Posts for: Parky60
Aug 7, 2019 16:27:44 #
(Main)
With all the talk of new gun control laws being bandied about considering recent events, a new academic study has found that, once again, gun laws are not having their desired effect. Parky60
California’s background check law had no impact on gun deaths, Johns Hopkins study finds
Jon Miltimore ~ August 7, 2019
A joint study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of California at Davis Violence Prevention Research Program found that California’s much-touted mandated background checks had no impact on gun deaths, and researchers are puzzled as to why.
California Gun Laws Are a Failure
In 1991, California simultaneously imposed comprehensive background checks for firearm sales and prohibited gun sales (and gun possession) to people convicted of misdemeanor violent crimes. The legislation mandated that all gun sales, including private t***sactions, would have to go through a California-licensed Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer. Shotguns and rifles, like handguns, became subject to a 15-day waiting period to make certain all gun purchasers had undergone a thorough background check.
It was the most expansive state gun control legislation in America, affecting an estimated one million gun buyers in the first year alone. Though costly and cumbersome, politicians and law enforcement agreed the law was worth it.
The legislation would “keep more guns out of the hands of the people who shouldn’t have them,” said then-Republican Gov. George Deukmejian.
“I think the new laws are going to help counter the violence,” said LAPD spokesman William D. Booth.
More than a quarter of a century later, researchers at Johns Hopkins and UC Davis dug into the results of the sweeping legislation. Researchers compared yearly gun suicide and homicide rates over the 10 years following implementation of California’s law with 32 control states that did not have such laws.
They found “no change in the rates of either cause of death from firearms through 2000.”
The findings, which run counter to experiences in Missouri and Connecticut that did show a link between background checks and gun deaths, appear to have startled the researchers.
Garen Wintemute, a UC Davis professor of emergency medicine and senior author of the study, said incomplete data and flawed criminal record reporting might explain the results.
Wintemute noted:
In 1990, only 25 percent of criminal records were accessible in the primary federal database used for background checks, and centralized records of mental health prohibitions were almost nonexistent.
As a result, researchers said as many as one in four gun buyers may have purchased a firearm without undergoing a background check.
“We know at the individual level that comprehensive background check policies work, that they prevent future firearm violence at this level,” said Nicole Kravitz-Wirtz, a researcher who led the survey.
Everyone Has Confirmation Bias, Even Experts
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the findings—which run counter to the conventional wisdom that gun control saves lives—have received almost no media attention.
An exception was the Washington Post, which cited the study (buried 20 paragraphs down) in an article in which the American Medical Association calls for stronger gun control laws at the state level.
AMA President Barbara McAneny told the Post in an interview:
We see this as an epidemic and public health crisis and we think intervening as early as possible is smarter than just building more intensive care units for people who are either k**led or damaged and badly hurt by the violence.
Bizarrely, the Post cited the Johns Hopkins-UC Davis study as evidence that what “the AMA is calling for may be needed.”
Apparently, to the Washington Post, California’s failure to effectively enforce background checks that had no discernible impact on gun deaths is evidence that more gun control laws are needed.
Essentially, the study’s authors, the AMA, and the Post appear incapable of seriously entertaining the possibility that sweeping gun control legislation might not have produced the results desired and expected: fewer deaths.
We Should Judge by Outcomes, Not Intentions
Alas, the experts are behaving exactly as expected.
More than a decade ago, the writer Louis Menand, in a New Yorker article, explained the rationalizations experts make when their theories fail to hold up in our real-world laboratory:
When they’re wrong, [experts are] rarely held accountable, and they rarely admit it, either. They insist that they were just off on timing, or blindsided by an improbable event, or almost right, or wrong for the right reasons. They have the same repertoire of self-justifications that everyone has, and are no more inclined than anyone else to revise their beliefs about the way the world works, or ought to work, just because they made a mistake.
California’s failed gun control law appears to be yet another example of experts, to quote the great Milton Friedman, judging “policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
Despite the dismal record of gun control, expect the media and “experts” to use a repertoire of self-justifications rather than modify their beliefs—regardless of what the evidence shows.
California’s background check law had no impact on gun deaths, Johns Hopkins study finds
Jon Miltimore ~ August 7, 2019
A joint study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of California at Davis Violence Prevention Research Program found that California’s much-touted mandated background checks had no impact on gun deaths, and researchers are puzzled as to why.
California Gun Laws Are a Failure
In 1991, California simultaneously imposed comprehensive background checks for firearm sales and prohibited gun sales (and gun possession) to people convicted of misdemeanor violent crimes. The legislation mandated that all gun sales, including private t***sactions, would have to go through a California-licensed Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer. Shotguns and rifles, like handguns, became subject to a 15-day waiting period to make certain all gun purchasers had undergone a thorough background check.
It was the most expansive state gun control legislation in America, affecting an estimated one million gun buyers in the first year alone. Though costly and cumbersome, politicians and law enforcement agreed the law was worth it.
The legislation would “keep more guns out of the hands of the people who shouldn’t have them,” said then-Republican Gov. George Deukmejian.
“I think the new laws are going to help counter the violence,” said LAPD spokesman William D. Booth.
More than a quarter of a century later, researchers at Johns Hopkins and UC Davis dug into the results of the sweeping legislation. Researchers compared yearly gun suicide and homicide rates over the 10 years following implementation of California’s law with 32 control states that did not have such laws.
They found “no change in the rates of either cause of death from firearms through 2000.”
The findings, which run counter to experiences in Missouri and Connecticut that did show a link between background checks and gun deaths, appear to have startled the researchers.
Garen Wintemute, a UC Davis professor of emergency medicine and senior author of the study, said incomplete data and flawed criminal record reporting might explain the results.
