The Superstitious Christian
Explanations to Come Soon:
Beliefs invented by fearful Christians who don't read the bible properly, like
1) Irrational Fear of Temples ( Posted below)
2) Blanket Order - Must not eat food offered to idols ( Posted below )
3) Irrational Fear of So-called Occultic, Satanic Objects And Animals ( Posted below )
4) Blanket order - Cannot eat blood of animals ( Posted below )
5) Blanket order Cannot practice tai chi, qi qong, yoga ( oh yes, we Christians ban it, too! )
But Christians are not supposed to be superstitious. This is because we have been set free by Jesus. Every Christian can tell you that. But saying is one thing. Believing is another. Actually many Christians are in fact very superstitious, and this includes the leaders. And the leaders pass on the superstition down the line, so much so that some of these superstitions have become standard Christian practice.
Christianity has power. Christianity sets people free - free to worship God in spirit and in truth, free from bondage and fear, superstitions, black magic, charms, sins etc. But silly human philosophies masquerading as Christian teachings put people back under superstition, fear and bondage.
6. Should Christians Criticize One Another?
The Events:
On 4th of May, 2011, I was cc’d a copy of email. The email was about the issue of Christians criticizing Christians. Christian male Ah Tim, wrote an email highly critical of the teachings of church leaders who reject the eternal security doctrine. Ah Tim is apparently a believer in the doctrine of eternal security ( The copy of Ah Tim’s email which started this fiasco was not sent to me, so I do not know his arguments ). Then Christian male Ganes, wrote a nice Christiany reply to Ah Tim, advising him not to be so critical of leaders and others who haven given up everything to serve God, advising him to focus on bringing the lost to the Lord. Then Christian female Aliza, wrote a scathing personal attack against Ah Tim, saying that his demeanor in writing the criticism is due to his physical height probably being not more than 5’ 4”. And Christian male #4, who we shall call Ah Toh wrote his defense of Ah Tim to Aliza. and cc’d the letter to me. And so that led me to this article.
First of all, what was wrong with all the 3 sets of the emails written by Ganes, Aliza and Ah Toh? Nobody addressed the issue raised by Ah Tim! Everybody missed the point! What a mess! Somebody raised an issue for debate, and everybody goes into the mode of counseling, personal attack and personal defense. NOBODY CARED ABOUT THE ISSUE. You see, Christians are so busy trying to appear Christians that all the time they miss the point of establishing truths and destroying lies. What Ganes should have done was to rebut Ah Tim point for point instead of going into giving advice on how Christians should behave. Aliza could have rebutted Ah Tim point for point too, but she obviously is one of those Christians who only knows what she was spoon-fed and not interested in the truth. She is the “please do not confuse me with the facts, I don’t need to find out if I have been lied to” type of Christian, which, by my uneducated guess, makes up 80% or more of the Christian population.
The Matter To Be Addressed Here
I will not be talking about Ah Tim’s stand on the eternal security issue here, but rather on the essence of the 3 emails on the matter of Christians criticizing Christians.
1. Should Christians be allowed to criticize Christians?
2. Should Christians name names?
3. Should Christians tear down the Kingdom if they name names?
Most Christians would say no to all 3 questions. But let’s see what happens in the bible.
Didn’t Paul Criticize and Name Names?
2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; | Oh dear! Paul named names! What unchristian behavior this must be, or has your teaching been wrong? |
his charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. | Oh dear again! Paul named names again! And he even delivered them into the hands of Satan! Horrors! How unchristian can Paul be, or has your teaching been wrong? |
2Ti 4:10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. | Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! For the 3rd time, Paul has shown such unchristian behavior! He not only named Demas, but even exposed Demas' bad behavior! Now, you say that Paul has shown bad Christian behavior if you dare! |
We clearly see that as far the bible goes, names are named, wrongs are described!
And Did John Do The Same Thing?
3Jn 1:9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. | Oh dear! Even John must be so unchristian because he named Diotrephes, and his love for being numero uno? Can you not admit how scripturally wrong you have been for failing to allow Christians to criticize Christians? |
Was Paul wrong? Was John wrong? Do you know better than them?
And are church leaders exempted from being named?
