Noah's Blog

Anonymous #2 Questions
1.) What do you think of creationism? Evolution?

2.) Have you ever read a book called "The God Delusion?" This book is intellectually stimulating and eye-opening. Keep your mind open if you haven't read this book.

3.) Can you tell me why the Bible consists of selected accounts and writings? What about the rest? I think this explains why fundamentalists (I know there are moderates and the likes) who believe in it literally interpret all accounts to be accurately true in the sense of the flesh. Without the rest of the accounts, the accounts are open to a wide variety of interpretations and manipulation, some deadly and some not.

4.) Why are all Bible authors male? This reeks of something wrong. I suppose the monopoly was reflective of that era in which the male dominated the landscape.

5.) Is the Bible accurate? The reason why I ask is because the Bible was written several centuries later after Jesus was crucified. Accounts and writings are passed from one generation to another generation and so on. A sentence or a phrase is naturally altered when it is passed on to next person. You heard of Chinese Whispers? This may explain a ton of glaring discrepancies and illogicity in the Bible. Faith can't sweep them under the rug.

6.) All religions have common denominators, similar elements birth of their respective cultures, and beliefs. How do you know which religion is right? Blindsided by faith, or by what feels right or makes sense? Not good enough for me.

7.) Do you know the stories in the Bible are very similar to polytheistic religions such as paganism? Even beliefs, practices, and symbols are similar. This may explain many origins in the Bible. Do you think this might explain the evolution of religion from polytheism to monotheism purely out of people's discontent and hunger for the truth. After all, people want certainty, but life does not offer it. They are scared of the unknown especially the afterlife so they create stories or myths to deal with the mysterious reality.


Debunking "The God Delusion" article
The History of the Bible

Corroborating Evidences
Tacitus (ca. 55-120)
Suetonius (early second century)
Josephus (ca. 37-97)
Thallus (mid first century)
Pliny (early second century)
The Talmud (A.D. 500)
Phlegon

I still strongly recommend people to read The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 9:58 PM | Permalink | Comments

Roger Kraft's Easter Vlog

Bibliography:
The Case for Christ
By: Less Strobel

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 8:44 AM | Permalink | Comments

Several people have been asking me whether if a woman can become a pastor or not. Here's my reponse :-)

If you disagree with me, then I surely hope that you continue to praise those women who work hard to serve our Lord. Without a doubt, He surely appreciates them.

Please take your time to review the footnotes of New International Version Life Application Study Bible for the two verses.

1 Corinthians 14:34, 35
Does this mean that women should not speak in church services today? It is clear from 11:5 that women prayed and prophesied in public worship. It is also clear in chapters 12-14 that women are given spiritual gifts and are encouraged to exercise them in the body of Christ. Women have much to contribute and can participate in worship services.
In the Corinthian culture women were not allowed to confront men in public. Apparently some of the women who had become Christians thought that their Christian freedom gave them the right to question the men in public worship. This was causing division in the church. In addition, women of that day did not receive formal religious education as did the men. Women may have been raising questions in the worship services that could have been answered at home without disrupting the services. Paul was asking the women not to flaunt their Christian freedom during worship. The purpose of Paul’s words was to promote unity, not to teach about women’s role in the church.

2 Timothy 2:9-15
To understand these verses, we must understand the situation in which Paul and Timothy worked. In first-century Jewish culture, women were not allowed to study. When Paul said that women should learn in quietness and full submission, he was offering them an amazing new opportunity. Paul did not want the Ephesian women to teach because they didn’t yet have enough knowledge or experience. The Ephesian church had a particular problem with false teachers. Evidently the women were especially susceptible to the false teachings (2 Timothy 3:1-9), because they did not yet have enough Biblical knowledge to discern the truth. In addition, some of the women were apparently flaunting their new found Christian freedom by wearing inappropriate clothing (2:9). Paul was telling Timothy not to put anyone (in this case, women) into a position of leadership who was not yet mature in the faith (see 5:22). The same principle applies to churches today (see the note on 3:6)

