Bible Prophecy

Ray: Our good friend Dr. Harold McCarthy is currently delivering two concurrent series on Bible Prophecy. We are featuring the videos of a weekly study on the Book of Revelation of which we are currently our third of what will be approximately thirty messages. We posted two of them at this website. The full complement will be findable at http://mensbreakfaststudy.wordpress.com

I would also like to post here a few of the his other series of which there will be 14 videos in total. This study is based on Prophecy through the entire Bible and will also include the book of Revelation. The series is being delivered at Greenwood Gospel Hall in Toronto. If you are from Toronto you may wish to come and hear Dr. Harold McCarthy speak in person. Email me: r a y l u f f @ r o g e r s . c o m if you would like to have the specifics emailed to you.

This is the second of the twelve part series on Bible Prophecy. (Unfortunately the first message was lost due to a technical difficulty.)

The third message on Prophecy (October 29,2010 12:00 AM)

FOR ALL 14 OF THESE MESSAGES GO TO http://www.truthiswhatmatters.com/study/bibleprophecy

OR use TOOL BAR link at top of this website  BIBLE TRAINING / BIBLE PROPHECY

 

Religious people are they less intelligent than atheists study unveils!

Brad: A report that I read recently states that Religious people are less intelligent than non-believers, according to a new review of 63 scientific studies stretching back over decades.

A team led by Miron Zuckerman of the University of Rochester found “a reliable negative relation between intelligence and religiosity” in 53 out of 63 studies

Even in extreme old age, intelligent people are less likely to believe, the researchers found – and the reasons why people with high IQs shun religion may not be as simple as previously thought.

Intelligent people are more likely to be married, and more likely to be successful in life – and this may mean they “need” religion less according to the study by Miron Zuckerman.

The studies used in Zuckerman’s paper included a life-long analysis of the beliefs of a group of 1,500 gifted children – those with IQs over 135 – in a study which began in 1921 and continues today.

A 1916 study quoted in Zuckerman’s paper (Leuba) found that, “58% of randomly selected scientists in the United States expressed disbelief in, or doubt regarding the existence of God; this proportion rose to nearly 70% for  scientists.”

“Intelligent people typically spend more time in school—a form of self-regulation that may yield long-term benefits,” the researchers write. “More intelligent people get higher level jobs (and better employment (and higher salary) may lead to higher self-esteem, and encourage personal control beliefs.”

More intelligent people are more likely to get and stay married (greater attachment), though for intelligent people, that too comes later in life. We therefore suggest that as intelligent people move from young adulthood to adulthood and then to middle age, the benefits of intelligence may continue to accrue according to the study.

People possessing the functions that religion provides are likely to adopt atheism, people lacking these very functions (e.g., the poor, the helpless) are likely to adopt theism,” the researchers wrote.

So in summing up this  outdated study over 70% of scientists in the USA didn’t really believe in God or raised doubt in the  actual existence of Heaven and God.

Ray: I have to chuckle a little at this study.

1) First of all it was a “scientific report” about the superiority of “scientists”. Could it possibly be biased?

2) Second I suspect the scientists were indeed lacking in education when compared to religious folks. That would be less education in the study of God’s word. Do people that read their Bibles, many on a yearly basis have less education  because they did not study Darwinism, or other philosophies of men? What you have is differing areas of study. There is the study of the creator (religious) verses the study of the created (science).

3) I also believe some of the facts are deliberately wrongly stated. For example marriage. I don’t believe the statistics from this report based on the early 1900’s are true today. Today it is more likely to be the secular humanist who is highly educated in science who will tend to fornicate (sex before marriage) and are also more likely to divorce if they do get married and are less likely to marry, whereas religious folks get married.

4) There is also an alignment between worldly education as opposed to religious education. People educated in the philosophy of men tend to also become more financially endowed. The article claims that poor people are ignorant and therefore subscribe to religion. I would suggest that worldly people chase the almighty dollar and substitute their need for God with material things including their desire to worship the created thing rather than the creator. It is one and the same person that is highly education that also tends to be wealthy in terms of this world. The Bible answers this with the statement that the rich find it difficult to get into heaven. (Their riches tend to stop them from finding out the truth of religion.) But in reality it is the educated in the philosophies of men that are the ones that are ignorant of God’s word and purposes. They are uneducated in the things of eternity and the things of God and they are headed for a lost eternity as a result of their spiritual impoverishment.

