UPDATE: As I was writing this, some images have come out showing the potential suspects in the bombing.
A lot of people have given their two cents on this issue and I will use this space to provide my own thoughts on the matter. Before I begin, I would like to say that this is a very sad event and just like many of these tragedies, I believe it’s more proof that evil does exist in this world. No other animal on the planet willingly seeks to harm of others of its own kind; that’s an exclusive trait to humanity. More evidence for the reality of sin in the world. My prayers are with all those people who were affected by this event.
A very interesting phenomenon has been happening in response to this event. The media has actually paid a lot of attention on conspiracy theorists. I actually believe that this might be part of the Great Plan perpetrated by the elite members of society. It’s sad but true. Another division is being made. Instead of just the elephants and donkeys, now there’s a third group…the conspiracy theorists.
I will admit that while I consider myself someone who is a conspiracy theorist, I am disappointed at the bandwagon folks who took no time to point a finger at the “government” being responsible for this event. While I don’t necessarily disagree, I think it’s important to not come to any conclusions too quickly. And I also believe that’s a bit more complex than simply saying, “The government did it.” And of course, the attention is high on the man who purchased the website domain bostonmarathonconspiracy.com even making fun of the conspiracy theorists.
In this blog post, I will take a look at the four groups currently being touted as the potential responsible agents for this tragedy. And because I was a sociology major, I will take a step back and render each one of these things from a sociological perspective. My bias is of course that I am a Bible believing Christian who happens to have interest in Biblical prophecy which includes the topic of conspiracies. Here’s an article I wrote called The Christian Conspiracy Theorist that goes over some of the ideologies of this position.
These are the four groups being targeted as potential suspects according to the mainstream media.
1. Islamic terrorists: What’s sad is that a fellow who was reported to be a suspect early on was a Saudi National, 20 years old, who was tackled by someone right after the explosions. Any time something like this happens, anyone from middle eastern origin is going to be seen as suspect and it’s very unfortunate. It’s one of those sticky issues because on one hand, the person who tackled him was probably thinking he’s doing the right thing. On the other hand, this could be a disaster as far as discrimination is concerned. The larger issue is that if Islamic terrorists were responsible for this, then what’s the purpose or agenda behind it? Well, perhaps it is to perpetuate the fear of the middle east and the threat they allegedly have on American citizens. Let’s remember that what we’ve been told about the people in the middle east through the main stream media, especially after 9-11 is heavily one sided and even down right deceptive. Are there Islamic terrorist groups that hate the U.S.? Sure. But one has to ask, how are these groups being funded, what is their true agenda? And then also, just because this terrorist group is out to get America, does it mean all people from the middle east agree with them or are part of the agenda? No.
2. Right wing fundamentalist: This one is certainly strange. Many of us who are part of this community could be labelled just that and I’m sure in the same way the “terrorist” from the middle east were shaded as evil or dangerous after 9-11, many Christians will also be labelled that soon. This has been in the works for a while now. Groups like the Westboro Baptist Church, who have allegedly already made plans to picket the memorials of the lost lives of the Boston explosion are serving to help create this perception that all Bible believing Christians are like them. It’s no surprise on one hand, but on the other, I think this has more of an impact on how the church in general in America should respond. In my personal life, I have seen the church institution for what it is; a business, piggy backing on a message, the Gospel, that is the most powerful and freeing message for all of humanity. And while I get that we all need to eat, corporate church takes it to another level.
3. The Government: This has been included in the list I believe to simply to bash the conspiracy theorists. Ironically, I heard on my local radio station here which is a big outlet (southern California) mention the name Steve Quayle, and then proceeded to bash his thoughts that this has something to do with the dropping prices in gold. As I mentioned, many conspiracy theorists are quick to point a finger at the government and call this a false flag event. I wouldn’t be surprised and in fact, I believe it’s closer to the truth than options one or two. But even as someone who has studied conspiracies myself, I’m not going to jump to conclusions without seeing all the evidence. There are some strange things that have popped up, such as the Illuminati card and even an alleged Facebook page that was made two days before the explosion. I’m sure more will come. The challenge here is that this not only creates a bad rap for the conspiracy circles, but it also could be another form of division as part of the Great Plan of the elite. In other words, no longer is America a battle between right wing and left wing, or elephants and donkeys; now there is a third party…the conspiracy crowd, and they are irrational and dangerous. And as I mentioned above, I am a bit saddened by the people who were so quick to point to the government, even though I believe it’s closer to the truth. And of course when I say “the Government” it’s far more complex than simply those people in office colluding behind closed doors. This goes much deeper behind the veil.
4. Lone nut: This one is pretty self explanatory but still has the stench of some kind of greater agenda. If this lone nut got the information about how to make the bombs off the internet, well we need to lock down the internet. If this nut was making a statement about gun control, well then we need to lock down guns. In other words, regardless of the motives, this can be used to further convince the American population to give up their rights in exchange for security. Of course this can apply to all of the options here, but I chose this suspect in particular because I believe the fear that will be externalized of a home grown terrorist might be the tipping point needed to take the next step in a lock down.
