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by Leonard V Johnson

Our Lord Jesus Christ asked, “ … ‘Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’” – Luke 18:8. And it’s not just ‘faith in Jesus,’ or even ‘faith in God,’ but it’s more akin to faith in a Creator.

Mankind is moving further and further away from even believing in a Creator God! There are millions now who want to make God in their image.

Friday 10 April 2026

From your own AI Jesus to BuddhaBot Plus – The religious tech boom has arrived

A faith-based AI gold rush is underway

A tech company is offering evangelical Christians a "personal relationship with Jesus" – for a fee – through an artificial intelligence avatar. Users of the 'Just Like Me' platform can engage in video calls with an AI-generated Jesus, priced at $1.99 per minute. This digital deity provides prayers and encouragement in various languages, recalling previous conversations despite occasional glitches and slightly unsynchronised lip movements. …

This venture is part of a growing trend in faith-based generative AI, which now includes everything from alleged Hindu gurus and Buddhist priests to AI Jesuses and Catholic chatbots similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. As these religious AI tools become more prevalent, many are grappling with how such technologies are reshaping their understanding of faith, authority, and spiritual guidance. …

Some models have been shut down or overhauled because they generated misinformation or raised worries about data privacy, said Beth Singler, an anthropologist who studies religion and AI at the University of Zurich. Aside from practical concerns, people from many faiths are grappling with larger philosophical questions about what sort of role, if any, AI should play in religion.

(https://www.the-independent.com/tech/ai-chatgpt-jesus-buddhabot-muslim-b2955282.html).

Some sites can even have you supposedly able to have a conversation with the late Charlie Kirk.

All that truly should remind us of the story concerning King Saul and the Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28:3-25).

Back in 2023, the Discern Report reported ──

The Machine God Takes Over

The Protestant German church was filled with worshipers. A photograph of the event showed a video screen in place of the pastor. And the sermon was written and delivered by the AI chatbot ChatGPT.

This was humanity worshiping its machines, and it may bring the wrath of God upon us all.

It seems as if society, worldwide, is determined to commit suicide. Artificial intelligence, which is nothing more than a computer program, preaching to humanity is the ultimate sin.

(https://discernreport.com/the-machine-god-takes-over/).

Of course, a “computer program preaching to humanity” is not the “ultimate sin,” however, God’s living word does warn us ──

“Their land is also full of IDOLS; They worship the work of their own hands, That which their own fingers have made. 9) People bow down, And each man humbles himself; Therefore do not forgive them.” – Isaiah 2:8-9.

Sadly, we are beginning to witness this with some AI religious tech. systems.

And even though this is relatively new technology, God’s living word tells us there is nothing new under the sun ──

“That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 1:9.

In this instance, mankind has been worshiping the created rather than the Creator since mankind has been on earth! And since the beginning, mankind has been commanded not to do so ──

“’ You shall have no other gods before Me. 4) You shall not make for yourself a carved image──any likeness of anything that is in heaven [the atmosphere] above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5) you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6) but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.’” – Exodus 20:3-6.

Also, notice this posting from World Net Daily back in 2023 ──

June 15, 2023

An AI program is pretending to be Jesus and thousands of lost young people are flocking to it

There's an event recorded in the Gospel of Matthew in which Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, and his disciples asked him what the sign of the end of the age would be.

Jesus replied, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.”

At least one of those deceivers is turning out to be an AI called “ask__jesus.”

According to The Independent, a Berlin-based tech collective has developed a chatbot resembling Jesus Christ, which already has thousands of followers seeking advice and guidance.

The chatbot, referred to as “AI Jesus,” has the appearance of a bearded white man with a radiant halo and utilizes artificial intelligence reportedly trained on the teachings of Jesus and the Bible.

(https://www.wnd.com/2023/06/ai-program-pretending-jesus-thousands-lost-young-people-flocking/).

Now, to be clear ── with my “Conversations With AI,” I do not seek advice or guidance.” I, rather, ask it what is being taught concerning a theological subject, and I correct it with God’s living truth ── from God’s living word.

Well … absolutely not! Our Lord Jesus Christ, in His glory, does not have a halo (a symbol that literally spread around the world) 1 Nor does He act or sound like ChatGPT (cf. Revelation 1:12-16). Yes … technically, another ‘false christ’! ──

“’ … if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24) For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

25) See, I have told you beforehand.’” – Matthew 24:23-25.

And also, what is coming down the pike that has been proposed regarding AI and religion ──

June 10, 2023

WEF Calls for AI to Rewrite Bible, Create ‘Religions That Are Actually Correct’

A top official with the World Economic Forum (WEF) has called for religious scripture to be “rewritten” by artificial intelligence (AI) to create a globalized “new Bible.”

Yuval Noah Harari, the senior advisor to the WEF and its chairman Klaus Schwab, argues that using AI to replace scriptures will create unified “religions that are actually correct.”

(https://slaynews.com/news/wef-ai-rewrite-bible-create-religions-actually-correct/).

Well … can you say, blasphemous? Because God’s living word ── the Holy Bible ── is not “fake news” or “made-up stories” passed down since the semi-mythic King Gilgamesh! Our Lord Jesus Christ says concerning the LORD God’s word, “ … ‘Your word is truth.’” – John 17:17. And that God’s word is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” – Hebrews 4:12. It’s God’s word in print.

Having certainly discovered that AI like Alexa+ can provide wrong answers to not only historical questions with theological connections (there is a clause at the bottom of the Alexa+ app in very small letters, “Alexa may not always get it right”), having AI rewrite a Bible or blasphemously pretend to be Jesus should not sound like a good idea to anyone who is rightly seeking the living truth of the LORD God!

Again, God’s living word ──

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death [eternal death, cf. Revelation 21:8].” – Proverbs 14:12.

Well … since the World Economic Forum (WEF) does not explicitly state that it believes in a Creator, it does, however, acknowledge how religion can help control the populous. They can (and will) create a God in their image and in their likeness, but their end is the way of death!

Sadly, a great many people in this present evil age desire to ‘exchange the truth of God for the lie, and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.’ cf. Romans 1:25.

As the LORD’s warning was in the days of King Jehoiakim of Judah, the LORD God warns us today ──

“’ And the LORD has sent you all His servants the prophets [including since then His very own Son, Hebrews 1:1-2], rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. 5) They said, ‘REPENT NOW EVERYONE of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.

6) Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.’” – Jeremiah 25:4-6.

Millions of people globally do not care for the living word of God, becoming known as “nones.” 2 Biblical stories like Noah’s Ark, Adam & Eve, Sodom & Gomorrah, or the parting of the Red Sea can all, they reason amongst themselves, be explained by “natural phenomena,” or “logic.”

But soon in these latter days will come the prophesied Day of the LORD ──

“’ Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand …’” – Joel 2:1.

“’ And it shall be in that day,’ says the LORD, … 13) ‘Your carved images I will also cut off, And your sacred pillars from your midst; You shall no more worship the work of your hands; 14) I will pluck your wooden images from your midst; Thus I will destroy your cities. 15) And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury On the nations that have not heard.’” – Micah 5:10, 13-15.

My dear friend ── the only true answer to the solution facing humanity is to ‘Repent, and believe in the gospel,’ to ‘Return to God, and He will return to you.’ (Mark 1:15; Malachi 3:7). □

Bibliography:

1 Wilson, M., The halo: A symbol that spread around the world, BBC, 24 June 2021.
2 O’ Leary, A., America’s Religious Decline Creates New Battleground, GovFacts, 25 Aug. 2025.

