THOR'S DAY RANT: That isn't in the Bible!

 

Times are tough and a lot of Christians are expecting the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ, any day now. Some Christians believe in the "Rapture", the calling up of Christians, living and dead, into the sky to meet Jesus. This concept is best described in 1 Thessalonians 4:17: "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 

There are arguments within the Christian community as to when this might happen: some believe it will be Pre-Tribulation, some believe mid-Tribulation, and others believe it will be Post-Tribulation--immediately preceding Christ's Second Coming.

Then, there are some Christians (and non-Christians) who argue that "the Rapture is not in the Bible". 

These are often the same people who will tell you that Jesus loves you; that God died on the Cross; and that if you give money to their church, God will give it back to you ten-fold. None of those things are in the Bible. 

Jesus may indeed love you, but the Bible doesn't say that. It mentions people he said he loved. But none of the apostles claimed he said he loved every single human being. Saying Jesus loves you is a guess. 

God (the Father) did not die on the cross--His son did. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) 

And if God has 9x the money you are about to give, why make you give it to begin with? We aren't saved by donating to any church; "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Worse than some Christians misrepresenting what the Bible does and doesn't say is the fact that they use Bibles that have omitted verses from previous translations. Take the ESV, NIV, and NLT translations, which don't include Matthew 18:11; "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." That's a reference to Jesus--who literally (as told in multiple other verses) came to save us from the penalty for sinning. That verse, and many others, are in the KJV--the King James Version.

The Bible wasn't assembled until a few centuries after Jesus' death and resurrection. It tells the story of Jesus, gives us a glimpse of what is to come, and is a guide to Christians of the period, and of the Apostle's followers of how to live and how to preach.

The word "Rapture" isn't in English-language bibles. Neither is the "Trinity". The word "God" doesn't appear in the original Greek writings of the Apostles. Neither does the word "Church". What is in the Apostles' writing is the word "Harpazo" which means to seize, snatch, or take away by force ("harpegesometha"--will be caught away). Today, we English-speakers use the term "Rapture" to describe this event. 

The next time someone tells you something is, or isn't, in the Bible, look for yourself--and be mindful of what translation you are using.

WHY JESUS?

 

As billions of Christians around the world (it’s estimated there are 2.38 billion) prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, this Easter, 2025, a lot of folks might be wondering why Jesus?

Why follow Jesus? 

Why believe that Jesus was resurrected? 

If you do believe in Jesus and his resurrection, why did it happen?

First off, nearly every translation of the Bible specifies that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) “…I am the way the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.”

The alternative to Heaven, of course, is Hell. In simplest terms, if you don’t believe and accept both Christ’s sacrifice for you, and his coming rule over all the Earth, then you’re going to Hell. Forever (Revelation 20).

A lot of folks don’t believe in the resurrection of Christ. Jews and Muslims can’t agree on much, but they agree that Jesus was a real person. Roman writings from the period document that Jesus went around the Holy Lands, preaching and teaching, just as the Bible documents. His existence is not in question.

The Bible is a collection of a number of different writings, written at different times. The New Testament was written by Jesus’ twelve apostles (Paul replacing the traitor Judas, as documented in the Book of Acts). 

After Christ's resurrection, twelve different people all continued to preach, under penalty of death, the Gospel (a fancy word for message) of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for mankind, and his resurrection and ascension to Heaven. All but one of the apostles were put to death for their devotion. The 12^th, the Apostle John, was imprisoned on the island of Patmos for many years for his preaching, then was freed, and is believed to have eventually died of natural causes—continuing to preach the Gospel his entire life.

It seems improbable that the Apostles were lying, knowing they would be executed for their testimony. 

Hundreds of years after the Apostles were all dead, their writings, as well as those making up what we call the Old Testament, were assembled into a single volume, the Codex Sinaiticus. Over the centuries, different translations of this first Bible were created, in many languages (the King James Bible of 1611 being the seventh language translation, English).

Throughout the centuries, the main theme of the New Testament, the death and resurrection of Christ, has remained an adamant testimony of those who witnessed it. Not many other documents have lasted as long. Being that Jews, Muslims, and even secular historians all admit Jesus was real, it’s not that much of a jump to concede that he was crucified and resurrected.

But why was Christ sacrificed?

