"Zeitgeist"
Visitor: One of my peers recently told me about this movie on the internet about "Zeitgeist." Here is the link: http://zeitgeistmovie.com/main.htm. I searched your website hoping to find an article on it but nothing came up. It seems to me like just another ridiculous occult trend, like the Da Vinci Code, that's going to spark a lot of initial interest but then fade. But it bothered me that my peer said that this movie would be powerful enough to make me an atheist. I would really like to see a refutal of this by someone a lot more educated than myself. One day I'd like to be on your end, though, getting e-mails from people asking me to help them refute the next up and coming occult fad.
Response: The movie is right to point out that atrocities have been commiitted in the name of religion. It is interesting to see that if we are merely swamp gas, as an atheist would acknowledge, that the person who believes this would want to promote it with such missionary zeal to others. Why they would care what other swamp gas believed is a mystery. The movie at one point says nothing is "Bad or Good per se" ... then I suppose that theism is also not bad or good so why should he care whether we are in the "now" or not? If they think there is not "bad or good" then is not their rant against religion itself meaningless?. On the one hand they say there is no bad or good, but then they make a movie to tell us how bad religion is for the world. Confused? You should be because there is not a shred of consistency about it. It seems the producer does, after all, believe in a dogma. The danger of this movie's position is that they erroneously think of their own position as not a position.. is not a belief, is not a dogma is not itself a religion. It like when Oprah demanded that her audience accept that Jesus could not possibly be the only way and rather, she said, all ways are acceptable. Is that not also a dogmatic statement? A firm belief that beliving in one way is bad and that we MUST accept that all ways are equal? This is the height of self-deception. Dogma cannot be avoided and the producers of this film also have presuppositions or strong beliefs as to what is good and bad, or they would not bother making the film to try to convince others. Any hope they have of changing someones mind to think like them is actually a belief in morality, in something outside themselves - that there is a way to live that is better. If they say slavery is wrong, violence is wrong, torture is wrong, racism is wrong, how do they know this if they are merely swap gas, and more importantly, why should they care? They show all these frightening images as if their position is not just as religious and dogmatic and that they are exempt from such atrocities. The greatest danger lies when a group convinces itself it is the only one out there who isn't promoting a view. We all should know by now that this is the height of absurdity.
Continue reading ""Zeitgeist"" »
More Reformed Hip-Hop
In the past, I've mentioned Lampmode, a label featuring some thoroughly reformed hip-hop artists. Well a Lampmode artist, Shai Linne, just finished a new album, The Atonement, ready to be released February 12th, and already available for pre-order at Lampmode. I just received a copy, and it really is excellent -- absolutely loaded with the theology of a definite, penal substitutionary atonement, total depravity, free grace, etc. The lyrics to most of the tracks, including "In Adam All Die," "Were You There?," "Jesus Is Alive," and "Triune Praise," are available on Shai's blog. As a highlight, I'm posting the lyrics to what is likely to be the most controversial, but also one of the most edifying tracks, "Mission Accomplished". If you like what you read, check out Lampmode for more of the same.
This Breaks My Heart of Stone (CD)
There is clearly a “hymns resurgence” in the church and Red Mountain Church of Birmingham, AL is leading the way. They have been steadily churning out a album after album whose production is better than most any that you will hear. Their newest is titled "This Breaks My Heart of Stone" and is, in our opinion, the strongest production to date.
"The Gadsby Hymnal obsession lives on, and for this record, worked with 9 more songs from “Gadsby’s Hymns”. We also branched out a little and spent some time working with William William's texts, which are not found in the Gadsby. We felt like two of his songs fit the collection for this record, and we decided to include them."
"It is important to note that every song on this record was written or co-written by our friend, and fabulous Texan, Benj Pocta. We met Benj the same way everyone meets these days - on the internet, and before long we were sending demos back and forth. Benj traveled to Birmingham several times to write, write some more, and ultimately record this record with us. It’s been a work in progress and it's been our longest process yet; over a year and a half in the making as we've revised, recorded, and re-recorded. Hopefully you'll agree that these songs have been worth the wait."
Click here to learn more or hear some samples
Monergism Books Getting Major Upgrade!!!
Monergism Books Getting Major Upgrade!!! (pdf screenshot 1.2 Megabytes)
Completely Redesigned, Redeveloped, and Reformed - Coming VERY Soon. Big News!
Can this resource serve you?
I have just set up a brand new website for the Reformation Study Center which serves the greater Phoenix, Arizona area. At this web site you will find around 70 of my articles on a number of different subjects as well as a number of guest articles. I am happy to make these available to you and hope they will prove to be a blessing in your walk with the Lord. . You will find them here - God bless you. - Rev. John Samson
The Love of Christ Is Rich and Free
1. The love of Christ is rich and free;
Fixed on His own eternally;
Nor earth, nor hell, can it remove;
Long as He lives, His own He’ll love.
2. His loving heart engaged to be
Their everlasting Surety;
’Twas love that took their cause in hand,
And love maintains it to the end.
Chorus: Love cannot from its post withdraw;
Nor death, nor hell, nor sin, nor law,
Can turn the Surety’s heart away;
He’ll love His own to endless day.
3. Love has redeemed His sheep with blood;
And love will bring them safe to God;
Love calls them all from death to life;
And love will finish all their strife.
4. He loves through every changing scene,
Nor aught from Him can Zion wean;
Not all the wanderings of her heart
Can make His love for her depart.
(Repeat chorus)
5. At death, beyond the grave, He’ll love;
In endless bliss, His own shall prove
The blazing glory of that love
Which never could from them remove.
Tag: Which never could from them remove.
William Gadsby
Music: Sandra McCracken
Where to Find out More
Sandra McCracken - The Builder And The Architect
For All The Saints: Indelible Grace III
Help My Unbelief CD Now Available
Help My Unbelief The long awaited new CD from Red Mountain Music is now available.
