How I Became An Atheist (Continued)

Daniel,

I would be interested in hearing what your thoughts are on the difference between the Old Testament and New Testament and how it applies to today’s times. I say this because of your quoting the passage’s regarding working on Sabbath as well as God instructing Moses to kill a man for working on the Sabbath.

The Old Testament was the “old law” and it was to be kept strictly as Christ had not come yet to fulfill. Once Christ came and lived and died, he fulfilled the debt and the need to keep the law. This is when grace was established. This is why it is no longer necessary to only eat “clean” meat and follow all the other ceremonious procedures that were stated in the Old Testament. Things such as sacrifices, ritual cleansing, etc.

I have been reading your blog for quite a while now and have thoroughly enjoyed most of your articles. While I’ve disagreed with many posts in the past, it’s still good writing. I am one of those Christian’s you speak of. I do try to follow the Bible as best I can. I try to study it as much as I can. However, I am not perfect. That’s what so many people automatically assume about Christians. When one becomes a Christian and begins to live a Christian lifestyle, it’s not an immediate pass into being perfect. You will still sin. You will still fail. Thankfully, this is why Christ died for us so that He could extend grace and mercy to us. There’s so much more I would really like to discuss after reading your past two postings, however, it’s difficult to have such a deep conversation across the ether. :) Maybe one day when you head back home to Georgia, you’ll have to pass through Alabama for some reason.

Johnathan, thanks for the comment. I agree it’s hard to do this kind of discussion via text, and I’d love to stop by and grab a coffee if I’m ever in Alabama. Drop me an email and we’ll exchange info.

As for the Old and New Testament, I’m not aware of anything in the New Testament that negates anything about the Ten Commandments or other explicit commands by God in the Old Testament. But then again, I am not a Bible expert.

If such a thing exists then I will admit my mistake on that point. I’d wager, however, that this is more of a manufactured concept created by modern church leaders in order to try and explain away the obvious moral issues.

Nice to meet you, Johnathan.

-Cheers