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The "mark" itself is at once a number and a name. The Apostle tells us what it is. As he gives it, it is made up of two Greek characters which stand for the name of Christ, with a third, the figure of a crooked serpent, put between them, the name of God’s Messiah transformed into a Devil sacrament.
-- Joseph Seiss, The Apocalypse, 1865
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News: Demon, Be Gone!
Posted on Wednesday, September 27 @ 12:44:52 PDT by John |
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by Kevin A. Beck
...As we consciously decide to refrain from demonizing, we will develop an atmosphere in which we will be more apt to create solutions to our pressing societal (and personal) situations. By casting out the “demons” that we so readily harbor, we can begin to see the world and ourselves in a new light.
Click here to read Kevin Beck's Demon, Be Gone!.
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Average Score: 5
Votes: 3
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Re: Demon, Be Gone! (Score: 1)
 by Flakinde on Wednesday, September 27 @ 13:47:59 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | "The president of Argentina claims that the American president is a sulfuric-scented devil."
It should be Venezuela.
A&R |
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- by Virgil on Wednesday, September 27 @ 13:58:06 PDT
Conspiracy Theories? (Score: 1)
 by EWMI on Wednesday, September 27 @ 15:34:32 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | "Demonizing and scapegoating find fuel through alleging conspiracy theories."
"Demonizing, scapegoating, and conspiracy theories do not provide any positive societal progress."
This is a thought-provoking article. It would do us well to consider that it is not that we believe in conspiracy but which "conspiracy" we believe.
After Jesus rose from the dead the Roman and Jewish leadership conspired to inform the public that the Lord's body had been stolen. Those who held to the miracle would have been smeared as "stupid conspiracy theorists".
All events of the three-day period including the empty tomb and the AWOL Roman soldiers as well as the Savior’s prophesy and the eyewitness reports would have been deliberately ignored by the leadership.
As the pro-resurrection movement grew the government debunkers went to work. Those who taught of the Kingdom of the God-Man were arrested on trumped up charges. Their rights were eroded. Even Paul had to appeal to his Roman citizenship in his defense.
The news service of the day would have employed professional debunkers who would have spoken of the ignorance of those who called themselves "Christians".
Yet, thousands and thousands of people realised that "He had risen Indeed"
In the end the truth won out.
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- by Virgil on Wednesday, September 27 @ 20:05:30 PDT
Re: Demon, Be Gone! (Score: 1)
by Scotty on Wednesday, September 27 @ 19:48:30 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | We would all do well to heed Kevin's encouragement in this article. I have always, and do presently admire Kevin very much. His opinions are always well balanced and thought provoking. This reinforces so well other things that I have said recently regarding respectful open dialog. Truth, and its pursuit, have nothing to fear from the light of day. Obviously, the demonizing process estranges and sets all parties in defensive postures at best.
It is particularly distressing to see this process being employed in the ranks of preterism-covenant eschatology. Even more distressing is to remember times past when I engaged in such wrong behavior. May God be my strength in avoiding repeat performances of this. As well, may he bless us with ample opportunities to sit across the table with any number of people of differing belief systems, to find what common ground is there and to establish relationships that allow us to build on those shared commonalities rather than attacking our differences.
Jack Scott |
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- by Virgil on Wednesday, September 27 @ 20:07:50 PDT
- by Scotty on Wednesday, September 27 @ 20:35:24 PDT
Re: Demon, Be Gone! (Score: 1)
by Starlight on Thursday, September 28 @ 07:12:16 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | As I read Kevin’s article I could whole heartily agree with his overall intent, especially when it comes to my personal responsibility for my thinking and actions. But I want to explore this view a little differently and expand the question. Is all demonizing wrong or unnecessary especially when it comes to confronting what we would consider outright evil. Is it a needed procedure to rally the masses (or followers) in highlighting the perceived evil being encountered? Let’s consider just a couple of examples from Jesus.
(Mat 23:17 NIV) You blind fools!
(Mat 23:33 NIV) "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
We all know of many verses in the OT and NT that could be inserted instead but how are we in the new kingdom to view this past usage? Is the Lord still involved in this world in similar manners as of old? Does he still act against evil protecting his new creation?
Is this language that passed away in AD70? Do we leave this language only to those in leadership positions?
Lots of questions come to mind just thinking about these issues. I don’t have the answers, and as I stated earlier I need to carefully examine myself in my motives and that is the essence for me.
I will say that America demonized Germans, and Japanese in World War II under the guise of “good propaganda” which helped galvanize the war effort. Was it a necessary “evil”? Did it really help in rallying the fight for good? Do masses follow nuanced beliefs?
I look forward to others responding to some of these questions as I trust in the good intent of many on this site wanting to know God’s truths as well.
Blessing
Norm
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- by Kyle Peterson on Thursday, September 28 @ 08:31:07 PDT
- by Starlight on Thursday, September 28 @ 10:38:07 PDT
- by amie on Thursday, September 28 @ 16:23:33 PDT
- by Starlight on Thursday, September 28 @ 16:49:41 PDT
- by amie on Thursday, September 28 @ 17:16:12 PDT
- by Starlight on Friday, September 29 @ 06:16:54 PDT
- by amie on Friday, September 29 @ 07:11:24 PDT
- by Starlight on Friday, September 29 @ 08:56:51 PDT
- by amie on Friday, September 29 @ 12:45:22 PDT
- by Starlight on Friday, September 29 @ 16:05:03 PDT
- by amie on Saturday, September 30 @ 10:55:02 PDT
- by Starlight on Monday, October 02 @ 11:53:46 PDT
- by amie on Tuesday, October 03 @ 16:28:45 PDT
- by Virgil on Thursday, September 28 @ 08:37:15 PDT
- by Starlight on Thursday, September 28 @ 16:26:21 PDT
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