place on that lifeboat, you have to repent. You have to accept Jesus in your heart and turn away from the worldly lifestyles. 

Also, I’d like to make an announcement!!! That guy Lance, I mentioned…who was deeply entrenched in Atheism back in 2014. No lie, I literally reached out to him talk about the production of this essay and thank him for our constructive conversations in the past.  

And after so many years, Lance told me… “A variety of reasons spoke through when I reclaimed my faith in Jesus and asked for forgiveness. In 2018, I had a major back surgery that had me learn how to walk and alter my lifestyle greatly. Here on the literal cusp of another surgery, I praise God for the strength and courage to go through with this one on Monday.” 

I’m not lying. While currently facing a new, more aggressive Atheist, I reached out to the old friendly one only to discover that he’s a born-again Christian. It’s an amazing, beautiful feeling. I was almost moved to tears. 

But let’s say…we’re wrong. Let’s say, none of this is going to happen. Let’s say, we’re worried about nothing, and there is no Godly consequence or punishment for sexual immorality and idolatry. Let’s say I’ve passed on the fame, fortune, sex, worldly pleasure, and materialistic things…wasted my entire life for nothing. 

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DO CONVINCE SOMEONE THAT GOD DOESN’T EXIST:

For a man such as myself…who’s already been through this arduous phase and made up my mind…why on earth would I want to put myself through that Atheist phase ever again? If I just ran through a hail of bullets to reach the fortress…why the hell would I go back out there to find something else to destroy me…just to see if it could. 

Because I can imagine talking to a staunch Atheist about all the research I’ve already done…and their first response won’t be, “Wow, that’s so cool.” No. Their response will be, “Well, have you read ___? Do you know about ____? Perhaps there’s something else you haven’t considered!”  

I’m sure there are thousands of websites, books, and articles contradicting my points that I haven’t gotten around to. Takes me back to the question of motive. After laying out everything I’ve just said, I’m asking myself why? Why do they want me to change?  

Let’s say, you succeeded in convincing me that there is no God, and there is no heaven or hell or final judgment for our sins. Now what? How does that help me? How does that improve my life? Is it liberating? Do you think I’ll live a more fulfilling life? 

“Well, Rock. I know one of your hang-ups is that you don’t want to have sex before marriage. If you knew there’s no point in following that rule, maybe you’d be more accepting of the hook-up culture and find a girlfriend and a wife. That’s just one example.” 

If I didn’t have my Red-Pill knowledge, I’d might agree with you. But if you’d check out this Secular article about why Men Don’t Want to Marry Anymore…you’d find that the degradation of the past fifty years, the breakdown of traditional standards that were based on Christian values…there’s a strong correlation between how secular the country’s become and the breakdown of families. 

But I get what you’re saying. The logic is, if you live your life only according to the laws that human’s make up, you’ll have more fun, you’ll be happier, you’ll get more out of life and have less obstacles when it comes to getting everything you’ve ever wanted. Right? 

How’s that working for you? How’s that working for society? How has it worked for societies throughout history? I’ve mentioned this is many essays, but long ago I posed the question of, “Is it true that there’s no right or wrong, only popular opinion? And if there is a right and a wrong, who decides?”  

For the Non-Believers who either think human beings are capable of knowing for themselves what’s right or wrong, or it’s the Communities who get to decide it…what happens if one community thinks its right to round up certain demographics of your population to send them to a death camp? What happens if one community thinks its right to invade your community because they have a resource they want? 

Even on an individual level…I don’t want to get too bogged down in the details, but look at how divided our country is. So many have their own causes, and sometimes it conflicts with the cause of another group. Who then, gets to decide what’s right and wrong between them? Democracy? Humans can be bought, paid, manipulated, influenced. When it comes to jury trials, there’s a series out called “Death Row Stories” full of cases where the wrong person has been convicted of a crime they didn’t commit.  

Point being…is it really so great and fabulous and better to live a life where our understanding, our justice, our love, our prosperity all depends on other humans? 

“Um, no. You can depend on yourself, Rock!”  