Gal 2:11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Gal 2:12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. Gal 2:13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. | Here, we see read of Paul calling Peter by name, and calling him out for his hypocrisy! So church leaders are not exempted! But church leaders will surely hate to allow themselves to be criticized. |
Conclusions
Now to keep this article short, I am sure that all of you know who called the Pharisees “Generation of Vipers” and “Blind fools”. I am sure you all know how John the Baptist calls them similar names.
So, to those of you holier-than-thou Christians who are prone to calling others “holier-than-thou”, I am calling you out today for your hypocrisy and wrongful teachings. The bible expects us to emulate Jesus. You avoid emulating Jesus with the silly reason that you are not Jesus. Of course you are not, silly. You are only supposed to emulate him! What a silly excuse.
If Jesus calls people by names when it is due, then Christians should stop saying that we should not. If Paul can criticize Peter, and record it in the bible for 2000 year of believers to read about, who are the leaders of the church today? Are they higher and greater than Peter with all "touch not the Lord's anointed" nonsense? Have you been taken in by this nonsensical teaching also? Paul touched Peter. So what? This "touch not the Lord's anointed" teaching has been twisted by the leaders to protect themselves from being exposed. Very satanic motives behind this teaching, I would say.
The reason why the church today is so full of false teachings and so full of false teachers is because you have followed the lie of the devil. The devil does not want you to condemn and expose the false leaders so that the church will be weak. You do not obey the bible. You do not obey Jesus. You obey the devil your father who does not want you correct the wrongs so that the church will stay weak and confused.
If Jesus calls people by names when it is due, then Christians should stop saying that we should not. If Paul can criticize Peter, and record it in the bible for 2000 year of believers to read about, who are the leaders of the church today? Are they higher and greater than Peter with all "touch not the Lord's anointed" nonsense? Have you been taken in by this nonsensical teaching also? Paul touched Peter. So what? This "touch not the Lord's anointed" teaching has been twisted by the leaders to protect themselves from being exposed. Very satanic motives behind this teaching, I would say.
The reason why the church today is so full of false teachings and so full of false teachers is because you have followed the lie of the devil. The devil does not want you to condemn and expose the false leaders so that the church will be weak. You do not obey the bible. You do not obey Jesus. You obey the devil your father who does not want you correct the wrongs so that the church will stay weak and confused.
If anyone is going to write anything against this article of mine, I welcome your counter criticisms, and please rebut me point for point, and substantiate yourselves with bible verses and examples as I have done above.
The advice of Ganes to Ah Tim is a waste of time. Ganes could have taken on Ah Tim point for point. If he cannot debate Ah Tim point for point, then shaddup and go back to read his bible. The letter of Aliza against Ah Tim is silly and petty, totally irrelevant!
And yes, we are also supposed to show long suffering and patience when teaching others. But the bible clearly shows that when Christians are to be called fools, then they are called fools, re:
Gal 3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you
Naming names is the right thing to do. Why, calling Christians “fools” is evidenced in the bible.
And should Christians Argue For The Truth? What do you think Paul is saying here?
1Co 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
Yes! Paul says we must argue so that what is true may become known.
So, you can stop being foolish and start teaching what is right, or you can choose to be like the Galatians, who have been named as fools for 2000 years for your benefit.
So stop your cowardly behavior of avoiding arguments about the truth, and stop pretending that you are wiser by not arguing. Stop calling those who raise issues for knowledge and debate as spiritually proud and arrogant. Are you not the one who is spiritually proud and arrogant, for you have even despised others when in fact that you do not have the substance, or the guts to rebut them?
As for the part where Ganes tells Ah Tim to focus on bringing people into the Kingdom of God and not focus on such issues that divide, I have this to say “Why bother to bring people into the Kingdom who do not follow after Jesus, but only to see them fall for false teachings and become prey to false prophets that lead them into hell?
Bringing people into the Kingdom is important. The truth is even more important, for it sets people free. Jesus came to set people free. If you think somebody is wrong, rebut them scripturally.
The unpleasant truth is that you have been downplaying the truth of God for the sake of maintaining good relationship with false teachers, feigned unity and unhealthy church growth.
