The Big Bang is in Big Trouble: It Never Happened!

by Don Boys, Ph.D

With apologies to Kierkegaard, there are two ways to be deceived. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. I prefer always to assume the Bible is right, while atheists always assume the scientists are right. Both positions are based on faith. Evolutionists have done a good job convincing people the theory of evolution has scientific merit; however, it is a wrong assumption and not a winning argument.

Evolution is like a blind man in a dark basement looking for a black cat—that isn’t there.

The Bible says that God is responsible for everything we see and don’t see, but evolutionists tell us He is not responsible for creation because He does not exist. If that’s true, how did this incredible universe originate?

Some scientists are willing to admit that they honestly don’t know. Scientist L. John concluded, “…the sad truth is that we do not know how the galaxies came into being.”

There are four theories of the universe’s origins: (1) It created itself, but then that is contrary to the first law of thermodynamics (that says no new energy and matter are being created), so a well-established scientific law disqualifies that possibility. (2) The universe has always been here, but that is contrary to the second law of thermodynamics that says everything is running down, and if the universe had always been here, it would have totally unwound and disintegrated. (3) The old Greek notion that the universe is not here. Everything is an illusion! That is contrary to the law of common sense, a law not understood by most evolutionists! (4) God did it!

Each person has a choice, and frankly, the ancient Greeks’ mental meanderings make almost as much sense as modern-day evolutionists!

Evolution could not exist without guesses based on inference and extrapolation, but they hold to the first position that the universe created itself. Many refuse to use those words since they make one look stupid, if not silly, and for sure not scientific. Some scientists have plainly declared that nothing created everything! Thinking people with common sense realize that absurdity; knowing nothing cannot do or create anything.

Such teaching is desperation, and they call it the Big Bang Theory (BBT), but it really wasn’t a bang, nor was it big! It also doesn’t rise to the level of a theory but only a hypothesis, guess, or assumption.  Of course, the really Big Bang is God spoke, and Bang, it happened!

Space has proved in recent years to be dark, deep, and disturbing to scientists as they observe detailed space photos that scream, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”

https://thedissenter.substack.com/p/the-big-bang-is-in-big-trouble-it?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

America is the Modern-Day Nineveh

Fellow conservatives and other Trump supporters, I’m advising and BEGGING you to stay away from all inauguration day protests and events. The left is hoping you’ll be there so they can turn you into scapegoats for whatever violence their shock troops (antifa and BLM) will instigate. Stay home, continue to organize and prepare for a down economy and whatever will be coming our way. If you’re a believer in God, you can probably see that America is like Nineveh in the book of Nahum. We strayed away, didn’t listen to His prophets, and are about to be destroyed as a nation. God will take care of His kids, but I believe America is on the way off the world stage. Be ready for what happens next. As Joseph prepared Egypt for 7 years of famine, so should you prepare for what is coming. We may or may not be able to change the course of America at this point in history. Be patient. Be where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do, and wait. If you stay in the Word, on your knees (spiritually), and obedient, you’ll know what to do, and when to do it.

Marianne Williamson Leads A Prayer Apologizing For Being White

She doesn’t seem to understand that by asking forgiveness for being white, she’s saying that God, the perfect creator of the entire universe, made a mistake by creating her. She probably also thinks God is OK with abortion. Why is it so hard for these people to understand that being a “Christian” means following and trying to be LIKE CHRIST?!?!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n1Mxs06hBe8&feature=share#menu

Buttigieg Twists Bible Verse To Justify Attacking Christian Conservatives

Hey, Pete Buttigieg.  Since you pretend to like scripture so much, here are some you may enjoy.  Then again, maybe not since you seem to only believe certain parts of the Bible, and tend to pick and scriptures strictly for the purpose of demonizing opponents. 

You demonize President Trump for attempting to reduce reliance on food stamps, which he HAS done by creating an economy that has put more people back to work than at any time in the last half century.  You seem to want people dependent on you for free stuff.  What does the Bible say about getting a free ride when you’re able to work?

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 NASB  (10)  For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.  (11)  For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.  (12)  Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.

Matthew 26:11 NASB  “For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.

This is not saying that you should not help the poor, but should focus on Jesus.  When you are focused on Him, you’ll do what God wants you to do to help the poor.

You complain that Trump wants to secure our borders and ensure our sovereignty by building a wall.  Was Nehemiah evil for wanting to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem?

Nehemiah 2:17-18 NIV  Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”  (18)  I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

Nehemiah 6:15-16 NIV  So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.  (16)  When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

When surrounding tribes and leaders protested the building of the wall around Jerusalem, what did God’s servant tell them?

Nehemiah 2:20 NIV  I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Just like those who come here illegally have no share in America, or at least aren’t supposed to.

Anti-God Democrats STILL Hate God

The party that publicly denied God THREE times at their convention, and that seeks to remove God and Christianity from every facet of public life at every turn, has reaffirmed that they are the party that hates God once again.  This time, they are removing ‘so help me God’ from the house committee oath. 

Democrat rep Steve Cohen said:

“I think God belongs in religious institutions: in temple, in church, in cathedral, in mosque — but not in Congress.  And God doesn’t want to be used.”

It shows you that Mr. Cohen, like most of his democrat cohorts, does not know God.  If he did, Cohen would understand that God wouldn’t ALLOW Himself to be “used.”  However, God DOES want to be, and rightly DEMANDS to be worshiped.