Gadsby’s Hymns was compiled by William Gadsby in the mid 1800s. Although William Gadsby contributed quite a few of his own hymns, the bulk of the collection is comprised of many different hymnists. Long-beloved writers such as Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, John Newton, Anne Steele, Joseph Hart and William Cowper fill the pages of this wonderful hymnal. Gadsby’s Hymns has been so important to us that we could not stop writing from it. Even before we had completed our last collection of hymns, The Gadsby Project, we knew we would make another record devoted to these beautiful, forgotten texts. We decided to call this record Help My Unbelief. Many of the texts in these particular songs carry themes of doubt and longing. We believe that the Christian life is a complexity of emotions, a marriage of sorrow and joy. Valleys and mountaintops. Light and darkness. The hymn writers of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries seem to have captured these tensions with more honesty and depth than many contemporary writers. Because these writers have given us glimpses of their own doubt and unbelief, working through their hymns has given us much hope. Hope that we are not alone. Hope that sorrow, pain and hardship are not exclusive to our small, believing community here in Birmingham, AL. Rather, that Christians from different parts of the world, hundreds of years ago struggled with the same things. This is one reason why we sing hymns, to remember that the Church is bigger than just us at this moment. We hope you will join us in confessing, "Lord I believe; help my unbelief." Believing that in our doubts and fears Jesus will meet us with patience and grace. This collection of hymns is for God’s prodigals and sojourners as they wait patiently for the Kingdom to come.
"Help my unbelief. My help must come from Thee."
Get it at a discount here
New Multimedia on the Web for your Edification
Want a bird's-eye view sketch of the unfolding work of God in redemptive history with sermons covering the whole Bible? Mark Dever of Capitol Hill Baptist Church has posted the MP3s of his Old Testament and New Testament sermon series that give one sermon per book of the Bible. It serves as an excellent primer for Biblical Theology. Dever views the OT as the story of God's promises made to His people and the NT as those promises kept. Similar content can be found in his book on the OT and his book on the NT
Old Testament Overview Sermons "Promises Made" by Mark Dever MP3s for each OT Book An overview sermon on every book of the Bible. For your listening and edification we have provided a consolidated list of links to the free mp3 files of each Old Testament overview sermon
New Testament Overview Sermons "Promises Kept" by Mark Dever MP3s for each NT Book a consolidated list of links to the free mp3 files of each New Testament overview sermon
Also check out A Biblical View of Death by Dr Nick Needham MP3
Baptist minister originally from London. He holds the degrees of BD and PhD from the University of Edinburgh.
Don't forget the 43 part Bible Study Series on Romans from a Reformed perspective by Thomas Browning. (Free MP3s) My web host just recently generously upgraded our bandwidth so please download away. This is helpful material.
Lastly, for those interested in Christology, see the compilation of MP3 resources on Jesus Christ @Monergism.com
Monergism.com Major Upgrade Campaign
As many of you already know, we need to raise $5000.00 to cover the costs of a major upgrade to Monergism.com. This project is seeking your help to fund the cost of backend engineering, design, data entry as well as continued regular maintenance costs for the site (software, hardware, etc.). Monergism.com's content will be put into a database with consideration to usability, navigation and website architecture. When the project is complete, the goal is a much better user experience and to make it easier for visitors to find what they are looking for. While the content of the site will continue to be focused on Christ-honoring theology, it should be much more streamlined and accessible.
We thank the Lord for all of you that after only one week we have already raised over $4000.00 in donations through checks and PayPal. We are really thankful to see the broad support and the obvious hand of the Lord at work through you in furthering the Gospel through Monergism.com.
John Piper Free MP3 Downloads
Mega Resource for Free MP3 Audio Downloads
by John Piper
Free MP3 Downloads
Download Here
Includes series' on: Why We Believe the Bible; T.U.L.I.P. Seminar; Desiring God; Living by Faith in Future Grace; Suffering for the Sake of the Body; Gravity and Gladness on Sunday Morning; Sexual Complementarity; Biblical Eldership; Prayer, Meditation, & Fasting: The Pursuit of Communion with God; Hunger for God (on fasting); Battling Unbelief; Men of Whom The World Was Not Worthy (Biography)
Helpful Audio on Reformation History & More...
In preparation for Reformation Sunday take the time to listen to this superb series on the History of the Reformation: (Free MP3 Downloads)
Reformation History: How Christ Restored the Gospel to His Church
by Tom Browning Now in Pdf. manuscript & MP3 formats
Roy Hargrave Series on the Doctrines of Grace (18 Sermons in wma Audio) excellent resource
The Heart of The Gospel by Sinclair Ferguson (REAL Audio)
Or if you want to learn about the Nature and Purpose of the Church from a Reformed perspective, listen to this excellent series:
Life Together: Called Into the Community of the Church
Reformed Sermon Series by Tom Ferrel Now in Pdf (manuscript) & MP3 (Audio) formats
Thanks to the The Bible Church of Little Rock pastored by Lance Quinn for the following MP3s
RIGHT CLICK over the desired file and choose SAVE TARGET AS from the drop down menu.
C.J. Mahaney
Sex, Romance and the Glory of God - Part 1 (MP3)
Sex, Romance and the Glory of God - Part 2 (MP3)
Message to Men (MP3)
Humility: True Greatness (MP3)
The Cross Centered Life (MP3)
The Soul of Modesty (MP3)
Carolyn Mahaney
Message to Women: What Christian Wives Need to Know (MP3)
True Beauty (MP3)
A Woman's Beauty Regimen (MP3)
What To Do About the Things We Can't Do Anything About (MP3)
For more great MP3 Audio Lectures and Sermons click here