Jesus says:
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
5. NIV Bible Translated With Opposite Meanings
I am appalled at the lack of fervor for the truth. I am appalled at the institutionalized church’s failure to sound the alarm. I am appalled at the disinterest of pastors when these things are brought to their attention. I am appalled at the callousness of these so-called trained and qualified ministers' attitude towards the word of God.
I am putting up here only a small portion of what the NIV has done to bible. You will find the rest at this link in a PDF file called NIVomissions.
Just look at these verse-for-verse comparisons. You decide if your church leadership has done it duty. Do not be surprised at their dismissive attitude when you raise the issue to them, if you raise the issue to them.
What the King James Version Say: | Does NIV say the same thing? |
Psalm 10:4KJV 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: ... 5 His ways are always grievous;" | NIV "4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. 5 His ways are always prosperous;" |
Ecclesiastes 8:10KJV "And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city" | NIV / TNIV "Then too, I saw the wicked buried—those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise." |
Isaiah 9:3KJV "Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy..." | NIV / TNIV "You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy;" (nothing in footnotes to explain ) |
Colossians 2:18KJV 1611 "... and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen," | NIV "...and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, " TNIV "...and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such people also go into great detail about what they have seen, " |
Hosea 10:1KJV "Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself..." | NIV "Israel was a spreading vine;" |
Hosea 11:12KJV "... but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints." | NIV / TNIV "And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One." |
And now look at how NIV changes, and dilutes the meaning of the verses:
Matthew 5:22KJV ".That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment". | NIV “Anyone who is angry with his brother OMIT will be subject to judgment.” |
1Joh 5KJV “For there are three that (oi=masc) bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear record in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood and these (oi=masc) three agree in one” | NIV “For there are three that testify OMIT, OMIT, OMIT, OMIT , the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three are in agreement. NIV removed the verses that show the most unequivocal support of the Trinity nature of God. |
Mark 10:21KJV “Take up the cross, and follow me” | NIV “come, OMIT follow me” |
Matthew 17:21 KJV “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” | NIV This verse is totally removed |
2Tim. 4:17 KJV “That the an of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” | NIV So that the man of God may be OMIT , thoroughly equipped for every good work. |
If you did not know of the above, I don’t blame you. How many of us have the time to read and compare bible verses? But many of these trained ministers boast of how many versions of the bible they own, how many times they have read the bible over, and how they would check with this and that bible when they prepare a sermon. Empty boasts or blinded minds?
The question to you is this, “Now that you know, what are you going to do about it?” What is your attitude? You are not an expert, and you don’t understand how bibles are translated, so you cannot care less? Is this how you treat God’s truth? Are you not callous yourself? Do you make light the truth of God in your hands? Then you shall suffer the consequences.
It doesn’t take an expert to know something is wrong. It is whether you care enough.
Let me give you my thought on this issue.
Admittedly, the King James Version is not for everyone. Even those of us who speak English as our first language find some difficulty with the prose and vocabulary. Nobody has taken the effort to come up with a faithfully-simplified version of the King James bible as yet.
- Is the King James translation perfect when checked against the Greek or Hebrew versions? Of course not, but the problems are few, well-known and not serious. It is still the best English language version we have. On the other hand, the NIV’s problems are great. So too with the various other modern versions. Something needs to be done.
Now, Malaysia has plenty of people who do not use English as the first language these days. In fact, many of our Malaysians do not have a good command of any language at all. And of this group, quite a number are most comfortable with the English language. So these people still have to use the English bible.
This is where bibles like NIV, CEV, NLT, BBE, WEB, etc etc which are collectively called the modern bibles come in handy. These bibles do serve a purpose. But this should not make us ignore the fact that these bibles have badly mangled the word of God. So, what should we do?
Here’s what we can do:
1) The fact that you are reading this article means that you have access to the internet. Just google for “NIV errors” or something like that and you will find all the details you need. Now take this information, and make the corrections on your NIV, or modern bible. How much time is that going to cost you?
2) In fact, the church leadership should make the effort on your behalf. They would, if they are responsible enough. But if they are irresponsible they would not, even if you prod them. Thereby you know them for what they are.
How I wish all of us could just stop buying the modern bibles. And in no time you will find these corrupted publishers on their knees. But this is not going to happen as long as the organized church is callous and lazy. The devil hates God’s truth and is going to do all he can to dilute it. Ignorant Christians who have the diluted word cannot use this blunted sword of the Spirit against the devil effectively.