But to the communist democrats, there can be no god except government. 

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Yes, Democrats Have Removed ‘So Help Me God’ From House Committee Oaths

“I think God belongs in religious institutions”

Win McNamee / Staff / Getty Images

By PAUL BOIS

 @PAULBOIS39

June 5, 2019

The Democrats have continued their mission to root God out of the public square in the name of secularism by removing “so help me God” from the U.S. House of Representatives oath witnesses must take when testifying before several of the congressional committees, all of which are currently under Democratic control.

Daily Wire TV

According to LifeSiteNews, the changes to the oaths have been slowly implemented ever since House Democrats announced the new policy in January, which immediately faced backlash.

“In January, a draft of a rules package from the Natural Resource Committee was leaked to the public showing ‘so help me God’ marked for deletion, replaced with the phrase ‘under penalty of law,'” reports the outlet.

Even Snopes admitted at the time that Democrats indeed had tried to take God out of the oaths. Here’s what the original document stated before Democrats retracted it:

(e) Oaths. — The Chairman of the Committee, the Chairmen of the Subcommittees or any Member designated by the Chairman may administer oaths to any witness before the Committee. All witnesses appearing in hearings may be administered the following oath by the Chairman or his designee prior to receiving the testimony: ‘Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony that you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?’

Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) claimed the removal of God from the oaths was a simple “mistake.” Despite that, the Democrats eventually went on to push God out of the oaths, which One America News pointed out in March when Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TX), chair of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, specifically omitted “so help me God” when swearing witnesses in at a hearing. When Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) tried to correct the oath, Cohen publicly rebuked him. Take a look:

Last month, The New York Times reported that Democrats have made “so help me God” a forgotten and buried tradition in the U.S. House, with Rep. Steve Cohen telling the outlet he finds the phrase inappropriate for Congress.

“I think God belongs in religious institutions: in temple, in church, in cathedral, in mosque — but not in Congress,” said Cohen. “And God doesn’t want to be used.”

Republicans have been fighting back. Rep. Mike Johnson argued before his colleagues that “so help me God” carries great weight in that it implies someone who bears false witness is subjected to a higher judge.

“The intention behind [‘so help me God’] was to express the idea that the truth of what was being said was important not just in the moment, but would go into eternity, and someone was watching and would ultimately be our judge,” said Johnson. “Some would call that mere symbolism, but to many of our founders, it was deeper than that.”

Though Democrats have long fought to remove religion from the public square, starting with the ousting of prayer in schools, the party’s brazen hatred for God being involved in politics erupted at the 2012 DNC when delegates voted by a large margin to remove God from the party platform.

Link to article:  https://www.dailywire.com/news/48088/yes-democrats-have-removed-so-help-me-god-house-paul-bois?utm_medium=email&utm_content=060619-news&utm_campaign=position3

No, God Doesn’t Have a Political Party, But One Party In Particular Seems to be Devoid of Godliness

“…a person of faith who’s also part of the LGBTQ community…”

“Person of faith” and “LGBTQ community” are to very diametrically opposed things. Sorry to break the news to you.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I don’t believe Pete Buttigieg is actually a Christian. Oh, he may BELIEVE he is a Christian, just like so many in churches all across this nation and the world who are being taught a buffet-style of Christianity, and that there are many paths to Heaven. But you can’t pick and choose which parts of God’s Word you want, and ignore the rest. God is VERY clear that there is only ONE way to Heaven, to the Father, and that is through a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)

How can I say that I don’t believe Buttigeig is a Christian? Isn’t that “passing judgement?” No, moron. It’s USING judgement. Only God Himself will PASS judgement on each of us. However, He instructs us to USE judgement, i.e. to be “fruit inspectors.” (Matthew 7:16)

In Matt 7:16, Jesus says “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?” There are certain fruits that a walk with Jesus produces. The most oft cited passage describing these fruits is Galatians chapter 5. Let’s start by looking at verses 16-26.

Galatians 5:16-26 (NASB) 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Here Paul tells us that if you’re still actively trying to satisfy the desires of the flesh, you are acting contrary to the Spirit. He also says that among the fruits of the flesh are “sexual immorality.” There are a number of verses that make it CLEAR that homosexuality, a form of sexual immorality in God’s eyes, i.e. bulls with bulls, and cows with cows, is a sin.

Leviticus 18:22 (NASB) 22 You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.

Leviticus 20:13 (NASB) 13 If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.

Romans 1:18-32 (NASB) 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Pay particular attention to verses 26-27, especially the word “unnatural.” Even if you take this discussion outside the Christian arena for a moment, it is still impossible to argue that homosexuality is NATURAL. If it were, humans would be capable of asexual reproduction. Barring that, if homosexuality were natural, the human race would have ceased to exist long ago. Think back to your grade school biology class.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NASB) 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Jude 1:5-8 (NASB) 5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.

Homosexuality is CLEARLY a sin, it is a fruit of the flesh and not the Spirit, and thus one could reasonably deduce (judge) that someone who leads a life OPENLY flaunting their disobedience of God’s laws is not a Christian.

Everybody likes to focus on the “love” part of Christianity, but wants to ignore the things that God CLEARLY calls sin and tells us not to do. Sorry, can’t do that. If you love Jesus, and walk with Him, you keep His commandments.

John 14:21 (NASB) 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

None of us are perfect.