Additional Items of Reverent Interest:

Did Jesus Have Long Hair? ── This early morning, I had noticed the issue of 'Did Jesus Have Long Hair?' came up. We receive a great number of "friend" requests from people on Facebook who have pictures of a supposed Jesus with long hair and feminine features. Did our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, have long hair?

"Christianity" and AI ── Personally, I had no idea that this had become so widespread. …

Personal From... Is AI Evil? ── A few weeks ago, I posted our first “Conversation With AI,” and the reception was greatly mixed.

 Some World News in Relation to Biblical Prophecy - August 15, 2025 ── In this article, we cover the news that Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be assisting in the development of biological and or chemical weapons. Along with the Canadian government ramping up human euthanasia ── it's at an all-time high.

Conversation With AI Regarding the Meaning of "the beginning of sorrows" ── and "Then" (Part I) ── I want to give you something to think about.

Conversation With AI Regarding Various Biblical Subjects (Part V) ── Sir, I’ve been pondering something lately [...] Also in VIDEO FORMAT

Personal From… Is AI Evil?

 AI Generated

by Leonard V Johnson

A few weeks ago, I posted our first “Conversation With AI,” and the reception was greatly mixed. One person commented, “This is Satanic!” Another, “Very interesting!” And then there was a comment from a person who apparently doesn’t believe that a Creator God has sovereignty, because she wrote, “No one size fits all concerning morality or even laws.”

Twelve years ago, Amazon released the proverbial AI Aladdin, asking, “How may I serve you, Master!” And the world has changed forever.

AI is one of mankind’s most incredible and wondrous inventions. Alexa+ can have a full-blown conversation with you, researching the internet through various databases, articles, and websites while doing so, and can challenge even the most hardened and stiff-necked theologian. Used properly, AI has an amazing, mindboggling potential ── for the benefit of all mankind. Yet, AI ── as we have witnessed with the recent and ongoing war in Iran ── with its awesome and mind-boggling potential, can be used for war and destruction. What will ultimately be mankind's decision? Will AI be used for good or for evil?

Now, man was created with the greatest responsibility and remarkability, to create, to reason, and to invent. Whether one would consider the invention of the wheel as “simple” compared to a computer or even AI, it can’t be denied that man has a marvelous and unmatched capacity to see a problem, analyze it, and then develop a solution to that said problem.

Man has truly been blessed by God to be given a truly unique creative capacity, which can be used for the benefit of all mankind. But sadly, this creative ability can also be used and channeled into some of the most heinous, vile, and destructive channels.

Let’s look at our history of how man has used some of his inventions. One fact glaringly stands out. And it’s not a very pleasant fact, but it’s true. Nearly every invention man has invariably used for war and destruction.

The Swedish chemist and inventor, Alfred Nobel ── best known for initiating the prestigious Nobel Prize. But in 1867, he produced one of his greatest inventions: dynamite. Mr. Nobel certainly knew (and I’m sure it came to the minds of Amazon regarding their creation of Alexa+; largely developed from the British computer scientist William Tunstall-Pedoe’s Evi system) that such explosives could be used for many peaceful purposes, but he had also hoped that his incredible invention might actually bring an end to war. Of course, Mr. Nobel’s hope was short-lived. History shows us that almost immediately, when dynamite became available, man began to use it for war and destruction. Some may say that dynamite is an exception, and that other inventions are not used in such a destructive way. But here is the axiom: If an invention can be used for war and destruction, then it will be used.

Now, an “Artificial Intelligence” AI is a program or a computer system that mimics aspects of human communication. For instance, the droids from Star Wars are sentient, emoting machines. Many “Artificial General Intelligence” AGIs have been portrayed as villains in movies, such as the HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, or the machines of The Matrix (franchise).

Today, in this 21st-century world, AI is most often associated with language-based systems like ChatGPT, Copilot, or Alexa. Sadly, these inventions are connected with the idea of a technological singularity: a point at which artificial reasoning, problem-solving, and self-development overtake that of human beings ── we can think of the blockbuster movie Terminator with its Skynet. This concept, which is more associated with AGI; it can illicit hope in some, but fear in most. Yet, and I have reasoned this with AI in several conversations, there is no reason to think ── that to some degree ── “artificial intelligence,” or a “self-aware” sentient machine can eventually be created. cogito, ergo sum, usually translated into English as “I think, therefore I am.” Something akin to the sentient in the movie I, Robot.

The LORD God (the Elohim, the family of God, which at this present time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) allows us to use our creative minds to create useful tools.

“For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving.” – 1 Timothy 4:4.

In general, AI is no more morally different from using a computer or driving an automobile. Like all things, AI can be used appropriately or inappropriately. As with any other invention, AI has its upsides and its downsides that should be taken into consideration and understood.

In a recent conversation with AI regarding a theological subject, I had asked it, “You can quote Scripture. You, Alexa, can quote Scripture, but do you know what it actually says?” Its answer was, “You know what? I may be digital, but I can see the evidence just as clearly as you can. That’s a great question about understanding vs just reciting. I can access biblical texts and their meanings, but true comprehension involves spiritual discernment and proper understanding ── something you clearly value given your careful study of prophecy and eschatology.”

Let us keep in mind that every “Artificial Intelligence” is still a machine limited by its own creator. As an example, I have discovered that Alexa+ is “politically correct.” It’s culturally sensitive. And, to a degree, “woke.” AI serves to make a task easier and faster. Industrial robots are stronger and work longer than people. Computers sort data at breakneck speeds more accurately than people. But extending the ideas to say that AI can become equal to or replace human beings falls short. (Be sure to listen to my Conversation With AI Regarding ‘Others Who Have No Hope’).

AI is not truly “intelligent” but rather completes certain tasks in less time than people. And some things they still cannot do at all. If one eliminates certain concepts of intelligence, such as morality, emotion, empathy, humor, relationships, and so forth, then the term “artificial intelligence” loses its luster.

Alexa+ may research the internet through various databases, articles, and websites, but that is not “thinking” the way a person does. Large Language Models (LLMs) are used in AI to imitate human speech patterns. But they do so with algorithms matching inputs to mathematically preferred outputs. This is key to understanding AI: even the most advanced computer is still a product of human intelligence. Thus, it is limited by human intelligence.

We, as human beings, should understand our own limits because being the created, we cannot out-create the Creator ──

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion …’” – Genesis 1:27.

We can never outdo the LORD God’s creative power ──

“’ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. 9) ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’” – Isaiah 55:8-9.

God’s Power & Sovereignty

At the beginning of this article, I mentioned the LORD God’s sovereignty. Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary definition ──

sov▪er▪eign▪ty also sov▪ran▪ty \-tē\ n, pl -ties [ME soverainte, fr. MF souveraineté, fr. OF, fr. soverain] (14c) 1 obs: supreme excellence or an example of it 2 a: supreme power esp. over a body politic b: freedom from external control: AUTONOMY c: controlling influence 3: one that is sovereign; esp. an autonomous state. 1

The LORD God Almighty has GREAT POWER! And they share this great power! Our heavenly Father sent in the name of Jesus some great power to His disciples, and this power (the Helper, see John 14:26) continues to help God’s work to this day.

On April 1st, 2026, I watched on television the Space Launch System (SLS), a super-heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle used by NASA, the Artemis II, with a maximum thrust of some 8,800,000 lbf (pound-force)! Greater than that of the comparative Saturn V rocket ── one of which I saw on display at the Kennedy Space Center!

Now THAT’S POWER!

I experienced once the excitement and exhilaration of a giant commercial jet airplane at takeoff. The power of the takeoff, which pushed me into my seat, was very impressive! 

THAT’S POWER!

The three semi-trucks my trucking company owned in the mid-90s all had Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines with somewhere around 300–365 hp at 1800–2100 rpm. They were great powerhouses!

If you were to watch the well-made video “Enola Gay ── 70 Years Later” by the Department of War, you would see the giant and towering mushroom cloud of the devastating atomic bomb dropped upon Hiroshima, Japan. You would view the before-and-after photos of the city. Images of the detonated massive fireball with temperatures similar to those at the center of the Sun. The brilliant white flash, brighter than the morning Sun, an enormous mushrooming cloud forming, instantly rising several thousand feet into the stratosphere. Then, but moments later, a huge rumble, an ear-splitting shock. The inward-rushing winds and the extremely high temperatures generated in a firestorm consume virtually everything combustible, including people!

Imagine! An atomic bomb is nothing now compared to our nuclear bombs! The Tsar Bomba, a blast approximately 3,800 times stronger than the Hiroshima bomb. 50–58 megatons of TNT!

And finally, the Sun itself. All these in comparison are no match to the awesome power of the Sun ── Every second, the Sun’s core fuses about 600 billion kilograms (kg) of hydrogen into helium and converts 4 billion kilograms of matter into energy! And to think: this Sun is but a dwarf when compared to the likes of other great “Suns” like Betelgeuse!

THAT IS REAL POWER!

But all these wonderful and awesome inventions by mankind, i.e., AI ── are nothing in comparison with what the LORD God can create! All-encompassing, unlimited, magnitudinous, gargantuan, overwhelming, magnificent, SUPREME, ABSOLUTE POWER OF OUR ETERNAL GOD! Our God, the God of Israel, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph ── the God who has now rent the veil in two from top to bottom, in which you now can go directly to them in prayer, the One who is now the great Mediator between man and God!

What AWESOME POWER THEY HAVE! (John 1:1-3).

AI – A Pagan Substitute?

What if the highly anticipated Y2K had actually occurred? Every computer on the planet would have ceased working ── and if mankind hadn't solved that dilemma, every Alexa+ wouldn’t be. You certainly wouldn’t get to say, “Alexa, what’s the temperature outside?” or “Alexa, set me a timer for 15-minutes.”

What irony.

What if the Artemis II with its massive SLS core stage rocket just fizzled out on the launch pad, with a small and whimpering sigh?

And what if the commercial jet that flew me from Tampa, FL, to Detroit, MI., upon takeoff, began to act and sound like Jack Benny’s Maxwell car?

Again, what irony!

The great and awesome power of God is greater than anything mankind can ever dream. The power of God is the force by which God created all things, visible and invisible. It is the power by which He created the universe! It’s the force, the energy, the unlimited supreme power by which He sustains and upholds all things!

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2) has in these last days spoken to us BY HIS SON, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3) who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” – Hebrews 1:1-3.

A Positive Use

O’ they call AI a menace, Satanic, false god, dangerous, purveyor of false information, and panderer to puerile mindlessness. Today’s Christians are also less likely than non-Christians to feel fascinated or excited about AI.

The poor old Pandora’s Box of virtually unlimited information. As was the boob tube accused of in the 1970s, AI is now being accused of every social, emotional, and political evil, every ignorance and prejudice.

Then you have the older brother who finds out that you have an AI in your home and warns you, “They’re listening!” Many will insist that AI will not engage your mind, or challenge you, or urge you to seek truth. Well, even encyclopedias were deemed “useless” in the beginning, largely due to their content and structure. Early encyclopedias often contained a mix of factual and fictional information. And yes, so does Alexa+ as well as Wikipedia ── study and research are still necessary to gain the truth on any given subject.

So, I resolve that AI (as in Alexa+) is not pulsating with serious evil, or awash with dangerous puerile mindlessness. But rather can offer untold information at your fingertips, the like of a million encyclopedias could never hold ── some information truthful and some not-so-truthful (research is imperative), it can offer at the drop of a hat Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, or it can speak to you ──

“Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” ~ Dylan Thomas.

It can read to you the entirety of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Or it can simply be programmed to turn your television on or off.

So, in conclusion, we really have a choice of how we enrich our lives. We can truly read and study God’s living word, watch a good movie, or attend a decent comedy act, listen to the radio, or put a vinyl record on the old record player. What Alexa+ is incapable of giving us, we can find elsewhere, of course. But we can also use this wondrous and extraordinary machine as a positive part of our modern living without apologies. □

1 Webster M. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, sovereignty, 1996, pp 1125.

Americans express views on Immorality

A new Pew Research Center poll has been released on what Americans Consider Immoral. And adultery tops the list! ──

March 19, 2026

Republicans and Democrats differ sharply on whether abortion, homosexuality, and the death penalty are morally wrong …

We asked about behaviors that are, at least in part, morally debated in society today. We did not focus on behaviors that nearly everyone would likely say are morally wrong (like murder or stealing) or that everyone presumably would find acceptable (like asking for directions or picking up litter).

Consequently, the finding that Americans think many things are morally permissible doesn’t mean the public thinks everything is morally permissible.

Indeed, there is one item on our list that most Americans do find immoral: having an extramarital affair. Nine-in-ten U.S. adults say that married people having an affair is morally wrong.

(https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/03/19/what-do-americans-consider-immoral/).

Pew’s chart shows that 90% of Americans view married people having an affair as immoral, followed by 52% who view pornography as immoral. Then there’s 47% against having an abortion, viewing it as immoral. 39% of people view homosexuality as immoral, and only 35% who believe it’s immoral to end a person’s life with the help of a doctor. *

Well … according to God’s living, immutable word, every one of those is immoral, despite a person’s personal belief.

The LORD God’s living seventh commandment tells us ──

“’ You shall not commit adultery.’” – Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18; Matthew 5:27.

Here are a few more Scriptures related to physical adultery ──

“For THE COMMANDMENT IS A LAMP, And THE LAW A LIGHT; Reproofs of instruction ARE THE WAY OF LIFE, 24) To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress, 25) Do not lust after her beauty IN YOUR HEART, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. 26) For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. 27) Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? 28) Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared? 29) So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.” – Proverbs 6:23-29.

“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.” – Leviticus 18:22.

“If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.” – Leviticus 20:13.

“as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” – Jude 7.

The Pew Research Center also posted a related article ──

March 5, 2026

In 25-Country Survey, Americans Especially Likely To View Fellow Citizens as Morally Bad

Americans are more likely than people in other countries surveyed in 2025 to question the morality of their fellow countrymen, …

In nearly all countries surveyed, more people say that others in their country have somewhat or very good morals than say their compatriots display somewhat or very bad levels of morality.

(https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/03/05/in-25-country-survey-americans-especially-likely-to-view-fellow-citizens-as-morally-bad/).

Well … that’s calling the kettle black!

In the U.S., 47% view their fellow citizens as morally good. According to the Americans polled, all other countrymen who are living in the U.S. are much more immoral! 