Wintemute noted:
In 1990, only 25 percent of criminal records were accessible in the primary federal database used for background checks, and centralized records of mental health prohibitions were almost nonexistent.
As a result, researchers said as many as one in four gun buyers may have purchased a firearm without undergoing a background check.
“We know at the individual level that comprehensive background check policies work, that they prevent future firearm violence at this level,” said Nicole Kravitz-Wirtz, a researcher who led the survey.
Everyone Has Confirmation Bias, Even Experts
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the findings—which run counter to the conventional wisdom that gun control saves lives—have received almost no media attention.
An exception was the Washington Post, which cited the study (buried 20 paragraphs down) in an article in which the American Medical Association calls for stronger gun control laws at the state level.
AMA President Barbara McAneny told the Post in an interview:
We see this as an epidemic and public health crisis and we think intervening as early as possible is smarter than just building more intensive care units for people who are either k**led or damaged and badly hurt by the violence.
Bizarrely, the Post cited the Johns Hopkins-UC Davis study as evidence that what “the AMA is calling for may be needed.”
Apparently, to the Washington Post, California’s failure to effectively enforce background checks that had no discernible impact on gun deaths is evidence that more gun control laws are needed.
Essentially, the study’s authors, the AMA, and the Post appear incapable of seriously entertaining the possibility that sweeping gun control legislation might not have produced the results desired and expected: fewer deaths.
We Should Judge by Outcomes, Not Intentions
Alas, the experts are behaving exactly as expected.
More than a decade ago, the writer Louis Menand, in a New Yorker article, explained the rationalizations experts make when their theories fail to hold up in our real-world laboratory:
When they’re wrong, [experts are] rarely held accountable, and they rarely admit it, either. They insist that they were just off on timing, or blindsided by an improbable event, or almost right, or wrong for the right reasons. They have the same repertoire of self-justifications that everyone has, and are no more inclined than anyone else to revise their beliefs about the way the world works, or ought to work, just because they made a mistake.
California’s failed gun control law appears to be yet another example of experts, to quote the great Milton Friedman, judging “policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
Despite the dismal record of gun control, expect the media and “experts” to use a repertoire of self-justifications rather than modify their beliefs—regardless of what the evidence shows.
Aug 7, 2019 16:07:41 #
(Main)
3 Major Developments Happening Right Now That Could Lead To Global War
Michael Snyder ~ August 06, 2019
It has been a seemingly quiet summer in America so far, but meanwhile we are witnessing major developments on the other side of the globe that could change everything. We are so close to war, and yet most people, including folks on OPP, have absolutely no idea what is happening.
In fact, if you showed most Americans a blank map of the world, they couldn't even pick out Iran, Hong Kong or North Korea.
There is so much apathy in America and on OPP today, and so little knowledge about foreign affairs, and so most people simply do not grasp the importance of the drama that is playing out right in front of our eyes.
But if a major war does erupt, none of our lives are ever going to be the same again. So, I am going to keep writing about these things, because I believe that we have reached an absolutely critical juncture in our history.
Let's start with a stunning new development in the Middle East
Even though most Americans do not realize it, Israel and Iran are already shooting at each other. Israel has been striking Iranian military targets inside Syria for months, but now the rules of engagement have apparently changed, because in recent days the IDF has started conducting airstrikes against Iranian targets inside Iraq...
In an unprecedented move, Israel has expanded its attacks on Iranian targets, with two bombing strikes on Iran-run bases in Iraq in the space of ten days. The Israeli Air Force carried out the military strikes with F-35 jets, according to Asharq Al-Awsat, an Arabic-language newspaper published in London. News of the attacks comes just a day after the US and Israel tested a missile defense system which used targets "similar to Iranian nuclear missiles".
The reason this is being called "an unprecedented move" is because this is the very first time since 1981 that we have seen Israeli airstrikes inside Iraq.
Needless to say, these latest airstrikes have absolutely enraged the Iranians. It looks like the Israeli government has determined that any Iranian military targets outside of Iran itself are fair game, and it is probably only a matter of time before Iran strikes back in a major way.
And if Iran ultimately decides that one of the best ways to strike back is to start hitting targets inside of Israel, that could be the spark that sets off a major war in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, it appears that something major is brewing in China
The political protests that have made global headlines in Hong Kong in recent weeks have greatly angered the Chinese government. They were probably hoping that the protests would quickly subside and soon be forgotten, but that hasn't happened.
So now China is faced with a decision. If such protests were happening elsewhere in China, they would be brutally crushed, but Hong Kong is a special case.
If the Chinese are too harsh with the protesters in Hong Kong, that could turn world opinion against them, but if they do nothing that could encourage protests to start happening in other areas of the country.
In the end, the Chinese will probably do what they always do, and that means crushing the opposition. And Zero Hedge is reporting that Chinese forces are currently gathering "on Hong Kong's border."
Massive anti-Beijing protests which have gripped Hong Kong over the past month, and have become increasingly violent as both an overwhelmed local police force and counter-protesters have hit back with force, are threatening to escalate on a larger geopolitical scale after the White House weighed in this week.
With China fast losing patience, there are new reports of a significant build-up of Chinese security forces on Hong Kong's border.
The White House is monitoring what a senior administration official called a congregation of Chinese forces on Hong Kong's border.
Technically, Hong Kong is considered to be part of China, but it has always been allowed wide latitude to govern itself ever since it was handed over to the Chinese.
But now things could be about to change dramatically, and some are even using the word "invade" to describe what is about to happen. For example, just consider this tweet from Kyle Bass...
"The White House is monitoring a buildup of chinese forces on Hong Kong's border, a senior administration official said." Here we go..the moment the pla army marches from Shenzhen, it's over. china's army is going to invade HK. It's inevitable. #hk #china
If Chinese forces start pouring into Hong Kong, the Trump administration is going to throw a fit. Relations between our two nations are already the worst that they have been since the end of the Korean War, and the situation in Hong Kong could potentially push things over the edge.