Romans 3:23 (NASB) 23 for all [a]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

But there’s a huge difference between making a mistake and repenting of it (turning around and going the other way), and CONSCIOUSLY living in a way that is contrary to what God commands. THAT is what Pete Buttigieg is doing, and THAT is why he makes me so sick when he and others of both his political and sexual persuasion pretend to lecture any of us on anything to do with Christianity.

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Pete Buttigieg: ‘God doesn’t have a political party’

By Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 10:27 AM ET, Tue April 23, 2019

(CNN)Pete Buttigieg opened up about his faith Monday night, expressing confidence that he will be able to unite many different groups of people because “God does not have a political party.”

During a CNN town hall in New Hampshire Monday, the South Bend, Indiana, mayor was asked how he planned to unite conservatives, moderates and liberal Christians.

“It can be challenging to be a person of faith who’s also part of the LGBTQ community and yet, to me, the core of faith is regard for one another,” Buttigieg said. “And part of God’s love is experienced, according to my faith tradition, is in the way that we support one another and, in particular, support the least among us.”

Read entire article here: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/23/politics/buttigieg-god-political-party/index.html

The Gay Communist Son of a Marxist Professor is Running for President

As the Mayhem guy in the March Madness commercial said, “I’m 18 inches of NOPE.” He’s thumbing his nose at God by claiming to be a Christian while being openly and unrepentantly homosexual, and he espouses ideologies destructive to the Constitution and the American way of life. Hard pass on Butthead.

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www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/pete-buttigiegs-father-was-a-marxist-professor-who-lauded-the-communist-manifesto

3 Tools of “Prepping” That Everyone Should Have

There are lots of things that can happen to you in life.  Bad weather, losing a job, relationship problems, car wrecks, medical problems, and the list goes on.  Some people do a poor job preparing for life.  They are not who this post is targeted at.  This is targeted at those of you/us who think our own strength, speed, skill, and knowledge will always get you through.  While there are some things you can prepare for, you can never prepare for EVERYTHING.  Some things you THINK you are prepared for only to find out that you’ve been caught by surprise, or you simply can’t handle what has arrived on your doorstep.  What do you do when this happens to you?

When YOU have been preparing, and YOU have been steeling yourself for life’s events, only to find out that YOUR strength just isn’t enough, the only way to continue is to get on your knees and turn to the one whose strength is sufficient for ALL things. 

Do you think that God, who created not only YOU, but created the ENTIRE UNIVERSE, can handle you being unemployed?  Do you think He can get you through that tree that fell on your house?  Do you think He can get you through a failed relationship, or even the loss of a loved one?  Often He is the ONLY one who can get us through these valleys in life.  

I tend to be a worrier, and I KNOW that there things hiding in the shadows I can’t foresee.  There are also things I can see staring me in the face I know I’m not ready for, and I can’t prepare for.  So, how do I keep from worrying myself to death over things I can’t control?

I take the hand of the ONE who I know can lead me through darkness, through fire, through trials, and through any wilderness, AND I JUST HANG ON.

John 15:7 NASB  “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Notice the first part of that verse.  It’s very important.  Many people, especially those preaching a false Gospel like the “prosperity gospel” that is so popular among “ear-ticklers” in certain mega-churches, only preach the last half of the verse.

The key is that IF I “abide in” Jesus, and His words “abide in” me, i.e. I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, we are on the same sheet of music.  The more my heart looks like His, the more I want what He wants.  When that’s the case, you get what you ask for a lot more often.  If you’re asking for things that Jesus doesn’t want for your life, you’re going to be disappointed.  In this case, as the imminent theologian Garth Brooks says, sometimes the best things in life are unanswered prayers.

Once I’m holding Jesus’ hand, I know that bad things are going to happen, but what happens to me here on earth isn’t the end of the story, which puts a more eternal perspective on the temporary circumstances we all endure.  I now KNOW what my eternity is, and that no matter what happens to me here, I have a much better future and eternity waiting for me.  THAT’S the peace that “surpasses all comprehension.”  That’s also the Good News we should be sharing with others.

Philippians 4:6-9 NASB  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  (7)  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  (8)  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  (9)  The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

So, here you can see the three tools necessary to lead a blessed life, and have the peace that walking with Jesus can bring.  You have to be:

1. In the Word (“…My words abide in you” Jn 15:7)
2. On your knees (“…by prayer and supplication…” Phil 4:6)
3. Obedient (Phil 4:8-9)

If you want to hear God’s voice, open His mouth (the Bible) and start reading.

You’ll also tend to hear it when you’re on your knees in prayer.  God WANTS us to talk to Him.  He created us to glorify Him, but He also created us for FELLOWSHIP.  Does your best friend remain your best friend if you never talk to them?  No.

As a child of God, the safest thing is to always do what you’re told (be OBEDIENT).  Just like when you were a toddler and wanted to get the ball that rolled into the street, your parents told you not to go into the street.  Their command was for your benefit.

Jeremiah 29:11 NASB  ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

So, as you “prep” for the storms in your life that WILL come, remember to include these three most important tools in your preparations.  IN THE WORD, ON YOUR KNEES, OBEDIENT. 

 

Christians ‘Standing in the Way’ of Totalitarian Rule

Commentary embedded below in this color.