Self…Things like self-reliance, self-love, self-confidence…I know these terms all sound nice and good and proper. But I’m sorry…we live in a society. I dare say, the breakdown of the family unit, the breakdown of communities and the spark of wars and conflicts…all stem from self. Yes, that includes the Crusades where selfish popes and kings twisted the word of God for their own ambitions.  

Not to mention, even if you do depend on yourself, it still doesn’t solve the issue of someone else thinking it’s right to take your stuff, sleep with your wife, or attack you for reasons that only makes sense to them.  

With practicing Christians…the Bible is our code of morality. So even if you disregard the miracles and supernatural elements that you can’t fathom happening in reality, the standards set forth by the Bible about how humans should live their lives…it works. It makes sense. There’s profound logic and wisdom. There’ s a right and wrong determined by a higher power. It’s written down. 

Men and women had roles. Family was important and everyone was encouraged to stay together and not get divorced. Having children out of wedlock was to be avoided. Shame was a tool to keep people from doing bad things. We’re to pay our taxes and obey the governmental authorities so long as they don’t impede us from serving God first. Instead of self-love, Jesus taught that the greatest form of love is sacrificial love, less about what others can give you, and more about what you can give others. 

Without this common standard, where can we find that middle ground if not for a higher power making that decision for us? And no…I refuse to prostrate myself to the altar of Hollywood, TikTok, and MTV. 

Now then…after going through my Atheist Phase, I’m now 34-years-old and in walks another Atheist. We’ll call her Marisol.  

MARISOL – ANOTHER CHALLENGER:  

Marisol, is a co-host on my boss’s radio show. She is 10x a better speaker than myself because she comes from a background in radio. Seriously, if you heard her talk…man…it’s like a firehose of words and she’s enunciates well. Whereas I sometimes mumble and make up words because my mind’s moving faster than my lips. 

Marisol is born Jewish, but a staunch Atheist, a big fan of Sam Harris. She’s my age, she’s traveled the world, and she’s 100k in debt. These are all things she’s admitted on air.

At first, I actually liked Marisol. We got along well, I knew she was an Atheist and it didn’t matter. We still treated each other with respect and I actually valued her opinion. In fact, I acknowledged that her insight on certain aspects of life far surpassed my own. But I dare say, a lot of her insight and experience…I really don’t want. 

After so many months of Marisol and I getting along well, we found ourselves in a very heated debate about religion last month. It was on the issue of marriage and divorce, issues I take very seriously. At the beginning of this essay, I mention that the Gospels should be taught with love, kindness, and not in a confrontation.  

Ladies and gentlemen, shame to say, there was no love and kindness in my tone. I got the sense that she was asking questions not to understand, but to criticize. As in, “You shouldn’t think that way, regardless what the Bible says because it’s wrong and we should consider our feelings more than what God thinks.” 

We we’re live on air. We had an audience. If it was just the two of us, I don’t think I would’ve gotten so frustrated. But with others listening, I felt I had to defend the Christian faith and I did so, poorly.  

It’s not that she won the debate…but more so that I lost my composure. Anyone listening can reasonably perceive me to be brash and condescending. It’s not how Christians should behave according to Ephesians Chapter 4: 17-32. I was very much ashamed and disappointed in myself.

It was during this debate that my boss suggested that Marisol read something from the Bible that I’d recommend, if I read or watched something Atheistic that she’d give me. Marisol said that would be fair…but I asked, “What’s the point!?” 

She responded with, “Well what’s the point of me learning about the Bible?”  

My answer was, “Salvation!” 

A listener called in and asked Marisol if she had ever read the Bible. Marisol said no. He asked her if she ever attended a church service. She said no.  

So right there, she’s giving away that she had very little understanding of Christianity. And what little she does know is just hearsay, which could have been passed down by corrupt individuals who aren’t really practicing Christians to begin with. 

Meanwhile, I have listened to Atheists arguments. I have heard their logic. Did I get a chance to tell them any of this? Nope. Because in a debate, there’s a lot of cutting you off and quick rapid-fire questions where you know the other person isn’t asking to understand, but to test you, dragging you off course where you now have to address some other strawman argument that has nothing to do with the original point. And if I ignored the snipings and continued in my train of thought, then it sounds like I’m the one who’s rude.

