The Church of Absentia

The Church of Absentia

 

... and they found him not...

1 Kings 19:11-13

Where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? 

(In the depths of his anguish in Liberty Jail, the Prophet Joseph Smith cried out: “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?” (D&C 121:1). Many of us, in moments of personal anguish, feel that God is far from us.)

Absence of evidence is evidence of absence (when there should be evidence).

Evidence of absence is absence of evidence. 

Song of Solomon 3:4

It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth. I held him and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

It is the absence of God that proves his existence. 

Ga$LighT Mini$trie$

Tautology Society

(god's hiding place)

(the pavillion)

blasphemy.org

heresy.com

Fewarechosen.com

Noble and Great Ones

Chosen Generation

Lose his life shall find it

First last, last first

Meek shall inherit

Wisdom is foolishness 

Prince of peace; I bring not peace, but the sword 

King of kings 

Morning star

Lightbringer 

Crucifixion - one cross each 

Sacred, not secret 

Mystery Cult

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The Bible does assume the existence of God, and it does claim to be the truth (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:4). Those statements must be taken on faith, which should surprise no one. The Bible says faith is required. Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and faith is the foundation of the Christian life (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 1:17).

At the same time, there are many solid, logical arguments to build a plausible case for Christian belief. The existence of God can be deduced from the existence of creation (Psalm 19:1), and the veracity of the Bible through historical evidences (John 10:37–38). Circular reasoning is unnecessary. We can utilize a combination of biblical data, logical reasoning, philosophy, and historical and scientific evidence to present the best possible case regarding Christian teaching. Many Christian authors have written defenses of the faith, including C. S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, Norman Geisler, and more.

Ultimately, the Bible must be accepted by faith, and it is only the Word of God that has the power to change lives (John 17:17). Can a person be brought closer to the truth through logical reasoning? Yes. Can a person accept the truth of Christianity without faith? No.

[Only the Word of God has the power to change lives? So I guess Mein Kamf, Das Kapital, Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Necronomicon, 50 Shades of Grey etc. are the word of God?]

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1 Peter 1; 2:1–10. Peter teaches that we must have faith and live in holiness. He teaches that the Saints are a chosen generation, called to show forth the praises of the Savior.

[all saints from Peter to now are "the chosen generation"? How does that make any kind of sense? A generation is a group of people born during a relatively limited period of time - typically around 20 years. 2,000 years isn't a generation by any stretch, unless of course you are speaking so figuratively that the meanings of words are no longer important AND you accept that humanity has been around for hundreds of thousands of years instead of 6,000...]

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(Abraham 3:22-28) Elder Marvin J. Ashton teaches about the last generation of righteous church members. "God Has Held You In Reserve."

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D&C 121:33: “How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”

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Lord, are there few that are saved? The answer is yes, only a few are saved. According to the revelation of he who is the Lord God Almighty, “many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14). The testimony of Jesus is “the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10). Therefore, no matter what anyone thinks, relatively few Christians are going to end up in heaven.

Yes, many are now called, but few are going to be chosen. Few are going to spend eternity with God. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit has been saying to the churches. (Revelation 2:29).

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“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:27-31).

- (the supposed word of ancient supposed prophets is as powerful as seeing someone return from the dead?)

So determined is the Lord that this prophecy of unbelief is fulfilled that when he came in the flesh, he was often speaking in parables. His disciples wondered at this tendency. They asked him: “Why can’t you speak plainly to the people?” Jesus told them: “I am always speaking in parables because I don’t want the people to understand what I am saying.”

But why does Jesus not want the people to understand? He does not want them to understand because heaven is not for everyone. Heaven is only for a select few. (Matthew 13:11-16).

- (Yet Jesus spoke in parables deliberately so few would understand and be able to be saved? How does this jive with the idea that the words of the prophets are more convincing that seeing a person raised from the dead?)

God would have all men to be saved. (I Timothy 2:3-4). But alas, only a few will be saved. 

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