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Christians ‘Standing in the Way’ of China’s Xi Jinping’s Totalitarian Rule

12-18-2018 | George Thomas

Many on the left, and many Christians with their heads in the sand, deny that Christians are being persecuted around the world.  Well, they are.  However, it’s not only Christians who are being persecuted, especially in nations with totalitarian governments.  Religion makes a totalitarian government/ruler nervous.  Why?  Because totalitarian rulers and governments see themselves as the only god that should be worshipped.  When you have a large and growing portion of the populace NOT worshipping at the alter of government, you have a lot of people thinking for themselves who may at some point rise up and overthrow you.

Early Rain, like scores of other congregations, is outside government control as part of China’s burgeoning so-called underground or house church movement.

Appearing on CBN News‘ WorldBeat, Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs, says this movement has touched every corner of China.

“And that’s the exciting thing, all across China, there are house churches, there are what they call ‘family churches’ and the reason the Communist government is so worried is because there are far more Christians in China than there are members of the Communist Party,” Nettleton told CBN News.

So, what does a totalitarian government or ruler do to people who are threatening their power?  They tighten the screws.

In recent months, Beijing has waged a brutal and widespread crackdown to stop the growth of these unregistered churches.

“This crackdown I think is a direct response to the fear of the Communist Party leaders who see the church growing way faster than the party is,” Nettleton said.

This has been going on since the beginning of time.  In Christ’s time, Rome was the government, and the Emperor was god.  They tolerated Judaism as long as the people stayed in line and paid their taxes.  The Jewish religious leaders were often complicit in the oppression of the Jews because they had it good.  As long as the people followed the “advice” of the religious leaders, and didn’t cause any trouble, Rome made sure they stayed in power, and got paid well.  When Jesus came along, He was preaching a message that was revolutionary, but in a peaceful way.  Nonetheless, people were turning away from the Jewish faith to follow this revolutionary person, so the Pharisees and other religious leaders saw Jesus as a threat and attempted to have Him killed.  When that failed, they whipped up the crowds against Jesus and had the Romans take Him.  The Romans didn’t really care as long as there was order and taxes.

In more modern times, you can look at socialist, communist, and muslim nations/governments.  In all of these examples, any god other than government (islam is a system of government hiding behind a thin veneer of religion) is seen as a threat to the government.  The response has ALWAYS been the same. 

This is what’s happening in China right now, and is happening to a greater or lesser degree all over the world.  Yes, even in the United States.

In America, we haven’t lost the freedom of religion YET.  However, one can’t take an objective look at how religions, especially Christianity, have been treated over time in our country and honestly say that persecution of religions isn’t increasing.  America was FOUNDED on Christian principles.  For most of the next two centuries, we largely lived by those principles, but the forces of evil have been attacking those principles and our Constitution since before the ink it was written in was dry.

The process has been slow, but we have seen Christians and Christianity slowly chased out of the government, the schools, the courts, and into the confines of the churches themselves.  The churches have also been infiltrated by people who attack, alter, and water down the Gospel.  It is very difficult today to find a church or preacher who teaches EXACTLY what’s in the Bible without fear or apology.  You have churches calling themselves “Christian” that are openly violating CLEAR commands of the Bible.  They are embracing things that God CLEARLY calls sin, and in doing so are leading many people straight to Hell.  On this front, Christianity and other religions are under attack because people don’t like to be told they are wrong.  They don’t like to be told that what they are doing, what feels good, what is easy, is a sin.  They want their ears tickled so they will feel good about themselves. 

Back to the totalitarian angle, why are Christians and people of other religions being persecuted so vigorously?  We’re in the way.  We’re a roadblock.  We remind people that they are wrong, and expose their wrongs to others by holding them up to a black and white standard that never changes.

Now authorities routinely target houses of worship, destroy crosses, burn Bibles and arrest pastors.

Mr. Fengang, who once predicted that China could become the world’s largest Christian nation, says the government, headed by Xi Jinping, views Christianity as a threat to the party’s long-term political aspirations.

“Christians are the remaining NGO’s (non-governmental organization) in the shrinking civil society in China,” Wang warned. “Under Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party, they are really trying to establish a totalitarian rule of Chinese society and the Christians are standing in the way of totalitarianism, so that’s why they’ve become a target.”

 

Link to article:  Christians ‘Standing in the Way’ of China’s Xi Jinping’s Totalitarian Rule

Billy Graham Called Home

Today, God called Billy Graham home.  He was a truly great man who had a huge impact on the world because he was obedient and let Christ work through him.  Pray for Franklin and his family as they deal with the loss of a truly great man, but remember that we didn’t actually lose Billy.  We know EXACTLY where he is, and if we accept the Gospel he spent his life sharing, we’ll get to meet him someday and praise God together.

Why Some People Need a Good Killing…A Biblical Defense for Self Defense

Just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean you need to roll over and let someone kill you.  You have a right, and a responsibility to defend yourself, your family, and your neighbors.

“To die a victim in the name of martyrdom, when the perpetrator will likely go on to kill more innocent people, is not martyrdom – it is cowardice. A man that does not care for his own family, in particular, is worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8) – and calling the police while your family is being assaulted falls short of the biblical responsibilities of manhood.”

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BY JD HALL · OCTOBER 2, 2015

Just because we’re good people doesn’t mean we won’t kill you – Rick Grimes

Right. So, maybe a Biblical defense for self-defense shouldn’t begin with quotation from the protagonist in a televised Zombie apocalypse set in the dystopian near-future. But, when I heard Rick say that, it was real. There’s no room for pretense when zombies are kicking down the doors to your rickety old barn.