Can/Will God protect His word? Of course God can and will. For this reason, we still have more than 25,000 ancient manuscripts in the world that can attest to the accuracy of God’s word, and you have the King James bible as a common standard for English readers. Those who hunger for the truth will seek, and they will find it. God’s truth is still there. It is only lazy Christians who do not seek it, and will make do with whatever the devil has dished out.
You do what is necessary.
The unpleasant truth is that many of you have been using corrupted bibles.
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
4. UNBIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY - THE ISSUES OF THE EATING OF BLOOD, AND NO TRANSFUSION
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| Blood Pudding or Black Pudding - A National Dish To Some |
Some Christians ( maybe most?) in Malaysia don’t eat blood food. The Jehovah Witnesses ( a cult pretending to be more Christian than Christians ) ban blood transfusion. But pastors in Thailand and Cambodia happily tuck in animal entrails dipped in fresh warm blood. Even pastors in Sarawak have no problem with it. In fact, I have come to realize that in most countries eating blood food is no issue. And so you will find Christians in Iceland and Europe savoring their blood pudding and blutwurst ( blood sausage ).
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| Blutwurst or Blood Sausages |
So why do I want to talk about this? Well, Christians that don’t eat blood are saying that the Christians that eat it sin against God. The Christians that eat blood feel guilty, but wonder why even pastors in Thailand, Vietnam, Europe and the world over are still eating blood food. The Jehovah Witnesses ( I will touch on them at the end of this article ) are saying that those Christians who don’t eat blood but who receive blood transfusion are going to hell.
The Background Of The Eating of Blood Issue
So let us see what the bible says.
1) God forbade Noah to eat the blood of animals. In case you don’t know, Noah was the first person allowed to eat meat. And this was before the law of Moses.
2) God instructed Moses that Israelites must not eat meat with blood in it. But that’s the old testament law of Moses and it does not apply to Gentiles. Christians are Gentiles.
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| Will Masai Christians All Go To Hell? |
3) In the book of Acts 15 , the apostles gave this instructions :
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: Act 15:29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.
Now, it is commonly accepted that Christians are to observe whatever the New Testament commands, including any law of Moses, if such a law is re-emphasized in it. And whatever is before the coming of the law of Moses remains in force.
Supreme Principles of Bible Interpretation
However, does the above understanding allow us to ignore context? It cannot. Therefore, any attempt to interpret a bible verse must first consider the context of the passage. If this is not the case, then I can even prove to you that even the bible says there is no God by quoting Psalm 14:1. So is it true that the bible tells you that there is no God? Context, context. Always go for the context!
Also, as all bible colleges will tell you “Scripture must interpret scripture”. And scripture therefore DOES NOT contradict scripture. If it does, you can throw our bible away or use the pages to wrap kacang putih. Philosophy often contradicts philosophy and scientist contradicts scientist all the time. But bible verses don’t contradict.
I will now reason things out with you on the bases of context and scripture interpret scripture.
First, the Noah Argument. If the argument "anything that is commanded by God before the Law of Moses automatically applies to New Testament Christians" is to be valid, then the following practices must also be continued:
1) Christians MUST be circumcised after the example of Abraham,
2) If my elder brother dies without leaving any heir, I must now marry my widowed sister-in-law ( irrespective that I am already married ), and have sex with her in order to produce an heir for my dead brother.
So now, which church elder, pastor or reverend is prepared to declare to the congregation that every male must be circumcised? Hello …anyone ?
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| Will you marry me to my widowed sister-in-law? |
And I know that there are many pastors and reverends, including some who hold a PhD in theology, out there who have been telling Christians that they should continue to tithe because Abraham had tithed before the law. On the same basis of application, they must now also insist that Christians be circumcised. Do they dare to? And will any of them volunteer to marry me to my widowed sister-in-law over the protestations of my wife so that I can give my dead brother an heir? No, it cannot be done? So now then, how valid is this so-called “pre-law commandment” principle of interpretation?
And secondly, can the bible contradict itself?
