S o, let’s get this straight. Jesus is God, but He also prayed to God. Which means… He was talking to Himself? And people still think the Trinity makes sense? Alright, let’s dive into this theological brain teaser with a bit of humor and a whole lot of skepticism. Jesus: The Divine Yet Prayerful Figure The claim that Jesus is God is one of Christianity’s biggest selling points. He’s not just a prophet, not just a teacher—He’s the Big Guy Himself in human form. But here’s where things get weird: Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is constantly praying to God. You know, like in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He sweats drops of blood and asks God to take the whole crucifixion thing off the table (Luke 22:42). Now, if Jesus is actually God, shouldn’t He already have the final say? It’s like a CEO sending an email to himself asking for a raise. Did He have some kind of divine split personality? Was He role-playing? Or was He just trying to set an example for the rest of us? The Trinit...

T he question of whether Jesus of Nazareth was a historical figure or a mythological creation has been debated for centuries. While mainstream scholars generally agree that a historical Jesus likely existed, a growing number of researchers argue that the figure of Jesus was entirely mythical, constructed from earlier religious traditions and political agendas. This "mythicist" position, though often dismissed, has been championed by respected scholars such as Richard Carrier, Robert M. Price, and others. The Lack of Contemporary Evidence One of the strongest arguments against the historical existence of Jesus is the complete absence of contemporary records. No Roman historian, government record, or eyewitness account from the time of Jesus mentions him. The primary sources we have—namely, the Gospels—were written decades after his supposed death, by unknown authors who were not eyewitnesses. Prominent historian Richard Carrier , in his book On the Historicity of Jesus (2...

C hristianity as we know it today is, arguably, more a product of Paul than of Jesus. The core Christian doctrine—that Jesus' death served as a sacrificial atonement for humanity's sins—is nowhere clearly taught by Jesus himself. Instead, this strange and unsettling idea originates largely from Paul, whose letters and theological interpretations reshaped the simple moral teachings of Jesus into a complex and often dark theory of blood sacrifice and divine wrath. In essence, Paul hijacked the message of Jesus and replaced it with a bizarre atonement concept rooted more in Jewish sacrificial traditions and Hellenistic mystery religions than in anything Jesus actually preached. Jesus’ Teachings vs. Paul’s Theology The teachings of Jesus, as presented in the Gospels, emphasize love, forgiveness, and moral integrity. Jesus taught his followers to love their enemies, turn the other cheek, and treat others as they would like to be treated. The Kingdom of God, according to Jesus, wa...

W hat does anyone know of Omniscience. Are there actually any "know-it-alls?" How far does omniscience extend for an omniscient being? Is there anything It wouldn't know? What does the Bible have to say about omniscience? The video below explores this topic with thoughtfulness, logic and some humor.

By MTC ~ I (a 39-year-old female) was diagnosed with autism in early childhood. Even though I turned out to be higher-functioning in several ways, I practically got punished for it (having autism).   My mom, having a tendency to be overprotective, and having to be cautious in certain places because my hearing was heightened and therefore loud noises triggered me, and people thinking I should live in a group home and/or be in special education... are just a few ways of how I practically got punished for something I didn't choose. My family had to overcome hardships and challenges as well because of my diagnosis, and I feel terrible for them. They love me and wouldn't change a thing, but I still wish they didn't have to endure their obstacles.   On one hand, my autism wasn't preached to me and/or my family as the result of sin, a punishment, or the work of "the devil." On the other hand however, I was taught that "God" creates us how we are, or at ...

By TheRedneckProfessor ~ T he concept of hell, on its surface, seems pretty straightforward.    Sin, evil, injustice, inequity, and all manner of human depravity are eliminated in one final stroke of god’s divine retribution.    It appeals to our own sense of morality; because there is some part of humanity that earnestly believes in, seeks out, and, indeed,  needs , justice, fairness, and equality.    Hell seems to provide that.    Even when no justice is ever served on earth, in this life.    Hell provides the suffering for those who made us suffer.    We want the Hitlers and the Dahmers of the world to be punished; yet, at the same time, hell provides the incentive for kindness when mercy, compassion, and humanity fail.    Simple, straightforward retribution for the crimes and atrocities of the worst of us.   Yet, as a christian concept, hell is extremely difficult to defend, when viewed in relation to...

L ately, I’ve noticed an interesting trend at the fitness center I frequent: as the years tick by, an existential panic seems to be driving many of the older regulars  into the welcoming arms of a trendy "Faith over Fear" version of Christianity. Meanwhile, my own enthusiasm regarding life after death has waned, much like my childhood fascination for Froot Loops that long ago lost any appeal to my more mature  palate. I refrain from openly scoffing at the comfort faith may provide to some; I appreciate the very human desire for safety and assurance in the face of the unknown. But while some people see the horizon of mortality approaching and find solace in the idea of something beyond the grave, I’ve found a peculiar kind of peace in simply accepting that one day I won’t exist. And strangely enough, that doesn’t bother me. Understanding mortality from a naturalistic perspective means letting go of the idea that I need a cosmic encore to make my time here meaningful. The fa...

By DissentOfMan ~ S ince becoming an exchristian thirteen years ago I've searched for answers to make sense of things. Mostly, searching for answers pertaining to why we are the way we are, why we behave/believe the way we do? I believe I've found the answers in determinism. What convinced me was the book Determined: A Science Of Life Without Free Will : by scientist and author, Robert Sapolsky. Here are some quotes from him. "All we are is the end product of what came before". "If you really believe this stuff, and take it to it's logical conclusions, were nothing more than the biology and environment over which we had no control." "If you really believe that, blame and punishment never make any sense, either intellectually or ethically." "Likewise praise and reward never make any sense, and those are the logical conclusions that come from this". How could we possibly have free will? Here is a video of him explaining in great...

I magine for a moment scrolling through your favorite social media feed, only to find that every post is a selfie—with a divine twist. That’s Paul the Apostle for you. His letters, replete with the singularly majestic "I," might just qualify him as the original poster obsessed with himself, albeit with heavenly credentials. The Many, Many “I’s” If Paul were alive today, his Instagram bio might read, “I, me, and I—delivering divine revelations one letter at a time.” A quick glance at his epistles reveals an unabashed love affair with the first-person singular. In a literary world where collaborative spirit is often celebrated, Paul’s incessant “I received,” “I saw,” and “I declare” almost reads like the ancient equivalent of a Twitter feed completely dominated by his own thoughts. Is it narcissism, or is it just really, really, really confident storytelling? One might joke that if self-absorption were a sport, Paul would have been the undefeated champion of the apostolic ga...