Comments for The Wood Between the Worlds

Comment on Women – How to Get Slim by Mary Arthur

Mary Arthur — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 03:16:30 +0000

James, I like this. I will make sure I eat enough protein and limit my carbs. This is good discussion.

Thanks,

Mary

Comment on In Defense of Ecstatic Christianity by James

James — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:08:42 +0000

You are making a lot of assumptions that I didn’t actually say. You don’t know me from Adam so saying things like “I doubt you will listen” isn’t terribly Christian of you and also is not a good way to make yourself heard.

The idea of the superior pleasures of Christianity comes from Jonathan Edwards, CS Lewis and John Piper. If you want to call them heretics that is between you and God. What I’m suggesting is that the joy of Christianity that they and the Bible talks about should be real. Of course, there is still self denial, taking up you cross, and persecution, but there needs to be joy even in those things. Hebrews says that Jesus was anointed with joy more than his companions. I’m suggesting the joy spoken of here and other places (superior pleasures) comes from the Holy Spirit and the Biblical phenomenon that sometimes accompany it. I certainly do not embrace things like “spiritual orgies” nor did I imply that I did anymore than saying I’m Protestant mean that I embrace some of the out there things that some Protestants think.

Comment on In Defense of Ecstatic Christianity by Dan

Dan — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 04:15:12 +0000

‘So how does a teenage boy consistently resist looking at a one in a million girl naked online or having sex or drinking? The answer is a superior pleasure, but where is that to be found.’

Um, No. Finding ‘superior pleasure’ is not resisting sin at all. How does one resist? By denying oneself, exerting self-control over the sinful nature by the power of the Holy Spirit, and leaving sin behind. This is the only orthodox Christian response to sin.
Ecstatic Christianity is heresy, plain and simple. The quest for superior pleasure is the spiral of depravity, not ‘ecstasy’ (although depravity might seem like ‘ecstasy’ to depraved people).
I’ve seen ecstatic ‘Christianity’ and there’s nothing particularly different about it from secular rave parties; the only difference being that the ‘high’ is achieved not through drugs or sex but through direct mystical, demonic experience, like a voodoo ceremony dressed up in Christian clothing.

‘Jesus came to make you feel good’ is the slogan of the ecstatics; only Jesus didn’t say any such thing at all (and don’t quote John 10:10 at me, you can’t create a whole new theology based on the misinterpretation of one verse; neither can you use a metaphorical interpretation of Song of Songs, that is false too). Jesus preached self-denial, self-sacrifice and humble, honest living before God. Some have used this to advocate ascetism, which also leads to mystic experience, only Jesus didn’t preach that either.

I could go on, but I doubt you will listen.

Since when did Christianity become something to ‘entertain’ us? Or has MTV destroyed any sense of reason? Jesus saved us from destruction, not boredom! Good grief, if this is what the faith has become, then count me out.In this life, following Jesus is about embracing suffering, not having mystical, spiritual orgies.

Comment on In Defense of Ecstatic Christianity by James

James — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 22:22:24 +0000

That’s interesting. I’ve never heard anyone say that before. What I was basing “God living inside us” are passages like Romans 8:9 “…you are in the Spirit since the Spirit of God dwells in us.” Or you could look at v 11 or where Paul talks about Christian’s bodies being a temple of the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is God so that’s why Christians say that God live in us.

Pantheism believes that everything is God. I don’t know how you got that view from what I wrote. That is the opposite of believing a personal God lives inside Christians since pantheists don’t believe in a personal God.

Comment on In Defense of Ecstatic Christianity by Paul

Paul — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:59:35 +0000

“Christians believe that God lives inside us. That’s pretty out there if you stop and think about it.”

Um – not really. Once you accept the idea that there’s any kind of deity, the view that he exists in us (either in us alone or in everything, including us) is actually the reasonable, normal viewpoint. The idea of a distinct, separate, personal God, that actually ‘exists’ in space in some way, but is distinct from all of the objects in the material world, is the weird one. And that’s the view Christians actually hold. Your ‘weird’ view is a mystical or pantheistic view that Christianity actually doesn’t go in for, strictly speaking (it’s why Tolstoy’s interpretation of Jesus’ teachings is heretical).

Comment on How to Become Good at Something by brad

brad — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:20:17 +0000

I’ve thought a lot about this since you mentioned it and I think it’s right. I see it everyday in the classroom. We have students with natural intelligence and learning really is easier, or certainly performance of learning, but frankly 99.9% of what we do doesn’t require that high level of intelligence. Someone in the 25th percentile for inborne aptitude can dominate with the right education and hard work. Outside of a few theorists in a corner of a few universities (and most of their work is unnecessary), anyone can do anything. There’s a quote I heard a while back and I think it’s very true: you can anything you want, but you can’t do everything you want. Keep writing. Good stuff.

Comment on Snail Caviar by same name also

same name also — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:50:48 +0000

i’m one of the many too as well. lol

Comment on The Old Man, The New Man & The Flesh by jay

jay — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:33:51 +0000

Hi, I was thinking of going to a 3 day seminar with John Crowder but I read all these posts that he is evil. I like to feel the ecstacy of the Lord.

How did you like his seminar? Did you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit?

Can you drop me an email to let me know at the email I listed. Thank you

Comment on The Old Man, The New Man & The Flesh by Scott Williams

Scott Williams — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:26:06 +0000

James, I think you are “spot on” in regard to this topic. I cringe a little when I hear people say, “We are just sinners saved by grace.” I know what they mean, and we must always recognize our weaknesses and fleshly tendencies,but I think we need to speak to ourselves more that “We are more than conquerers through Christ who strengthens us.” Paul readily recognizes how sinful Christians are, but he does not call them sinners. That is what we once were. We are now new creations, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, etc. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are now free from the dominion of sin, although, we still must battle it, flee from it, reckon ourselves dead to it, etc. God bless.

Comment on Community by James' Mom

James' Mom — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:14:25 +0000

Many churches in our city do this very thing. No planned program, just bring some meat to toss on the grill, a side dish to share, and have some good conversation one or two evenings a month. Coffee hour after Sunday worship is to promote community as well. We Christians have to be able to let our hair down with each other as well as worship and study together, for the reasons you cite.