Pre-Jesus, people of the Jewish religion atoned for their sins by making a blood sacrifice to God. They sacrificed animals, which, for their time period, was a significant payment. Today, people pay thousands of dollars or spend years in prison to make up for crimes. Instead of continuing this tradition (as John 3:16 tells us) God sent his only begotten son to die for us—Christ’s blood was shed to pay the price for all sins. His blood was worth that because Jesus was God’s son, and because Jesus never sinned. He was the ultimate sacrifice and the only man to have lived the righteous life God wishes we all would live.

But again, why did God sacrifice His son?

The Old Testament tells us the story of Abraham, who God directed to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. (See Genesis Chapter 22). Abraham took his son where directed, built an altar, and was ready to perform the action when God interceded. This complete obedience to God by Abraham, even at the cost of his only son, was enough to earn Abraham, and all his descendants, an eternal blessing from God.

When Abraham’s descendants, over the course of centuries, then proved themselves to be nowhere as obedient or righteous as Abraham, God sacrificed his only begotten son: Jesus. This sacrifice opened a door to salvation--not just for Jews, but for non-Jews (gentiles) as well.

Abraham did not put on clothes to look like his son, or try and take his son's place. He didn’t try and trick God. He did as he was told. God did no less. God sacrificed His son.

God appeared multiple times throughout the Old Testament in physical form: his footsteps could be heard walking in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8), God wrestled with Jacob, in human form (Genesis32); God appeared as a burning bush to Moses (Exodus 3:2); and God appeared as pillar of cloud and fire, leading the Jews as they fled Egypt (Exodus 13).

God did not appear a man named Jesus:

(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

(1 Timothy 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

This Easter, you will likely hear people proclaim that Jesus is God. That is not entirely accurate, nor is it entirely wrong. The Apostle John explained Jesus’ origins in very simple terms:

(John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(John 1:14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

God made part of himself (the Word) flesh—his only begotten son, Jesus.

Part of the confusion on Jesus-as-God is that the word “God” wasn’t even around when the Apostles originally wrote their testimonies (which they wrote in Greek). God is an English word, derived from a German word (Gott), centuries after Christ’s resurrection. Christ referred to who we call “God” as “Father” (Pater, in Greek). He multiple times insisted that the Father was greater than him. And, multiple times, God proclaimed Jesus his son (see Matthew 3:17 and 17:5). Jesus even told his Apostles to pray to “The Father”:

(Matthew 6:9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

If we think of “God” as more title, and less “nickname”, and consider that Jesus is made from a part of the Father (the Word), then yes, Christ is “God”. More correctly, the bible tells us that Jesus is Lord—master of all:

(Matthew 28:18) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Yes, Jesus, the son of the Living God, our Father in Heaven, is real. He died on the cross, paying the penalty for mankind’s disobedience. One day he will return (1 Thessalonians 4:16) to claim his kingdom on Earth. He will be in charge. If you accept that, and accept him, you will get to live for eternity. If you don’t, you will suffer for eternity.

Don’t wait for Easter, accept Jesus today.

(Romans 10:9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

              

THOR'S DAY RANT: Keep Apologies Simple, Stupid

 

For some people, apologies are difficult. Some folks don't like to admit they're wrong. Some people are embarrassed they've done wrong. And then, some people are just plain stupid and don't realize what they've done. 

Recently, at my day job, a young lady sent out an email in which she made a dig at my expense--stating that yoga would kill me. Well, I do have chronic back pain and multiple respiratory issues. Yeah, good chance attempting yoga would indeed be a bad idea. Unfortunately, she sent this email to everyone at work--instead of the one person she meant. I was reading the email, wondering why she thought we knew each other well enough for her to bust my chops, when it blinked out of existence. Turns out, you can recall emails... and it gives you a report of who was able to see the email before its erasure. Did not know that. 

A little later on, the would-be comedienne came by my office to apologize. I told her it was no big deal, I wasn't offended and that she should never apologize for comedy. But, she couldn't leave it at that. She had to go on and on, explaining how she didn't mean for me to see the email and that she had already turned herself in to HR, and had gone around the office and told everyone what she had done, and was apologizing.

Uh, what?

If only three people saw the email, why tell everyone about it? Moreover, why save the person you think you offended for last on your tour de apology? And why is it such a big deal... it's almost like it wasn't meant as light-hearted ribbing (like men do to each other) but rather a vicious, bitchy comment. 

Hmmmm....