In fact, the Chinese have already been placing the blame for the protests in Hong Kong squarely on the U.S. government...
"It's clear that Mr. Pompeo has put himself in the wrong position and still regards himself as the head of the CIA," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing. "He might think that violent activities in Hong Kong are reasonable because after all, this is the creation of the U.S."
China's position has been to recently declare the protests going "far beyond" what's legal and "peaceful" amid clashes with police.
We shall see what happens, but this certainly has the potential to push the United States and China much, much closer to conflict.
On top of everything else, North Korea just fired two more missiles into the ocean
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles early on Wednesday, the South Korean military said, only days after it launched two other missiles intended to pressure South Korea and the United States to stop upcoming military drills.
The latest launches were from the Hodo peninsula on North Korea's east coast, the same area from where last week's were conducted, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. It said it was monitoring in case of additional launches.
The North Koreans are greatly alarmed by the joint military drills that the U.S. and South Korea will soon be conducting, and whenever they get greatly upset about something, they seem to express that displeasure by firing off more missiles.
Yes, President Trump and Kim Jong-Un have been talking, but things remain extremely tense and it wouldn't take very much at all for a major conflict to erupt on the Korean peninsula.
Without a doubt, we live at a time of "wars and rumors of wars", and those with discerning eyes can see what is happening.
The chess pieces are slowly being moved into place, and the combatants are almost ready.
Any number of things could ultimately spark World War 3, and once it begins it is going to be nearly impossible to stop.
Michael Snyder ~ August 06, 2019
It has been a seemingly quiet summer in America so far, but meanwhile we are witnessing major developments on the other side of the globe that could change everything. We are so close to war, and yet most people, including folks on OPP, have absolutely no idea what is happening.
In fact, if you showed most Americans a blank map of the world, they couldn't even pick out Iran, Hong Kong or North Korea.
There is so much apathy in America and on OPP today, and so little knowledge about foreign affairs, and so most people simply do not grasp the importance of the drama that is playing out right in front of our eyes.
But if a major war does erupt, none of our lives are ever going to be the same again. So, I am going to keep writing about these things, because I believe that we have reached an absolutely critical juncture in our history.
Let's start with a stunning new development in the Middle East
Even though most Americans do not realize it, Israel and Iran are already shooting at each other. Israel has been striking Iranian military targets inside Syria for months, but now the rules of engagement have apparently changed, because in recent days the IDF has started conducting airstrikes against Iranian targets inside Iraq...
In an unprecedented move, Israel has expanded its attacks on Iranian targets, with two bombing strikes on Iran-run bases in Iraq in the space of ten days. The Israeli Air Force carried out the military strikes with F-35 jets, according to Asharq Al-Awsat, an Arabic-language newspaper published in London. News of the attacks comes just a day after the US and Israel tested a missile defense system which used targets "similar to Iranian nuclear missiles".
The reason this is being called "an unprecedented move" is because this is the very first time since 1981 that we have seen Israeli airstrikes inside Iraq.
Needless to say, these latest airstrikes have absolutely enraged the Iranians. It looks like the Israeli government has determined that any Iranian military targets outside of Iran itself are fair game, and it is probably only a matter of time before Iran strikes back in a major way.
And if Iran ultimately decides that one of the best ways to strike back is to start hitting targets inside of Israel, that could be the spark that sets off a major war in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, it appears that something major is brewing in China
The political protests that have made global headlines in Hong Kong in recent weeks have greatly angered the Chinese government. They were probably hoping that the protests would quickly subside and soon be forgotten, but that hasn't happened.
So now China is faced with a decision. If such protests were happening elsewhere in China, they would be brutally crushed, but Hong Kong is a special case.
If the Chinese are too harsh with the protesters in Hong Kong, that could turn world opinion against them, but if they do nothing that could encourage protests to start happening in other areas of the country.
In the end, the Chinese will probably do what they always do, and that means crushing the opposition. And Zero Hedge is reporting that Chinese forces are currently gathering "on Hong Kong's border."
Massive anti-Beijing protests which have gripped Hong Kong over the past month, and have become increasingly violent as both an overwhelmed local police force and counter-protesters have hit back with force, are threatening to escalate on a larger geopolitical scale after the White House weighed in this week.
With China fast losing patience, there are new reports of a significant build-up of Chinese security forces on Hong Kong's border.
The White House is monitoring what a senior administration official called a congregation of Chinese forces on Hong Kong's border.
Technically, Hong Kong is considered to be part of China, but it has always been allowed wide latitude to govern itself ever since it was handed over to the Chinese.
But now things could be about to change dramatically, and some are even using the word "invade" to describe what is about to happen. For example, just consider this tweet from Kyle Bass...
"The White House is monitoring a buildup of chinese forces on Hong Kong's border, a senior administration official said." Here we go..the moment the pla army marches from Shenzhen, it's over. china's army is going to invade HK. It's inevitable. #hk #china
If Chinese forces start pouring into Hong Kong, the Trump administration is going to throw a fit. Relations between our two nations are already the worst that they have been since the end of the Korean War, and the situation in Hong Kong could potentially push things over the edge.
In fact, the Chinese have already been placing the blame for the protests in Hong Kong squarely on the U.S. government...
"It's clear that Mr. Pompeo has put himself in the wrong position and still regards himself as the head of the CIA," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing. "He might think that violent activities in Hong Kong are reasonable because after all, this is the creation of the U.S."
China's position has been to recently declare the protests going "far beyond" what's legal and "peaceful" amid clashes with police.
We shall see what happens, but this certainly has the potential to push the United States and China much, much closer to conflict.
