Roots by the River

The following is the result of a conversation with and atheist Buddhist. From the conversation, I realized that we agreed on a few things: • It is difficult to prove a positive. • It is impossible to prove a negative. • Believing something doesn’t make it true, e.g., believing the earth is round does not make it round, and believing the earth is flat does not make it flat. As I understand it, there are three kinds of atheists. You can recognize them by what they say: 1. “I don’t believe in God.” “Don’t” modifies “believe.” It does not modify God. This kind of atheist is really saying, “There is a God in whom I do not believe.” He is not really an atheist. 2. “I believe there is no God.” Here, “no” modifies “God.” It is a belief statement. This man is really saying, “I have a positive belief in nothing (or “matter” or “naturalism” or Darwinism). That is a greater faith than I have. 3. “There is no God.” That is a dogmatic statement about a supposed “fact.” Once someone makes

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20) A few years ago, a man was convicted of a double murder here in Moscow. He had killed his wife and the baby she was pregnant with. The baby was considered a human being who had been murdered. However, if a woman wishes to abort her baby, the baby is not considered a human being, and killing the baby is not considered murder. Apparently in this country we can have it both ways. We cannot have it both ways with God. There are two kinds of laws of men (of all nations): 1. malum in se : This refers to behaviors which are evil in themselves. 2. malum prohibitum: This refers to something which is evil simply because it has been prohibited. An example of the first is murder. All states have laws against murder. Making the law is not what makes the murder evil. It was already evil. An example of the second is a 55 mph speed

All false religions require complete loyalty to their teachings. To leave their teachings is to be lost in hell. This keeps people in bondage. They are afraid to leave. Islam says the Injil (the New Testament) was changed by Christians in the first five hundred years. Mormonism says the Bible (the KJV version) is inspired when it is correctly translated. Any place where it differs from Mormonism is “incorrectly translated.” As a result, Mormons do not read the New Testament. When they do read the Bible, faith is created in the idolaters, atheists, animists, Muslims, and Mormons, and they turn to the Father through the Son. “Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” (Romans 16:19) Do not study these religions. Become an expert in the Truth. In your contact with these people, love them, befriend them, be kind to them. But do not let your conversations dwell on Mohammed a

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:6-9) Joseph Smith either wrote the Book of Mormon himself, plagiarized it, or got it on the golden plates from an angel. In any case, it is “a different gospel which is really no gospel at all” (vs. 6-7). All false religions change three things: 1. Who Jesus is: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). 2. The complete work of salvation on the cross: “And by that will, we

Animism is not the same as idolatry. It is the direct worship or placating of demons. It is found from Finland to New Guinea. It is in Africa, Latin America, the Pacific Islands, Australia, and Siberia. Animism is found in thousands of languages which cannot speak to each other. There were no missionaries to propagate it. It is everywhere. These demons are believed to dwell in rocks, trees, houses, mountains, and streams. They do not dwell in these created things, but they are real and dwell in people. Jesus cast demons out of people. “They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!’ ‘Be quiet!’ said Jesus sternl