Before we get into who I am and the purpose of this site, I’d like to quickly address some things I am not.
I am not an atheist, agnostic, Muslim, nor am I part of a cult. I am not a flat-earther, and I don’t believe in chemtrails. I am not demon-possessed, nor a messenger of Satan. I am not trying to destroy the Word of God, nor am I attempting to push people away from God. But I am also not one to accept things simply because that’s the way they’ve always been or someone “smarter” said so.
What I am is an average guy, a software developer, a father, and a Christian; although that word may not mean what it once did. I am a follower of Jesus who chooses to reject the words of Paul. I don’t have any affiliation to any particular denomination. As ironic as this sounds, I currently attend a “spirit-filled”, tongue-speaking, Pentecostal church. (And yes, I struggle with some of what they teach and believe, which I’ll likely address over time.)
I love to debate all sorts of topics, but I am terrible at it in person. I forget my references, lose track of the point I was going for, I stammer and fumble my words, and I tend to raise my voice when I get passionate! But give me a chance to sit down, collect my thoughts and compile resources, and I truly thrive. That’s why I chose this format for what I’m trying to accomplish.
As for the purpose, I want to challenge you and I want you to challenge me.
Most Christians don’t know anything about how their Bible came to be, they don’t know what the Ten Commandments actually say or if they are supposed to follow them, they don’t understand what tithing is, and they really don’t know much about Paul… even though he wrote most of the words they read (assuming they read the Bible at all).
I have strong opinions about all of those things that have come about from years of studying, listening, and reasoning. I’m not asking you to blindly accept my points of view. I want to share why I feel the way I do, and if you disagree, I want to know how I’m wrong. But I want reasoned answers, not generic answers like, “If you don’t believe the entire thing is inspired and inerrant, then you’re going to hell!” That’s not an answer. That’s a defense mechanism rolled up into an anonymous online post.
So that’s why we’re here. I hope you enjoy my rants and ramblings. And I hope you participate in the discussion!
¹ The quote comes from Awdhoot Khandekar, who has a blog here. Use of his quote is not an endorsement for anything he posts on his own blog. I simply liked the quote and wanted to give credit where credit is due.