27 February 2014

Don't Trust Hollywood (For True Theology or Biblical Truths)

The movie, "Noah", looks to be another Bible movie travesty. Why? Because it is only very loosely based on the Bible. It is based the fictional graphic novels of film's director, Darren Aronofsky, NOE/NOAH and NOE2/NOAH02. See this quote from Brian Godawa:
“Having got a chance to read an undated version of the script for Noah I want to warn you. If you were expecting a Biblically faithful retelling of the story of the greatest mariner in history and a tale of redemption and obedience to God you’ll be sorely disappointed. Noah paints the primeval world of Genesis 6 as scorched arid desert, dry cracked earth, and a gray gloomy sky that gives no rain – and all this, caused by man’s “disrespect” for the environment. In short, an anachronistic doomsday scenario of ancient global warming.”
According to the website, Beginning And End, In this movie Abel and Cain befriend the Shaman Noah as a child. Adding to the Biblical confusion, King Og of Bashan, an evil Nephilim King in Scripture, is portrayed as good being in Noah. In Scripture, Og lives after the flood and is one of the most powerful Kings of his day. He hated the ancient Israelites and sought to conquer them as they migrated to the land of Canaan, the Promised Land, after being led out of slavery in Egypt. The battle against Og, led by Moses, took place over 1500 years after the flood.  In Noah, Og is one of the fallen angels or "Watchers", who now, despite rebellion against God, decide to help Noah build the ark and protect it. In a scene in which a small army of men try to take siege of the ark, it is the fallen angels who fight to make sure that Noah and his family can enter safely. Not only that, but Noah tries to kill his own granddaughter once she is born in the Ark!

You wouldn't stand for going to church and the Bible being preached in a way that it was changed "to be more exciting", so why would you pay people to do this very the same blasphemous thing?

This is not the first movie that Hollywood has done this with. What other Biblical movies has Hollywood messed up? Pretty much all of them, but here are just a few:
  • The Passion of the Christ's principal source is The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the reported visions of the stigmatic German nun Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774–1824), as written by the poet Clemens Brentano. Even the Vatican position on the authenticity of the books produced by Brentano was stated by Father Peter Gumpel, who was involved in the study of the issues for the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints: "It is absolutely not certain that she ever wrote this. There is a serious problem of authenticity".
  • The Last Temptation of Christ's eponymous final sequence depicts the crucified Jesus—tempted by what turns out to be Satan in the form of a beautiful, androgynous child—experiencing a dream or alternative reality where He comes down from His cross, marries Mary Magdalene (and later Mary and Martha), and lives out His life as a full mortal man. He learns on his deathbed that He was deceived by Satan and begs God to let Him "be God's son," at which point He finds Himself once again on His cross. At other points in the film, Jesus is depicted as building crosses for the Romans, being tormented by the Voice of God, and lamenting the many sins He believes He has committed.
  • The Prince of Egypt shows Moses is adopted by Pharaoh’s wife, instead of his daughter. Miriam walks off and leaves Moses as soon as he is found, rather than approaching Pharaoh’s daughter wife to offer her mom as a milk maid. Moses kills the Egyptian entirely by accident, and he never hides the body, because in the film this all happened in sight of everybody. He flees the very same hour, and that because of his own feelings of guilt, not because Pharaoh was trying to kill him. Pharaoh wasn't trying to kill him, not having heard about anything yet, and not having been given the opportunity before Moses left. Moses approaches the Burning Bush, to the point of putting his hand into the fire. Moses did not hide his face, neither was he afraid to look at God. Moses' reason for not wishing to return to Egypt at God's command is his guilt at having been party to the oppression of the Israelites, not because he was a poor speaker. Moses does not set his wife and children upon a donkey, but sets his wife upon a camel. He doesn't have any children. Aaron does not come forth to meet him, but rather avoids him, because Aaron is Moses' enemy.  Aaron is therefore not Moses' spokesman, does not even go in with him to Pharaoh, and manifestly does not perform the miracles. Moses demands the entire and permanent liberation of the Israelites, rather than just three days’ freedom to worship God outside the country. Pharaoh’s response is to double the workload of the Israelites, rather than to make them gather their own straw. Moses is not eighty years old by any stretch of the imagination. The carcasses of the Passover lambs continue to lie in the street after the blood has been put on the door posts, and are not eaten.  The Red Sea is parted because Moses strikes the water with his rod, not because he lifted his hand over it, and, conversely,  it returns without him doing anything at all. Pharaoh is in the midst of the sea and survives.

24 February 2014

My Blog Stats, Compared

My blog stats vary, which is normal, due to them having different audiences, but here are the stats I found interesting for the last month, and you may too.  Blog A is Orthodox Ecclesiology and the World, Blog B is How to get Married in China, and Blog C is Steamies vs. Diesels.

