Last night I watched a program about Rameses and his son on the Discovery Channel. I have watched religious themed programs on that channel before, to my disappointment, but hoped against hope that this one would be better.
It wasn't.
The main premise of the show was whether or not Rameses' son had been killed by the angel of death, causing Rameses to let the Israelites out of Egypt, or if he had died in some other way.
Very systematically they began to debunk everything that the Bible had to say about the entire event. The only thing they didn't dispute was whether the Israelites left Egypt or not, and that surprised me, because I've seen "scientific" evidence against that recently, too.
According to the show, it was only a few thousand people who left Egypt, not the 600 thousand Biblical scholars state. Also, it was the Reed Sea where the crossing was made, an area right at the delta of the Nile, not the much larger, much deeper Red Sea. Supposedly, this caused the chariots of the Egyptians to flounder, making them easy prey to the few thousand armed slaves who were fleeing. The miracle of the sea parting was discounted, and the verse about walls of standing water to the left and right was ignored completely. Oh, and Moses wasn't an 80 year old man, but a much younger son of Rameses, feuding with his older brother.
By their account now, Rameses first born son, whose name I couldn't even begin to know how to spell, was killed by a blow to the head in battle, not as how the Bible tells it.
In a day when even scientists look at the universe and say that there had to be some intelligence behind it's design, why does the media and their hired "experts" still continue to try to remove all the miracles from the world? It seems they can't stand anything that forensic science can't explain away. This whole show was based on wild conjecture and theory as to how it MAY have happened, but those wild shots in the dark were still given more credence than what Scripture states.
This country is supposedly in some sort of religiuos revival. With TV like this, and all the grief that Christians are getting in the media, I don't see it. If there were as many Christians in this country as the polls say there are, man, we'd own the place!!!
People think that as long as they aren't any other religion, somehow by default they're Christians. They don't think that they need Jesus, and inept research like this show presented just continues to take any need for miracles out of their heart. It was really saddening.
Why can't a show make it to prime time TV that shows Biblical texts from a Christian perspective, instead of a secular one? Why are we relegated to a few hours on Sunday morning and late at night when nobody is watching?
We need to step it up. Alot. How do we expect people to accept us as Christain nudists if we aren't even taken seriously as Christians? The only thing people think of when you mention Christians are the far right-wing fundamentalists they see on TV, who they think of as anti-this or anti-that. Or maybe the guy they see take his family to church every Sunday, then watch get drunk every other night.
So... what do we do? The first thing I can think of is to stop being afraid to speak our convictions, both as Christians and as nudists. I know too many people who go to a nudist resort every weekend, yet none of their friends know anything about it. And I also know alot of people who sit in a pew on Sunday morning, and do nothing else for the God they say they love.
In my opinion, if we're going to make any positive steps, we need to stop letting others have the say in the media about who we are. Christians and nudists seem great at talking amongst themselves; in letters, e-mails, newsletters, and web-sites. Why can't we step out into the mainstream media, and let the world know who we are from our own mouths?
What do we have to be afraid of, really?
Didn't mean for this post to go that way, but it just kind of went there on it's own. I guess I have some issues there, huh?
Anyway...
God Bless
Kevin
This message has been edited by boydallen on Dec 12, 2004 7:08 PM This message has been edited by boydallen on Dec 12, 2004 7:08 PM
I heard a story about a pastor and a scientist (of some sort) discussing about the Isrealites leaving Egypt. When they get to the part about the Red Sea, the scientist corrects the man, explaining that it was really a mistranslation and was the Reed Sea.
At that point, the pastor raises his hands and says "Praise the Lord".
The scientist looks at him dumbfounded and says "Why did you say that?".
The pastor replied "God performed another miracle, drowning the whole Egyption Army in knee deep water".
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The point, I guess is that those who do not love God, will want to prove his word wrong, sometimes ignoring the facts within. I don't know how many times, during my lifetime, I have heard of the Bible being proven by archeology when the scholars were shown to be fools.
So what if it were the reed sea? God was there anyway! So what if the son was killed in a way that the Egiptian Propaganderists say? God was there! So what if all these "Secularists come up with differing ways of the facts? God was there! I think the reason these programmes are so common is because Christians become so defensive over them. Let us celebrate them as it gets people tp read the bible to find the biblical version.
I remember at church a few years ago a number of the elders were very upset about a "Sizzlers" add which was based on the sermon on the mount and people at the back getting it all wrong. I stumped them all when I said that it was doing more for getting people to read the bible than anything the church had done in the last year. People who were not from the church had to read the bible to get the joke.
Some times God uses the secular media!
In a recent trip to Barnes & Noble, I bought a magazine by the US News & World Report reporters on mysteries in the Bible. It had a come-on cover showing a naked Adam & Eve, the story of which they never talk about inside.
They kinda debunked a lot of things, labeling them as "minimalist" or (may have this one wrong) "maximalist" Bible theories. Did learn a little bit reading the magazine, but not much. Mainly learned how doubtful most folks can be.
There is no real way to talk about Adam and Eve in the magazine since man started out naked anyway, whether created or evolved (or as some say, created the soup that evolved.
To talk about Adam and Eve, you would have to address the nudity part.
Question: If evolved, why did people learn shame about their bodies? When?
The answer to that would assume we all went crazy at some time in our evolution and we have been paranoid since then.
If created, then why did God create us naked and unashamed only to force us to wear clothing in shame? If He did not force us to wear clothes in shame, but a discision we had to take, then why did we see shame? Why do we still accept that shame when Jesus bore our shame on the cross to let it die? If shame is dead, sin is dead, then why on this earth do we still think as Adam and Eve did?
Either way we are insane.
Created: insane for not accepting Jesus sacrifice fully, or
Evolved: insane for coming up with such notions in the first place.
I saw the same magazine yesterday at Waldenbooks. I thought about getting it, but I was on the Harley, so luggage space was at a premium. The little box Myra's Christmas gift was in was going to be pushing it as it was.
I hope to pick the book up soon, though, before it leaves the stand. I pick up stuff like that, even though I am ofter didappointed by the articles. I believe I ranted.. uh, talked about that before...
Do you know the TRUE definition of a hypocrite is?
Someone who behaves differently on Sunday than they do the rest of the week!
If you want to quit being a "hyprocite" then do on Sunday as you do the rest of the week.
But then again, we should be Christians the rest of the week. How often do we "lie" to our fellow Christians?
When they say, "How are you?" we say "Fine" (describe that accurately) as if we were hiding something...which we are.
If anyone asks me if I'm a nudist, then I always say "Yes" even if it's the cops asking me! (Telling the truth often throws them off!)
As for the scientific research, keep in mind, what they see written in the ancient transcripts (a.k.a. wall writings) are the Egyptians point of view.
Do you think they will admit that hundreds of thousands of slaves got away and they recovered not one? Do you think they will admit that their son was killed by a Hebrew rebel? NOOoooooo! Their son was killed as a hero in a mighty battle!
So don't get disheartened about what the scientists report, since they report what they find written. I doubt seriously the Egyptians would write down that the Hebrews "God" was so powerful that He spared them through their mighty river (Which they worship) and that the Hebrews God over came thier mighty god!!
So keep in mind, history is written according to how they want to be viewed. Including the good ol' U.S. of A.
So, if anyone asks if you are a nudist, naturist, then say Yes. You don't have to "brag" or be proud. Just a simple yes or no.
Of course, I know Kevin has not been shy about this. He came over to my house wearing a shirt advertising a naturist resort. He ain't no hypocrite!