On top of everything else, North Korea just fired two more missiles into the ocean
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles early on Wednesday, the South Korean military said, only days after it launched two other missiles intended to pressure South Korea and the United States to stop upcoming military drills.
The latest launches were from the Hodo peninsula on North Korea's east coast, the same area from where last week's were conducted, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. It said it was monitoring in case of additional launches.
The North Koreans are greatly alarmed by the joint military drills that the U.S. and South Korea will soon be conducting, and whenever they get greatly upset about something, they seem to express that displeasure by firing off more missiles.
Yes, President Trump and Kim Jong-Un have been talking, but things remain extremely tense and it wouldn't take very much at all for a major conflict to erupt on the Korean peninsula.
Without a doubt, we live at a time of "wars and rumors of wars", and those with discerning eyes can see what is happening.
The chess pieces are slowly being moved into place, and the combatants are almost ready.
Any number of things could ultimately spark World War 3, and once it begins it is going to be nearly impossible to stop.
Aug 7, 2019 16:04:31 #
8 Fake News Stories…About Heaven
Jonathan Brentner ~ August 3, 2019
If you are like me, your first tendency is not to believe what you read or hear on the news these days unless it’s from a source you trust. Even then, I have initially believed some stories that I later discovered lacked credibility.
Unfortunately, we also hear fake stories about heaven. With the wide variety of false images about our life in eternity circulating about us, it’s no surprise that few believers feel excited about heaven.
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, wrote, “As long as the resurrected universe remains either undesirable or unimaginable, Satan succeeds in sabotaging our love for Heaven.”
What are some popular stories about heaven that the enemy of our souls uses to sabotage our desire for the home Jesus is preparing for us?
1. Heaven is Not Real
In late 1971, the song “Imagine,” written and performed by John Lennon, started its climb to the top of the charts. The lyrics ask the listener to imagine that heaven and hell do not exist. Today, this still represents the top fake news story about eternity: the denial of heaven and hell’s existence.
The Bible, our infallible source of truth, verifies that both heaven and hell do indeed exist. Jesus repeatedly promised eternal life to those who believe in Him, and many times warned about the awful fate of hell for all those who reject Him. You cannot deny the existence of heaven or, for that matter, hell and still maintain Jesus’ greatness as a teacher; He taught that both exist.
I recently heard a pastor say that the New Jerusalem was an allegory of God’s presence on the new earth. His words shocked me. Those who falsely make the new earth the totality of our eternal hope, deny a key aspect of biblical teaching about heaven and open the door to additional false teaching.
Do not fall for the lies that maintain heaven does not exist or that it does not include a glorious city. The New Jerusalem that the apostle John described in detail is not a symbol; it is a real physical city of immense proportions (Rev. 21-22).
2. Heaven Consists of Just the New Jerusalem
For many years I thought heaven consisted only of the New Jerusalem. While I still believe the saints of all the ages will dwell in glorious homes in the New Jerusalem, we will also enjoy the wonders of the new earth (Rev. 21:1). The fact that the apostle describes it as the “new earth” indicates a similarity to the present one, only without the effects of sin and the curse.
There will be a visible continuity with our current world.
My wife and I spent our honeymoon in Estes Park, Colorado. I wish I could go hiking in the Rocky Mountain National Park at least once a month; I loved gazing at the mountains and could sit for hours next to the mountain streams.
I also loved watching and listening to the waves of Lake Michigan crash against the shores of Michigan. The scenic vistas of the Blue Ridge Parkway remain in my mind, and I long to go back to the Blue Ridge Mountains and hike in the Smoky Mountain National Park.
I have only seen a tiny part of the stunning and unforgettable scenes of this present earth, but I will have all eternity to explore the wonders of the new earth where I will see similar and still greater wonders.
3. Heaven will be Boring
Perhaps the most widely held fallacy regarding heaven is that it will be boring. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, addresses this popular delusion:
“Our belief that Heaven will be boring betrays a heresy—that God is boring. There’s no greater nonsense. Our desire for pleasure and the experience of joy come directly from God’s hand. He made our taste buds, adrenaline, sex drives, and the nerve endings that convey pleasure to our brains. Likewise, our imaginations and our capacity for joy and exhilaration were made by the very God we accuse of being boring. Are we so arrogant as to imagine that human beings came up with the idea of having fun?”
Don’t let the devil deceive you into thinking you will be bored in heaven. In Psalm 16:11 David says, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Does this not sound much different than sitting on clouds with harps?
We will be in the Lord’s presence from the rapture forward to all of eternity (see 1 Thess. 4:17) where we will find “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore.” This totally negates the lie that heaven will be boring.
4. We will be Solitary Saints Playing Harps Seated on Clouds
The media loves to portray heaven as solitary saints sitting on clouds and playing harps. Nothing dampens enthusiasm for eternity as does this fake image, and understandably so.
Scripture never paints such a lonely and dull picture of our future paradise. The Lord promises that we will live forever with immortal bodies, enjoying the beauty of the new earth while we live in the most beautiful city imaginable, the New Jerusalem. Our lives in eternity will be an unending exiting and joyous adventure.
5. Heaven will be an Endless Worship Service
The images of worship in Revelation 4 and 5 cause many to assume heaven will consist of a long, unending worship service.
Of course, we will praise the Lord with voice and instruments throughout eternity. When we see Jesus in all His glory and fully realize the price He paid for our salvation, thanksgiving and worship will pour from us as an unstoppable response. We will never cease praising the Lord in eternity.
The Bible, however, tells us the Lord has much more in mind for us. We will reign with Jesus after His return to earth (Rev. 5:9-10), which implies the Lord will assign a variety of activities during His thousand-year reign on earth and then in the eternal state.
Yes, we will always praise our Savior as we do now, but we will also be part of a never-ending and exhilarating adventure as we reign with Jesus and explore the wonders of the new earth.