5) The article talks about self regulation as somehow superior to God regulation (we must assume this is what they mean). This drives to the definition of morals. Are morals dictated by God or by ourselves? Today marriage in Canada includes gay marriage whereas the Bible only supports heterosexual marriage. This type of union is an example where self regulation is leading society in a different direction than religious regulation. Such regulation is not superior to religious regulation it is different. But you cannot prove that self-regulation has proven to be superior to Gods regulation.

Educated people who are educated in the word of God know this whereas uneducated people in the word of God do not seem to know these things.

The Bible has three things to say on this subject which come to mind.

“Claiming to be wise they became fools”

“Beware of Science falsely so called”. (Beware of mans science. It will lead you to nowhere in terms of eternity.)

“It is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to pass through the eye of a sewing needle.” (SKJV)

Paedophiles Setting Curriculum for Education in Ontario (Revisited)

Ray: We revisited this topic which we introduced in 2012 because Ben Levin who was the Deputy Minister of Education in 2010 was arrested recently with 6 charges of Sexual Deviancy, including Paedophilia toward a minor and publishing of these materials on the internet. We point out that Kathleen Wynne (A professing Lesbian) was the minster of education and Ben Levin was her deputy minister when an attempt was made in 2010 to introduce a perverted sex education curriculum that sought to teach the children in the public schools in Ontario to experiment with using carrots and other vegetables to experience Sodomy and what its like to be a Homosexual first hand.

Also revisit our last posting on this topic in which we pointed out that part of the curriculum involved the rape of 23 children in order to find out how often they could be made to have orgasm in a 24 hour period of time.
http://truthiswhatmatters.com/2012/11/02/paedophiles-are-behind-ontario-sex-education/

We also talked about how God sees us as three part beings wheras Freud only saw two parts to our beings. We discussed how that Psychology comes short of giving the right answers because it deals with the mind only and not the spirit of man.

Hebrews 4 – 12 For the Word of God is alive, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the separating of soul (Gk:psyche, natural desires) and spirit (Gk:pneumos, Godward desires), and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (SKJV)

For more information about the Sex Education Scandals in Ontario we have also posted a link to a News Clip by Sun News.
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/featured/prime-time/867432237001/inappropriate-teaching-in-toronto-schools/2360476813001

Please give us your comments, especially if you live in Ontario where our children are at risk due to the questionable curriculum that potentially could be forced on them.

Seeking for Truth

Ray: The search for truth is the core purpose that we have started our website. Jesus said “Seek and you will find.” We believe that truth is not elusive that it may be found but we might have to do our part to do some home work and put some effort in, in order to find it. Once you know the target is there the next step is to figure out how to hit the target.

I worked during my career as an Management Information Systems Consultant. In my travels I was made privy to the Business rules used to make money by some of my financial clients. In the late 90’s I worked for one client that was a private corporation in which the owner had 5 Billion net worth invested in the company and his salary was 5 Million per year. He was the richest Canadian and wasn’t interested in any one knowing it. I asked how he became so rich? I was told that in the 60’s he discovered that he could consistently average 100% return on his investments in the stock market. I was told that eventually he had this whole company put together and that his wealth skyrocketed continually. The company didn’t double its value every year but this particular stock broker who owned the company continually showed this kind of performance to the rest of his staff in his own portfolio within the company. I was told he wouldn’t share the information even with his own staff. I was told he didn’t have a particular rule other than he switched his tactics continually and that he spent a lot of time researching the market. More than most.

What I learned from this is if one man can do it, I can do it. I subsequently did quite well in the market myself averaging 40% return for 5 years running. One of those years I reached 100% return but that year was averaged against one year that I lost 8% and the overall average for me was around 40%. I don’t do the stocks now. I may again. I have switched to other less high yield investing but that allows me to pursue some of my other pursuits with my limited time available to me. But the reason I tell this story is to relate that Once I knew that someone could be successful in the stock market then I also knew it could be done again. But I had to then do a lot of seeking to find the secret of that mans success. I believe I partially found some of what he knew and partially repeated his success. I had to do a lot of seeking to accomplish what I did accomplish. I was rewarded for my seeking to the level that I was willing to seek.

There is vastly more treasure to be had in seeking the truth from the Absolute God who can reveal Absolute truth to us. Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life”. The reward we are seeking is eternal life. That is a wealth far beyond earthly riches. Even after accomplishing that there is further treasure to unearth if we are seriously devoted seekers of Truth.

Seeking truth, if I am to accept that the Bible is the place to find it involves seeking to know Jesus. (Look for our topic Prophecy proves the Bible for the reason that I believe truth is to be found in the Bible.

http://truthiswhatmatters.com/tag/prophecy/

)

Jesus said,

John 8 – 31 the Truth shall set you free.