We may not have zombies kicking down our barn doors, but like Rick Grimes, we live in a world where pretense will get you killed. Normalcy bias will get your killed. Pacifism will get you killed. Your pretty little philosophies and pontifications will get you killed. We live in a world of bad guys, albeit they’re not the walking dead. But, they are dangerous. And frankly, it’s time Christian leaders recognize that danger and stop being such metrosexual nancies without a modicum of moral clarity when dogmatizing our followers on the WWJD of martyrdom. In short, Christians leaders need to look less like Reverend Lovejoy and more like the Machine Gun Preacher. What you may not realize while locked away in your pastor’s study is that our world looks more like Rick Grimes’ than Homer Simpson’s. Sometimes, people need a good killing.

What I need you to do, if you’re to stomach the rest of this article, is take any notion you have of a Big Lebowski-looking Christ who rides the clouds on Falcor the Luck Dragon, handing out puppies and skittles out of Santa’s bottomless gift bag and put that image into the dustbin of your mind. Stop tasting the rainbow, put down the Rachel Held Evans book, and gird up your loins like a man. Instead, focus on the actual Christ, the one whose feet were caked with mud and muck and suggested his disciples go out and buy a sword on the night of his crucifixion, knowing they would soon be outlaws and in need of protection (Luke 22:36). Yes, focus on Christ, who is the second person of the Trinity and who transcends in ancient divinity the temporality of his earthly walk, and let us develop a Bible-long systematic theology of martyrology and self-defense.

As much as Jesus Seminar liberals would like to limit the teachings of Christ to his three-year ministry chronicled in the Gospel accounts, the reality for orthodox Christians is that every word of the Bible should be colored in Red. Being Trinitarians, we believe in a Triune God consisting of three Persons making up the Godhead (Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20, Colossians 2:9, KJV). The Persons of the Trinity, consisting of and being in themselves God, are at perfect unity and harmony together (Isaiah 61:1-2). Each one performs and acts according to the same will (John 6:38). In short, the words of God the Father, who inspired the Sacred Texts through God the Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16), is indeed the will and word of God the Son (John 1:1,14).

What this means is that to understand the teachings of God the Son, without juxtaposing his teaching with the teachings of God the Father, requires a systematic teaching on the subject of martyrology and self-defense throughout the entire canon of Scripture.

While it is true that Jesus told Peter to put away His sword because he must be crucified for the sins of the world (Matthew 26:52), he told them that very night to buy a sword in advance of their coming persecution (Luke 22:36). While Jesus’ exhortation that we turn the cheek from insult (Matthew 5:39) has been taken by pacifists (defined by JD’d dictionary as “those who let others die for their lives and liberties”) to be the locus classicus text for passive non-resistance, a robust theology of persecution reveals that that the thrice-holy God has indeed called his people to self-defense, protection of the innocent through violent means, and promotion of the general welfare through war. There is no logical reason to believe that God’s call to arms throughout Scripture has been abrogated in this current dispensation, for God does not change (Malachi 3:6) and his Word is immutable (Hebrews 6:17). Furthermore, the call to martyrdom that we see repeated throughout the New Testament does not imply that our death for the sake of the cross be a peaceful surrendering of ourselves over to injustice or voluntary death.

A thorough analysis of God’s divine hand guiding the body-politic of ancient Israel reveals an understood right of self-defense. We are to deliver the innocent from those that seek them harm (Proverbs 82:4). While murder is clearly prohibited (Leviticus 24:16-17), the taking of a murderer’s life is not prohibited and neither is it murder (Genesis 9:6). The qualifying distinctions between killing and murder are found in places like Exodus 21, Numbers 35, and Deuteronomy 19. In the commonwealth laws of Israel, delivered by God, one had the right to take the life of one breaking into their home in the night (Exodus 22:2). The general equity of this Old Testament law (to use words from the London Baptist and Westminister Confession) – that is, what is moral, universal and perpetual in nature – is that it is morally acceptable to take the life of one who will harm the innocent.

Even though our enemies are not flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), the same is true for the Israelites as they were rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, when they were instructed to arm themselves for potential conflict (Nehemiah 4:17). The realization of spiritual enemies did not negate the reality that there might be some people in need of a good killing, and God’s people were to be prepared to fight back. When Haman’s plans went awry because of Esther’s obedience, God’s people were instructed to kill those who sought their lives (Esther 9:2-5). When Abraham’s family was in jeopardy, he raised an army and killed their captors (Genesis 14:14-18) and was later blessed by God for that action.

To die a victim in the name of martyrdom, when the perpetrator will likely go on to kill more innocent people, is not martyrdom – it is cowardice. A man that does not care for his own family, in particular, is worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8) – and calling the police while your family is being assaulted falls short of the biblical responsibilities of manhood.

David’s hands were taught to operate a lethal weapon by God (Psalm 18:24). The limp-wristed effiminazi Intelligentsia calling for the disarmament of Christians today are a far cry from the man who was after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). And while we do not trust in our weapons, but in God (Psalm 44:7), this presupposes the ownership of weapons. On any given day, I may carry a number of different lethal weapons, but my trust is in God that they will fire properly, hit their target, or in God’s kind providence, I’ll find their use unnecessary.

