SOME RANDOM BIBLE ISSUES

Losing Faith, WEF, Read Hebrew, Homelessness, Make Babies, Make Friends, Trinity, Testify, World Peace, When Written, Resurrection, Oldest Copy,

I saved some links that seemed interesting to me and I think now is a good time to post them here, even though I may not have actually checked any of them out. I asked A.I. to describe them briefly. A.I. is biased by the big tech companies, I gather, but most of the descriptions seem fairly okay. I’ll add my comments after each item.

1. “5 Bible Passages That Caused Me To Lose My Faith” (Watch here): In this video, the creator shares their personal experience with five Bible passages that led to a profound shift in their faith. It’s an exploration from an ex-Christian perspective, deconstructing fundamentalist and evangelical ideologies. {I agree that there are some absurd statements in the Bible, though I think the New Testament is generally pretty good. Jesus seemed to say that he came to correct people’s misunderstandings about the Bible. Some corrections are still needed, but not many serious ones, IMO.}

2. “What WEF Just SAID about the Bible” (Watch here): Contrary to claims, the World Economic Forum (WEF) did not call for AI to rewrite the Bible or create new religions. The WEF spokesperson clarified this misinformation¹. {I don’t know if A.I. is correct about this, but it didn’t add the link where it says Watch here. It’s obviously programmed not to criticize the WEF, whereas I believe it deserves huge criticisms.}

3. “Learn How to Read Hebrew in ONE HOUR! Hebrew Jump Start” (Watch here): Rabbi Stuart Federow provides a tutorial on reading Hebrew using visual and auditory cues. It’s a crash course for beginners to grasp the basics of Hebrew pronunciation and letters². {I messed around with studying Hebrew a little a few decades ago. It’s called a sacred alphabet. Arabic is also called sacred and I think they’re related. They may have hidden meanings.}

4. Homelessness: Denver’s draft 2023 action plan aims to address housing and homelessness issues. The link you’ve provided leads to a page detailing Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST)'s draft review version of its 2023 Action Plan. Here are the key points:

   • Public Review: The 2023 Action Plan is open for public comment until Wednesday, Oct. 26.

   • Strategic Alignment: It aligns with the HOST Five-Year Strategic Plan to address housing and homelessness.

   • Community Engagement: Feedback can be submitted via a community survey, and a virtual public meeting will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

   • Annual Priorities: The plan outlines HOST’s priorities for the year and the use of resources proposed in the Mayor’s budget.

   This plan represents a significant effort to build a “healthy, housed, and connected Denver,” and the community’s input is encouraged to shape this initiative. {Homelessness is a major problem IMO, and I like to see progress on the issue.}

5. “Scientists create human embryos from stem cells” (Watch here): Researchers at the Weizmann Institute grew an embryo-like structure using stem cells, resembling a 14-day-old human embryo. This breakthrough could help understand early development and improve reproductive health⁴. {This could be beneficial, but there seem likely to be dangers, such as tyrants trying to create a slave class.}

6. “How to Make Friends” (Watch here): Making friends can be challenging, but this video offers tips on how to connect with others. It covers being open to meeting new people, joining clubs or organizations, and making the first move to introduce yourself. Remember, putting yourself out there is key to forming new friendships¹. {I’d like to socialize a lot more. I’m starting a job and I suspect that it won’t help me socialize much, but maybe it will, if I’m meant to keep the job.}

7. “How the Trinity verse got added to the Bible” (Watch here): In this video, the speaker discusses the spurious addition of 1 John 5:7-8 to the Bible. Some translators zealously inserted this passage to support the doctrine of the Trinity, but it’s not part of the generally accepted New Testament manuscripts. Most modern versions correctly omit it². {I agree that the trinity is very likely not meant to be in the Bible. Some people try to say that Jesus is the Creator, but I’m pretty sure he never said that in the Bible, and I don’t believe he is. He said he’s the Son of God, by which I think he meant to convey the idea that he follow/ed in his Father’s footsteps, i.e. follow/ed God’s example of Love for All. It’s like he was saying I’m just like my Dad. And he and the apostles told us to follow Jesus’ example, just as Jesus’ follow/ed God’s example. We are all children of God, after all.}

8. Videos: Unfortunately, the provided link is incomplete, so I can’t directly access the content. However, if you’re looking for apologetics or religious discussions, you might find relevant videos by searching for “TESTIFY Apologetics” on YouTube. {This is the link that A.I. didn’t want to describe: https://www.youtube.com/@TestifyApologetics/videos. I haven’t checked them out yet, so I can’t comment on the videos on that channel.}

9. “The People’s Plan for World Peace - The Power of Water for Healing Earth” (Watch here): This video discusses the connection between water and peace. It explores how water plays a crucial role in healing the Earth and fostering global harmony. The content emphasizes the importance of water conservation and sustainable practices. {Not sure if this is the best place to post this one, but I’m all for world peace and stuff like that, and so is the Bible, IMO.}

10. “Why The Gospels Are Early” (Watch here): In this video, scholars delve into the dating of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). While most scholars accept a range between 60-100 AD, some argue for even earlier dates, possibly during the disciples’ lives or with firsthand accounts from resurrection witnesses. {I think the New Testament was entirely written before 70 AD. That includes the Book of Revelation or Apocalypse. There would have been no prophecy if any New Testament books were written after the destruction of Jerusalem.}

11. “The Evidence and Science of the Resurrection” (Watch here): Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., a physicist, Catholic priest, and President of the Magis Center, discusses evidence supporting the resurrection of Jesus. Topics include the Shroud of Turin, misconceptions, and scientific aspects related to this pivotal event. {I have some of this info in my online book at THE EVIDENCE: SHROUD, ARK etc..}

12. “The OLDEST copy of Scripture ever found!” (Watch here): Dr. Gabi Barkay discovered two silver scrolls in a Jerusalem tomb containing the oldest biblical verses ever found, dating back to the 7th century BC. These scrolls include the name of Yahweh and the priestly blessing from Numbers 6. The discovery sheds light on the antiquity of the Old Testament¹. {The original Torah may go back to Moses c. 1450 BC, though it was likely recopied over the centuries. There’s some indication that Moses may have had copies of diaries or biographies etc going back to Adam, if the patriarchs were real, which Moses used to write Genesis.}