Again, no matter what the truth is, I believe it’s part of a greater agenda. But there is an even greater agenda than the royal class elite who may be pulling the strings behind the curtain, and that’s the agenda of God.
From my worldview, it’s true that nothing happens by accident. And in the bigger scheme of things, even tragedies such as these can be used for the ultimate good of God. Let us remember that God makes all things work for good.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
We know how tragedies bring a nation close together. And while the wiles of the devil continue to seek whom he may devour, we as followers of Jesus are committed to bringing salt and light into the world that is so full of darkness.
So in conclusion, while I think it’s important to be watchful and take in the information we see on the news and other media sources with discernment, the more important factor is to use this as an opportunity to let the love of God shine through us. I believe such things were already demonstrated in many examples after the tragedy, regardless of one’s religious or spiritual worldview. The many people who ran in to help the victims of this crime were reflecting the attitude of Jesus Christ; the ultimate servant who died for our sins and rose again.
2013 Resolutions
DECEMBER 21, 2012 LETDOWN
I haven’t made a blog post in a couple months so I decided to put something together here. The “end of the world” came and went without a hitch. No catastrophe, no UFO disclosure, no ascension into a higher spiritual dimension etc. I found several forums where the new agers were apologizing for the lack of events. They held onto their sentiments that ascension will still happen, and some even went as far as to suggest that it was the “evil spiritual forces” who held back the ascension. Needless to say, the new age teachers and preachers took a major hit with this one. Hopefully, guys like David Wilcock and Michael Tsarion will publicly retreat from their positions and new age teachings. I can only pray that those who have been duped by the 2012 hype will repent and come to the Lord Jesus Christ where truth over rides the sensational. That being said I want to list the resolutions I have for this year.
RESOLUTIONS FOR 2013
Life took on a couple unexpected turns this last year, some were good and some weren’t but I am confident that the Lord is going to provide the things myself and my family needs in order to continue to do the work that glorifies Him! Before I go on, I do want to link to the radio show that occupies most of my time during the week. I am the sound engineer for a radio show called Live Boldly with Kenton Beshore. Kenton is the senior pastor at my church, and while I don’t agree with every point of theology with Kenton or the church, I am grateful that he has given me the opportunity to have a day job with this ministry. He is the pastor that God used to speak directly into my heart when I was saved, and so his style of teaching is great for new believers and seekers.
A couple highlights from this past year. First, the start of the podcast Canary Cry Radio which has turned into a kind of garage-band style ministry. I say garage band because myself and my co-host who goes by the name “Basil” started this thing not knowing what we were doing. Luckily, Revelations Radio Network and Chris White were cool enough to pick up our feed and thanks to them, we had an immediate audience. We’re still trying to find our way with this thing, but luckily, we’ve been blessed to interview some spectacular guests who have made the show much better than it really is. I am hoping and praying that this podcast continues to grow and reach people who are seeking answers about the world from a Christian worldview. My resolution for this year is that we would double our audience. Of course this is more of a logistical goal and less of a resolution on the surface, but really it’s the back end research, editing, booking, promotion, and all the time and effort that goes into it that can be a struggle sometimes. This is not because I don’t want to do it since this is something I love to do, but it’s because certain things need to get done to take care of the family. Nevertheless, I resolve to make sure I manage my time better to make Canary Cry Radio that much better this year.
The second highlight was hitting a million views on youtube for my film Age of Deceit: Fallen Angels and the New World Order. I’ve been working on Part II and so my goal is simply to release it this year. The second time around is definitely more challenging. Knowing there are expectations is a little different. But I am up for the challenge and I have some great information that I will share in the second documentary that, Lord willing, will be done sooner than later.
My last resolution is simply to spend more time in the Word. I think I did a pretty good job of it last year, but I am really encouraged to study the Word much harder this year. Not only do I have a one year Bible plan, but I have been inspired by the likes of Dr. Mike Heiser and other academic scholars in the field of Biblical study to really dig in and get more familiar with the Word. I believe this is the most important resolution for me.
Q & A on Youtube
Another resolution of mine is to get back to blogging at least once a week. I realized last week, that the amount of writing I do in responding to questions I get from people is enough to make posts at least a couple times a week. So instead of only writing when I am inspired, I resolve to stick to a plan and write not only on topics that pop up, but to post them here so that people who may have similar questions can come here and get their answers.
I recently had a guy named Ricky message me on youtube with a slew of questions. Here’s the conversation:
Ricky: “i was curious about the fact that If god does not allow sin in his presense how coud anyone be in his presense? were adam and eve in his presense after they sinned? The serpent/satan was also. im asking how this was possible? And did enoch get taken to heaven? And do you believe that animals go to heaven?And does being without sin mean you have moral perfection? sorry for asking multiple questions, but i am very curious about this topic and wanted to know. God bless!”
Me: ”Hey Ricky, Great Qs.
If god does not allow sin in his presense how coud anyone be in his presense?
God is the Creator of the universe. He can leave His place of residence and be in the presence of sin. But heaven (God’s home…and our home) is reserved for the sinless. Now since we are all sin filled, we need Jesus to cover for our sins. That’s why He died on the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, your sin was nailed to the cross along with mine. Without Jesus we could not get into heaven.
were adam and eve in his presense after they sinned?