… 

That happened in May 

A couple weeks later, we got into again. And as much as the listeners seem to enjoy the heated Rock vs Marisol segments on the radio show, I think this is the last time I’m going to engage her with the hopes of actually helping her understand. Because that seems to be her hang-up. No matter how much I try to explain, she simply struggles with comprehending any of this. She’ll claim she understands. But I’m not convinced.  

THE EVOLUTION DEBATE: 

This time, the issue of Evolution came up. Admittedly, I knew this would pique her interest, but i didn’t bring it up to debate. I brought it up because I theorized a correlation between the removal of religion from public schools and the degradation of Society, the rise of immorality and hatred for wholesome values.  

Prayers were taken out of public schools in the 1960s. And in the late 80s, the Supreme Court ruled against teaching the Bible Creationist beliefs in public schools as well. I believe this removal of God from Public School Institutions and the notion of keeping God out of politics, popular culture, and the workplace…it’s all a wicked attempt to reduce God’s power and authority in our lives, which in turn reduces moral accountability, a sense of right and wrong set by a standard, that is the Holy Bible. 

Instead, Evolution is taught. And because teachers don’t emphasize that Evolution is just a “theory” and not proven, we have an entire generation thinking “Evolution” is all facts. People are out here believing that the Big Bang Theory is something that really happened. Some believe that a massive meteor hit the Earth which caused the extinction of dinosaurs over 66 million years ago. These are just “theories”. They could have happened, but there’s no way we could possibly know that for certain. Even with the “studies” conducted, those studies are based on more theories, like Charles Lyells’ theory of “Uniformitarianism”. 

Thus, when I see the current Critical Race Theory debate that’s going on, I see something similar. It’s another fight for education in what the next generation will be taught as a matter of fact. All white people are not racists. Many died in the same fight for liberation and equal rights as blacks did. They were called Abolitionists. 

But if they win and get Critical Race Theory passed, to teach them to the next generation, I surmise that it’ll continue to divide us further by race, bringing back segregation and destroying black families even further than it already is.  

As I was making the point about CRT, as expected, Marisol latched onto what I said about Evolution and so began another heated debate about why I think it would be best if we taught both Evolution and the in the same class.  

She argued it wouldn’t be right because the Creationist view is about faith. I said, because Evolution is just a theory, then on the same token, it takes faith to believe this is fact.  

We went back and forth and I asked her to bring up one example of Evolution. She brought up the evolution of virus. As she explained it, it sounded eerily similar to simple mutation and genetic growth. But she called it Evolution.  

Meanwhile, the kind of evolution I’m thinking of is this notion of us evolving from apes to become humans. I rejected that. She said, “Nope, we are apes.” 

In dealing with someone like this…I’m not crazy, right? Like, if you ask my parents, they’d be the first one to tell you, “Rock, you can’t help everyone. Not everyone will be saved.”  

But if you heard my boss, he’d encourage me to use this as an opportunity to strengthen my arguments so I can better explain it to one such as her. And so…I went with both schools of thought. I’ve let go of trying to save her specifically, but I have done my research to strengthen my points if the topic comes up with someone else.  

At this point…my essay is concluded. I thank you for reading and I’m sorry that this is so long. (I always go long)  

Past this point, because of dealing with Marisol, I was forced to study up on Evolution and familiarize myself with it. The following is research I’ve conducted as well as my arguments as to why…I honestly feel it’s a waste of brain matter to consider if you’re a Christian. It’s like if you asked me, “Rock, do you believe aliens exist on some far away planet millions of galaxies away.”  

What’s the point of committing myself to such a belief when there’s no way I’ll ever truly know, and it has no bearing in my life, other than I guess a connection to other people who have committed themselves to said belief?  

Anyways…here are my raw notes. Read at your own peril. 