There's a life lesson here. Dingbat should have stopped apologizing when I said, Okay. I wasn't angry, didn't yell, I just shrugged it off. Her continuation about how she didn't mean for everyone to see that lessens the sincerity of her apology. 

When you apologize, keep it short and sweet, and to the point. Don't turn it into a dissertation that smacks more of Freudian slip than friendly discussion. 

Kevin Bacon is Going to Hell

 

(Warning: the below commentary contain spoilers for the new Kevin Bacon show "The Bondsman", now streaming on Amazon Prime)

Kevin Bacon is a great actor, and a hard worker. These two assertions can be proven by showing the tremendous body of work he's done. He's been in so many films, there's a game based on him (Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon). From fighting underground monsters ("Tremors", 1990) to mutant vigilantes ("Xmen: First Class", 2011) he's done so very much. And now, Kevin Bacon is back with a new streaming show on Amazon Prime, "The Bondsman" where he goes back to his Footloose roots to oppose Christianity. Or, at least his character does. 

I am not saying Mr. Bacon is a bad man. From what little I've seen, he seems like a great guy--someone you'd want to hang out with or let watch your dogs. But the problem isn't about good or bad. It's about denying Christ. 

In typical Hollyweird fashion, "The Bondsmen" twists and distorts the gospel, possibly for dramatic effect, but more likely to push the anti-God agenda that's become so blatant in recent years. 

The premise of the show is simple enough, Bacon's character, Hub Halloran, is a bounty hunter, tracking down bad guys who skip out on bail (don't show up for court). Hub is killed in the opening segment of the show, then has a slowish, grisly resurrection. He's then informed he's been resurrected to work for the devil, hunting escaped demons from Hell.

Yes, you've heard this premise before. In 2007-2009,"Reaper" starred Bret Harison as a reluctant bounty hunter forced to work for the devil (played by Ray Wise) to capture escaped souls from hell. Harison's character, Sam Oliver, didn't die, his parents sold him, Rapunzel-fashion, to the devil... although the show later retconned this and revealed that Sam was one of the Devil's many sons. 

Working for the devil again got produced as "RIPD" (2013) staring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges (with a sequel in 2022 starrring Jeffrey Donovan). In this film, Reynolds is a wise-cracking detective, killed in the line of duty and recruited to a kind of Afterlife/Men-in-Black bounty hunting organization, again capturing escaped souls from hell. 

In "The Bondsman" the major differences seem to be that it's hunting demons now--demons who kill, then possess the corpses of victims. There's also a strong theme of "Hollywood Christianity" in the show, with Hub's mother, a devout churchgoer and retired bounty hunter herself, espousing faith in every episode. 

Where "The Bondsman" fails, is its horrible understanding of demons in the Bible and what actually sends a person to Hell. In Hub's case, he went to Hell, after being killed in Episode 1, because (we later find out) he tried to murder someone and accidentally killed a young woman, hiding her body to avoid arrest. 

Yes, murder, whether completed, or just wished for in your heart, is a sin. Pre-Jesus, if you were Jewish, you'd have to make an atonement for your sin (sin being disobedience to God--breaking His rules). But Jesus died on the cross, paying the price for all sins, including those yet to be committed. We today, who sin probably on a daily basis (remember, thoughts can be a sin, as well; see Matthew 5:28), will not go to Hell so long as we (see Romans 10:9) Confess (admit) that Jesus ss Lord and that God raised him from the dead. Romans 10:13 goes on to declare that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

In other words, you have to believe that Jesus died to pay the price for your sins; that he was resurrected by God; and, you accept him as your Lord and Savior. Many christians also add on that you must repent (turn away) from sin. Which means trying not to sin. 

Hub Halloran did indeed turn from his sin of manslaughter (accidentally killing the woman). He definitely doesn't want to do that again. He is ashamed of what he did, and doesn't want to tell anyone--and not just to avoid prison. He does eventually decide to confide in his mother, but she stops him. That sure seems like he wanted to repent. 

Moreover, his mother (played by Beth Grant) doesn't want to know "what he did" to go to Hell. That seems rather odd for a regular church-going, praying, woman to say. She even laments about not making him go to bible study. What her character should have been doing was fretting over Hub not believing in Jesus. That is what sends you to Hell. But, the show dances around the issue of belief, with characters talking about "if the devil is real..." then not finishing up on their thoughts or proclaiming Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. 