2 Timothy 2:12
Some interpret this passage to mean that women should never teach in the assembled church; however, commentators point out that Paul did not forbid women from ever teaching. Paul’s commended co-worker Priscilla, taught Apollos, the great preacher (Acts 18:24-26). In addition, Paul frequently mentioned other women who held positions of responsibility in the church. Phoebe worked in the church (Romans 16:1). Mary, Tryphena, and Tryphosa were the Lord’s workers (Romans 16:6, 12), as were Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2). Paul was very likely prohibiting the Ephesian women, not all women, from teaching (see the note on 2:9-15)

2 Timothy 2:12
In Paul’s reference to women being silent, the word silent expresses an attitude of quietness and composure. (A different Greek word is usually used to convey “complete silence.”) In addition, Paul himself acknowledges that women publicly prayed and prophesied (1 Corinthians 11:5). Apparently, however, the women in the Ephesian church were abusing their newly acquired Christian freedom. Because these women were new converts, they did not yet have the necessary experience, knowledge, or Christian maturity to teach those who already had extensive Scriptural education.

Links:
In Affirmation
In Negation
First Baptist Deaf Church Online Sermons

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 8:18 PM | Permalink | Comments

In this Lux vlog, I agrues that one cannot accept different truths. I strongly recommend you to find 18 minutes of your time to sit back with a cup of tea or coffee and view this video. I am sorry that I could not make this video shorter, because there are a lot things that need to be said. But, please do find some of your time to view this video.

Here's the link:
Rev. Jill Lestina's Vlog

Bibliography:
The Case for Faith
By: Lee Strobel

Letters From A Skeptic
By: Dr. Gregory A. Boyd and Edward K. Boyd

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments

My Additional Comment:


Bibliography:
The Case for Faith
By: Lee Strobel

Why didn't I merge these two video clips into one? My studio program isn't working right now. Arggh. I promise my vlogs will be lot better when I get a new studio program. The next Lux vlog will discuss the four fundamental questions all religions seek to answer: Origin, Meaning, Morality, and Destiny. This vlog will seek to answer one of questions Anonymous #2 brought up in his/her comment under "The Lux Forum: Was There Any Messiah before Jesus? Where is Jesus Now?" post. Please remember this is OPEN forum... fire away with your thoughts!

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments

An ASL vlog answering the two questions: "Was there any Messiah before Jesus?" and "Where is Jesus right now?"

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 9:53 PM | Permalink | Comments

I clarify three important things about the Lux Forum in this video:

1. The Lux Forum is not only for Christians
2. How to easily particpate the forum
3. There will be posts that are unrelated to the forum

If you do not want to watch all of my video, but want to know how to access the forum... see below

HOW TO EASILY PARTICIPATE THE FORUM

1. If you want to reponse to my vlog, there are three things you can do:

-Post your response (comment) in English on my blog.
-Type your response in English on your blog/site and post the link to your blog on my blog
-Make a vlog response and post the link to your vlog on my blog for other people.

2. As a result...

Spectators/debaters view your response and make their own responses to YOUR statement.
Then, the cycle begins.

For my next vlog, I will discuss exclusivity in the religions. Look forward to the next positive debate!

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 9:19 PM | Permalink | Comments

An American Sign Language translation of Dr. Kreeft's "A bear, a trap, a hunter, and God" analogy. Dr. Kreeft uses this analogy to illustrate the relationship between humankind and God.

Bibliography:
The Case for Faith
By: Lee Strobel

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments

An ASL Vlog discussing the question, "Why is the world so full of suffering?"



Bibliography:
Letters from a Skeptic
By: Dr. Gregory A. Boyd and Edward K. Boyd

Additional Comments:
I have already gotten some questions from people for my future vlogs. If you have e-mailed me some questions, please be patient with me while I'm trying my best to answer them as soon as possible in my future vlogs.

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments

Corrections: Pseudo names (not pesudo names)
"SLCC=Fear of ASL... not SLCC=Fear of Gallaudet)


Below is Carl Schroeder's "SLCC=Fear of ASL (at gallaudet)" vlog.




The first discussion for this forum hopefully will be posted by this Sunday.

Labels: The Lux Forum

Posted by Noah Buchholz at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments