Newsletter 11-08-10

• Cut Backs - Everybody is being hit by the recession and CARM is no different. We've begun cutbacks.  Since I'm the president, my salary has been reduced so that others' salaries would not be.  If you can support us with five dollars a month, that would be helpful. For those of you who are already supporting us, thank you very very much. You are keeping us going.
• New Articles on CARM - Since the last newsletter I've written several new articles and added a bunch of words to the theological dictionary.  Here they are:
  • Is Jesus' name really Yeshua?   Does the soul cease to exist after death?   What is the Hypostatic Union?   Hypostasis  Contingent   Essentia   Eternal Generation   Homoousios  Homoiousios  Impeccability
    Matt Slick  What is the incarnation?    Aren't the miracles of the Bible really magic?  What was Paul's thorn in the flesh?  Religious Naturalism   Penal Substitution    Questions about Christianity   Did Christianity copy from pagan or other religions?   If God loves us, how can he watch people burn in hell for eternity?    Positive Atheism  Negative Atheism  passive obedience   Idealism   Transcendental Idealism   How are we declared righteous by Christ's active obedience if He only lived 33 years?   Church of God in Wales   Do we have to believe that Jesus rose from the dead?   Did Jesus ever say any mean things to people?   Do you have to be baptized to be filled with the Holy Spirit?   What does it mean to be dead to sin?   Is it okay for pastors to be paid for ministry?   Who bought the Potter's Field, Judas or the Jews?
• blog.carm.org - Very soon we will be promoting the CARM blog.  We've got a couple of really good blog posters who are going to contribute making it an intriguing place to visit.  You can check it out now if you want, but it isn't fully ready. It should be within the week.
• Family Teaching Course - I still have not been able to finish the Family Teaching Course.  I know that there are a lot of you waiting for it and I apologize for the continued delay. However, I have to finish developing the Roman Catholic course I'm teaching on Wednesdays (which will be videotaped).  After it is completed, if nothing else comes up, I will tackle the family training course. Again, I appreciate your patience.
• Carlos is our Spanish language manager of the Spanish language CARM site (www.miapic.com).  His wife, Leonor, is having heart problems.  Please pray for her health.  Thanks.
• You Tube - In case you're not aware or have forgotten, CARM has videos on youtube.  You can access them at  http://www.youtube.com/carmvideos.  If you want, check them out and leave comments and give thumbs up because a lot of unbelievers, who don't like the videos, automatically give thumbs down.  Also, you might enjoy them.  God bless. 
• Like Button - CARM has installed a "Like Button" for Facebook.  If you like an article, click on the like button at the bottom and it will be promoted on Facebook.  Thanks.
• Amazon Wish List - The CARM Amazon Wish List worked well.  Thanks to those of you who purchased and sent computer parts for CARM. I have built a new computer system and am using it now.  It is much faster and is able to use a lot more RAM which means I can get a lot more done. So, thank you very much. Your support has manifested in real time with an increase in productivity here at CARM.
• CARM Info - CARM traffic is increasing.  This is good.  We now average about 38,000 page views a day.  That's about 1 million per month.  Our donations are down... that happens.  Please consider supporting us..
• Got Suggestions for this Newsletter? - If so, please email them to [email protected].  Thanks.

What is below (except for Love and Hate Mail) is the same as the previous newsletter.

CARM STUFF

• 20% Discount on Logos Change - Logos Bible software has upped the discount from 15% to 20% through the end of the year. If you purchase anything from Logos us using the CARM link, part of the proceeds goes to CARM.  Just go to http://www.logos.com/CARM
• New Price for online Schools - because the reduced price for the online school sin such a success, we decided to continue the offer until further notice.  So, if you want to get the school of theology, the school of apologetics, and the school of critical thinking, for, basically, have price, go to three online schools for $75. 
• Support - Would you please consider a small monthly donation?  It is easy to do. It takes about 3 minutes of your time and it really is a huge help. http://www.carm.org/donate.  Also, thanks to those of you who have been supporting CARM.  We sincerely appreciate it. Why Support CARM?   https://school.carm.org/amember/signup.php