6. We will be Angels Seeking Wings
I love the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, but someday we will be far more than aspiring angels jumping into icy waters to earn our wings. Unfortunately, many Christians today assume we become angels when we go to heaven. When Jesus said we would be “like angels in heaven” (Matt. 22:30), He made the comparison in terms of marriage. He never said we would become angels.
The apostle Paul later said that we will “judge angels” someday (1 Cor. 6:3). I am not sure of all that implies, but it certainly distinguishes us from them. Many other passages also clarify that angels and believers are differing in many ways.
7. Our Dreams Die When this Life Ends
The millennium and eternal state will be the wondrous time of renewal and restoration that Jesus promises us in Matthew 19:27-29. The dreams and aspirations Jesus puts on our hearts in this life do not fade away when we die or are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
For lives cut short due to tragedy and illness, the millennium will be a time to again use God-given gifts and talents. As for the desires the Lord places in our hearts that do not reach fulfillment in this life, this will be a time when those aspirations come to full fruition. For dreams cut short by the evil actions of others, our reign with Christ will be a wondrous time of restoration beyond our fondest dreams (read Matt. 19:27-29 again).
I like what Randy Alcorn said – something similar – in his book Heaven:
“Without an eternal perspective, without understanding the reality that the best is yet to come, we assume that people who die young, who are handicapped, who aren’t healthy, who don’t get married, or who don’t _________ [fill in the blank] will inevitably miss out on the best life has to offer. But the theology underlying those assumptions is fatally flawed. We’re presuming our present Earth, bodies, culture, relationships, and lives are superior to those of the New Earth.
“What are we thinking?”
Regardless of our circumstances, for those in Christ, the best is yet to come; and it will be far better than anything this life has to offer.
8. Peter Allows Entrance into Heaven Based Upon Good Works
Perhaps the most fatal of all fake news stories regarding eternity pictures a lonely person straggling up to Peter at the gates of heaven to plead why his or her life merits entry into the glorious city. This picture contradicts the clear teaching of the New Testament.
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus is our path to heaven. The apostle John later wrote this, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12).
We receive eternal life solely on account of God’s love and mercy based upon the blood Jesus shed on the cross. Even our faith comes from above: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
Jesus is the door to heaven. If we have Him living inside us through the Holy Spirit, we already possess eternal life. It’s His righteousness alone, applied to us, that saves us. If we depend on our goodness to gain entrance to heaven, we will fall far short.
Yes, heaven exists; and once there, the Lord will forever shower us with the kindness of His grace (Eph. 2:7). This life is just the warmup for what lies ahead. Today we experience disappointment, rejection, and pain; the tears flow at many times in our lives.
But a much, much better day is just ahead. Jesus is coming soon for His church to take us to the place He is preparing for us. All sorrows, tears, frustrations, and death will forever end in eternity (Rev. 21:4).
Jonathan Brentner ~ August 3, 2019
If you are like me, your first tendency is not to believe what you read or hear on the news these days unless it’s from a source you trust. Even then, I have initially believed some stories that I later discovered lacked credibility.
Unfortunately, we also hear fake stories about heaven. With the wide variety of false images about our life in eternity circulating about us, it’s no surprise that few believers feel excited about heaven.
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, wrote, “As long as the resurrected universe remains either undesirable or unimaginable, Satan succeeds in sabotaging our love for Heaven.”
What are some popular stories about heaven that the enemy of our souls uses to sabotage our desire for the home Jesus is preparing for us?
1. Heaven is Not Real
In late 1971, the song “Imagine,” written and performed by John Lennon, started its climb to the top of the charts. The lyrics ask the listener to imagine that heaven and hell do not exist. Today, this still represents the top fake news story about eternity: the denial of heaven and hell’s existence.
The Bible, our infallible source of truth, verifies that both heaven and hell do indeed exist. Jesus repeatedly promised eternal life to those who believe in Him, and many times warned about the awful fate of hell for all those who reject Him. You cannot deny the existence of heaven or, for that matter, hell and still maintain Jesus’ greatness as a teacher; He taught that both exist.
I recently heard a pastor say that the New Jerusalem was an allegory of God’s presence on the new earth. His words shocked me. Those who falsely make the new earth the totality of our eternal hope, deny a key aspect of biblical teaching about heaven and open the door to additional false teaching.
Do not fall for the lies that maintain heaven does not exist or that it does not include a glorious city. The New Jerusalem that the apostle John described in detail is not a symbol; it is a real physical city of immense proportions (Rev. 21-22).
2. Heaven Consists of Just the New Jerusalem
For many years I thought heaven consisted only of the New Jerusalem. While I still believe the saints of all the ages will dwell in glorious homes in the New Jerusalem, we will also enjoy the wonders of the new earth (Rev. 21:1). The fact that the apostle describes it as the “new earth” indicates a similarity to the present one, only without the effects of sin and the curse.
There will be a visible continuity with our current world.
My wife and I spent our honeymoon in Estes Park, Colorado. I wish I could go hiking in the Rocky Mountain National Park at least once a month; I loved gazing at the mountains and could sit for hours next to the mountain streams.
I also loved watching and listening to the waves of Lake Michigan crash against the shores of Michigan. The scenic vistas of the Blue Ridge Parkway remain in my mind, and I long to go back to the Blue Ridge Mountains and hike in the Smoky Mountain National Park.
I have only seen a tiny part of the stunning and unforgettable scenes of this present earth, but I will have all eternity to explore the wonders of the new earth where I will see similar and still greater wonders.
