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Springtime Reminders of Life During Sorrow

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Waking up just before 5 the AM alarm, I try to be quiet and do not stomp around — unlike some folks. The sun has not shown itself in these parts yet. Early spring, but so far, it has been cold and rainy more often than not. Mostly silent outside...and then, "Chirpity derp, chirpity derp." The robin wants to get things going with the morning song. It worked. The northern cardinal selects one of many songs, one I say is, "Birdie birdie birdie tweet tweet tweet tweet ." Robin and bluebird, Birds of New York , Louis Agassiz Fuertes , 1912 The robin is the state bird of Michigan, where I spent my first forty years. (During the day and especially the evening, they are so fussy , clucking and scolding...) After my first marriage failed, I moved to New York to be with Charlene — in almost the same map latitude. When she died seven months ago, a part of me died with her and I did not want to go on. But she would want me to do just that. Charlene loved

The Resurrection Brings Hope in Several Ways

It is Easter again , the time when many professing Christians observe the bodily Resurrection of Jesus, God the Son, from the dead. On such an important time, we should be seriously examining Good Friday as well as Resurrection Sunday. Unfortunately, many of us make several mistakes. The most obvious is that we take it lightly and go through our routines and rituals. Those are functional and even fun. We need to also consider things we do wrong, and also how Easter gives us hope in several ways. Resurrection wooden art, Pixabay / CP This post was written in 2023, partly with the idea that it would appear even if I had died before the scheduled date. I edited in this paragraph. Something worse for me happened. I lost my beloved wife Charlene, who was also my best friend, in September of 2023. She and Jesus are waiting for me, along with others who have gone before. Although some professing Christians join with atheists in denying it, the Resurrection is a historical fact . The obvious

Follow the Leader?

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen You know the game, most of us played it when we were kids. Someone is selected to be the leader and everyone falls in behind for whatever journey happens. When it becomes hazardous, people follow at their own peril or wise up and drop out. Many of us play variations on it later in life. There may be a persuasive leader in a clique or someone in authority at the workplace. Sometimes it is friends, or mayhaps jumping in on teh interwebs. Follow the Leader, Wikimedia Commons / Doug Coldwell ( CC BY-SA 4.0 ) We easily see how professing atheists are control freaks, especially on social(ist) media. I have had several times when I posted on a biblical creation science topic, and a misotheist feels the need to disrupt things and hijack the discussion thread with demands for "proof" (mostly on a different subject altogether). There are Christians who think they are rising to the challenge and try to persuade the atheist that God exists or something similar, bu

Celebrating the Resurrection in 2023

Most professing Christians around the world are celebrating the bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! If it had not happened, our faith is in vain (1 Cor. 15:12-19). But it did  happen and is the best-attested fact of ancient history. Those who are in Christ are forgiven and adopted as children of God (1 John 1:12-13.)  Like last year, no full post today but I am going to link to my other posts on the subject: Doubt Creation, so Doubt the Resurrection? The Trail of the Resurrection from Genesis (which I had written about a year ago in case I was not around to post something for this year) Resurrection or Evolution as a Basis for Hope Bible with Resurrection account and flowers, Unsplash / Anuja Mary Tilj As a bonus, here is a short post from Jimmy, " This Sunday at Church: Being Grateful for the Resurrection of Christ ." Please pray that God blesses his missions trip and for safe travels. Also, Why?Outreach has reposted a link to a collection of links regarding

Assigned Genders and Corporate Foolishness

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen A spell back, I wrote about an employee  showing professionalism in a big box store . A customer was ranting about how he was supposedly insulted by another employee, and this one had to hear about it. After a few subsequent visits, I got to know the guy at the store and we had some discussions. One day over lunch, the employee that I will call Aaron gave me some surprising insights into that company and its policies. Those are quite a distance from the vision of the company founder! Image information below This company used to believe in people and listen to employees and customers alike, but I see quality sacrificed for profit. Aaron told me of a revolving door of employees that come in, work for a while, then quit or get fired. While they have some real gems that have worked in this company for many years, many of the younger workers just don't care. You can't find that plaid sheet set that the app says is on the shelf? Try looking behind the boxes of

Who is it For?

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen As much as I dislike titles that are in the form of a question (there always seems to be some jasper who has an "answer" and feels no need to read the material before commenting), this is vague enough to cause curiosity. Every once in a while, I notice people who are fond of keeping with the latest trends, many of those are related to fashion. Many people feel compelled to follow the trends. This may involve investing a great deal of time and money, but trends change frequently. Some slang terms only lasted a few years and will cause a user to be scorned by the trendy. (I use some to be humorous or individual.) Who are they dressing, getting hairstyles, speaking, listening to certain music, etc., for ? Paris Fashions in Peterson's Magazine , February 1871 — these were being sold about the time Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex was published It is my view that people seek attention and approval when they do th