Furthermore, we must understand that Christ’s martyrdom is wholly unlike our own. Christ’s death was a sacrifice, and offering it up bought the souls of men. Our life cannot be given in the same manner of Christ (for we neither lay it down nor pick it up of our own accord), and neither does it propitiate for any sins. Although we are, indeed, sheep sent out to wolves, the Good Shepherd never intended and neither does he ask us to provide a pacifistic buffet of mutton for any wolf that would seek to devour us.

That a martyr may resist, does not make him less of a martyr. That a man doesn’t resist when his family is in peril, does make him less of a man.

In light of the shooting at UCC, I call on all Christian leaders to stop the liberal pontificating on how guns caused this problem and call them to consider on why a lack of guns (along with a murderous, depraved heart as the root issue) caused this problem. Christ has called us to love our neighbor (Mark 12:31), and if you are unprepared to defend your neighbor due to dainty sensibilities or the irrational fear of using a firearm, I’d suggest you do not love your neighbors as much as you ought.

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Link to article:  http://pulpitandpen.org/2015/10/02/why-some-people-need-a-good-killing-a-biblical-defense-for-self-defense/

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Why Gun Ownership is Biblical and Good

If you don’t want to own a gun, don’t own a gun.  No one should force you to own one.  But if you are a law abiding citizen who wants to own a gun, no one should be able to prevent you from doing so.  This applies to Christians and non-Christians alike. 

The author of this article does a good job of debunking poor theology, and explaining why it is perfectly acceptable for Christians to arm and DEFEND themselves.  The gun in the hands of the righteous is NOT a tool of vengeance, but rather a tool of defense.

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A Response to John Piper: Why Gun Ownership is Biblical and Good

BY JD HALL · DECEMBER 23, 2015

I named my daughter Piper, after John Piper. I regretted that terribly the moment John Piper invited Rick Warren to speak at the 2011 Desiring God conference, lending him his credibility and, I believe, metaphorically kissing his ring. That was too much for me. Since then, Piper has repeatedly partnered with the Mystichicks, Ann Voskamp, Beth Moore, Christine Caine, and others. With Piper, enough has to be enough. Perhaps it’s the “charismatic” in him, but for all his commendably deep theology, Piper seems to lack virtually any and all discernment.

It seems that the growingly obvious lack of discernment in Piper’s life and ministry is evident in his latest article at Desiring God, Should Christians Be Encourged to Arm Themselves. With that title, you can bet that there would be plenty of Evangelical Intelligentsia nuance within the article. Pulpit & Pen will cut through that for you.

Piper begins his article, Should Christians Be Encouraged to Arm Themselves, by providing a stark contrast to Liberty University’s Jerry Falwell, Jr, who recently encouraged his students to carry a weapon in case any terrorists came there.

My main concern in the [Liberty University] article is which appeal to students that stirs them up to have a mindset to “Let’s all get guns and teach them a lesson of they come here. The concern is the forging of the disposition in Christians to use lethal force, no as policemen or soldiers, but as ordinary Christians in relation to harmful adversaries. 

Piper’s concern is the disposition that ordinary Christian citizens use lethal force against harmful adversaries and not just as policemen or soldiers. This is an odd argument for Piper to make. First, he seems too reluctant to acknowledge himself a pacifist, per se, appealing to civil authority to use necessary force. Certainly, Piper would affirm Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 as the texts giving the civil magistrate the right of the sword for punitive punishment of the wicked. And in 1 Peter 2, Christians are to submit ourselves to “every human ordinance.” Among those human ordinances we are bound to obey in our Christian duty are the concealed carry and firearm laws in our states or local municipalities. If the civil magistrate has given its citizens the right duty to use firearms for the purpose of self-reliance, then certainly carrying a firearm wouldn’t be sinful. One could more easily argue not having a firearm, in this case, would be sinful. Piper continues,

The issue is not primarily about when and if the Christian may ever use the use of force in self-defense, or the defense of one’s family or friends. There are serious situational ambiguities to answer that question. The issue is about the whole tenor and focus and demeanor and heart-attitude of the Christian life. Does it accord with the New Testament to encourage that attitude that says, “I have the power to kill you in my pocket so don’t mess with me?” My answer is, No.

I’m not sure where these “serious situational ambiguities” lie in relation to defending the lives of our family and friends. In Why Some People Need a Good Killing, I laid out the case from Christian ethics as to why a violent response to unprovoked violence is godly and necessary. It’s really not that complicated. If someone breaks into a home, God’s law states that killing the intruder is justified and necessary, and the defender would be free from legal retribution (Exodus 22:2). Where are these “serious situational ambiguities” regarding the legal use of deadly weapons in the defense of the lives of family and friends? Piper seems to be (A) unwilling to answer the question as to whether we can kill to protect innocent loved ones and (B) deflecting to subjective, feeling-based, tone and “tenor” poppycock rather than providing clear, non-ambiguous answers from the Scriptures.

Next, Piper questions whether the New Testament encourages a particular “attitude” of  self-defense. This demonstrates a theological failure in understanding the abiding nature of the general equity within the Old Testament civil code. The foundation for Christian ethics rests in the Old Testament civil code. We apply the “general equity” (what is eternal and moral) of those laws to our own circumstances today. There’s absolutely no indication that the right (and duty) of Biblical self-defense has been abrogated or that somehow men are no longer required to protect their wives and children because you can call 911 and hope for the best.