3. Heaven will be Boring
Perhaps the most widely held fallacy regarding heaven is that it will be boring. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, addresses this popular delusion:
“Our belief that Heaven will be boring betrays a heresy—that God is boring. There’s no greater nonsense. Our desire for pleasure and the experience of joy come directly from God’s hand. He made our taste buds, adrenaline, sex drives, and the nerve endings that convey pleasure to our brains. Likewise, our imaginations and our capacity for joy and exhilaration were made by the very God we accuse of being boring. Are we so arrogant as to imagine that human beings came up with the idea of having fun?”
Don’t let the devil deceive you into thinking you will be bored in heaven. In Psalm 16:11 David says, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Does this not sound much different than sitting on clouds with harps?
We will be in the Lord’s presence from the rapture forward to all of eternity (see 1 Thess. 4:17) where we will find “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore.” This totally negates the lie that heaven will be boring.
4. We will be Solitary Saints Playing Harps Seated on Clouds
The media loves to portray heaven as solitary saints sitting on clouds and playing harps. Nothing dampens enthusiasm for eternity as does this fake image, and understandably so.
Scripture never paints such a lonely and dull picture of our future paradise. The Lord promises that we will live forever with immortal bodies, enjoying the beauty of the new earth while we live in the most beautiful city imaginable, the New Jerusalem. Our lives in eternity will be an unending exiting and joyous adventure.
5. Heaven will be an Endless Worship Service
The images of worship in Revelation 4 and 5 cause many to assume heaven will consist of a long, unending worship service.
Of course, we will praise the Lord with voice and instruments throughout eternity. When we see Jesus in all His glory and fully realize the price He paid for our salvation, thanksgiving and worship will pour from us as an unstoppable response. We will never cease praising the Lord in eternity.
The Bible, however, tells us the Lord has much more in mind for us. We will reign with Jesus after His return to earth (Rev. 5:9-10), which implies the Lord will assign a variety of activities during His thousand-year reign on earth and then in the eternal state.
Yes, we will always praise our Savior as we do now, but we will also be part of a never-ending and exhilarating adventure as we reign with Jesus and explore the wonders of the new earth.
6. We will be Angels Seeking Wings
I love the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, but someday we will be far more than aspiring angels jumping into icy waters to earn our wings. Unfortunately, many Christians today assume we become angels when we go to heaven. When Jesus said we would be “like angels in heaven” (Matt. 22:30), He made the comparison in terms of marriage. He never said we would become angels.
The apostle Paul later said that we will “judge angels” someday (1 Cor. 6:3). I am not sure of all that implies, but it certainly distinguishes us from them. Many other passages also clarify that angels and believers are differing in many ways.
7. Our Dreams Die When this Life Ends
The millennium and eternal state will be the wondrous time of renewal and restoration that Jesus promises us in Matthew 19:27-29. The dreams and aspirations Jesus puts on our hearts in this life do not fade away when we die or are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
For lives cut short due to tragedy and illness, the millennium will be a time to again use God-given gifts and talents. As for the desires the Lord places in our hearts that do not reach fulfillment in this life, this will be a time when those aspirations come to full fruition. For dreams cut short by the evil actions of others, our reign with Christ will be a wondrous time of restoration beyond our fondest dreams (read Matt. 19:27-29 again).
I like what Randy Alcorn said – something similar – in his book Heaven:
“Without an eternal perspective, without understanding the reality that the best is yet to come, we assume that people who die young, who are handicapped, who aren’t healthy, who don’t get married, or who don’t _________ [fill in the blank] will inevitably miss out on the best life has to offer. But the theology underlying those assumptions is fatally flawed. We’re presuming our present Earth, bodies, culture, relationships, and lives are superior to those of the New Earth.
“What are we thinking?”
Regardless of our circumstances, for those in Christ, the best is yet to come; and it will be far better than anything this life has to offer.
8. Peter Allows Entrance into Heaven Based Upon Good Works
Perhaps the most fatal of all fake news stories regarding eternity pictures a lonely person straggling up to Peter at the gates of heaven to plead why his or her life merits entry into the glorious city. This picture contradicts the clear teaching of the New Testament.
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus is our path to heaven. The apostle John later wrote this, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12).
We receive eternal life solely on account of God’s love and mercy based upon the blood Jesus shed on the cross. Even our faith comes from above: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
Jesus is the door to heaven. If we have Him living inside us through the Holy Spirit, we already possess eternal life. It’s His righteousness alone, applied to us, that saves us. If we depend on our goodness to gain entrance to heaven, we will fall far short.
Yes, heaven exists; and once there, the Lord will forever shower us with the kindness of His grace (Eph. 2:7). This life is just the warmup for what lies ahead. Today we experience disappointment, rejection, and pain; the tears flow at many times in our lives.
But a much, much better day is just ahead. Jesus is coming soon for His church to take us to the place He is preparing for us. All sorrows, tears, frustrations, and death will forever end in eternity (Rev. 21:4).
Aug 7, 2019 11:35:56 #
(Main)
MR Mister wrote:
You are right! I missed something.
SORRY Spanky60, I apologize.
SORRY Spanky60, I apologize.
No problem! I've done it myself.
Aug 7, 2019 08:09:17 #
(Main)
Parky60 wrote:
President Trump Announces Call For A National ‘Red F**g’ Gun Law That Will Allow The Government To Begin Confiscating Guns From US Citizens
Blade Runner wrote:
This statement is ambiguous and highly misleading. Let's put this in the proper perspective… a red f**g law is about actively determining what human beings are a danger to society, not about what a firearm looks like or how many bullets it'll shoot.
I only quoted part of what you said but I’m surprised by what I did Blade. There are many folks that think Christians are a danger to society and what’s to say that a red f**g law wouldn’t actively determine that they are. So, I defend that the headline: President Trump Announces Call For A National ‘Red F**g’ Gun Law That Will Allow The Government To Begin Confiscating Guns From US Citizens is not ambiguous and highly misleading but is in effect plainly pointing out the VERY slippery slope this will head down.
"The newly-proposed National Red F**g Gun Law is absolutely an infringement on the rights of the American people to “keep and bear arms”, it is nothing less than gun confiscation. And it is the Republican Party that is allowing this proposed bill to proceed towards being enshrined in law. If passed, the so-called Red F**g Gun Law is the beginning of the end of not only the Second Amendment, but of all the other amendments as well. Remember, if they can take just one away from you, they can take all of them away from you." Geoffrey Grider
Aug 6, 2019 21:34:57 #
(Main)
Nothing good can come of this. Although I don’t own any guns, I wholeheartedly disagree with President Trump calling for a national ‘Red F**g’ Gun Law that will allow the government to begin confiscating guns from US citizens. ~ Parky60
Donald Trump addressed the nation on Monday in the wake of two deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio over the weekend. He blamed violent video games and mental health for the shooting and called for "red f**g laws" as a measure of gun control. Under a red f**g law, potentially dangerous individuals can be reported by family or others, and local officials then determine whether there is cause to temporarily remove firearms the person may have. Cases where weapons were removed in Florida involved both risks to others or potential suicide cases.
President Trump Announces Call For A National ‘Red F**g’ Gun Law That Will Allow The Government To Begin Confiscating Guns From US Citizens
Geoffrey Grider August 6, 2019
Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday he’s struck a bipartisan deal to write legislation that would encourage states to adopt “red f**g” laws allowing guns to be taken from potentially dangerous individuals, and he vowed action in the wake of this weekend’s shootings.
An estimated 88,000 people die every year from alcohol, and yet alcohol is legal in all 50 states. Over 324,000 babies are k**led in a******n each year, and yet a******ns are legal in all 50 states. Over 40,000 people each year die in car crashes, the majority of which are linked to alcohol, and yet automobiles are legal in all 50 states. In 2018, less than 15,000 people died from gun violence in America. Yet somehow, guns are the real problem. Go figure.
A well regulated m*****a, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Second Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified December 1791
The newly-proposed National Red F**g Gun Law is absolutely an infringement on the rights of the American people to “keep and bear arms”, it is nothing less than gun confiscation. And it is the Republican Party that is allowing this proposed bill to proceed towards being enshrined in law. If passed, the so-called Red F**g Gun Law is the beginning of the end of not only the Second Amendment, but of all the other amendments as well. Remember, if they can take just one away from you, they can take all of them away from you.
And just so you know, President Trump, who promised the millions of patriots who v**ed for him he would protect our gun rights, is not only in favor of it he’s also the one pushing for it, as you will see in the video below.
FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES: Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said his legislation, which he has worked on with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, would offer grants to law enforcement to hire professionals to try to decide cases where guns should be taken from troubled individuals.
Mr. Graham said he talked to President Trump about the idea earlier Monday, and the president “seems very supportive.”
“Many of these shootings involved individuals who showed signs of violent behavior that are either ignored or not followed up. State Red F**g laws will provide the tools for law enforcement to do something about many of these situations before it’s too late,” said Mr. Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Congressional Republicans, under pressure to respond to this weekend’s massacres, appear to be coalescing around legislation to help law enforcement to take guns from those who pose an imminent danger — a measure that, if signed into law, would be the most significant gun safety legislation enacted in 20 years.
Red f**g laws have been pioneered in some states such as Florida, scene of the 2018 Valentine’s Day school shooting in Parkland.
Under a red f**g law, potentially dangerous individuals can be reported by family or others, and local officials then determine whether there is cause to temporarily remove firearms the person may have. Cases where weapons were removed in Florida involved both risks to others or potential suicide cases.
Mr. Graham said he and Mr. Blumenthal will introduce national red f**g grant legislation “in the very near future.” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said there’s no need to wait.
She’s already written and introduced her own version, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act,” that would create a grant program to encourage states to come up with red f**g laws. She said Mr. Graham could put her bill on the committee’s agenda.
“The Senate could v**e on that bill today,” she said.
She said that while 15 states and the District of Columbia have red f**g laws on the books, neither Texas nor Ohio — scenes of the weekend’s shootings — have one. But she said the Senate needs to go further than that. She called for Congress to renew the Assault Weapons Ban, a now-expired 1994 law that restricted the sale of some military-style semiautomatic rifles.
“It took the Dayton shooter less than 30 seconds to shoot 35 people, nine of whom died. This validates the theory that these weapons are designed to k**l as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” she said.
President Trump Calls For National ‘Red F**g’ Gun Control Law
Donald Trump addressed the nation on Monday in the wake of two deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio over the weekend. He blamed violent video games and mental health for the shooting and called for “red f**g laws” as a measure of gun control.
https://youtu.be/V1FicXIZL40
Donald Trump addressed the nation on Monday in the wake of two deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio over the weekend. He blamed violent video games and mental health for the shooting and called for "red f**g laws" as a measure of gun control. Under a red f**g law, potentially dangerous individuals can be reported by family or others, and local officials then determine whether there is cause to temporarily remove firearms the person may have. Cases where weapons were removed in Florida involved both risks to others or potential suicide cases.
President Trump Announces Call For A National ‘Red F**g’ Gun Law That Will Allow The Government To Begin Confiscating Guns From US Citizens
Geoffrey Grider August 6, 2019
Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday he’s struck a bipartisan deal to write legislation that would encourage states to adopt “red f**g” laws allowing guns to be taken from potentially dangerous individuals, and he vowed action in the wake of this weekend’s shootings.
An estimated 88,000 people die every year from alcohol, and yet alcohol is legal in all 50 states. Over 324,000 babies are k**led in a******n each year, and yet a******ns are legal in all 50 states. Over 40,000 people each year die in car crashes, the majority of which are linked to alcohol, and yet automobiles are legal in all 50 states. In 2018, less than 15,000 people died from gun violence in America. Yet somehow, guns are the real problem. Go figure.
A well regulated m*****a, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Second Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified December 1791
The newly-proposed National Red F**g Gun Law is absolutely an infringement on the rights of the American people to “keep and bear arms”, it is nothing less than gun confiscation. And it is the Republican Party that is allowing this proposed bill to proceed towards being enshrined in law. If passed, the so-called Red F**g Gun Law is the beginning of the end of not only the Second Amendment, but of all the other amendments as well. Remember, if they can take just one away from you, they can take all of them away from you.
And just so you know, President Trump, who promised the millions of patriots who v**ed for him he would protect our gun rights, is not only in favor of it he’s also the one pushing for it, as you will see in the video below.
FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES: Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said his legislation, which he has worked on with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, would offer grants to law enforcement to hire professionals to try to decide cases where guns should be taken from troubled individuals.
Mr. Graham said he talked to President Trump about the idea earlier Monday, and the president “seems very supportive.”
“Many of these shootings involved individuals who showed signs of violent behavior that are either ignored or not followed up. State Red F**g laws will provide the tools for law enforcement to do something about many of these situations before it’s too late,” said Mr. Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Congressional Republicans, under pressure to respond to this weekend’s massacres, appear to be coalescing around legislation to help law enforcement to take guns from those who pose an imminent danger — a measure that, if signed into law, would be the most significant gun safety legislation enacted in 20 years.
Red f**g laws have been pioneered in some states such as Florida, scene of the 2018 Valentine’s Day school shooting in Parkland.
Under a red f**g law, potentially dangerous individuals can be reported by family or others, and local officials then determine whether there is cause to temporarily remove firearms the person may have. Cases where weapons were removed in Florida involved both risks to others or potential suicide cases.
Mr. Graham said he and Mr. Blumenthal will introduce national red f**g grant legislation “in the very near future.” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said there’s no need to wait.
She’s already written and introduced her own version, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act,” that would create a grant program to encourage states to come up with red f**g laws. She said Mr. Graham could put her bill on the committee’s agenda.
“The Senate could v**e on that bill today,” she said.
She said that while 15 states and the District of Columbia have red f**g laws on the books, neither Texas nor Ohio — scenes of the weekend’s shootings — have one. But she said the Senate needs to go further than that. She called for Congress to renew the Assault Weapons Ban, a now-expired 1994 law that restricted the sale of some military-style semiautomatic rifles.
“It took the Dayton shooter less than 30 seconds to shoot 35 people, nine of whom died. This validates the theory that these weapons are designed to k**l as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” she said.
President Trump Calls For National ‘Red F**g’ Gun Control Law
Donald Trump addressed the nation on Monday in the wake of two deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio over the weekend. He blamed violent video games and mental health for the shooting and called for “red f**g laws” as a measure of gun control.
https://youtu.be/V1FicXIZL40
Aug 6, 2019 16:57:47 #
(Main)
MR Mister wrote:
Your a typical know nothing Liberal.
Every month there is an NRA gun show somewhere in America.
There has never been one shooting or anything even close over the past 40 plus years.
Try asking "how many Christians did Muslim k**l today?"
So get some smarts and get your facts straight, Spanky60
Every month there is an NRA gun show somewhere in America.
There has never been one shooting or anything even close over the past 40 plus years.
Try asking "how many Christians did Muslim k**l today?"
So get some smarts and get your facts straight, Spanky60
It's apparent that you didn't read the whole meme and missed my point (By the way...I'm VERY conservative).
Aug 6, 2019 16:55:18 #
(Main)
factnotfiction wrote:
If this ridiculous idea would ever become reality,... (show quote)
Hannity may be on to something. Here's how they protect children in schools in Israel and they have little to no school shootings.
Aug 6, 2019 14:00:36 #
(Main)
Lonewolf wrote:
No true Christian could support trump
Yes they do. I am one of them.
Unfortunately you're too spiritually blind to understand so I won't "throw my pearls before swine" trying to explain.
Aug 6, 2019 13:55:03 #
Aug 6, 2019 06:55:32 #
(Main)
PeterS wrote:
Now that is what I call irony...
Will you please show me in the constitution where healthcare is a right Pete? I must have skipped class that day. And did those people with guns in your meme participate in any mass shootings?
Aug 6, 2019 06:51:32 #
(Main)
crazylibertarian wrote:
No, it's not because he is a pagan. I know some pagans, i.e. atheists, who are fine people. He is contemptible and contemptuous of everyone, probably even his fellow ideologues. The best punishment for someone like him is that he has to go through life being someone like him. The same applies to Kevyn and most of other progressives of OPP and the world.
Some pagans may be fine people but they're still lost.
Aug 6, 2019 06:49:18 #
(Main)
PeterS wrote:
A dollar against your Nickle that the shooter considered himself a Christian and more specific a Christian Nationalist...get it! No? I figured that one would be right over your head.
The operative word you left out is TRUE Christian Pete...not a CINO...Christian In Name Only.
Aug 6, 2019 06:25:10 #
(Main)
Kevyn wrote:
Every one of the hijackers on 9-11 “came to god instead of kicking him out of their lives” and that didn’t work out well for anyone. This was caused by judgement all right, piss poor judgement by a number of people including the shooter and the president.
Don't you find it ironic that you would use small "g" and not capitalized "G" to designate the Maker of the universe that I was referring to Kevie?
Aug 6, 2019 06:18:42 #
(Main)
PeterS wrote:
Homosexuals 'Worthy of Death' Bible Verse Read Before Key V**e
We're ALL worthy of death Pete because we ALL sin and fall short of God's standard (Romans 3:23) and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The only thing that saves us is the grace and mercy that God gives us through what His Son Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. And I really don't care what you think about that because no matter what you say it's TRUE!