Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Both of these things are difficult to do in a society like ours. All Christians claim to trust in the Lord. That’s the basis of our faith. Do we do it with ALL our hearts? ALL our… Continue reading Our Own Understanding
Tag: Simmons Opinions
A More Sure Word
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” - 1 Thessalonians 2:13 The “this… Continue reading A More Sure Word
Culture as Both Product and Practice
CULTURE AS A PRODUCT Hall and Neitz (1993) provide an inclusive definition of culture that describes it as 1) ideas, knowledge (correct, wrong, or unverifiable belief), and recipes for doing things; 2) humanly fabricated tools (shovels, sewing machines, and computers); and 3) products of social action that can be drawn upon in the conduct of… Continue reading Culture as Both Product and Practice
The Case for the Cultural Study of Religion
RELIGION AND CULTURE Rituals, symbols, and myths have been at the forefront of the Sociology of Religion since Durkheim (1915) wrote of the prominence of beliefs, rights, and rituals in the worship of social life. Naturism, animism, and totemic beliefs are mostly bygone religions – relics of a pre-industrialized world, but Durkheim predicted that religion… Continue reading The Case for the Cultural Study of Religion
American Secularization and Media Depictions of End Times
INTRODUCTION Media Influence Art has always had an influence on society, even if that influence is more indirect than the artist intended. In the “age of mechanical reproduction” (Benjamin 1969[1936]), the aura of art may not be as strong as the medium of film and television has eclipsed the close distance of the stage. The… Continue reading American Secularization and Media Depictions of End Times
Daily Walk (Part One)
Being as active as possible seems impossible. Did you watch a movie this week? You could have spent that time in the Bible. Did you go to the store and not witness to everyone you saw? Did you go on a hike with the family and not pull a fellow hiker aside and share the… Continue reading Daily Walk (Part One)
Delighting in God’s Will
“I delight to do thy will, O my God: Yea, thy law is within my heart.”Psalm 40:8 David was “a man after [God’s] own heart,” according to Acts 13:22. Therefore, his words should resonate with us if we want to be viewed the same way. David not only committed Scripture to memory, but kept it… Continue reading Delighting in God’s Will
Pleasant Words
“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”Proverbs 16:24 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” Communication is vital to any relationship. Studies show that communication is one of the top measures for the success or failure of a marriage. There are… Continue reading Pleasant Words
The Church (Part 4): The Local Church
We have come a long way on our journey to better understand the church. So far we have focused on mostly the spiritual Church. We have addressed: The Trail of Blood - The history of the church from Acts 2 until today, the martyrs gave their lives to the cause of Christ, and the persecution… Continue reading The Church (Part 4): The Local Church
Things Not Seen
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 Contemporary Americans are inundated with “things” which are seen. We concern ourselves with houses (and their furnishing),… Continue reading Things Not Seen
Simmons' Opinions 