COVID-19 Vaccination: Truth vs. Whack-Job Conspiracy Theories

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Right now, COVID-19 vaccinations are carried out. However, what I can’t deny is that there’s really a good number of anti-vaxxers too who are causing misinformation. One of such consequence of the misinformation about vaccines led to a sudden resurgence of measles because of fake information such as that vaccines cause autism. Others were even using the hysteria that the COVID-19 was going to be a dress rehearsal for the New World Order (such as John Hagee) or other extreme “Christian” groups saying that it’s the mark of the Beast, deceiving even some younger Christians into misinformation. The “truthful site” (and I’m being sarcastic) Reformation Online’s webmaster, Patrick Scrivener, really has some whacked up data such as saying Edward Jenner’s vaccination allegedly caused his son to die of tuberculosis at age 20, that Louis Pasteur was part of this medical inquisition (because Pasteur was a Roman Catholic) which in itself is a genetic fallacy. Scrivener even endorses the dangerous challenge to drink raw milk all because he labeled Pasteur a “Jesuit”. He even went as far as to create an elaborate “expose” on vaccination as a medical inquisition of the Vatican. Unfortunately, Scrivener spreads more disinformation than he does the Gospel. I believe the guy needs to prove his claims or even face jail time for spreading disinformation as “truth”!

Does Devotion to Mary Bring People Closer to Jesus?

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The month of May is devoted to the Flores De Mayo. It’s a festival held in the Philippines, a predominantly Roman Catholic country, that is a festival in honor of Mary. It also involves the Santacruzan, which has it that Constantine’s mother, Helena, supposedly found the cross to where Jesus was nailed to. That’s nothing more than myths and fables! This post is not meant to incite hatred toward Roman Catholics. It’s very common to say that born-again Christians “hate” Roman Catholics and “hate” Mary. Though, I admit that professional Catholic apologists have been more than kind enough to exonerate born-again Christians from the accusation that they “hate” Mary. Some of them are kind enough to quote Protestant writers who wrote highly of Mary. However, it can’t be denied that this devotion to Mary is not Scriptural!

To Tithe or Not to Tithe Under the New Testament?

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I remembered that some fundamentalist Baptists teach the necessary of the tithe or giving of a tenth of your income. A closer look at the Old Testament tithe would tell us that the tithe is more than just a tenth of one’s income. The Old Testament tithe would require giving a tenth of everything you own, not just from the gross or net income. Today’s tithe has been limited only to the income but not anything else given.

Practicing Discernment in Searching for Christian Websites

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Whether we want to admit it or not, the Internet is a marvelous invention. However, it can also be with its perils just like any scientific innovation meant to help us. The telephone which can be used to bridge long distances can also be used to distance people using malicious slander. The Internet is no different. There are plenty of obvious sites that Christians are to avoid (such as sites that promote violence, occultism, false religion, and the like). However, what’s often ignored is that the search for Christian websites to learn more about Christianity can be far more tricky. Dr. John F. MacArthur’s book Fool’s Gold warns that not all that glitters is gold. The same goes when a Christian searches for Christian websites. Not every website that seems to glorify God is of God or edifying to the Christian ministry.

Practicing Discernment in the Christian Bookstore

Christian bookstores are definitely the places where newly-saved people want to go but have really so little discernment. I remembered having had the thrill into one and acting like a child seeing candy. The difference was I was using my savings to go there to buy the books I wanted. There were many fascinating materials in there especially about the cults, expository preaching, biographies, and inspirations to name a few. Then there are just some books you want to be careful about.

The book Fool’s Gold by John F. MacArthur had its second division called “Practicing Discernment in Your Local Bookstore”. A Christian bookstore can be a place to get good material. What’s often ignored is that Satan can infiltrate it in one form or another. Some materials may seem to be enlightening but it’s so full of half-truths. Writers Nathan Busenitz manages to tackle on seeker-friendly The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren. Reading through the sections which included other books made me think about that lack of discernment I once practiced.

The Goodness of God and the Total Depravity of Man

The story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 17:17-27, and Luke 18:18–30) has him asking Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied in all three accounts,. “Why do you call me good? There is no one good but God.” This is where things get tough to show how we’re all cut short of the glory of God. Jesus wasn’t denying His own divinity. Rather, Jesus was challenging the rich young ruler to think what it means to be good. This is where the goodness of God and the total depravity of man is shown. The rich young ruler had the audacity to say, “All these I have kept since childhood.” Jesus then said, “Yet you still lack one. You must sell your possessions, give to the poor and follow Me.” However, this resulted in the rich young ruler leaving for he had many possessions. Jesus then showed the problem of the rich. It wasn’t impossible but it was hard for the rich or those who trusted in their possessions to enter Heaven. Such a show revealed that it was impossible to keep the whole Law.

Understanding Repentance

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Repentance is a word that can get one confused. I remembered one time I heard of the message to repent of your sins and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The hymn “Victory in Jesus” talks about repentance of sin that led to victory. It would be very important to understand what is repentance. Repentance is most often viewed as being truly sorry for what one has done. It’s being sorry for your sins. It’s like saying he repents of his adultery, meaning he’s truly sorry of his adultery. He repents of being unreasonable, meaning he’s truly sorry for his being unreasonable. Now, let’s take a deeper meaning of the word repentance in the Greek and in theological terms. The word repent in Greek is metanoneo (μετανοώ) while repentance is metanoneia (μετάνοια) which is characterized by a change of mind that results in a change in purpose. Being truly sorry results to a change of mind that results in a change of purpose. The message has always been for people to repent (be sorry or change their minds) because the Kingdom of God is at hand.