Of course not. So let us look at apostle’s command to “abstain from blood” in the light of these bible examples:
1) Jesus said “Joh 6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. “
Alright, alright. We know that Jesus was not speaking literally here, but metaphorically. So what is the point here? Now, would Jesus have used something he does not approve of as an example on Himself? Here Jesus used the metaphor “drink my blood” on Himself! What does that indicate to you? Eating of blood was not an issue to Him! It was to the Pharisees then. Are you a modern day Pharisee? Keep this in mind.
2) This verse in Romans says: “Rom 14:20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.”
The first part of this verse is talking about the animal and its meat of course, and not of the condition of the meat. But does not the second part leave the scope more open? “All things are pure”.
3) Here are 2 powerful verses that grants liberty to every Christian. It seems to give so much liberty that it puts fear into the hearts of your leaders that they will lose control over you to the Holy Spirit:
a. 1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any
b. 1Co 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
a. 1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any
b. 1Co 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
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| Chee Chap Chuk Should Be Lawful For Me |
Thirdly, let us consider the context of Acts 15 and the apostles commandment.
Paul said no less than 12 times in various ways that we are free from the law. And all these are in line with the liberty of 1Cor:612 and 1Cor 10:23. The bible has been amazingly consistent so far, except for that command not to eat blood of Acts 15.
Now, what I present to you here is not my own, but what I learned from others and which I accept. It is now up to you to consider if this explanation below is acceptable to you - your choice.
1) The early Christians were of the Jews. When they were Jews, they did not eat blood. After they became Christians, they continued to abhor blood due to a lifetime of religious abstinence.
2) These early Christians met in homes in the evenings, and apparently each would bring their own food), and these meals were eaten as the Holy Supper as well( read 1Cor 11.
3) Then after the Cornelius experience, more and more Gentiles joined the Christian community. Jews and Gentiles now eat together at the house church. The Gentiles brought food which included blood items, and the Jews abhor eating with them at the same table.
4) The matter became serious enough to be brought up to Jerusalem for a decision together with the issue of converted Jews trying to making Gentile Christians circumcise themselves according to the law, in order to be a follower of Jesus ( Read the whole of Galatians )
5) So the council at Jerusalem decided on the matter by first saying that that they will no put the burden of the law on the Gentiles as in:
Act 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Now, having just said that they gave no commandment to Gentiles to keep the law, why would the apostles immediately turn around and impose a new law on not eating blood? Of course not! The apostles were never inconsistent.
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| Indo-Chinese Pastors happily tuck in offal dipped in fresh blood |
Could the apostles have been thinking of the instructions to Noah? Of course not! If the apostles had issued the "no blood" commandment based on the pre-law practice principle then the apostles would have to uphold the circumcision on the same basis as well!
6) We can therefore be certain that the commandment of the apostles was based neither on the pre-law commandment nor “Moses’ law”! It can only be a commandment based on the principle of love and social interaction between Jews and Gentiles. And this conclusion is totally consistent with Paul’s teaching on the eating of foods – you can eat if you want to, but if it makes your brother stumble, then don’t.
My take on this is, if you have a Jew or a Pharisee in your group today who objects to eating blood, then don’t eat it for his sake, so that he is not stumbled. So it is not that you will offend God when you eat the blood food but because you love your brother.
And a further word for the Pharisee Christian brother. Since you have convinced yourself that no blood must enter into your stomach, do take steps to drain out every bit of it out of your meat and fish before you cook and eat it. I don’t know how you can do it, but you go look for a way to do it.
And now, to those Jehovah Witness members on the matter of their organization’s ban on blood transfusion.
1) Both the Old Testament and New Testament were talking about the eating of blood. It is a very simple thing to understand the meaning of “to eat”. When something is eaten, it goes through the gastro-intestinal system and comes out as Sh*t. Transfused blood goes directly into the arteries and do not come out as Sh*t. It takes a stupid mind not to understand this and believe your Jehovah Witness teaching.
2) Nowhere in the bible does it say that taking in of blood takes you to hell. Nowhere does it even saying that eating of blood takes you to hell. Your leaders who teach you this are taking you into hell.