Piper then presents nine considerations as to why he believes Christians should not have a self-defense mindset:

The Apostle Paul called Christians not to avenge ourselves, but to leave it to the wrath of God, and to instead return good for evil. And, he said to return the sword (the gun) into the hand of governmental rulers to express that wrath in the pursuit of justice in this world. 

One wonders what Piper’s malfunction is that he doesn’t understand the difference between self-defense (or keeping your child from being sodomized and your wife kidnapped) and vengeance. Vengeance is expo facto while self-defense is in the moment. No one in their right mind would accuse someone who was stopping a rapist in the act, dead in his tracks, of enacting vengeance. No, he was stopping a crime in progress. That is more than just the job of the magistrate. That’s what anyone who truly loves their neighbor would do. If one would not stop a rape-in-progress using deadly force (if necessary), they do not love their neighbor as their own self.

Piper also overlooks the reality that our emperor (which in our case is the Constitution) has specifically entrusted his citizens with the privilege and duty of the ownership and use of firearms. But of this, Piper writes…

For example, any claim that in a democracy the citizens are the government, and therefore may assume the role of the sword-bearing ruler in Romans 13, is elevating political extrapolation over biblical revelation. When Paul says, “The ruler does not bear the sword in vain” (Romans 13:4), he does not mean that Christians citizens should all carry swords so the enemy doesn’t get any bright ideas.

First, Piper needs to understand that stopping a crime in progress is not bearing the sword in a Romans 13 fashion. Romans 13 deals with trial and penology. The man stopping his wife from being kidnapped and raped by a Muslim man in a gas station restroom (like what happened in North Dakota a few weeks ago) is not “bearing the sword” Romans 13 style. He’s not enacting vengeance. He’s stopping a crime in progress. Throughout this article, Piper repeatedly cites verses that speak against vengeance, misapplying them to his position on self-defense. Any serious Bible student or teacher should know better than this simple but subtle difference-turned-distraction.

2. The Apostle Peter teaches us that as Christians we will often find ourselves in societies where we should expect and accept unjust mistreatment without retaliation.

Piper then cites 1 Peter 2:19, 2:20, 3:19, 4:13, 4:16, 4:19 and so on, all stating in one way or another that we are blessed if we are persecuted, that we should rejoice if we suffer with Christ, and if we suffer according to God’s will we are doing well.

A plethora of verses aside, none – and I’ll write it again for the affect, none – of  Piper’s proof-texts disavow the right to self-preservation nor do they abrogate the Bible’s clear teaching on self-defense. What they do, however, is point out that we’re blessed if we’re persecuted. Amen and amen. And I point out in Why Some People Need a Good Killing that being killed for Christ, even if you’re defending yourself, still earns you the honorary title of martyr. At no point does “martyrdom” equate to “surrendered victim.”

If Christian refugees in Syria pick up rocks to fight back at their attackers in a desperate attempt to save their children and are captured and subsequently beheaded, they are still martyrs, thank you very much. And if, for whatever reason, in whatever dystopic future you contrive that allows Christians in this country to be rounded up like Jews in 1939 Germany and the 3% fought back, we would still be Christian martyrs.

3. Jesus taught that violent hostility would come; and the whole tenor of his council was how to handle it with suffering and testimony, not armed defense.

Piper then cites Luke 21:12-19, Matthew 10:28, and Matthew 10:16-20. All of these passages deal with Jesus’ End Time prophecy (unless you’re of a different eschatological persuasion and they’ve already been fulfilled) concerning the state of the world prior to the return of Christ. In short, it’s going to be brutal. Being brought before governors, taken before kings, delivered up by mothers and brothers–rough stuff. So then, Piper’s logic deduces that if we are to “die for Jesus” then we need not carry a weapon or practice self-defense.

Here’s where Piper’s theology fails, and why I implore him to get outside of his academic bubble once in a while. George Zimmerman wasn’t almost killed by thug, Trayvon Martin, because of Jesus. Zimmerman almost died because Martin was using the pavement as a deadly weapon against Zimmerman’s head. It had nothing to do with Jesus. It was senseless violence. When the pastor’s wife, Amanda Blackburn, was raped and died along with her unborn child, it had nothing to do with Jesus. She didn’t give her life for Jesus (perhaps I should say she didn’t give her death for Jesus). Although Piper references Jim Elliot getting stabbed with a spear, George Zimmerman and Amanda Blackburn and 99.99999% of the murder victims in this country aren’t dying for Jesus. They’re dying for the clothes they’re wearing, the money in their pocket, or their flesh to be abused. This render’s Piper’s point completely null and void.

4. Jesus sat the stage for a life of sojourning in this world where we bear witness that this world is not our home, and is not our kingdom, by renouncing the establishment or the advancement of our Christian Cause with the sword. 

This is the most absurd and disappointing of any of Piper’s points. Who on earth – WHO, I ASK YOU – is suggesting we advance our Christian cause with the sword? This is a straw man if I’ve ever seen one. I’ve literally never met a Christian, not even a theonomist, who would make the argument that we should be advancing Christianity at gun point. Does Piper not know this? Is he just trying to score cheap points with the HuffPo crowd? Or is Piper so insulated in his little glass bubble in the inner city, and knows so few firearm owners, that he’s somehow under the impression that there are Christians trying to advance the kingdom by force. Seeing this section of Piper’s diatribe is surreal, just on account of how out-of-place it is in reality.