Other twistings of the scripture involve a preacher in one episode, who calls out for Jesus' help when a demon comes after him in his Church. It is entirely possible there are preachers out there that don't really believe in Jesus--they believe in filling pews and taking in donations. But when you see a demon and whip out your cross and beg for the Lord's help, odds are you have found your belief. And, Ephesians 6 tells us about putting on the armor of God and resisting evil with prayer. 

Another odd discrepancy in the theology of this show is how Hub dispatches demons. Bullets to their chest don't stop them, but a headshot drops them like George Romero zombies, then they promptly burst into flame. I don't recall Jesus busting out any firearms in Matthew 8 when he sent a band of demons into a herd of pigs, which then stampeded off a cliff to their death. The Bible isn't specific, but I think it's implied the pigs died from drowning, not lead poisoning. 

At first glance, "The Bondsman" is quality entertainment. Kevin Bacon and his co-stars all deliver good performances. The show is paced just right, although it seems to swing back and forth from dark comedy to horror-lite. On a deeper look, it's very disappointing to have messed up when it comes to the scripture. 

I sincerely hope no one watching this show thinks that what they do or don't do will send them to Hell. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8 and 9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Belief in Jesus, accepting him as your Lord, and turning away from sin is the only way to get to Heaven. Yes, as a Christian, you should profess your faith by getting baptized, and follow Christ's example by helping others, but it really is about faith and not actions. It's just that simple.

Hopefully, Kevin Bacon knows this and isn't going to Hell. 

FRIDAY FREE ADVICE: Listen to NoAgenda

 

(No Agenda: A Review)

When it comes to podcasts, there are a LOT to choose from. Back in 2012, when I first started listening to podcasts, there was only a fraction as many as there are today. Over the years, I've tried several. Some sucked, some just quit being made, and some have gotten better and better with age. Then there's NoAgenda.

In 2012, I got introduced to podcasts when I was invited to appear on a local pod (PodCulture) produced by my cousin and some of his friends. They covered mostly nerd stuff, and I had just started out as an Indie Author, self-publishing novels on Amazon.

I didn't really know much about pods at the time--I associated them with Apple, which I didn't really care for (I've been an Android phone user since signing up to be a developer and getting the snazzy, custom Dream edition phone). 

Starting with PodCulture was a big mistake. The team there had great sound quality, had their show formula down, and produced high quality content, free of charge. They weren't in it for the money, they loved talking about nerd stuff. 

After my interview/participation, I began exploring other podcasts. Over the eyars my occasional once-in-a-while listenign became a regular thing. I figured out I could listen to podcasts while working, helping me drown out noise in the office, as well as my ever-irritating tinnitus. 

Last year, I discovered NoAgenda--thanks to my cousin, whose own pod had ceased. I wish I'd known about NoAgenda back in 2012. Turns out, they've been podcasting since 2007!

Right off the bat, I'll, say you need to listen to this one. I believe in the quality of this podcast so much that after over a year of quietly listening, I decided to become an "associate executive producer" and donate to the show. 

That's the beauty of NoAgenda. There's no fee to listen. It's absolutely free. There's no ads, no sponsors, just donations from listeners that keep it going. 

But what is NoAgenda, you might ask? In simplest terms, it's two guys (John C. Dvorak and Adam Curry) pointing out the bullshit modern lamestream media spouts on a daily, nay, hourly, basis. They're kind of like a toned down, tuned-in version of Statler and Waldorf--the two old geezers from the Muppet Show.

Do you really want to listen to a 70-something year old tech guru and a 60-something former MTV VJ? Yes--yes you do. 

Is there humor? Why yes, just like the Muppet Geezers, Curry and Dvorak banter back and forth to (possibly unintended) comedic effect; Adam Curry grew up in the Netherlands. He often fails to understand the euphemisms and old sayings John Dvorak regularly lets rip (for example, most recently, "screaming mimis"). Good stuff. 

The duo presents news clips from around the globe, breaking down what is really being said, pointing out lies, and giving you the rest of the story. Paul Harvey would be proud. 

One of the best advantages to this is that, twice a week, you can catch up on big news, without having to subject yourself to actually watching the news. 

But what about the sound quality? 

I primarily download podcasts via Podbean (free on Android). Most shows I repeatedly listen to sound "professionally" produced, with smooth sound. Bad sound sucks. Some podcasts I can barely make out what is being said, because my tinnitus is louder than the people who are too far away from their microphones. Not Dvorac and Curry. I'd dare say the sound quality is better than that of the FM morning radioshows they seem to enjoy mocking on a regular basis. 

