Agora - The Movie

In ancient Egypt under Roman rule, AGORA tells a story about astronomer Hypatia who is fighting to save the wisdom of the Ancient World, as violent religious troubles find their way to Alexandria. 

In the last days of the Roman Empire, the Egyptian city of Alexandria has a decision to make between the aristocratic Pagan society and the Christians. 

While there will be those uncomfortable with Agora's depiction of early Christianity, the movie accurately describes religion vs. the spirituality of science.

Regardless, Agora is a compelling film by Alejandro Amenabar starring Rachel Weisz.

The film presents the life of the Roman philosopher/mathematician/scientist Hypatia, a neo-Platonist philosopher of 4th century Alexandria who is working on a theory that explains the orbits of the planets in contradiction to the accepted beliefs at the time.

The question was, do the planets travel around the earth, or the sun? 

Hypatia struggles with this question as the early Christians have gained strength and begin to challenge the Pagans.

It all gets ugly and the Christians gain power, they silence any differences of belief with violence.

Without giving away the movie, let's just say the story reflects the challenges we face today.

Is it good to question and doubt?

We think so, that's the only way we can uncover the truth.

A Lesson About Easter and Jesus

Jaddeus Dempsey, a pastor at a church in Ohio invited kids to physically abuse him  in order to teach them a lesson about Easter and Jesus. 

Dempsey told students that anyone who wanted to spit in his face, slap him or cut him with a steak knife that he had provided could do so without repercussions. Students took him up on the offer, with many of the youths recording their actions on their cellphones. The students were “excited” to spit on Dempsey and one cut him on the neck.

Video of the kids spitting on him, slapping him, and (yes) cutting his back with a steak knife soon made its way to social media. 

The church is trying to defend this horrific gospel lesson.

The church said Dempsey wanted to explain to them about this guy named Jesus, who thousands of years ago, he was put on trial for a crime he didn’t commit. And he was beaten. He was broken. He was whipped. He was crucified, and he died as an innocent man… He chose to allow it to happen…Dempsey’s illustration was meant to share that message of love.

We aren’t going to show the video here, but if you really want to see this, we have the link...

But we warn you, it’s disturbing.

WATCH HERE

Rick Wiles: Satan Using Pokémon

It appears that the worst crime in religious circles is that not everyone is Christian.

Religious liberty isn't code for Christian privilege, but it would certainly seem that way.

If it seems sinister, it must be of Satan and that brings us to pastor Rick Wiles.

Rick Wiles is certain that "these Pokémon creatures are like virtual, cyber-demons."and 

"The enemy, Satan, is targeting churches with virtual, digital, cyber-demons,” Wiles said, before adding: “I believe this thing is a magnet for demonic powers."

Wiles also says that "Pokémon masters" may soon start "telling people to kill people in those buildings." 

"They’re spawning demons inside your church," Wiles said. "They’re targeting your church with demonic activity." He then again warned that "this technology will be used by the enemies of the cross to target, locate and execute Christians."

SATANIC TEMPLE PRAYER AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING INTERRUPTED BY CHRISTIANS

David Suhor of The Satanic Temple tried to deliver a legally-sanctioned Satanic prayer at a Pensacola, Florida city council meeting on July 14. Even though he received permission from the city to represent his religion in prayer at a city meeting, and despite the fact that Christian prayers are regularly conducted at the same meetings without interruption, The Satanic Temple member had his words drowned out by Christians in attendance.

David Suhor had formally requested permission to give the prayer on behalf of The Satanic Temple at the Pensacola meeting. However, when he attempted to exercise his constitutionally-protected right to do so, he was pretty much silenced by Christians who went to the meeting to do precisely that.

Dressed in a black hooded robe, he began his legally-sanctioned prayer and out came the intolerance, pitchforks and hostility.

Many in attendance began to work in unison, loudly reciting the Lord’s Prayer in an effort to silence  the invocation.

Despite the stupid attempt to end the religious freedom of David Suhor, he continued with his prayer, refusing to back down from the religious bullies.

We either have a right to pratice our beliefs or we don't.

You don't have to agree with or like the Satanic Temple, but we respect their right to be who they are.

But the disrespectful Christian protesters brought shame upon themselves.

In the end, it was The Satanic Temple that became the spiritual voice for true religious freedom.

We were just thinking about Starbucks