• Podcast of Faith and Reason Radio..  If you have iTunes, search for Matt Slick, or CARM, or Faith and Reason Radio, and you can subscribe to the Radio show podcasts for free.  You can also go to the Podcast link.
• Writers and Researchers - CARM needs your help!  We have hundreds of questions about cult groups and various issues but neither Ryan nor myself has the time to do all the research and writing.  Therefore, CARM is looking for Writers and Researchers.  This would be voluntary, unpaid.
  • Writers - Writers would need to have a bachelors or higher in a theological degree.  You'd be interviewed and if you pass, you'd obtain a bio page on CARM, be instructed on how to write the "CARM way", shown how to put articles on the site as you being the author.  Think you've got what it takes?  If so, here's a small test.  1. How many natures does Jesus have?  2. Is Jesus a man right now?  3. What is imputation?  4. What is the difference between justification and sanctification?  5. Can you describe what the substitutionary atonement accomplished?  If you don't know these things, you're probably not up to the level you need to be at for CARM.   But, if you know these answers, then please pray about working with CARM and afterwards, if you still desire to do this, contact us [email protected]. One more thing, you would need to agree to the CARM statement of Faith.
  • Researchers - We also are looking for individuals who would be interested in doing research projects for CARM.  This would be a volunteer position.  Your responsibilities would be to research and document information on various topics.  You do not need to have a theological degree, but that would help.  Your research would have to be well documented and, of course, we would verify your efforts until we are satisfied that we can trust your research and then we would simply adopt it as we write articles.  You would work with myself, Ryan, and any potential writers for the CARM ministry.  If you are interested, please pray about working with CARM, and, if you still desire to do this, then contact us at [email protected].
• Computers to give to people - Got computers and/or parts?  I (Matt Slick) was a computer tech for five years at Hewlett Packard (between being a pastor and doing CARM), so fixing and building them is easy and enjoyable. I like to get them ready and give them to people who need them:  single moms, kids, etc.  I don't charge, of course.  So, if you have a spare computer (or spare computer parts) and you would like to donate to CARM, please let us know at [email protected] and/or send it to CARM, PO BOX 995, Meridian, ID 83680.  We can give you a tax receipt if you need it.  I thank you and the people who use them thank you..
• Facebook Like Button - If you go to the CARM website, and go to the bottom of the articles, you will notice a Facebook "like" button.  If you see some articles that you particularly enjoy, and you have a Facebook account, you can click on the button at the bottom of the article.  It will help with increasing CARM's popularity.
• Women Pastors - CARM has a short article for Christians to email to churches that have and/or affirm women pastors and elders.  It is located at http://www.carm.org/email-churches-women-pastors.  If you send a church the article, please let us know at [email protected] and include the web address where you sent it to, the city, and state of the church.  I'll be putting up a list at http://www.carm.org/email-churches-women-pastors-list.

Love and Hate Mail

Love (Our apologies for letting a couple cuss words get through in the last newsletter.)

• I'm a Christian woman in Toronto who has recently had an abortion.  Your web site has brought an abundance of healing to me.  Thank you for your web site and the truth it contains.  Please continue to uncover difficult and unpleasant subjects like this to help all Christians understand exactly what Jesus has done for us.
• Hey, please forward this to Matt, If its not him readind this. I just wanted to thank you for taking to time to speak to me on friday the 15 of october. Although it was very early in the morning you took the time to speak with me. It was very nice to be able to speak with some one who obviously has such a strong faith! Again I am not a member of or follower of any religion or church, just someone who is searching to find my own personal beliefs. I certainly was impressed by your frankness and willingness to listen to what I had to say. I read your statement of faith very carefully, and It was clear, but as with any brief document I understand that it couldnt spell out everything you believe, but it was very clear. So just to let you know I AM NOT a follower of that Murry guy at this or any time. Your kindness and explanation of your faith is something I will be thinking about a lot in the next few days. Thank you again for taking the time to speak to me. If you do decide to answer your own letter it will let me and everyone who reads that particular section of you web site know and understand exactly how you feel and what you believe about the questions you have asked another.
• I might be losing my place at my church for my reformed beliefs. I am one of the Pastors who leads a young adult group here and I have been intentional about bringing about issues of scripture that have made people think and own the faith. It seems that others in leadership disagree. They want to police peoples words. They have said that discussions on Calvinism can cause division. I am so tired Matt. Very exhausted for fighting against women Pastors and other non biblical issues. Especially when others who call themselves Pastors haven't even thought of these issues. Please pray for me. I have listened to all of your podcasts for the past 2 years. I have learned so much from your ministry and I want to thank you for giving me the means to struggle with my faith. The struggle is always better than settling with ignorance. God bless you and and please keep me in your prayers.
• My conversation with you today was awesome. I've been wanting to call and talk to you for a while. But most of the topics you discus are way more interesting to listen to that to participate in. Anyway. Please feel free to call on me in the future if you want to talk about men's and woman's roles. My husband and I have been married for 7 years. I'm not an expert at all, but I do love him. We are coming out of one of the tougher years of our marriage due to post partum affecting me more than I imagined it could. Having two boys is wonderful, but there were a few months were I didn't know if I would survive that first year! Please let me know if you choose to do this in the future. I'd love to participate. Thanks so much for your ministry, Matt. You're website and resources are a blessing!
• Hi, Matt! Hope you are doing well. I am in full-time Christian ministry both at our church and in radio. I love the resources you compile because it gives me so much material to use in teaching Sunday School, working with teens, etc. I am not a five-point Calvinist (yet) but am exploring that view because men I respect like you, Dr. D. James Kennedy, and John Piper hold that view. Part of my interest stems from the fact that I have been exposed to many emotional altar calls over the years, especially as a young man, and I know people who have gone forward but demonstrated no evidence of conversion after the event. This is troubling to me and makes me distrustful of attempts by men to induce conversions (like selling insurance or used cars) v. the work of the Holy Spirit in peoples' hearts. One of my professors at Bob Jones called such altar calls "nutty." Anyhow, thanks for a great website and I will send some support along when I am able to do so. God bless!

