Harry Potter and Christianity

One thing that I thought I would touch on is this new religion of Harry Potterism. I was at the Airport going to and from Seminary for some classes I have been taking and there were dozens of people carrying around the new Harry Potter book. Not only that, when they see each other many of them converse in a language that is foreign to me and the rest of the folks standing around. And finally they speak about the book, the author and the characters inside as if they were real. Well maybe the author is. :) Now I am all for people reading the latest book if that suits your fancy if that does not cause you to sin. However, some of these folks were self proclaiming Christians. That is a different story. These books that promote sorcery, witchcraft, disobedience, hatred to those in authority, disrespect, indifference, and many other despicable things. I think wisdom would say we as Christians should despise these things. It is important to be apart from the world on such things and not like the world. Worse really are the Christians that use Harry Potter as a "Bible Study" or to lure Non-Believers into their churches with "relevant" sermons that have Harry Potter Movie themes. Harry Potter, its author and the characters are not Christian nor do they represent any Christian values. This should make us think twice about how we allow that to influence our decision to watch or read the book.

The Trinity

There has been some discussion on Nicaea and the Trinity in the Blogosphere as of late. The Trinity is core to the Christian Faith. God will not be ok with you misapplying what He has given us in Scripture. Otherwise you are in danger of creating an idol or falling into a heretical doctrine like Modalism, or Arianism.

Colossians 2:8-9 (ESV) See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits, of the world and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.

See also Titus 2:13 and John 20:28

Got this from Countercult Apologetics

“In other words, the doctrine of the Trinity can no longer be treated as a theoretical abstraction with little relevance to the Christian life, but must rather be seen as a fundamental underpinning of all pastoral practice. If this is true, it is especially significant in a secular age where the general tendency is to reduce all religions to a single category and regard them as basically interchangeable. A Trinitarian faith would not only exclude traditional Unitarians, but also Jews, Muslims and followers of other faiths that do not share this particular understanding of Deity. That in turn is bound to have the most serious consequences for interfaith dialogue, which can hardly get very far as long as Christians insists on the centrality of the Trinity for their practice (as well as for their belief, of course).”

—Gerald Bray “The Trinity: Where Do We Go From Here” in Always Reforming: Explorations in Systematic Theology. Edited by A.T.B. McGowan (IVP, 2006), 24.

From Tom in the Box Spiritryl

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Posted by Team Tominthebox News Network at 6:24 AM

This funny comment from Tom in the Box http://tominthebox.blogspot.com/2007/07/spiritryl-when-being-filled-just-isnt.html

Senate Hindu Prayer shouted down

This is incredible that this was barely seen on the News. It is true that the media has an agenda. Three got arrested.

False Christs

From the ESV 1 John 2
Warning Concerning Antichrists
18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is the promise that he made to us--eternal life.26I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything--and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you--abide in him.


So when does a false Jesus appear. Is it just enough to know that he was a person of the New Testament? What about WHO He was? The Bible makes it clear that if we have the wrong Christ then we will pay for our own sins in the right judgment of God. If you claim you know Jesus, the next question is more important..... Does Jesus know you?

John 3:3
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

A true dialogue between a Mormon and a Christian

This is a dialogue that is represented by a knowledgeable theologian and well respected Leader Dr. Mohler and a Mormon. The difference in this dialogue is Dr. Mohler is rightly calling out the differences between Christians and Mormons. If you don't read the Gospel Fellowship Blog then you might have missed this. I think this is worthwhile to read. http://blog.beliefnet.com/blogalogue/

Notable quote "The reason is simple – traditional Christian orthodoxy and Mormon theology are utterly incompatible." Dr. Mohler

It works because it is true

This morning I heard a pastor on the radio, he was talking about how so many Christians water down the Gospel or not preach the Gospel at all in favor of methods that really detract from the Gospel. In addition he went on to define what the Gospel is. And stood it up against those that would make it other than the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross. Then this pastor said something that I really took to. He said the Gospel works because it is TRUE! So many people even Christians change the Gospel to something else because they think if a method works then it is true. That is backwards thinking, in fact many Evangelism methods and books have been written because of one or two instances where this "method" that might not be Biblical, worked on a particular person. It is then said that this is the way to Evangelize. NO the Gospel works because it is true and if it works 10 times, 0 times or 100 times it is still true and God will use it to bring the increase. So pray for the laborers of the Harvest this day.