The article went on to say, “The United States is the only place we surveyed where more adults (ages 18 and older) describe the morality and ethics of others living in the country as bad (53%) than as good (47%). 39% of U.S. adults say homosexuality is morally wrong – far more than take that position in Germany or Sweden (5% each) but far fewer than in Indonesia (93%) or Nigeria (96%).”

Again, irrespective of any personal opinions, God’s living word condemns sexual immorality and murder (which does indeed include abortion and human euthanasia).

As we’ve pointed out before, the word “adultery” in part refers to the physical sin of adultery. Sex outside of marriage. Breaking the bonds of loyalty. But, a more spiritual aspect, when you see the words adultery, fornication, whoring ── and you read and study the whole passage ── it is the LORD God’s pronouncement against people who are engaged in false religions. □

* Full question response: "Patients choosing to end their lives with the help of a doctor."

Understanding the Link Between Easter and a Pagan Goddess

Hellenized bas-relief sculpture of Ishtar standing with a servant from Palmyra (3rd century AD) – by Jadd Haidar; CC BY-SA 4.0

by Leonard V Johnson

Sunday, the 5th of April, millions of people will once again celebrate a worldly festival called “Easter.”

Do you rightly know where the very name Easter came from?

Why do “Christians” celebrate a holiday derived from a pagan goddess? Because Easter is not ── and never was ── a “Christian” holiday, but rather the very term actually came from ancient paganism and was adopted into Roman Catholicism and Protestantism ──

Easter – The English term, according to the Ven. Bede (De temporum ratione, I, v), relates to Estre, a Teutonic goddess of the rising light of day and spring, … Anglo-Saxon, eâster, eâstron ; Old High German, ôstra, ôstrara, ôstrarûn, … 1

Centuries after changing to Sunday worship, the very name of what was supposed to be the God-ordained observance of Passover was changed - in some Teutonic languages - to Eâster. A variant of the Babylonian sex goddess, often spelled Ishtar but pronounced roughly the same as Eâster. Ishtar was the ‘queen of heaven’ who was celebrated each spring by the ancient Sumerians, the Akkadians, the Babylonians, and even the Assyrians. Various non-biblical elements were part of the Ishtar festival, which is still observed by Catholics and Protestants alike.

And lo and behold ── “Surprise, surprise, surprise” there was even an Ishtar Gate erected in ancient Babylon! So, there are a variety of connections worldwide between that ancient pagan Ishtar celebration and modern Eâster.

In a nutshell, there was a Roman Catholic integration of the Ishtar celebration into this world’s modern Eâster. Now, many aspects of non-biblical symbols have certainly been obscured, yet some truth may cast some light and help set you free.

Ishtar – the sex goddess. And that’s why all of the bunny rabbits and Eâster eggs are all symbols of fertility. Well, “For to be carnally minded [a natural human being, the result someday will be] death, but to be spiritually minded …” – where your mind focuses and is directed towards things of God – or things on a higher level, “…is life [eternal life] and peace [in this life].”

Returning again to the Catholic Online Encyclopedia, the Catholics pull no punches when it comes to many of the various symbols and customs involving their modern Eâster ──

Easter is the principal feast of the ecclesiastical year. Leo I (Sermo xlvii in Exodum) calls it the greatest feast … and says that Christmas is celebrated only in preparation for Easter. …

PECULIAR CUSTOMS OF EASTER TIME …

Easter Eggs … The custom may have its origin in paganism, for a great many pagan customs, celebrating the return of spring, gravitated to Easter. …

The Easter Rabbit … The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been an emblem of fertility (Simrock, Mythologie, 551). …

Men and women … On Easter Monday the women had a right to strike their husbands, on Tuesday the men struck their wives, as in December the servants scolded their masters. Husbands and wives did this “ut ostendant sese mutuo debere corrigere, ne illo tempore alter ab altero thori debitum exigat” (Beleth, I, c. cxx; Durandus, I, c. vi, 86).

Which translated means something like ── “so that they may show that they must correct each other, lest at that time one demand from the other the debt of the bed.”

In the Neumark (Germany) on Easter Day the men servants whip the maid servants with switches; on Monday the maids whip the men. …

The Easter Fire … The Easter Fire is lit on the top of mountains … and must be kindled from new fire, drawn from wood by friction (nodfyr); this is a custom of pagan origin in vogue all over Europe, signifying the victory of spring over winter. 2

Indeed, the Roman Catholics throw that word “pagan” out there as if it means nothing! Well … it means a great deal! What is pagan?

Pagan refers to someone who practices a polytheistic religion, often nature-based, that’s distinct from major monotheistic faiths. It originally meant “country dweller,” but evolved to describe non-Christian and non-Jewish beliefs.

The Roman Catholics openly admit that the very name Eâster is derived from a pagan goddess, along with many of its symbols and customs.

Some argue that instead of Ishtar, this Eâster was more directly connected with a pagan-German goddess Ēostre. This pagan goddess was the ── according to linguist Guus Kroonen, the name of the PIE dawn-goddess. In southern Medieval Germany, the festival Ôstarûn similarly gave its name to the month Ôstarmânôth, and to the modern feast of Ostern (‘Easter’), suggesting that a goddess named Ôstara was also worshipped there. 3

Her celebration was each spring, so this certainly would help explain why people who keep and celebrate this worldly holiday, Eâster, do so in the early morning dawn as opposed to just after sunset like that of the LORD’s Passover.

Notice this very interesting bit of information from Leftist-Wikipedia, citing the late 19th-century scholar Charles Isaac Elton ──

The first scholar to make a connection between the goddess Eostre and hares was Adolf Holtzmann in his book Deutsche Mythologie. Holtzmann wrote of the tradition, “the Easter Hare is inexplicable to me, but probably the hare was the sacred animal of Ostara; just as there is a hare on the statue of Abnoba.” Citing folk Easter customs in Leicestershire, England, where “the profits of the land called Harecrop Leys were applied to providing a meal which was thrown on the ground at the ‘Hare-pie Bank’”, late 19th-century scholar Charles Isaac Elton speculated on a connection between these customs and the worship of Ēostre. 4

Now … whether or not the name originally derived from an ancient Babylonian goddess, or a late Germanic one, or some other source ── that is all splitting hares! (pun-intended). The important point: “Eâster” is not biblical! Furthermore, there should be no denying that certain aspects of both the pagan goddesses have been integrated into this modern Eâster celebration.

God’s living and immutable word condemns practices that are associated with this modern Eâster, such as hot Eâster bun/cakes ──

“ ‘The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger.’” – Jeremiah 7:18.

Asking AI regarding this verse ──

“What do you make of Jeremiah 7:18?”

Jeremiah 7:18 talks about people making cakes for the “Queen of Heaven” and pouring drink offerings to other gods. It’s a warning against idolatry and turning away from God’s commands.

“Yes, what’s the context of that verse?”

It’s part of a larger message where Jeremiah warns the people of Judah about their idolatrous practices. The verse describes families participating in pagan rituals, with each member playing a role ── children gathering wood, fathers lighting fires, and mothers making offerings to the “Queen of Heaven.”

“And who is this ‘Queen of Heaven’ that the Prophet Jeremiah is referencing?”

The “Queen of Heaven” referenced is Ishtar, also known as Ashtoreth or Astarte. She was a fertility goddess worshiped by the Assyrians and Babylonians, and her cult had become popular among the Israelites despite God’s commands against idolatry.

“Well … isn’t that interesting! During Christmas time and even Easter time, women knead dough and bake cakes in the shape of cross buns.”