THE EVOLUTION NOTES: 

To get into the Kingdom of Heaven, I don’t need to know of this. It is with much dismay and resentment that I’ve taught myself this knowledge just to defend myself against those who don’t know the Bible and refuse to even consider it as fact. Yet, they cling to the words of humans like Charles Darwin (1809-1882) and Charles Lyell (1797-1875) oblivious to their own faith in such teachings and documentation.  

EVOLUTION (the definition) – Evolution is defined as the process of growth and development or the theory that organisms have grown and developed from past organisms. … An example of evolution is the theory started by Charles Darwin that theorizes about how humans came to be in their present form. 

– Evolution, according to the Wikipedia page, seems to be a board term that can relate to a whole host of scientific ideas and concepts. Similar to when people think of the Catholic church when they think of Christianity, when really, it’s just a form of Christianity. The one I, and I believe most associate Evolution with, is Darwinism, the theory of biological evolution, with the idea that creatures like humans evolved from Apes through Natural Selection.   
 

The Theory that Marisol brought up when she mentioned viruses of all things, involves the mutation that takes place within the hosts. According to this Wikipedia page, “Viruses evolve through changes in their RNA (or DNA), some quite rapidly, and the best adapted mutants quickly outnumber their less fit counterparts. In this sense their evolution is Darwinian.^[18] The way viruses reproduce in their host cells makes them particularly susceptible to the genetic changes that help to drive their evolution.”

 
Here’s my take: First off, all science is just the explanation and/or demonstration of God’s creation and how it works. That being said, Christianity and Science do mix in a lot of circumstances, such as with the theory of Pangaea and Human Behavior. When you read about science and evidence that’s backed by observable proof, it really does simply explain what God created.  
 

When you read about science that can’t be backed by observable proof, and simply relies on theories, math, and comparisons but really no definitive way to determine whether it’s true…then just like a Christian who has faith that the Scriptures are true, the Secular non-believer is really relying on faith that the Scientific Studies and Theories are true. Such as the notion that earth is Billions of years old. There’s no way to possibly know that with absolute certainty. 

The reason why I want to hammer this point home, is because I don’t believe for one second that most Non-Believers have actually taken the time to conduct each individual study to validate their faith in evolution. I believe they’ve done what a lot of Christians who have merely inherited their religion have done. They were told something. It makes sense to them. And with no effort to find out for themselves what the Bible really says, they simply accept it. Which leaves them open to being misled or lied to about the scriptures.  

Similarly…if you’re dealing with someone who doesn’t like what’s taught in the Bible, such as what God says about fornication, marriage, and divorce, then you’re more likely to gravitate towards an alternative point of view to support what you want to believe about the world and reality. As in, “why should I believe what the scriptures say about morality? It also talks about genocide and a man walking on water. That would never happen, so why should I follow God’s law?”  

“BUT ROCK! ISN’T THAT WHAT YOU DO?!”  

Just like Marisol is nothing like Lance, I’m not like most self-proclaimed Christians. This is demonstrated in the fact that I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness but I chose not to get baptized as one, nor do I call myself one today. It’s also demonstrated in the fact that I don’t believe Jesus Christ and Jehovah are the same person. Many Christians believe in the concept of a Trinity, that God is the combination of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (Spirit). I don’t. I believe all three are separate entities and there is but one God, one person, whose name is Jehovah. I took 2 years to research and come to that conclusion.  

Thus…the argument of “well, you only read stuff that supports your conclusion” doesn’t work on me. Or rather, when I hear it, it takes considerable strength to hold my tongue and realize you’re speaking from a place of ignorance. 

When it comes to the example of evolution in viruses…I know a lot of fancy scientific words are thrown around to explain how it’s an example of the theory of evolution…but even there…it’s still just a theory. I’m not saying it’s a theory that viruses can mutate and the best adapted viruses outlast the weaker ones, but I’m saying even if you use the word “evolution” to describe it, it’s still God’s creation. Not magic, but God’s will. That’s of course, if we’re playing on the assumption that the theory is true.  
 