Yes. It’s clear in the book of Genesis that God walked among them. Now the difference is, Eden is not the same as heaven. It WAS however, heaven on earth. The world of the spiritual and the world of the physical were once one (Eden). Although Eden was heaven on earth, it was not Heaven where God dwells. When we got kicked out of the garden, we lost the open communication with the spiritual world.
The serpent/satan was also (in the presence of God). im asking how this was possible?
The serpent wasn’t a snake. The proper translation is “Shinning One.” In any case, Satan is a spiritual being. Like I mentioned, the world of the spiritual and the world of the physical were once open.
And did enoch get taken to heaven?
Yes I believe Enoch was taken to heaven. (Genesis 5:22)
And do you beleive that animals go to heaven?
I’m not sure. I think animals have a spirit, but no soul. We are told that animals will get along in heaven, so I think it’s possible. But I think what we will see is that there will be, for example, dogs in heaven, and while they’re not the exact dog you might have owned, because this dog would have the spirit of the dog, your dog will be represented. I hope that makes sense.
And does being without sin mean you have moral perfection?
Yes, but that’s something no one on earth can attain…Jesus was the only sinless one. We all fall short to the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We do our best to live a life pleasing to God, but ultimately, no amount of good works is what saves us. It’s Grace by faith that saves us. In other words, not our doing, but Gods. Also, since God is the one who wrote the moral law, and we are created in His image, we know in our hearts what’s right and wrong. We don’t always act according to that though and things like pride get in the way.
I hope this helps. I think if you do a study on the three heavens, it might help you understand as well. In short, the first heaven is the atmosphere. The second heaven is where I think a lot of angels and spiritual beings live. The third heaven is where God is.”
Ricky: “Very Very satisfieing answer! Thank you for clearing up some of these things. Sorry but im gonna ask more questions. You said Eden was heaven on earth, and thats what i thought. At this time was the third heaven separate and were adam and eve seeing the son/jesus in eden, but not the father? was god sitting on his throne in the third heaven while at the same time dwelling in eden? sorry still a bit confused on this one. I know jesus was sinless. But would it be accurate to say all the good angels in heaven are also sinless? but then are those angels morally perfect, or as good as god?”
Me: “You’re a thinker. I like it.
It’s difficult to really answer some of these Q’s adequately (and you’ll see why) but I’ll do my best.
At this time was the third heaven seperate?
The third heaven is not a “place” like we would think of it. So I can’t say “it’s not here” or “it’s there” or whatever. It’s not some place in the Universe where we can point to on a map. So in that sense it’s separated. Eden, being heaven on earth, was basically a physical manifestation from the spiritual world, so while the spiritual world was part of Eden, I wouldn’t say it was where God “resides” although He did interact much more openly in Eden with His creation.
where adam and eve seeing the son/jesus in eden, but not the father? was god sitting on his throne in the third heaven while at the same time dwelling in eden?
Well, this requires a grasp on the Trinity. The trinity says that the Father, Son, Holy Spirit are three persons with one essence. In other words, they’re not separated, they’re one. So I think when Adam and Eve were “seeing” God in the garden, they were seeing a pre-incarnate Jesus. But that doesn’t mean the Father is somewhere else. The Father is there in the garden as Jesus. But The Father is not physical, He’s the author of it.
To elaborate, when you say “God sitting on his throne while at the same time dwelling in Eden” it presupposes that the Father is physical as we would understand, and Son are separate. Again, they’re not. So while the Father sits on the throne, that’s not a physical throne somewhere in the Universe. But the Father was on earth, as Jesus.
But would it be accurate to say all the good angels in heaven are also sinless? but then are those angels morally perfect, or as good as god?
The good angels in the spiritual world are sinless. However, they aren’t “perfect” in the most pure sense of the word. They are perfect for their purpose. This has to do with what’s called the Ontological argument for the existence of God. Think of the most perfect being, and that’s God. Angels, while perfect and sinless, are finite, cannot create a universe etc. So while they are perfect for angels, they’re not ultimate perfection. That’s reserved strictly to God. The analogy I would use is this: think of a screw driver. When you have a “perfect screwdriver” it’s one that fulfills its purpose…help screw in a nut. But the screw driver isn’t perfect for building an entire car etc.
And same goes for morality. Angels are morally good, but I think it’s because in the spiritual world, “good and bad” or “right and wrong” are very clear. Part of the effects of the fall of humanity is the confusion of this clear distinction. While we can tell in our hearts what’s right or wrong, we’ve gained the ability to rationalize something that’s wrong and make it seem “right.”
That’s why the world has the problems it does and morality seems to be relative. But really, I think we can show even philosophically that objective moral values and duties do exist. Again, hope it helps.”
CONCLUSION
I know some of you would probably answer these things differently, and I’m open to hearing how I could have addressed some of these matters from a different angle. But I love answering questions like these because not only does it make me think, it helps others and that’s what I love doing.
Thus, as a final resolution, I resolve to be diligent and obedient to the Lord this year so I can encourage others to study the Word so we can all grow and learn together.