Hate

• I was reading on your website, and I would like to point out something. I myself am a bisexual Christian and I found your article outrageous. Point is, you say the animal kingdom is cruel? I would like to point out that the human race is the only living creature that kills its own species, besides chimpanzee's. Humans commit hideous crimes such as rape, incest, child porn etc. against their young, which is much worse than any animal eating their young. I also noticed you led out of the article with 1 Tim. 1:5. I don't understand how you could type this article, hating homosexuals publicly, and think your "instruction" was brought fourth with a "pure heart", "good conscience," and "a sincere faith." I myself am a bisexual Christian, and I know God loves me. You are quite lucky He is forgiving with so much hate in your heart.
• your ****** retarded, i dont understand how anyone who has the slightest bit of intelligence can belive there is a god. there is no god. all you people who belive this are just scared of what will happen after you die. when you die it will be exactly the same as befor you were born NOTHING and you wont be able to tell its nothing couse your brain wont be alive. i just cant belive theres people out there that think some guy snapped his fingers and made you and everything else, and your reason for beliving this is becouse its written in some ****** book, and you say well the book has to be true and i say why and you say becouse it says its true inside the book, of course it wouldnt say it was lying you ****** idiot. your dumb and everyone who belives in any religion at all is ******* stupid just i could go on for days about how there is no proof of god whatsoever exccept in a book that is a collection folk lore thats not even true, youv been lied to. i hope you kill yourself and find out theres no god. no heaven and no hell. and even if there was a hell id rather go there anyways and hang out with the hookers then be around your dumb ****** ***,
• you see, you are ***** wrong and it is almighty Thor who is transcendant and the originator of logic. stop blaspheming and making up ridiculous gods like God. we both know the true gods are the norsic ones. good day to you sir
• You people will all burn in HELL for you do not preach the word of god, nor do you preach or practice christianity. Everyone is created naturally as god intended it to be, natural like evolution he made the DNA and cultivated the Universe as we know it, you people who speak of practice the words of sinful sinners who used form of systems abuse to bring people into your donominations are the real ugliness of satin, and will surly burn. We are all created equally throught the same processes and loved by god. There is no such thing as perfection, nothing is perfect, abnormalities are what enables the universe to work and exist, and us to be here on our hospitible planet. Do your research and get an education. The bible was written by men who wanted to get rich by scaring people into thier fold you **** *****, and you do the same. SHAME ON YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is no right or wrong person, there are people who bad things against humanity and those you do not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD will be the only person to judge them and forgive them and for you to expell people from your flock for who God creted them to be is a sin on YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• How ironic your website condemns another Christian Faith, yet ...... Jesus is their center theme and focus......I Pray the LORD will have mercy on whomever is spreading this because Hatred and STRIFE and FAILURE to search the scriptures will result in biblical eternal judgement !
• Does Matt Slick still teach Jesus is a Man outside of time and space? Does Matt Slick still teach that people don't deserved to be saved since they are born into sin? If so this is continued evidence Matt Slick was never born again. Keep praying for him to receive the Jesus of non-gibberish babble, non-montanism, non-amillennialism and non-calvinism. He doesn't want to have the Jesus who will return to reign on earth for 1000 years (Zech. 14.4, Acts 1.11, Rev. 1.7, Jude 14,15, Rev. 20.4). He doesn't want to let go of his pride of assuming he was irresistibly regenerated, and that he had no choice in the matter to be given the grace to have the choice to repent and believe in Christ to be regenerated. God has confirmed Matt Slick is going to Hell. Perhaps if he learns about the Total Lunar Tetrad he will come to appreciate Daniel's last seven is 2,520 days and that Jesus is not reigning right now with a rod of iron over the nations since they are still deceived, they still war. Why be delusional about Rev. 20.3? What grace has been given to you that you are alive during the soon return of Christ but still reject Him.