And even if the theory is true…so what? The theory really seems no different than the science of Genetics. For instance, by the above logic about viruses, me and my entire family have evolved from our ancestors, the first humans, in the way we look, behave and think. We wouldn’t call that evolution. It’s simply a mixture of genes and DNA. We’re still humans. Just different. I think the leap to call that evolution is just a bias that you want it to be real so bad you can taste it, like the flavors of different types of cheese, when it’s all still essentially cheese, with just different tastes, smell and looks. Same with breeds of dogs and domestic cats.  

The REAL REASON why Evolution is pushed so hard as a matter of science is to take away from the glory and authority that is God. Evolution arose in the 1800s. Right after the French Enlightenment era where we had the Reign of Terror, during which, religion in France was being replaced by what they perceived to be Reason (The Goddess of Reason was created, during the French Revolution). And anything that couldn’t be explained by Reason alone was forbidden. Why? Not only to get rid of God, but to get rid of moral accountability.  
 

This is wickedness. The notion to abolish God and replace the genesis knowledge of everything he created with human’s understanding to explain it, is what gave birth to Evolution.  
 

In conclusion, whether the theories of Evolution are fact or not is irrelevant. I have no problem reading about the theories or even teaching my children that this is what some people believe. But committing my own “belief” to its accuracy and authenticity is pointless and futile. It’s like asking me if I believe Dinosaurs were real, or even if I believe aliens exist somewhere deep in outer space. It has no bearing on my reality and the truth as I know it. 

This “truth” is the Bible truth. The main reason why intellectual Atheists and Non-Believers want to replace the Bible truth with human understanding of what they’ve confected as truth, is to continue their rebellion against God’s authority. The Bible tells us that these people will be destroyed in the last days. I say that with love, sadness, and regret. Not pride. Which is why I get so passionate when I’m debating the issue with someone I GENUINELY CARE ABOUT!  

I cared about Marisol. Not saying I stopped caring, but not nearly as much as I used to. 

I had to add that point because I get it. For me to say rebellious non-believers will be destroyed sounds like an attack and an insult. But that’s not my intent. My intent isn’t to hurt them, but to warn them of an impending hurricane that’s on a course to hit us. Again…the Titanic is going down. I don’t want to see anyone drown. 

Contrast this, with Atheists who intently go out of their way to say things like, “God is just some mythical being in the sky and there’s no heaven and hell or so forth.” 

These people aren’t telling you that out of love. And yes, I know there are self-professed Christians who don’t exactly teach the Gospels out of love either. The only way I’d buy the notion that they think they’re helping me is if they see I’m depressed, oppressed, hurt, and downtrodden by the burden of my religious beliefs.  
 

I’m not. I love God and Jesus Christ. I find his rules and commandments reasonable and wise. The burden comes from living in this world where most don’t obey his commandments, and thus, I’m in the minority, constantly hit with temptation and struggling with the weaknesses of the flesh. But even there, God’s blessed me with the strength, patience, and wisdom to endure. Because he is a loving merciful God who’s wisdom can’t even be measured. Amen.  
 

These are links to Charles Lyell’s personal bias against religion when he set out to establish his views on Geology and “Uniformitarianism” 

https://creationfactfile.com/2243/quote-lyell-frees-science-from-moses/ –  

Lyle’s letter to George Scrope – June 14th 1803 –  

“I am sure you may get into Q.R. [Quarterly Review] what will free the science [of geology] from Moses, for if treated seriously, the [church] party are quite prepared for it. A bishop, Buckland ascertained (we suppose [Bishop] Sumner), gave Ure a dressing in the British Critic and Theological Review. They see at last the mischief and scandal brought on them by Mosaic systems. …  
I conceived the idea five or six years ago, that if ever the Mosaic geology could be set down [put aside] without giving offence, it would be in an historical sketch, and you must abstract mine, in order to have as little to say as possible yourself.” 

What this tells me is that even before he solidified his theories to combat religion, he already had an embedded opposition to religion. Essentially, he, like so many, mainly dedicated their lives to support their own rebellion.  

There’s many more letters just like it. And one of his most famous admires is the one people call the “Father of Evolution”. Charles Darwin.