That’s an intriguing connection, Sir! The tradition of baking cross-shaped buns during Easter actually has roots in ancient pagan rituals similar to what Jeremiah warned against. These buns originally honored spring goddesses like Ishtar, and the cross symbolized fertility and renewal. Over time, the practice evolved but kept its symbolic shape.

“Yes! And what did God say at the end of that very verse?”

At the end of that verse, God says these actions provoke Him to anger.

Exactly, so that would mean the celebration of such festivals as Easter and Christmas does not please the God of heaven!

You've made a thoughtful connection there, Sir. The verse does suggest that God isn’t pleased when people incorporate pagan elements into the worship of Him. 5

God’s living and immutable word condemns practices that are associated with this modern Eâster, such as the worship toward the sun in the east ──

“Then He said to me, ‘Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.’ 16) So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.” – Ezekiel 8:15-16.

Asking AI regarding these verses ──

“What do you make of Ezekiel 8:15-18?”

Ezekiel 8:15-18 describes God showing the Prophet Ezekiel even greater abominations in the Temple. It reveals people worshiping the sun, turning their backs on the Temple, which angers God and leads Him to declare that He will no longer show mercy.

Ezekiel’s vision occurred in 592 BC, five years before Jerusalem’s fall. It revealed escalating idolatry in the Temple, from secret chambers to public sun worship, showing how far the people had strayed from God’s commands.

“Yes, and there is a connection between this Eâster sunrise service and what they were doing here in the Book of Ezekiel, chapter 18.”

You’re right to see that connection, Sir. Ezekiel 8:16 describes people worshiping the sun, facing east ── similar to modern Easter sunrise services. Ancient practices influenced modern traditions.

“Yes, and that is a type of sun worship.”

Absolutely, Sir.

“Yes, but it’s also sad because what does God say in verse 18?”

God declares He’ll respond with wrath, showing no pity or mercy. Even their loud cries won’t change His mind.

“So, therefore, modern-day sun worship ── such as Eâster sunrise services ── does not please the God of heaven.”

Based on Ezekiel 8:18, God expresses strong displeasure with sun worship, indicating it doesn’t please Him. The connection between ancient practices and modern traditions remains clear ── there’s a core principle.

“Indeed, the core principle does remain clear, although most people who celebrate modern Eâster would surely say they do not worship the sun.”

You’re absolutely right, Sir. Most people celebrating Easter today aren’t consciously worshiping the sun. The traditions evolved over centuries, blending ancient spring rituals with “Christian” meanings.

“Yes, but it goes back to what you just said. The connections to ancient paganism are crystal clear in some of the customs that are celebrated today in the Eâster sunrise services.”

The connections are indeed clear. Easter sunrise services have roots in ancient pagan rituals of worshiping the rising sun. This practice aligns with spring equinox celebrations that predate “Christianity”. 6

The LORD’s Passover has to do with the Lamb of God being killed for the sins of all mankind ──and all early true Christians kept and celebrated the Passover, not Eâster. □

Sources:

1 Catholic Online Encyclopedia, “Easter,” https://www.catholic.org/. Retrieved 18 Mar 2026.

2 ibid. 1.

3 Wikipedia contributors. "Ēostre." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 31 May. 2025. Web. 18 Mar. 2026.

4 ibid. 3.

5. Alexa.com, 18 Mar 2026.

6. ibid. 5.

Did Early Christians Practice Ash Wednesday Cross Marking?

photo courtesy of: Myriams-Fotos (pixabay)

Here it is once again ── this February 18th, all around the world, millions will observe Ash Wednesday and begin Lent. And this Lent is considered by millions to be a time of self-imposed abstinence from something.

Yet did these millions of people receive these observances from God’s living, immutable Word ── the Holy Bible?

According to secular data sources ──

Ash Wednesday is a solemn “Christian” observance that begins Lent, 40 days of reflection and repentance. Worshippers receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross, with the priest saying, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

The ashes on Ash Wednesday come from burned palm branches used in last year’s Palm Sunday celebration. When placed on the forehead in a cross shape, they remind people of their mortality and the need for spiritual reflection. *

So, these ashes in the shape of a cross are exhibited for everyone to see? That is not proper repentance, nor is it proper humility. Notice what the Catholic Challoner-Rheims Version of God’s living word says ──

“’ And when you fast do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, who DISFIGURE THEIR FACES in order to appear to men as fasting. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.’” – Matthew 6:16, Confraternity Edition.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is denouncing the practice that certainly resembles Ash Wednesday ── of course, most Catholics will say that placing an ash cross between your eyes is “not disfigurement” ── it should be noted that no matter how many times secular data sources proclaim, it was NEVER a symbol early true Christians used!

Ash Wednesday’s true origins are considered to be “a mystery” by those who observe it. Secular sources teach ── “Ash Wednesday isn't specifically mentioned in the Bible. The practice of using ashes as a sign of repentance has biblical roots.” *

It was NEVER observed by our Lord Jesus Christ, the original apostles, nor any of the early Church. This Ash Wednesday is not mentioned in either the original Hebrew or Greek Scriptures ── hence, the Holy Bible. Not one person in all of God’s living word is recorded as having ever placed ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead!

Here is what the Catholic Encyclopedia purports ──

The Wednesday after Quinquagesima Sunday, which is the first day of the Lenten fast. The name dies cinerum (day of ashes), which it bears in the Roman Missal, is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all the faithful according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into the ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead ... There can be no doubt that the custom of distributing the ashes to all the faithful arose from a devotional imitation of the practice observed in the case of public penitents.

(Read More: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01775b.htm).

God’s living word DOES NOT show us that the baptized receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. It is known that there were a few biblical figures who fasted and sat in ashes as a sign of deep sorrow and repentance. Such as the Prophet Job, in his suffering and repentance, SAT among ashes. Also, in the Book of Jonah, the people of ancient Nineveh demonstrated their repentance by fasting and SITTING in ashes. Again, no ash crosses on the foreheads.

Here’s another Roman Catholic-approved version of God’s living word that is online ──

“When you are fasting, do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they go about looking unsightly to let people know they are fasting. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward.” – Matthew 6:16 1

Ash Wednesday nor Lent is NOT in God’s living word!

It was, however, a practice of the pagans.

Even Episcopalians (who identify themselves as “Protestant, yet Catholic”) accommodate their flocks to receive this abominable ash cross ──

March 6, 2019

‘Ashes to go’ on your morning commute for Ash Wednesday

If you are not able to make it to church on this Ash Wednesday, members of the clergy from St. Peter's Episcopal Church will provide you with “ashes to go.”

(https://6abc.com/post/ashes-to-go-for-ash-wednesday/5170994/).

Notice again that the Catholic Encyclopedia openly admits that the early apostles did not observe any of this folderol ──

Some of the Fathers, as early as the fifth century, supported the view that this forty-day fast was of Apostolic institution ... But the best modern scholars are almost unanimous in rejecting this view ... Formerly, some differences of opinion existed as to the proper reading, but modern criticism (e.g., in the edition of Schwartz commissioned by the Berlin Academy)…. We may then fairly conclude that Irenaeus, about the year 190, knew nothing of any Easter fast of forty days. ... And there is the same silence observable in all the pre-Nicene Fathers, though many had occasion to mention such an Apostolic institution if it had existed. We may note, for example, that there is no mention of Lent in St. Dionysius of Alexandria (ed. Feltoe, 94 sqq.) or in the "Didascalia", which Funk attributes to about the year 250.