Visitors by Browser
Blog A
  1. Chrome (27%)
  2. Firefox (27%)
  3. Internet Explorer (25%)
  4. Safari (13%)
  5. Opera (3%)
Blog B
  1. Chrome (41%)
  2. Firefox (26%)
  3. Internet Explorer (14%)
  4. Safari (7%)
  5. Opera (1%)
Blog C
  1. Safari (30%)
  2. Chrome (24%)
  3. Internet Explorer (21%)
  4. Firefox (11%)
  5. Opera (1%)
But why such an bwoser disparity? Maybe this can be explained by OS?
Visitors by Operating System:
Blog A
  1. Windows (67%)
  2. Macintosh (13%)
  3. iPhone/iPad (8%)
  4. Android (6%)
  5. Linux (3%)
Blog B
  1. Windows (64%)
  2. Macintosh (12%)
  3. Android (10%)
  4. iPhone/iPad (7%)
  5. Linux (3%)
Blog C
  1. Windows (55%)
  2. iPhone/iPad (29%)
  3. Macintosh (6%)
  4. Android (6%)
  5. Linux (2%)
OK, but why such an OS disparity? Maybe this can be explained by the origin of the audience?
Visitors by Country:
Blog A
  1. United States
  2. Ukraine
  3. China
  4. United Kingdom
  5. India
  6. Canada
  7. Germany
  8. Turkey
  9. Russia
  10. France
Blog B
  1. United States
  2. New Zealand
  3. Germany
  4. United Kingdom
  5. Australia
  6. Canada
  7. Indonesia
  8. France
  9. Singapore
  10. China
Blog C
  1. United States
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Ukraine
  4. Australia
  5. Canada
  6. Japan
  7. New Zealand
  8. Ireland
  9. Russia
  10. Indonesia
Based on this and other evidence, it seems that Safari and iPad/iPhone stats are higher for Blog C because of the traffic from the United Kingdom. Do any other bloggers or webmasters see this same type of trend?

20 February 2014

What the Bible says about those who govern us?

Many people hold their nation state, political philosophy, movement, or party up as an idol, which is condemned throughout the Bible, but besides that, the Bible speaks very clearly about how we, as Christians, should follow the rulers appointed over us, whether it is our opinion that they are fair or not. Remember that the rulers over Saints Peter and Paul were every much as ferocious as the leaders of the World today.

Romans 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to authorities which govern. For there is no authority except from God. So that the one who sets himself against the authority hath withstood the ordinance of God; and they who have withstood shall receive judgement to themselves. For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to bad ones. And dost thou wish not to be afraid of the authority? Be doing that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same. For he is a minister of God to thee for the good. But if thou be doing evil, be afraid; for not in vain doth he bear the sword, for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to the one who practiceth that which is bad. Wherefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of wrath, but also because of the conscience. For on this account ye also pay tributes; for they are public workers of God, persevering for this same thing. Render then to all their dues: to whom the tribute is due, the tribute; to whom the customs duty, the toll; to whom the fear, the fear; to whom the honor, the honor.

Titus 3:1-2 Be reminding them to submit themselves to rulers and authorities, to obey a superior, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to not be contentious, but equitable, showing forth meekness toward all men.

Hebrews 13:17 Be obedient to those who lead you, and keep on submitting, for they are watchful for your souls, as those about to render an account, that they may do this with joy, and not groaning; for this would be unprofitable for you.

1 Peter 2:13-25 Therefore be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as being supreme, or to the governors, as being sent by him indeed fr punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good; for sois the will of God that by doing good ye may muzzle the ignorance of foolish men— as free, and not as those who are having freedom as a cloak of wickedness, but as slaves of God. Honor all, be loving the brotherhood, be fearing God, be honoring the king. Household slaves, be subject in all fear to your masters, not only to the good and fair, but also to the crooked. For this is a grace if for the sake of conscience toward God anyone endure griefs, suffering unjustly. For what kind of good report is it if, when ye sin and are buffeted, ye shall endure? But if, when ye do good and suffer, ye endure, this is a grace from God. For to this ye were called,  because Christ also suffered for us, leaving behind for you an example, that ye should follow His footsteps: "Who did not sin, neither was guile found in His mouth"; "Who, when He was reviled, reviled not in return; when He suffered, He threatened not, but kept on giving Himself over to Him Who judgeth righteously; Who "Himself carried up our sins" in His body on the tree, that we, having dies to sins, should live to righteousness—by Whose bruise "ye were healed." For ye were "as sheep being led astray," but were turned about now to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.


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