Chawlk

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4. Two Credits
5. Wriging
6. Loose Suits
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What sports are ministers good at? I have an opening on my kickball team and was just wondering if I should bother recruiting any of the clergy.

Thanks, Scrivs! Your question got answered!

I have one for you Ben. Do pets go to heaven?

Here's mine: what is kickball?

Okay Bengray I have one for you. I was really looking for "ask a jewish dude" but you'll have to do. What do Jewish people think about Christians? I'm saying " If Jesus opened the back door to the theater called heaven and Jewish folks don't believe he is Gods son. Do they think we are all dammed?

Thanks in advance

That's a good one, settripn1. I'll have to do that.

Are Jews damned for not believing in Jesus? The answer is that it's not just Jews but all who live in unbelief.

"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." - John 3:18

Jesus was sent to the Jews to confirm the promises made to the Patriarchs.

"For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers." - Romans 15:8

Jesus even lamented over the amount of rejection and unbelief He experienced from His own.

"When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, 'If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.'" - Luke 19:41-42

The attitude of most Jews today is that Jesus didn't fulfill the expectation of a Messiah that the Jews had in mind. Even his own apostles strugged from this (Matthew 24; Acts 1:6). They anticipated an earthly Kingdom, but Jesus came bringing a spiritual Kingdom. The Gospels and Acts are riddled with the struggles of His own--Jewish--followers.

There are countless examples of societies/civilizations before and after the birth of Christ in which polytheism or faith in a plurality of gods/deities sustains/ed the spiritual needs of humankind as adequately as monotheistic Christian faith. Why then are the pre-Christian polytheistic devotees referred to in the Bible as living in 'darkness'? Is this not another case of the you are either 'with us' or 'against us' political doctrine enforced by autocrats after B.C. for personal gain? A doctrine that has been used as the cause for so many territorial wars and acts of belligerence that still go on today...

Another question I have, is given the rise in atheism that has paralleled the growth in consumer/material lifestyles in country's like the UK for example, and consequently the decrease in practicing Christians, do you think that it is probable that in a not so distant future, the practice of Christianity and the reverence of Jesus Christ will be burried in human history like the ancient Inca deities, or the Gods of Egypt, or the Norse Gods or the Greek Pantheon of Gods have been? But that a new form of deity will arise, perhaps a purely material god for example?

Sorry to high-jack this note, but it got me thinking. Actually I shouldn't apologise, thinking is a good thing. Anyway, in the recent discussion about the 'official' scientific classification of our universe, questions of on the existence of life on other planets or indeed in other galaxies has been brought back in the spotlight. If ever such a discovery was made, wouldn't it jeopardise the entire first chapter of the Old Testament?

Good questions, Andrew. I'll have to reference them in my next podcast. :D.

I know the question wasn't really directed toward me, but I went ahead and answered Andrew's question about whether or not the discovery of ET life would jeopardize Gen. 1. You can read it here.

Still, looking forward to your response, Ben, as well as more Ask a Minister!

Cool, Rick. Glad you did that. I've been emailed a question that I think I'll feature in my next podcast.

Ben,

What's your biggest challenge as a minister?

If God has everything covered, why do we feel the need to pray for people (ie - I hope so and so overcomes their sickness or injury, etc.)?

scott4arrows: Good question! I'll cover that one next week!

bccarlso: That's a good one too! I'll cover that soon.