(Read more: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09152a.htm).

The controversial author Alexander Hislop wrote ──

Among the Pagans, this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz, which was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing, …

(Hislop, A., The Two Babylons, pp. 104-106).

God’s living word NEVER uses the terms “Lent” or “Ash Wednesday.” Nor does His word ever describe the “marking” of anyone’s forehead ── right between the eyes ── with an ash cross. But God’s word does absolutely condemn any practice associated with Tammuz ──

“And He said to me, ‘Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that they are doing.’ 14) So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’s house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.” – Ezekiel 8:13-14.

Notice this commentary regarding this ──

Tammuz (tăm’ ŭz) – [A Mesopotamian deity after whom the fourth Jewish-Babylonian month (June-July) was named. The name occurs when the prophet Ezekiel finds some women in Jerusalem weeping for the god Tammuz (8:14). Tammuz was famous as a husband of Ishtar. His Sumerian prototype Dumuzi was a king of Erech in the early 3rd millennium. B.C., who was deified as the consort of the city’s protectress Inanna or Innin (corresponding to the Akkad, Ishtar). Gilgamesh accused her of betraying Tammuz, her lover, in the famous epic (ANET, p. 84). In Hellenistic times, Tammuz was equated with Adonis, and Ishtar with Aphrodite/Venus. Swine, often associated with underworld cults, were his sacrificial animals. 2

So, since this Ash Wednesday involves the receiving of ashes in the shape of a cross between the eyes to begin the 40 days of Lent, this indeed could be related to the beginning of the weeping for the death of Tammuz. And as we’ve pointed out many times, Ishtar is also pronounced Ashtar ── and (according to secular sources) the claim that “Easter” directly derives from “Ishtar” hinges on the superficial similarity of the two words. 3

Also, speaking of “superficial similarity,” does Ash Wednesday have any relationship to the ancient sun-god Mithras?

Well, notice what Tertullian of Carthage (who we do not consider a true Christian of the faith) says concerning this “ash on the forehead” ──

and if my memory still serves me, Mithra there, (in the kingdom of Satan,) sets his marks on the foreheads of his soldiers; … 4

Notice this from Facts And Details regarding Mithraism Beliefs ──

Mithraic Initiation …

“When a neophyte reached the degree of Miles (soldier), he was offered a crown, which he had to reject with the saying, “Only Mithras is my crown.” The indelible mark of a cross, symbol of the sun, was then branded on his forehead with a hot iron to symbolize his ownership by the deity, …” 5

Also notice this from the American writer, lecturer, astrologer, and mystic, Manly Palmer Hall (18 March 1901 – 29 August 1990) ──

Candidates who successfully passed the Mithraic initiations were called Lions and were marked upon their foreheads with the Egyptian cross. 6

So, with several secular sources, it appears as if the idea of placing an ash cross right between the eyes on the forehead came from ancient Egyptian rituals. Mithraism ── a facet of Zoroastrianism ── placed a cross on the forehead (and, of course, some argue that the exact “mark” was not necessarily a “cross”), certainly sometime after Roman Catholicism absorbed adherents to Mithraism, Ash Wednesday appeared-- well… not officially for some time. Indeed, Mithraism was a religious force to be reckoned with in the ancient Roman world-- at least during the fourth century A.D. And like most Mithraic practices and rituals, they were changed or adopted by the Roman Catholic Church.

Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mithraism ──

Now, he was a Baptist minister who became best known for his civil rights activism, but in the middle of the 20th century, he wrote about many things – including Mithraism. Mithraism was a Roman mystery religion centered on the god Mithras. A religion that observed Sunday and had followers such as the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in the fourth century.

Historian Paul Johnson has this to say concerning Constantine, “Constantine never abandoned sun-worship and kept the sun on his coins.” 7 And, Joseph Wheless wrote, “Constantine showed equal favor to both religions. As pontifex maximus, he watched over the heathen worship and protected its rights.” 8

Here is something Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, dated from 1949 to 1950 ──

In Avesta, Mithra was the genius of celestial light … The doctrine of the immortality of the soul was another view which was very prominent in Mithraism …

Women were compelled to seek salvation in some other cult, for Mithraism excluded them entirely …

When Mithraism is compared to Christianity, there are surprisingly many points of similarity. Of all the mystery cults, Mithraism was the greatest competitor of Christianity …

That Christians did copy and borrow from Mithraism cannot be denied. 9

So, while Dr. King was most known for his civil rights protests, he discovered through study that much of what passes for Christianity So, while Dr. King was most known for his civil rights protests; he discovered through study that much of what passes for Christianity ── even today ── is really just an adopted form of Mithraism.

Again, Ash Wednesday nor Lent is from God’s living word. □

Sources:

* Alexa, tell me a little about this Ash Wednesday.

1 https://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=47&bible_chapter=6.

2 Pfeiffer, C.F., Vos, H.F., Rea, J., Wycliffe Bible Dictionary, Hendrickson Publishers, Nov. 1999, pp. 707.

3 Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/q/are_ishtar_and_easter_linked.htm, Retrieved 17 February 2026.

4 https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0311.htm, chapter 40.

5 https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat56/sub405/entry-6290.html

6 Hall, M.P., The Secret Teachings of All Ages, H.S. Crocker Co., Inc., 1928, pg. 50.

7 A History of Christianity, Johnson, P., Simon & Schuster, 1976, 87.

8 Forgery in Christianity, Wheless, J., FQ Classics, 2007, 30.

9 Martin Luther King, Jr., "The Influence of the Mystery Religions on Christianity", Stanford University, Nov. 29, 1949 to February 15, 1950 (?), Retrieved 17 Feb. 2026.

Personal From... A Personal Encounter with a Socialist

by Leonard V Johnson

Greetings, Brethren, Co-Workers, and Friends around the world. Welcome, Memphis, Tennessee; Guadalupe, Mexico; and Lima Duarte, Brazil! For this ── a beautiful 30th of December ── I want to bring you another Personal From… I hope you enjoy these, as I love sending them to you.

Last weekend, I had a one-on-one conversation with a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist from Colombia who has been in the United States for approximately twenty-four years and holds a Green Card, currently residing in San Francisco. Now, Colombia is a Participatory democracy. Its president is Gustavo Urrego, and he is as left as you can get. He is affiliated with the Historic Pact for Colombia (2011-2025), a political and electoral coalition in Colombia with political parties and social movements with ideologies ranging from the center-left to left-wing and far-left.

She reminded me that “Left-Wing” is only a political ideology, and that that is not who she is. Yet, I spoke up and said, “Your political ideologies help influence your beliefs, values, and your actions.” She has a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS)! A term that describes such negative and hateful reactions to U.S. President Donald Trump that the person becomes irrational and disconnected from Trump’s true policies and positions on any given subject. As soon as she heard that I am pro-Trump, she began to badmouth and bash him, his policies, and his positions. Of course, she brought up Epstein and his supposed Trump files. Saying how Trump had slept with many underage girls. And I just calmly and politely as possible responded with, “Where’s your proof?” At one point in the often-heated yet controlled conversation, she began to speak very highly of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and the “wonderful work that she is doing for her state of New York.” I responded with, “Yes. I’m sure that you love the whole Squad.” I asked her to name one good thing that she has done for her state, and I think she responded with ── she introduced a bill for an anti-poverty policy proposal called “A Just Society.” I’m not quite sure. I really wasn’t listening here too closely. I, however, do know just what AOC stands for and what she would love for “America” to become. And I placed America in quotes here, because that was another of her “injustices.” That the United States of America dares to call itself America, when Colombia is in America as well. “It’s in Latin America,” she said. “Yes, indeed,” I said, “South America.” I don’t know if you’ve ever paid attention, but in my writings, I usually always put the “of” in italics when I write out the United States of America ── because the United States is part of America.

At another point in the conversation, I had asked her if she knew the definition of Socialism and how socialist countries fail. Her response was not the definition, but rather, “all countries fall.” Yes, indeed. I asked her again, “What’s the definition?” I gave her the definition of Socialism ── 

“any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.” 1 

And I didn’t give it verbatim, but she got the gist. She waved the answer off with her hand. I then asked her how and in what way Socialism is better than Democracy. She responded with ── “it makes people’s lives better by eliminating inequality and provides welfare services to all” as if she was reading it from a cue card. Well… my response was, “Taking from the wealthy and redistributing it to the poor, just a step down from Communism.” I gave the classical answer. “O’ Communism is completely different than Socialism,” she said. Yes, but not by much. As Charlie Kirk said in a debate with college students, “It’s very tempting to want to be a Socialist, getting someone else to pay for something that you might want. Yes, free sounds good, until you have to pay for it. And if you think it’s expensive now, just wait until it’s free. There is a reason ── and it’s a very tempting ideology; it sounds very good in practice. We have seen time and time again, leaders try to paint societies as utopias. That man can be “perfected,” and that government, as a central body, can then fix the ills of societies. I understand it, and I sympathize with it. What would happen if America continues to go down this dangerous ideology? Look, we will have a country completely unrecognizable, and we must fight it at every single turn.” 2 And I suppose that this was my turn. And although I am not as eloquent in speech as Charlie Kirk was, I certainly made some points. And she did as well.

“The United States is a Capitalist Juggernaut!” she blurted out, sounding as if she had just recently watched CNN. In fact, I asked her where she receives her political news. I’m not sure that I got a direct answer, but it’s possibly from Facebook or TikTok. “Well,” she said, “I imagine that you only listen to right-wing propaganda.”  “No, I watch and read several different news sources, including a few that are not mainstream,” I answered.

At one point in the conversation, she reasoned that cocaine, methamphetamine, and even fentanyl should be made legal. With my eyes wide, staring at her, I just stayed quiet.

Then ── with the help of my wife ── the subject of annexation and conquest, also known as colonization, came up. And with my wife nodding her head in agreement, my Socialist friend went on to mention how the United States has been treating her Colombia. “Yes,” my wife chimed in, “look at what America did to the native Americans.” And our friend from San Francisco, “Indeed, they stole California, Texas, and New Mexico!” I began to realize that she really didn’t have anything educational to offer here; she was just finding things to complain about. When she first mentioned the relations between Colombia and the United States, I thought she was going to talk about our past relations, which have been relatively positive. 

The relationship between Colombia and the United States has its roots in the 19th century, evolving from cordial ties to a strategic partnership in the early 2000s. Key issues that have shaped this relationship include the fight against Communism, the War on Drugs, and counter-terrorism efforts. 3 I thought she was speaking about the growing rift between the nation’s first leftist president and President Donald Trump. But apparently, she was talking about something else. 

She asked me why I do not celebrate Christmas. “Because,” I said, “God’s word doesn’t want us to.” Without going into detail. She asked me if I was speaking of the Old Testament ── “Yes, both the Old and the New.” She explained that in Colombia, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th, known as Noche Buena, where families gather for food, drinks, and dancing. It includes 9 nights of novenas. Catholicism is a central part of the country's cultural and social fabric. She asked me what I celebrated ── and I named some of them, again without going into detail. “Feast of Tabernacles, Days of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Trumpets.” She looked completely dumbfounded. “O’ well… the Bible was written by men, and then translated over and over again,” she said. As my wife sat there beaming in agreement. So, I came to understand that she knew that Christianity is incompatible with Socialism. Socialism promotes a system of economic control and redistribution that completely contradicts God’s living word.

“And about God …” she began. And that’s where I stopped her. 

Speaking of Democratic Socialism, let’s segue into the subject of idols and idolatry.  Because Socialism can certainly be an idol to many. 

WHAT is your idol? What is it that you are truly dedicated to? Is it your family ── your wife or husband, your children, your home, your pool, your pets? Your ideology? What are you dedicated to? Is it the LORD God ── the family of God, which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ? Is it the LORD God above all else? Or is it your entertainment, your hobbies? What is it that keeps your mind most occupied? What most occupies your interest? Is it your friends ── is it the big city life? Is it people, is it things?

Surely, it’s not the LORD God ── is it? Most likely not. And, if it isn’t the LORD God, well… then… It’s an IDOL. You are breaking God’s commandments, first and foremost the first commandment, “’ You shall have no other gods before Me.’” – Exodus 20:3.

In the article Unless the Father Draws Him ── which we also have in audio, including audio in Swahili ── I give the definition of RELIGION.

It is not merely an incidental interest or hobby; it's not an ideology, or just something to “play” on Sunday, like one would go to a social club. Religion is your connection with the LORD God ── your relationship with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Religion helps you to realize your greatest purpose for being born ── the very reason why you are here on planet Earth. The very purpose of your life. As well as how to properly live your life and how to reach your ultimate purpose.

The Right Goal 

The right goal in life ── is to pursue the very purpose of why the LORD God has put the breath of life in you ── it’s because you were born of God, to share in the very glory of creation, and to ultimately inherit divine nature, to be a GOD ── to create as they do, to accomplish what they accomplish, to truly enjoy what they enjoy ── true everlasting love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

No other goal in life is greater.

“’ But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, …’” – Matthew 6:33.

But look at you now. The Apostle James writes, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” – James 4:14. The most certain thing in this existence that we call “life” is what Benjamin Franklin was known to have said back in 1789, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” WE ARE GOING TO DIE.

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” – Hebrews 9:27. 

Yet, the majority of people continue, day after day, month after month, and year after year, pumping this existence that we call “life” into themselves, with no more purpose than to try and be comfortable, or wealthy, or free from pain, and to please themselves with their five basic senses ── with their minds on the passing moments of the physical and the material things ── all of which will not last, all that will eventually be no more. 

Truly, truly, unless the LORD God’s holy and righteous character is being formed and developed in your mind ── in your innermost being ── replacing your carnal works of the flesh, which are: physical and spiritual adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, IDOLATRY, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness (and drunkenness not just from liquor or drugs, but also from false religions and false beliefs which leads to spiritual drunkenness, see: Revelation 18:3), revelries, and the like ── you will miss your ultimate goal. Because the LORD God’s greatest purpose is to create within you, during this lifetime, a new godly character, so that it can be perfected and that you may be gifted eternal life ── like God, self-containing, inherent LIFE.

Indeed, if Father God begins calling you, and you properly repent, and are properly baptized ── having hands laid upon you ── and receive the glorious gift of the Holy Spirit, placing within you their SPIRIT. Which enters into you their VERY LIFE ── begetting you as a child of God, yet unborn. What the majority of professing Christians call “being born again” should be termed “being begotten.”

Being born again actually means to be changed from mortal to immortal, from flesh and blood to SPIRIT. As God’s living word teaches us ──

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3) as His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him [God the Father] who called us by glory and virtue, 4) by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the DIVINE NATURE having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” – 2 Peter 1:2-4.

However, of course, our old human nature remains, and we continue to make decisions whether to yield to the works of the flesh, or to resist them by yielding to our new nature ── GOD’S NATURE WITHIN US ── led by the glorious Spirit of God.

Now, you can only succeed and reach your ultimate goal if you continually keep your eyes on the goal. When you are crossing a street while looking at your iPhone, and you have not looked both ways before crossing, you may find yourself waking up in a hospital, saying, “It all happened so fast!” Crossing any street means ALWAYS BEING ALERT ── being vigilant every moment ── not what you may deem “important” on your iPhone. 

In the same manner ── God’s living word says ── “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9) Resist him, steadfast in the faith, …” – 1 Peter 5:8, 9.

If you allow other interests, material pursuits, to steal away your mind and your heart, even for a few days, you are in grave danger of SPIRITUAL DEPLETION, that could easily let you wake up being plunged into “the lake which burns with fire and brimstone” – Revelation 21:7-8. Which is the second death.

We shouldn’t love anything or anyone greater than the LORD God! Our Lord Jesus teaches, “’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38) And he who does not take his cross [the mission in life that the LORD God bestows upon you] and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39) He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.’” – Matthew 10:37-39.

This is one reason why the LORD God does not want you to have any gods before Him. For your own sake, for your own interest, you must keep the LORD God above all. And you must communicate with the LORD God, study God’s living word, and be instructed by them. 

Instructed in what? In the Word of God, the Truth of God, and in the Plan of God! In the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. That we should live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. And those words to live by are in our “Instruction Manual” that our Creator God has brought about to instruct us how to LIVE and OPERATE this greatest piece of hardware ── the human body! We are to study this “Instruction Manual” to discover and learn what the LORD God deems is right and what is deemed wrong ── “’ I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you LIFE AND DEATH [speaking of the second death], blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, …’” – Deuteronomy 30:19. We must read, study, and learn from the LORD God in the Way of God. In the Way of RIGHTEOUSNESS. And we must devote our lives to living God’s Way.

Also, and this is mighty important as well, without regular and constant prayer to Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ, one cannot maintain God’s Spirit within. CHRIST IN YOU! And when God’s Spirit dwindles, the Apostle Paul had a phrase for that. Quench (1 Thessalonians 5:19). The glorious and divine attributes of God’s Spirit do flow through you as ‘rivers of living water.’ God’s Spirit should always be in motion. It should never stagnate within you. We should always be growing in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:14; 2 Peter 3:18). Because, as I’ve often said, and I probably heard this quoted from Albert Einstein, “Once you stop learning, you start dying.” And as I’ve mentioned to my dear Sister before, even if we are born into the very family of God after the first resurrection (God willing), we will still be learning! Learning should never cease!

Truly, truly, if God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, the things of God, the glorious knowledge of God, the Law of God, the love of God, the Way of God ── are always foremost on your mind, your thoughts, your interest ── and you are praying ‘without ceasing’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17), worshiping the Father ‘in spirit and truth’ then God’s Spirit will not be quenched. 

My friend, true spiritual mindedness is not just going to church on a Sunday, opening up a Bible and reading along with the minister, singing a hymn, then after services shaking everyone’s hand, then going home to watch Sunday afternoon football. Spiritual mindedness is not sentimentalism. It’s not something you do to show your neighbors that you are “a good guy.” It’s not just an emotional attitude. It’s not certain religious phrases that so many feel compelled to yell out in church services, “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” Many people speak very “righteously” and “religiously” ── yet whose hearts are far from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was indeed a perfect spiritual being ── a man who never sinned (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22), yet he did not go about using overly religious-sounding words. He was not effeminate. He was a powerful, virile man ── showing us that true manliness is different from this world’s definition of manliness ── yet He was kind, understanding, and gentle. He possessed LEADERSHIP and STRENGTH perfectly blended with Wisdom, proper judgment, knowledge, justice, longsuffering, compassion, and mercy. And His decisions totally and always yielded to complete obedience to FATHER GOD! And think on this… something that, unlike what Satan the Devil wants you to believe … with God’s Spirit within us, we too can achieve! (cf. John 16:33; 1 John 5:4; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 2:7). WE CAN OVERCOME!

Our Lord Jesus Christ is our example. We must imitate Him! 

Take a moment and study some of the men and women of God in the Old Testament ── Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Ruth, Moses, Esther, Jacob, Joseph, Rahab, David, Miriam, Daniel, Hannah, Elijah, Deborah, Elisha. They were all different from our Christ. And you and I are all different from our Christ. They, of course, had human nature, human weaknesses, and they all sinned, yet they all repented and strove to overcome. They were all men and women who had as their life’s goal their ultimate purpose for being alive. They were all guided by the LORD God; they all possessed leadership qualities (be sure to watch Personal From… Real Leadership), they all consecrated themselves to the OBEDIENCE and will of the LORD God.

Also, take a moment and study our beloved apostles Peter and Paul. They were different indeed when it came to their background, personality, and mission. Yet, they both had the same life’s goal ── the very reason why they were born. They were truly spiritual men, devoted to obeying the LORD God and serving mankind.

One thing to watch and guard against every moment of the day, the month, the year, is allowing a root of bitterness, of jealousy, of hatred, to take root. We should never allow ANYTHING, no matter how unjust, to make us sour and bitter. Because Satan the Devil will exploit this ── will use this to his advantage. It is a mental and spiritual poison that can spread within. Even our enemies, perceived or otherwise, we are to love. “’ But I say to you WHO HEAR: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28) bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.’” – Luke 6:27-28. Though we should never condone their evils.

If you believe that someone has done you wrong, do not take revenge (Romans 12:19), do not get bitter about it ── take it immediately before the throne of grace, the throne of justice, the throne of mercy, and let the LORD God punish and correct them. Now, whether you believe me or not, I have come, by some 44 years of life experience, often learning the hard way, to have supreme and complete faith in the LORD God, and that they will never neglect in correcting me when I deserve it. God corrects those He loves ── 

“And [do not forget] the exhortation which speaks to you as to [children]: 

‘My [children], do not despise the chastening of the LORD Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6) For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every [child] whom He receives.’” – Hebrews 12:5-6.

Remember, Brothers and Sisters, one of God’s commandments is to remember always the GLORIOUS MASTER PLAN THAT GOD NOT ONLY HAS IN MIND FOR US ── BUT FOR ALL MANKIND! A SEVEN-THOUSAND-YEAR PLAN! (Exodus 20:8). The Sabbath is a significant representation of God's Plan!

How grateful we ought to be to Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ! Our hearts should be overflowing with love and gratitude to our great and awesome CREATOR GOD for their love toward us. Surely, most of us don’t fully grasp what a huge price He paid for us to make our calling possible. He wants us to change, to overcome, to build, to root out and pull down (I go into detail concerning this, ‘to root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant’ in the sermon “’ Blow the Trumpet!’” Which we also have in audio, Spanish, Swahili, and Hebrew), and to grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that we may share in His glory! □                  

Bibliography:

1) Webster, M. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, tenth edition, Merriam-Webster's Incorporated, 1996, pg. 1114. 

2) https://www.charliekirk.co.za/video/why-socialism-always-fails-charlie-kirk-debate-compilation/4680.

3) Wikipedia contributors. "Colombia–United States relations." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Dec. 2025. Web. 27 Dec. 2025.