December 2018 – HillFaith

No, Jesus And Mithras Weren’t Both Born Of Virgins (Myths About Christianity Debunked)

Unless there is some way to determine if the rock from which sprung Mithras — the ancient mythical god at the heart of the mystery cult known as “Mithraism” — was a virgin, that is.

That Jesus’ virgin birth was stolen from the Mithras myth is one of the many allegations raised by Christianity’s critics, ancient and modern. They contend the New Testament authors borrowed heavily from multiple pagan religions to elevate an obscure itinerant preacher named Jesus to divinity.

Not so, contends Dr. Timothy Paul Jones, an expert on such matters who teaches at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS). Jones addresses a bunch of the supposed parallels.

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Would You Go To Jail For Your Basic Beliefs, Like This Chinese Pastor?

Pastor Wang Yi of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, is in jail, accused by the Communist government in Beijing of “inciting subversion of state power.”

The pastor absolutely denies the charges, which are based on the fact he preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ, including His claim to be “the King of Kings” and His injunction to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and the things that are God’s to God.”

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Pilate’s Seal Ring Tops Biblical Archeology’s 10 Biggest 2018 Discoveries

A familiar maxim in the conventional secular wisdom of the age is that the Bible is nothing more than a collection of tales and cannot therefore be trusted as a reliable historical source.

The reality is that for decades archeology has been producing mounds of evidence that supports the Bible as not merely a reliable source but quite possibly the most reliable and comprehensive one for the ancient Middle East.

The latest illustration of this fact is found in “Biblical Archeologies Top 10 Discoveries in 2018,” written by ARTIFAX magazine editor Gordon Covier for Christianity Today.

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What Are You Living For?

Not sure of the answer to the question of what are you living your life for? Check your bank account and time sheets. Whatever you think you live for, the truth is your heart is wherever your money and your time are.

If you work on the Hill, maybe it’s status or recognition of some kind. Or becoming influential, an “insider.” Could be having a certain title linked to your name. Or perhaps having as much fun as humanly possible.

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Big Challenges For Christians In Pew’s Latest ‘Nones’ Survey Results

“Religious Nones” are among the fastest growing groups whenever survey research organizations like the Pew Research Center do polls concerning religious issues.

The results of the latest Pew survey of a representative sample of the Nones – which includes those who identify themselves as “atheist,” “agnostic” and “nothing” – finds an important reason (60 percent) these folks give for their views is they “question a lot of religious teachings.”

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Why Is It All We Want For Christmas Is MORE?

Now that the presents are unwrapped, the pretty bows and paper have all been picked up and the kids are out playing with their new delights, take a few minutes of the fleeting quiet time and give some thought to the question posed in the headline above.

Free-Thinking Ministries’ Timothy Fox (a former student of Prof. Sean McDowell at Biola University) cuts to the chase:

“It’s truly the season of More. Kids want to receive more toys than last year. Businesses want to make more money. People want their decorations to be bigger and better than ever.

“We want more holly, more jolly, more rest and relaxation, more, more, More. Of course this can all be attributed to greed, to our culture obsessed with consumption and excess. But I think there’s something deeper going on.”

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Five Reasons Christmas Is All About Jesus Or It’s Just Another Day Off

Have you ever noticed how few people get upset when the names of the various founders of the world’s religions are spoken in public forums and private discussions?

Mention “Mohammed” or “Buddha” or “Confucius” and nobody gets their shorts in an uproar. But say “Jesus” and the reaction will range from quizzical impatience to cold stares, pursed lips to rude retorts, or worse. Why is this? What is it about Jesus that sparks such reactions?

Above photo by Chris Sowder on Unsplash.

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