The Apostle Paul said,

1 Timothy 2. 3 … God our Saviour; 4 … desires all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

I believe that for some the seeking of truth will lead them to salvation and for those already led to salvation it is Gods desire that they continue on to seek to know the truth. A starting point in that venture is to come to realize that there is truth. Once you realize this then how can you help but seek it to its ultimate end.

Sean McDowell: Why Truth Still Matters
Read what Sean McDowell has to say about the importance of seeking truth.
http://www.churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-how-tos/155091-sean-mcdowell-why-truth-still-matters.html

The cut off Messiah

Ray: In this post Brad and I discuss the cut off Messiah prophecy of Daniel and we discuss the Sabbath.

I went on to a long rabbit trail but the information about the Messiah I covered and our relationship to Him is important. The short answer however to Brad’s question about whether it is possible that the Antichrist is alive today is “YES it is possible”. Because all the pre-requisites for Christ’s calling the Church out of this world prior to his raining judgments on the earth have already been fulfilled. The primary one being that the Jews have once again become a Nation.

A Radio Chat with Ray & Brad in 2010

 Ray: We have been quiet at this blog. We hope at some point to increase our activity. I thought I would post a radio show that was aired on Blog Talk radio in 2010. Brad and I met in 2008 when I ran in the Canadian Federal Election as a candidate for the Newmarket-Aurora riding, representing the Christian Heritage Party of Canada. Brad interviewed me on a local Newmarket Radio station and on Internet radio several times over the following two years. (We have lost our archives of most of these interviews.) It was after this last radio show that Brad and I began to talk about sharing a blog site to present some of the things that we discussed on his show.

We spoke about a book which tells the truth about global warming in that program by an author named Glenn McKerron.  We hope to have Glenn on our YouTube show soon to revisit the topic of Global Warming.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/outandabouttown/2010/08/18/author-and-publisher-ray-luff-live-with-brad-snell/scrub/0

Listen to internet radio with Out and About Town on Blog Talk Radio

Lawlessness among youth depends on Morals

Ray: Another author who has me on his mail list, Tim Blodoew has written an excellent article regarding Youth Crime which I think our readers may find interesting. Tim questions the literacy of todays academics for their inability to recognize that Youth who have “Godly Morals” are different from youth that have “Morals” without God included.

Dear Ray,
It is remarkable how illiterate today’s academics and professionals are. It should be obvious to Christians that professionalism is primarily a theological and ethical matter, not primarily a technical standing. Because of this, we should not expect non-Christian professionals or experts to be as competent as Christian professionals

In this respect, we are talking about Christians who operate Christianly in their sphere. A professing Christian who is in fact an operational humanist throughout the week is not what we have in view here.

The illiteracy of today’s heathen academic professionals was highlighted in a recent piece from Creation magazine:

“University of Cambridge researchers questioned teenagers about their attitudes to lawlessness and asked what criminal things they had done (cross-checking their answers with police records). The research provided important insight into last year’s UK riots – why some young people went on a lawless rampage while others did not. The study found that teenagers who avoided crime did so not because they feared the consequences or lacked the chance, but because they saw it as wrong. Conversely, teenagers with little sense of right and wrong were responsible for the vast majority of juvenile crimes. The lack of a sense of morality was the single most important factor in teenagers breaking the law.

“Professor Per-Olof H. Wikström who led the study observed: ‘The idea that opportunity makes the thief – that young people will inevitably commit crime in certain environments – runs counter to our findings’. Academics around the world have heralded the research as ‘groundbreaking’ and a ‘breakthrough’ in understanding teenage crime. One US academic described it as ‘among the most significant works in criminology in decades'” (“Creation Magazine” [34,4, 23012], 11).

Reality confirms Biblical truth, truth that was reflected in ethics and social analysis within a Christendom that covered Europe and North America for generations, yet a couple of generations later, academic professionals are so illiterate that they call data which confirms easily accessible truth “groundbreaking.” That is remarkable, and evidence of how inferior, if not qualitatively different, the humanist/atheist definitions of professionalism and intelligence are. (This is also one of the fundamental arguments against non-Christian schooling.)

Christians should not dignify these people with the labels of professional, expert or academic. We don’t need to disrespect these people, but we should seek opportunities to highlight the irrational foolishness of the kingdom of Satan – the kingdom of Humanism – in contrast to the rationality and truth and power of the Kingdom of God. This is hard to do if the “Christianity” we live doesn’t look much different from the worldview practiced by our humanistic neighbours – seven days a well, 24 hours a day.

Let’s be different. Let’s be ambassadors of the King. Let’s be Kingdom citizens.