Christmas and the Incarnation

Wow, Christmas already? It feels like a year...okay, it happens that way. This post is a follow-up of sorts to " Christmas is More than People Think ", and it would be helpful to read the article linked there before reading this one. Helpful, but not essential. Most professing Christians and some people who give a nod to it celebrate Christmas. Ask them what it means, you will be told that the Son of God was born. There is far more involved than that simple answer provides. Pixabay / Gerd Altmann As a child raised in the Untied Methodist Church (misspelling intentional), I learned my best theology from the hymns and public reading-mumblings of the creeds in the back of the hymnals. My understanding was still very weak, however. I have a vague recollection of getting on the prod when someone said that Jesus is God: "No he isn't! He's the Son  of God!" Later came knowledge of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Then the phrase, "

Being Professional in the Workplace

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen Yeah, I know. People who work for a living are told to act professional-like, and are constantly reminded of it. Here is an example that shows professionalism — or the lack thereof — in action. Just a few days ago, I was in town with Roland Meadows, the fiancé of my prospector friend Stormie Waters. Since Roland wanted to get Stormie a gift, we then headed for a bigger town that has one of those big box stores with a passel of stuff. Clothing for sale, Pexels / Marcus Winkler While he was browsing for a gift, I was also wandering. I saw an employee putting things back on the shelf (people ransack these places), and someone came up to him. "Do you know that person working the counter over there?" "I don't —" the employee began to reply. "Well, I asked a question and was told it was stupid and was laughed at! I've had a hard life..." He went on for a few more seconds with a profane tirade, apologized to the employee for cursing

I Dream of Demons

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  It was one of those nights where I lost some sleep, and frustrating because I had to go to work the next day. Tough it out and pray for strength. Have you experienced dreams that stay with you throughout the day? This was not one of those. Instead, I was laying there at four in the A. of M. trying to remember it so I could write this here article. The first dream that I will mention, however, did  stay with me. I remember most of it rather well years later. Old house, Pixabay / Peter H In the older dream, I was walking alone on a very straight country lane on a very fine day. It was unpaved and there were no fences. Coming toward me was a figure in a hooded black robe, and a dog (like a Labrador Retriever, but with a bit more hair). The dog ignored me and kept on going, but I knew the other character was a demon. I was annoyed, and my immediate response was to rebuke it. "Satan, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the blood shed on the cross —" &q

Resurrection Day 2022

Glory to God, Jesus Christ has risen from the dead! That means he has defeated death, and all who believe in him have the blessed hope of eternal life. There is a fearful expectation of eternal life in Hell for those who have rejected God's offer of salvation. It is amazing that atheists are so hateful, and without hope in life, that they not only spit in the face of Jesus, but try to destroy our faith. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Our hope is certain because it is based on the person of Jesus. Don't let anyone try to take your eyes off him! Pixabay / congerdesign I'm not going to post an article here. Instead, here's a list of what I've written up for this Easter season. Some of these were written several months in advance: The Crucifixion and Counting to Three — People say it is not possible to get three days from the Crucifixion on Friday to the Resurrection on Sunday. Modern readers of ancient texts have a habit of imposing their own culture

Doing Evil in the Name of Science

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen (Material added 24 February 2024.) When Christians point out that the mass murderers of the 20th century were atheists (Hitler was a pantheist who believed nature was "god"), misotheists with things like, "Prove to me that Stalin said he did atrocities in the name of atheism!" Not in those words, but they hated the God of the Bible and had no consistent moral foundation to inconvenience their consciences. In a similar way, one would have a difficult time finding a scientist who says, "I am using science for evil!" Scientists are not blank slates driven by data. They are as corrupt or virtuous as everyone else, subject to operating within their worldviews. Open Clipart / Olga Bikmullina Professing Christians should be honoring God and following what he has revealed in the Bible. Those who are unregenerate (John 3:6-7, 2 Cor. 5:17) are unable to discern the things of God (John 8:44, 1 Cor. 2:14, 2 Cor. 4:4, Rom. 12:2). We cannot expect

Waiting for the Return of Jesus

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  A short article by Ken Ham inspired me to write this one, and I will link to it later. He raises some points worth considering. Christians have been waiting for over 2,000 years for his promised return, and as we were told in 2 Peter 3:3-7, unbelievers are mocking us. God has his own timing and reasons. End-times prophecy (eschatology) is a complex and divisive subject. Personally, I believe in the pre-tribulation catching away of the saints. Pexels / Simon Berger Unfortunately, there are people who want to fight about which view is best, and even condemn other Christians for having the "wrong" view. In my experience, it seems that many who hold to amillennial and post-tribulation views are extremely caustic toward pre-trib Christians, but I'll allow that "our side" can be strident at times as well. There's no cause for pride from anyone in having the "right" view, but people sure do seem to want to feel special, don't t

Christmas is More than People Think

Many people around the world celebrate Christmas, whether born-again believers, cultural Christians, or others who simply want to participate. Secularism has raised dust clouds that obscure the true meaning, with movies and television shows emphasizing the "spirit" of Christmas without the Spirit. Some groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses shun Christmas. While they may accurately point out the commercialism, they also complain about Jesus as a baby. Well, that is  how the man Jesus entered his creation. But they certainly dislike expository preaching and Christian hymns that have true theology. Christmas crib, Freeimages / GERAS One objection to celebrating Christmas is that most people get the details wrong. Things have been tacked on by tradition and misunderstanding Scripture. Yes, there is some of that . In addition, some people become sanctimonious in their refusal to celebrate, saying that the Bible does not command us to celebrate Christmas or Easter. While we are no

The Secular Science Industry Propagandizes Same-Sex Attraction

We are told that the peer review process in the secular science industry is a method of providing truth and accuracy, and ensuring correct procedures were followed in submitted papers. That sounds like a mighty good idea, but peer-reviewed papers are often bad,  downright fraudulent, or hoaxes . Homosexual activists passed a peer-reviewed paper in  Science  magazine, but that should not have happened. It was fake science research, and  Science  was embarrassed by the fraudulent tactics. The secular science industry did not seem to learn from this. Assembled with images from Open Clipart After the Science  humiliation and the "We're so sorry if we've caused you any pain, Uncle Albert, and boy, does this hurt the credibility of science itself in the public eye" schtick, the disastrous Obergefell decision by the US Supreme Court struck. (That is one reason I believe we're under divine Judgment .) After that ruling, the militant Gaystapo cut loose with harassing peopl

Cannabis and Mental Illness

It has been common knowledge for decades that drugs affect the mind, and the 1960s drug use explosion helped establish cannabis as a household word. Stoners would proudly display the sweet leaf emblem of their false god. Even though marijuana use has been legalized in many states for medicinal purposes, results are dubious at best. Smoking a joint can actually worsen medical conditions. It has been known for years that cannabis users get paranoid and lethargic, but things are actually much worse. Original image from Pexels / Kindel Media , modified, plus a modified Wicca symbol from Open Clipart It is interesting that φαρμακεία ( pharmakeia ), the Greek word that is the root of pharmacy , is about witchcraft and sorceries in the New Testament. Drugs were prominent in occult arts, and witches managed to get hallucinogenic materials from certain plants. This is part of the idea that witches flew on brooms, as many hallucinated the experience. I reckon there's a similar attitude of r

Isaac Newton and the Trinity

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Knowingly or through ignorance, people downplay the fact that God is the Creator. He is not just a little above us like a comic book superhero. Rather, he is far beyond our comprehension (Roman 9:20-22, Isaiah 29:16, Genesis 1:1). We are able to grasp some of his attributes through nature (Romans 1:20), and especially through his revelation in the Bible. An extremely difficult concept to understand is the Trinity. Most professing Christians are ignorant of what  and why  the believe, and are essentially heretics . Someone may ask you to show them the word  Trinity (or Tri-unity of God, Triune Godhead) in the Bible. It is not there. However, the doctrine is taught in Scripture . It is a difficult concept, and there are sayings like, "Whoever claims to understand the Trinity has lost his mind. Whoever denies the Trinity has lost his soul." We can get a handle on it and use analogies that don't completely work, but it it exceedingly important and ta

Smoking that Doobie, Brother

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen Many countries, especially on the western side of the Atlantic, have decriminalized cannabis (weed, pot, doobies, grass, smoke, reefer, whatever) and legalized it for medical use. Many places have made recreational use legal as well. Even where illegal, enforcement of laws is often sporadic . And there was great rejoicing among pot smokers. In fact, here in not-all-that-far-upstate New York, cops don't care. Polly Pothead in the apartment next door was chugging away so much, the smoke could be seen not only in the hallway, but seeped into our own apartment. Police did nothing. That was before it was legal, but her usage is the same as before; smoking wacky tobaccy just wasn't important enough to enforce the law. Also, she's a terrible conversationalist. One article I found in my research mentioned that Mary Jane was originally illegal because it is harmful. (Oh, come on! Don't get a burr under your saddle. You know it's true. People who argue

Celebrating the Resurrection in 2021

This Easter has a deeper meaning for me. Thinking about the bodily Resurrection of Jesus, but it is also the anniversary of the birth of my late father. He, too, had that blessed hope. I will meet him, my mother, my oldest brother, and others in Heaven who have gone before. Credit: Flickr / Kristin Klein  ( CC BY 2.0 ) If anyone was looking for a longer post, yes, I've been busy: Answering Good Friday and Easter Questions  (putting to rest false claims of Easter and Good Friday paganism) The True Source of Life The Other Resurrections (especially that puzzling passage in Matthew 27:50-54) Moses and the Resurrection of Jesus?

Getting Spammed about Evil People and Evolution

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Just as I was getting ready to write a pseudo-medical post, I saw that I had a risible spam and decided to write about that instead. Writing things that appear on the internet brings unique annoyances. One of these is a kind of targeted spam. Background image furnished by  Why?Outreach A spell back, I wrote " Evil People Trying to Prove Evolution ". This was primarily about many wicked things that evolutionary thinking has spawned, with an emphasis on how the "Aryan race" did horrible things to "prove" that the Jews were an inferior race. (I wrote a follow-up satire because feral atheopaths inadvertently confessed to being Nazis .) I did not write about the Wuhan virus at all. Twelve days later, the interesting and amusing spam arrived: Subject line: Piltdownsuperman.Com's support for Black-owned businesses during COVID-19 Emma [Redacted - for now] Hi there, I saw your page piltdownsuperman.com/2021/01/evil-people-trying-to-prov