The Post-Christian Blog

 Last night I recieved an email from an online friend asking where I've been. I have not been blogging these last few months, and besides this post have no definite plans to do so again regularly. If you're curious why, here's the deal. If you start back at my earliest posts and work forward, (I don't suggest it, even to me it'd be a tedious read) you would see the character arc of a protagonist that transitions from an acolyte zealous for tradition and eager to fix a non-functioning system, to a agnostic skeptic, to a resigned separatist, to an emboldened religious reformer to finally radio silence.  The radio silence is not, you might like to know, represented in the real world, only the online sudo-world. Here in the real world I am still around, still moving, still engaging albeit with a different crowd. I have become dissapointed with the stereotypical 'religious' mind. I have found that of all demographics that I interact with, the 'deeply religiou

 Recorded at Church of God International - Tyler Texas December 10 2022

Sermon - Such a Time as This We had some friends over a few weeks ago, and we were playing a Reverse-Q-and-A game. In response to one particular statement, nearly all of my friends stood on the Strongly-Disagree side and all of their reasons really struck me. The statement was ‘Political Issues should be talked about at church’.  I, as a skeptic and part-time contrarian was on the Strongly Agree side, all alone. As you can imagine by my mentioning the story at all, I’m still of the same opinion, but I also COMPLETELY agree with all of my friend’s reasons for taking the opposite position. While playing this game, I was the only person on that side, so I had the first round of explanation. I said that I believe political issues should be talked about even more at church because ALL things that pertain to life have a way of becoming political. In response my friends said a few variations of, ‘if you want to define political things that broadly, you’re muddying the idea’.  When they gave t

 I was having a conversation a few weeks ago with a close friend. The two of us sit and talk for hours any chance we get because we both find immense value in dialogue. Sometimes the best way to learn something is to just talk about it for hours in detail from every perspective you can think of. Just hearing the words as you speak them can also help clean up the mess in your head by highlighting how dumb some of your own thoughts are. (That's probably the most practically helpful thing I've ever learned to do) During this particular conversation, we were discussing belief systems, and this concept occurred to me; People, especially people who subscribe to corporate religious institutions, do not actually believe Jesus can physically lead His physical people. (pardon the HWA-esque Italics and emphasis, they were intended to serve a function) I believe I can say this accurately because I too have had my doubts.  I have heard for my whole life around Passover time about the si

 I started thinking about faith again today while talking to a friend who is still, like a great many of my old friends, unknowingly deep in the muck of institutionalized religion. Earlier this week I was contact by another person who was concerned about my salvation in light of my not keeping the Levitical Holy Days. Together these two conversations really did a number to my mood. I'm 98th percentile Neurotic according to the 'big 5' personality test system, and these kinds of conversations really bring me down. In the majority of these types of conversations I find myself in a corner, not a corner with no answer to questions of faith mind you, but a corner with no chance of explaining myself. In talking to someone who is unknowingly trapped in darkness there is no way to 'explain' what light looks like.  Faith came to mind because in most cases, at least in most of the times I have heard it preached, faith is seen as the method by which you continue to do what yo

 

 CGI, on their Armor of God program today, attempted to defend the word 'cult' while also deflecting its use from themselves. The host of the show used the basic and benign definition of the word, which is just a group with a shared ideology, to defend against its use as a pejorative. Interestingly, he also felt the need to claim that HWA wasn't a cult leader and the hatred expressed against him (HWA) and by extension Armstrongism only exists because he challenged the religious status quo with the actual teachings of the Bible.  There are a few problems with this sentiment that spring to mind;  1. The benign definition of Cult is not the 'correct' definition to explore in this context. Words change and have meaning regardless of what 50 year old dictionaries say. When people use the word cult today, almost never do they mean the benign version. The street definition of a cult is a group with a shared ideology, enforced mental or social boundaries and the curtailing

  “Counterfeit Jesus!” Yells the man, With widows’ pensions in his hands. “Don’t heed the words of this maniac!” While pleas for help slide off his back. “I have the truth! He has but lies! Don’t study his claims, avert your eyes!” “He’s after power, he’ll steal your crown” He says to the poor as their roofs fall down. While many scrimp and scrounge and save, He spurns the freewill gifts they gave. “For God will bless, and relief deliver, But He only helps the Cheerful Giver.” “But these men…” He says, “that give and mend, Are causing division and do great sins.” “They go about to do ‘great deeds’, But their teaching is naught but twigs and weeds.” “For if they loved the proper LORD, They’d be in their seats and obedience afford;” “To care for this world is to worship The Dragon, but the righteous are blessed for their pious abandon.” “Be warmed and filled, and go on your way, And don’t show up empty on the next Holy Day.” Seth Forrestier - 8-20-22

  Sermon Notes: Cognitive Biases in Theology   What are Biases? Technically speaking, a bias is the inclination to show prejudice or favor towards something. An extreme case of bias would be when a judge renders a reduced sentence to a criminal because the criminal is the judge’s brother. That’s a bias, the causing or showing of prejudice or favor. Biases have a purpose of course, they’re not without some merit. We do arrange data in our heads necessarily because we don’t have the means of processing everything. However, despite their usefulness, biases are often ignored and left unchecked. When they go unnoticed and unchecked, they cause problems.   Today I want to explore some biases we all have and how they interact with our Theology. We will do this by having an interactive study.   The biases I want to explore today are Cognitive Biases like, Anchor-Bias, Survivorship Bias and False Consensus Bias.   This is going to be interactive, so have a pen and paper ready in