3) The ordinary Jehovah Witness is a pitiable fellow, because he does not know that the Watchtower Organization has secretly authorized Bulgarian members to accept full-blood transfusion. So according to their teaching, only the Bulgarian Jehovah Witness who accepts blood transfusion in their country won’t go to hell. And, if any Jehovah Witness need blood transfusion, he may go to a hospital in Bulgaria to do it. But on the other hand, they will not find out the truth as all Jehovah Witnesses are banned from reading non-Jehovah Witness Christian materials, and are brainwashed accordingly.
So, the unpleasant truth is that you have been listening to one sided preaching, teaching and arguments. And many Christians are just plain Pharisees, not set free Christians.
But Jesus says: Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
No Snakes Please
I used to keep a wooden sculpture of a Cobra on top of my shoe cupboard, right at the entrance of the front door. It looks just like this one here in the picture. Really vicious-looking thingy, don’t you agree?
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| The Wood Carving That Christian Don't Like |
Now when Christian friends come a-visiting, this thingy never fails to catch their interest and draw from them this advice –
“Brother, why keep this satanic thing in your house? Your house is a holy house. Why open yourself to spiritual attacks? Don’t you know the bible says that the serpent is the dragon, satan?”
They would also do the same thing to you with the dragon, phoenix and so on. And in the instances where a person newly converts, his church leadership would come to his house to destroy the altar and the statues of idols. This is the time they go on a rampage destroying every vase, picture and even furniture or antique article with any symbol of the snake, dragon, phoenix etc. Destroying any item of former worship, occultic talismans, pendents etc is a perfectly Christian practice. For he that follows Jesus must never look back once his hands are on the plow. But the pictures of snakes and dragons ? Awww..Come on!
You see, many Christians ( not the normal, sane bible-believing ones ) have some very funny and lopsided inconsistent beliefs. These beliefs do not come out of the bible. They come out of the fertile imaginations of overly-spiritual pharisaical minds. I am sure you know that the Pharisees in the bible were well-known for their ability to create add-on rules and beliefs to the bible in order to look and sound more spiritual. Jesus was always scolding them, calling them fools, no less.
Why am I so worked up against such well-meaning friendly advice from my Christian brethren? Because this type of advice make superstitious idiots out of Christians, that’s why. There is no logic to their reasoning and understanding. Use that same logic to ask them more questions and not only can they not answer you, they will look at you in askance and say that you are un-teachable. What a bunch of Pharisees! That’s not Christianity. That’s superstition.
Now I ask them these questions.
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| Do you Remove These Symbols From Your Newspapers? |
1) Since I must throw away the carving of the snake, mustn't I also take out all pictures of snakes from inside books and encyclopedias? No? What logic is that?
2) Since you say we must not have occultic symbols in the house, why are you bringing in the horoscope signs together with the newspaper into your house everyday?
3) The bible, in the book of Revelation 16, also speaks of "three evil spirits that looked like frogs". Why do you not give the same advice on frog carvings? Frogs don’t count, is it? Why not?
4) The bible also says that the Israelites worshiped a golden calf, which is satanic worship. Shall you not tear out every picture of the cattle from your son’s encyclopedia set and school books too? Shall I destroy my Chinese vase with the picture of a farmer boy pulling a cow? Are cows are exempted? By who?
5) Don’t you know that in the Chinese pantheon of gods are also dog, pig, spider, monkey fairies, crab fairy, clam-shell fairy, and almost every animal fairy? The Chinese beliefs also have a pair of gods, one with horse face and the other an ox face which comes for the soul of the dead. How about the horse now? Should you now still go on eating crabs or clams?
6) Do you realize that the Hindus worship an elephant god?
In the bible, there are so many creatures which are used as representation of demonic forces, including the leopard and locusts. Why is it that only the snake is taken literally and not the others? Since you believe what you believe, will you go now to tear out every picture of these animals from every book in your holy house? No, you won't? Why not?
And even if a carving or antique has a demon in it because of past worship and witchcraft, am I not empowered by the truth of Jesus that says “In my name they shall cast out demons ..?” Do you not believe Jesus? Is not He that is in me greater than he that is in the world?
And so we see that these Pharisees have created their own belief system by adding onto the bible.
No Drawing Dragons, Ultraman, And Barbie Doll Please, We're Christians!
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| No Ultraman, Barbie Doll and Doraemon Please |
These superstitious Christians not only disallow carvings. You cannot even have the pattern of a dragon or a phoenix on the clothes you wear, nor allow your children to draw them.