[Editor’s Note: This is Part A in addressing Piper’s errors. Part B will come shortly after Christmas. This post was contributed by JD Hall]

*Update: JD was intending to write Part B to address Piper’s errors. Because of his holiday schedule, he will instead be on the Bible Thumping Wingnut Program to discuss the rest of his concerns, this Christmas evening. You can listen here.

Link to article:  http://pulpitandpen.org/2015/12/23/a-response-to-john-piper-why-gun-ownership-is-biblical-and-good-part-a/
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NY Times: Murder Rates Rose in a Quarter of the Nation’s 100 Largest Cities

The NY Times unsurprisingly completely misses the boat on the cause of the spike in homicides in major cities across the US.  They blame drugs.  No, drugs are just another symptom of the root cause.  The root cause is the decay in our moral foundation caused by a growing biblical illiteracy.  When the Bible and biblical principals were the foundation of our society, when they were taught in church, in school, and reinforced everywhere, we didn’t have these kinds of problems.  Whether or not you were a Christian is irrelevant.  The core principles were universal.  You were NEVER taught that it was acceptable to do drugs, destroy other people’s property, have children out of wedlock, engage in all manner of deviance and many of the other behaviors that are now tolerated.  Those who scream the loudest to remove God from our society are often the first to bemoan the inevitable results, and are ALWAYS wrong about the cause of those results.

Link to article:  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/08/us/us-murder-rates.html?_r=3

The Pope Steps in it Again

Well, His Humanliness the Pope has stepped in it again.  Have you noticed that prior to the ascendancy of this pope, the progressive liberal left HATED Catholics when, especially when it came to issues of abortion, economy, and the priest sex scandal?  Now the sex scandal is never mentioned by the left, and since this pope, who is supposed to be a champion for Christianity, is a socialist who equates Christianity and islam, the left now all of a sudden LOVES Catholics.  At least those who are as liberal as the pope.  Kind of makes me wonder what they were burning in the Vatican to generate their smoke signals…  And before any trolls say this is an attack on Catholics and Catholicism, no.  It’s not.  It is a criticism by a non-Catholic of a human, a man, who is misrepresenting the things that most see his faith as historically having stood for.

 The words of the pope:

 “In other words,” Francis counters, “[what is needed is] a social market economy.”

“It is true that the idea of conquest is inherent in the soul of Islam. However, it is also possible to interpret the objective in Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus sends his disciples to all nations, in terms of the same idea of conquest.”

Oh, there’s more.  Just read the article.

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Five observations on Francis’ recent interview about France, Europe, and Islam

The Pope, in a recent interview with the French newspaper “La Croix” compares Islam’s inherent drive for conquest to Christ’s Great Commission.

May 18, 2016 12:00 EST

Carl E. Olson

Pope Francis greets the crowd during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican May 18. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Another week, another papal interview. This time it is with the French newspaper La Croix. The main focus is the state of affairs in France and Europe, with remarks on Islam, religious freedom, and related matters. As usual, some of the Holy Father’s remarks are a bit surprising. (Part of me would rather not even write about them, if only because doing so seems more and more like a lose-lose proposition. Oh well.) Although a relatively short interview, there is much that could be said. But I will just note a few things:

1) Francis is apparently uncomfortable with talk of the Christians roots of Europe, saying that there “are so many [roots]” and adding: “In this sense, when I hear talk of the Christian roots of Europe, I sometimes dread the tone, which can seem triumphalist or even vengeful. It then takes on colonialist overtones. John Paul II, however, spoke about it in a tranquil manner.” Trumphalist? Even vengeful?

Where Do Your “Rights” Come From?

If your rights are not endowed by God, but are arbitrarily granted by man, then those rights can arbitrarily be taken away by man. We are seeing that taking place RIGHT NOW. Also, a “right” does not take away from another. If you look at many/most of the so-called “rights” granted by government, they take from one to redistribute to another. “Free” healthcare, “free” education, etc. The government takes by force from those who have earned these things to provide them to those who have not. When men and government decide that your rights are inconvenient, they can arbitrarily take them away. Right to bear arms? Government sees that as a threat, so they are trying to take it away. Right to choose your own doctor? Government views that as unnecessary and “unfair,” so they HAVE taken that away. The right to free speech? Already gone. The government can decide if your words are “hateful” and whether or not you can speak them. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Yes, now even your basic right to LIFE is at the whim of the government if we have allowed them to take our other rights AND the ability to defend them.

Do you think you STILL live in a free country? Think again. Do you want to live in a truly free country? Then fight for it.

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Liberty — Endowed by Whom?

The Eternal Bequest

By Mark Alexander · Jul. 3, 2013

“God who gave us life gave us Liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.” –Thomas Jefferson (1774)

Amid all the contemporary political and cultural contests, too many conservatives fail to make the case for overarching eternal truths – whether in debate with adversaries across the aisles of Congress, or with neighbors across Main Street.

Lost in the din is the foundational endowment of Essential Liberty, and any debate that does not begin with this eternal truth will end with temporary deceits.

The most oft-cited words from our Declaration of Independence are these: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The eternal assertion that Liberty for all people is “endowed by their Creator” and is thus “unalienable” should require no defense, because “we hold these truths to be self-evident,” and because the rights of man are irrevocable from the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.”

But the root of all debate between Liberty and tyranny – or, in political parlance, between Right and left – is the contest to assert who endows Liberty – God or man.