As the consequences of people declaring themselves the opposite gender and using this to gain entry to showers, locker rooms, bathrooms, and athletic teams — become obvious, will the trend to allow this continue or be modified? Will local, state, and federal governments begin to show concern for protecting the rights of the mainstream people who will feel violated?

Poll Results

Do you think the transgender locker room/bathroom trend will be reversed?

I think at SI we all agree that Jesus completely atoned for our sins upon the cross, and that his death (or life and death), burial, and resurrection completely provide the basis for our salvation. The old school called this “objective salvation” (a nomenclature I personally embrace).

Both evangelicalism and fundamentalism developed partly from revivalistic movements. The Great Awakenings, tent meetings, even annually scheduled “revivals.”

As a newer believer, I was influenced by that concept somewhat (although not to the extreme), and it is no longer the way I think. And it is not the way our church (by and large) thinks, although it was an important part of our church’s past.

So we are not asking about individuals in your church, but the direction and leadership of your church are in view.

It is hard to know how many L (lesbian) G (gay) B (Bi-sexual) T (transgender) people there really are out there — percent-wise. Supposed statistics range from 4 to 23%.

It is my observation that the younger generation — particularly kids now in Jr. or St. high — are much more open toward considering whether they are really Trans-gender.

Like you, the confusion breaks my heart. Many of us would attribute the rise in this to God’s judgment upon the West — in Romans 1 fashion. We are being “turned over.”

There is a lot of talk about Christians examining the Constitution Party or the Libertarian Party as possible voting choices. Assuming it is Trump Vs. Clinton (and it is too early to assume that for certain, but we will assume this for purposes of this poll), what are your thoughts about voting 3rd party? A wasted vote? A statement? A possible win?

Poll Results

Are you considering voting for a third party candidate?

Genesis 3:15 has generally been understood to be a prophecy of the Messiah. Hislop in The Two Babylons suggests that distorted views of the virgin birth in other religions find their origin in a memory of this promise. The ESV of the text reads:

I will put enmity between you and the woman,
 and between your offspring[a] and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
 and you shall bruise his heel.”

I am going to say this twice, once at the beginning and once at the end, because the nature of this question is begging to be misunderstood.

Here goes: The issues are not the value of academic study or the value of scholarship. The issue is final authority and, secondarily, the priesthood of all believers.

I know a number of people who are on the “Autism Spectrum.” Some of them are people are greatly admire and respect. But I have some pastor friends who believe Autism is a myth or an excuse.

There was a time just a few decades ago when many church emphasized eschatology beyond the subjects of heaven and hell. Although someone might challenge these statistics, I have read that at least 150 chapters of the Bible are predominantly about the End Times and about 14% of the Bible deals with the End Times. I can believe that.

So, the expanded questions sounds like this: If you consider how much fo the Bible deals with the End Times, would you guess that your church’s teaching/preaching ministries resemble the emphasis of Scripture?

When it comes to academics, I cannot say I know what qualifies a theologian to be a “scholar.” Sometimes scholarship is in the subjective eye of the beholder. Usually we look at things like academic credentials and academic works.

When it comes to creating a list, there are way too many names to choose from. I will certainly miss some big ones, so please pardon my omissions. I am going to take my best guess as to which are both true scholars and most respected (which can be two different things).