Content? The content is top notch... with one annoying caveat. I don't want to hear Joe Biden, Camel-a Hairbrains, Nazi Pelousy, or any of the other deep state, demoncrat cronies that never stop trying to force their propaganda on the public. I would much rather read what they say than hear their disingenous voices. Alas, NoAgenda does play curated clips, then offers analysis and translation... meaning I have to be subjected to the deep state's audible lies. Thank the LORD it's a pre-recorded podcast I can fast forward through (although it is available for live listening, as its being recorded, if you have the time). 

There's also a large NoAgenda community, both online and in person. Listeners do "meetups", which I suspect are more of my felloe Gen-Xers taking the chance to drink and party, than share like-minded political viewpoints. 

All in all, NoAgenda has been time well spent. If not for making me listen to the Left, I'd give them five stars. Instead I'll rate them: 4.5 out of 5. 

Well done, NoAgenda. I'll keep listening as long as you keep kvetching. 

THOR'S DAY RANT: AI or SI?

AI art, or horror show?

Everywhere you look lately, there's AI this, and AI that. There are even "AI-powered" products. I'm not even sure what that means. One product I saw was a small camera with "AI" to improve video stabilization. I find it hard to believe that AI can be squeezed into a tiny, handheld camera. Doesn't AI take massive server farms or next-generation "quantum" computing? 

I have concluded that AI is not artificial intelligence at all... it's simulated intelligence. "AI" is nothing more than another marketing term to falsely advertise performance that doesn't exist. 

By comparison, let's look at body armor. Body armor (and windows) are often represented as "bulletproof". But they aren't. At best, they're bullet resistant. A Level IIIa vest might indeed stop a 9mm handgun round, but it's not going to stop a bullet fired from a .50 caliber anti-material rifle. Not because of a larger caliber (diameter of the bullet) but because a .50 cal rifle, like the Barret M82A1, has way more powder pushing the bullet. The rounds hit their target at a much higher velocity. And, since it's a rifle meant for shooting vehicles, the bullet is made of a more durable material than a copper-jacketed 9mm handgun round. 

But, "bulletproof" inspires confidence in prospective customers. Resistant... not so much.

This kind of duplicitous wordplay isn't new. Nor does false advertising always rely on words. Look at the ancient Egyptians. They covered up body odor with powerful perfumes, creating the olfactory illusion that they were clean, when instead they were just stinky. People still do that today. 

"AI" is not intelligent. Dolphins are intelligent. The gorilla that learned sign language was intelligent. Dogs are intelligent. My "smart" phone? Not so much. It can't do art on its own, it has to rely on an internet connection. 

Modern "AI" is simulated intelligence. Programmers basically write out scripts for what to do for the "AI" to follow. Deep Blue, the chess-playing computer, wasn't intelligent. It calculated out all the possible moves, then picked the one with the best possible outcome. All based on programming. Programmers are intelligent, not "AI". 

"Simulated Intelligence" doesn't sound that good, from a marketing standpoint. "Simulated" is basically "not-real". Kind of like the old "Great Taste/Less Filling" beer ads not that long ago. Bud Light didn't contain less liquid. Your stomach still filled up the same. It was the calories in the liquid that were less. But "less calories" doesn't have the ring to it that "less filling" does. 

Ask yourself this, if "AI" really was intelligent, why have so many business people proclaimed we were decades away from AI, only to be embarrassed when "AI" is rolled out shortly after their proclamations. 

Don't be fooled. Be more intelligent than "AI". 

Let's Try This Again...

  Welcome to the blog... or, welcome back. My name is C.E. Martin, but I prefer my internet alias of "Troglodad". 

I've been blogging and writing since a little before 2010. If you go back in this site's history you'll see a lot of articles, musings, reviews, and the once-popular "Thor's Day Rants" I used to do. 

In 2012, I got bit by the self-publishing bug and began churning out cheesy New Pulp/Men's Adventure/Supernatural thriller novels. I did 15 novels and alost as many shorter works, which you can check out at my author page on Amazon. 

I've been wanting to come back to writing for a while, but life kept getting in the way. In honor fo the April A-to-Z-Blogging Challenge, I'm back here, ready to write and see what happens. 

Check back often and see what nonsense I've got going on. Or buy a book! Reading is fundamental.