Tim Bloedow Executive Director

http://christiangovernance.ca/

Christianity is Feared

Ray: I ran in the 2008 Election as a candidate for the CHP Party in the Newmarket/ Aurora riding. I feel I should disclose this when promoting something the leader has to say. Because this article touched on matters of truth as promoted by Christians I thought it was an article that is worthy of repeating in our Blog. As always I welcome the comments of others. Let us know what you think of Jim’s article.

—

By Jim Hnatiuk – Leader of the Christian Heritage Party CHP Communiqué Vol 19, No 38, Sept 18, 2012
www.chp.ca

There is a huge difference between the open, honest exchange of ideas in a public debate and the indoctrination of a society through the use of manipulative propaganda.

The free market exchange of ideas is considered a “given” in countries like Canada, the United States, Great Britain, and many other countries that have democracies grounded in the rule of law. This freedom is what most of us have grown up with, it’s what we have come to expect, and we may even think it absurd if anyone suggests that Canada allows any less.

In contrast, Sharia-governed countries—like Iran today—will imprison or sentence to death those speaking what they believe to be true. But then again, Iran is on the other side of the world—isn’t it?

The Soviet Union had a long history of state atheism, which suppressed public expression over wide areas of its influence.

The atheist Mexican state in 1917 enacted enormous restrictions targeting the Catholic Church; one prohibition was even meant to keep Catholics from being educated in their own religion. Could that ever happen in Canada?

In 1793, Anacharsis Cloots, an atheistic French politician, declared that “Reason” and “Truth” were “supremely intolerant.” Was Cloots saying that truth was wrong? How ridiculous! But, maybe not. Wasn’t it just a few years ago our Canadian Human Rights Commission ruled that “Truth is no defence?”

So who or what represents Truth? Well, we know that Christianity certainly does. Christianity is the baseline of truth and thus is feared worldwide by those who mean to control others. In fact, Christians are persecuted worldwide, not because they are intolerant of others, but rather because they represent truth, and they, and others who understand truth, want to see that it is expressed in the free market exchange of ideas. Those who want to control people feel that the truth must be suppressed; dictators seek control of all public media so that they can silence any truth which they find inconvenient or embarrassing. They want to get rid of the Christians and, for that matter, get rid of anyone who demonstrates sympathy or admiration for Judeo-Christian values and principles.

Those of us who represent the Christian Heritage Party of Canada are indeed walking the high road because CHP Canada believes that the truth must be heard and restored within the educational, judicial, and legislative systems of our nation. Our party is not intolerant, it is not radically “right wing;” rather it is right on!

Should people fear our biblical values? You bet! Those people who want to control and intimidate the citizens of Canada will naturally fear the revealing light of the truth. On the other hand, those who love the truth should welcome an honest public debate about the issues facing our nation today. Both groups, those who fear the truth and those who welcome the debate, deserve to know something: CHP Canada is growing, our members are organizing, and we who love the truth are coming to take back our wonderful nation and to defend the principles upon which it was founded, principles—as stated in the Preamble to Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms— “that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.” Won’t you join your voice with ours?

The time to get into the battle is now. Join the Christian Heritage Party of Canada and make your stand for freedom, a glorious part of our blessed Christian heritage.

The Bible is proven True by Fulfilled Prophecy

Part 1

Part 2a

Part 2b

Is the Christian Bible a source of absolute truth?

RAY: I wish to thank one of our readers for raising the very important question of why I would think that an archaic writing (the Christian Bible) is a source of truth? He felt that quoting from it does not prove anything about the topic of “Absolute Truth”.

I realize that this is a valid argument that has been raised which is worthy of addressing.

I tackled this question in the introduction pages of the SKJV (Simplified King James Version) Bible which we promote at our sister website www.bibledoor.com. I also addressed this topic in a more detailed manner in the introduction to another book that I authored called “Illumination or Illusion – A comparative Study of Newer Bible Versions”. Both of these books are available at www.bibledoor.com.

I have provided here a link to the web page for the SKJV – Gospel of John. On page viii of the introduction  there is a section entitled “The Holy Bible is God’s way of revealing Himself to us !“. Please read that article and keep the gospel of John as well to read at your leisure.

http://bibledoor.wordpress.com/store-2/freebies/skjv-johns-gospel/

We will attempt to discuss this topic in a coming show. In preparation for this show I would like to ask for your opinions. Please comment about what you think about this topic.

Some interesting Videos on Youtube related to why the Bible presents absolute truth
(disclaimer: These videos of what others are saying who are not associated with our website.)