Once, I was at a healing and deliverance service with my family. While we busied ourselves with the service, my 2 young children then whiled away their time with the boy drawing pictures with color pencils and the girl playing with her Barbie doll. Up comes a matronly lady crying out in horror, “Children, don’t draw that Ultraman and throw that Barbie doll away! Draw something more blessed! Those things are demonic!” And so, Digimon, Pokemon and Doraemon are also demonic. ( It is always the Chinese dragon that is demonic, not so much the European type of dragon! Strange beliefs indeed. )
My children went to my wife complaining “Ma, we don’t want to be Christians. This cannot do, that cannot do”. And my wife came to me saying, “I had more liberty when I was a free-thinker lah”.
Thanks be to God He kept us in the fold. Anything can be bad and good. It is the education that makes the difference. All we have to do is to educate our children not to become addicted to certain game symbol, toy and not to fantasize over these things. It is their fantasy that get them into psychological, mental and even spiritual problems. Not the object per se, stupid.
Anyone Who Ate Snake Meat, Please Come Forward To Confess!
And there is another incident we witnessed where the pastor suddenly called on the people who have been to Hong Kong and who ate snake meat or drink snake blood to come forward to confess their sin.
Hey, the joke goes that if Adam and Eve had been Chinese the snake would never have had the chance to deceive Eve! Now if snake meat is demonic and not fit for eating, answer these questions:
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| Goat of Mendes. Should Christian's stop eating mutton? |
1) Wouldn't beef be demonic too, since people in the bible worship the cow?
2) Wouldn’t fish be demonic too, since the Philistine god Dagon ( 1Sam 5:1) was a fish god?
3) Must not the frog eaters confess too?
4) Goat is the symbol of satan. Must I avoid eating mutton?
5) Should the Cambodian, Thai and Laotian Christians stop eating fried locusts?
6) The Orang Asli and Orang Asal Christians eat monkey meat all the time. Shall they confess and stop doing it?
Why do you have no problem with people eating mutton, monkey meat, frog and fish which are also objects of paganism, worship and Satanism, but you have problems with people eating snake meat?
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| Dagon the Philistine fish god, Monkey God, Pig Fairy, Ox-head and Horse-face - Why not ban eating of these meats too for demonic? |
In conclusion, let us look at what the word of God has to say about eating of animals, and food:
Peter’s experience in Acts 10:
Act 10:11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Act 10:12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, ( including snakes, I suppose ) and fowls of the air. Act 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. Act 10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. Act 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common
What Paul teaches about eating and drinking in Romans :
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
( Just eat with joy what you like to eat. If you don’t like, then don’t. Don’t twist the bible to support your refusal to eat )
Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
( You damn yourself if you eat and have not faith. Are you saying what God made for you is bad? See 1Ti4 below )
What Paul teaches about eating of foods in 1Corinthians :
1Co 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
( Why are you quarreling with others about what they eat? Does it draw you nearer to God? )
Paul talks of the doctrine of demons:
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 1Ti 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 1Ti 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 1Ti 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
( Are you not teaching the doctrine of demons when you command someone to abstain from meats? Are you calling God a liar and that the snake is not good for food?)
And finally,
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
( Why are you judging me for eating snake meat? Is not every creature of God good and to be received with thanksgiving? Why do you offend God’s word with your pharisaical self-righteous inventions ? )
Conclusion
So you see, the bible is always very consistent in its teachings, never self-contradicting. But the superstitious Christians teachings are not consistent.
Let us not teach our brethren that which the bible teaches not. Let us not bring our brethren into fear and bondage. Let us not turn Christianity into foolishness. For there is power in the word. There is freedom in the truth.
Doubtless, many of these Christians who have accepted such superstitions and have been practicing these self-righteous fallacies will be insulted by this article. They will consider me their enemy and be angry with me. They will say they forgive me for my trespass but will continue give me that uppidity cold shoulder.
But as Paul says,
Gal 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
The fact remains therefore that you are not able to offer consistent answers to the questions posed. Be convicted. Start believing the bible, for "He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world".
The unpleasant truth is that “You have been a Pharisee, and you have taught others falsely”.
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
