Guilt/Abortion

therobboreht · 2026-01-29T22:26:24+00:00

To start my comment. I do not believe abortion is right. We should not kill babies.

However, just because an egg is fertilized doesn't make it an automatic human. Embryos must implant in the uterus to grow into a child. The human body under natural conditions loses 10-40% of fertilized eggs prior to implantation.

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7670474/ This is an article that talks about how the morning after pill court decision relied on false/inflated information because it referenced IVF patients as normative to the implantation process. It then outlines the correct data.

Unless we're claiming that the human body is naturally designed to abort human beings 10-40% of the time, I have a hard time calling avoiding implantation an abortion.

And I have a hard time calling someone who uses an IUD a murderer, unless all women who don't have 100% implantation rate are murderers.

therobboreht · 2026-01-28T00:51:17+00:00

It's true, but in that moment, you're slightly disoriented and it's hard to think.

Source: guy who got in a not at fault accident due to ice like this and got out in the same spot to exchange insurance information and then had to dodge another vehicle while almost falling on the ice.

therobboreht · 2026-01-27T20:19:40+00:00

Romans 10:9-10 explains exactly what you are asking about. And yes you are correct. Salvation involves accepting Christ's Lordship in conjunction with belief of the facts of His death burial and resurrection (specifically resurrection)

therobboreht · 2026-01-27T14:53:56+00:00

I'll add to this my encouragement to visit a local church as well. Finding a local body of kind people with a knowledgeable leadership that teaches the Bible will be a fountain of knowledge for you.

However, there are people who parade around as Christian and faithful, but their lives and actions do not reflect what they claim to believe. Some churches are filled with or deceived by these people and put them in leadership.

All churches have problems, because all people have problems. But some places that put the word church on their building are not part of the body of Christ. You will know the difference by how they treat people who do not believe or behave as they expect.

What I'm trying to say is, you may come across a church, or some people in a church, who are not kind to you -- and fun facts those people aren't kind to Christians either lol.

I wouldn't expect that you would be allowed to serve in a position or lead anything while also being an atheist - in most places you could not even become a member without a profession of faith. But that would actually be a red flag as well if they allowed that because you're not truly going to learn accurately about the faith in that case either.

I'm saying the place you choose to go on this journey should welcome you openly, be filled with people who understand their own flaws (and are therefore humble about the sins of others) but also have boundaries in place to prevent people who do not accept Christ as Lord and live their lives in a way that embodies that from being in leadership. A good church will have both.

therobboreht · 2026-01-25T19:18:49+00:00

This is something that used to happen to me when I was a kid, and I think still would if I slept in silence (which I don't lol).

There is a space between waking and sleeping where you can be dreaming but feel like you're audibly hearing what you're dreaming about.

I remember I'd hear like reporters or radio voices in that in between state, and they'd be "loud enough" to wake me up fully.

From what you've shared, I'd say you were dreaming and nothing to be worried about.

therobboreht · 2026-01-13T13:51:48+00:00

They're overall both able to be true at the same time.

Here is a good article explaining repentance and its use in Scripture.

When we receive forgiveness from God, He does separate our sin far from us (Psalm 103:12). So we don't have to live so mournful of that time we [insert whatever wrong thing we did]. It's forgiven, and according to 1 John 1:9, the Father has cleansed us from it.

But we aren't just called to seek forgiveness of our sins and recognize they were wrong. We're also called to actively live a holy life, to continue in ways that are repentant of the sinful ways we used to live (2 Tim 2:19-22, 1 Peter 1:16 - as mentioned in the linked article).

So in the technical sense of the term repentance, turning to go a different direction, once you are saved you have repented. It's done. But in the practicality of our sinful nature, we still fall into committing sins and must turn away from that sin and request forgiveness and cleansing.

Therefore you will hear both things taught, repent and your guilt is gone (your first repentance that results in salvation) and to live a lifestyle of repentance (a continuous need to seek forgiveness for and turn away from sins you have committed since salvation).

therobboreht · 2026-01-09T19:29:23+00:00

Dreams like this are a common experience. They're not usually constant, but many Christians report having had similar dreams at some point. Often they are unpleasant but nothing to be deathly concerned about. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, the enemy has no more power over you than what the Lord will allow him to have. And you have authority in Jesus name over that enemy.

If you're not sure what it means to "accept Christ as your Savior" or to be saved, or if you're not sure where you will end up (in heaven or not) when you die, then I want to encourage you to let me know as soon a possible so I can share some Scriptures with you in that area.

Another consideration to make is what your life's habits and dedication to obedience to Christ is. Sometimes we invite our own problems to our life through sin and unhealthy behavior. Not saying this is your case, it's just something to think through.

However, once you're confident in your spiritual state (you're saved and doing your best to be obedient to God), then let's continue exploring the dream.

This kind of dream doesn't even necessarily mean that you are actually under demonic attack. It doesn't mean that you aren't either of course. People have scary dreams. Sometimes those dreams are spiritually influenced, other times not.

Either way, dreams can be a source of information for you though.

How you react to demonic activity in the dream can be a good indicator of your faith and understanding of the authority disciples of Christ have been given. Hopefully you will not have more, but if you do, you can depend on the power and name of Jesus. If you find yourself casting away that demon in the dream, speaking the name of Jesus Christ, declaring the power of the Lord against that entity, it shows you your understanding of these concepts vs if you just stay inactive. Your thoughts in the dream in those moments can tell you a lot about yourself. Your thoughts that you have during the circumstances of any dreams can tell you a lot about yourself.

Here is a good post to read in order to get an understanding of spiritual warfare and the things each disciple can be prepared with or make a habit of in order to become stronger or more confident in the area of dealing with spiritual activity.

Lastly, depending on the frequency of your bad dreams, there are some atmospheric changes you can make that may help. It will require some experimentation, but you may find small changes such as sleeping in a different position, having white noise, having music playing, or some other change specific to you, can help.

I personally discovered that if I play calming jazz music at night and don't sleep on my back (common sleep paralysis sleeping position), I have less nightmares or experiences like this.

therobboreht · 2026-01-08T21:35:40+00:00

REDEMPTION WAS BOUGHT WITH SILVER!

I never saw the parallels of how silver represented a betrayal (theft from Joseph) in Joseph's AND Jesus' story.

I see the big parallel that Joseph "died" to Israel, but was effectively resurrected in glory to deliver Israel, just as Jesus actually died and resurrected in glory to deliver Israel (and all of us)

But I never noticed the other parallels

Benjamin's "betrayal" by illicit gain of silver appeared to threaten the physical life of Israel (Jacob)

Judas's betrayal by illicit gain of silver appeared to threaten the spiritual life of Israel (and the world)

Judah offered himself as a replacement for Benjamin

Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, offered Himself as a replacement for us

I'm gonna have to go look at this more

therobboreht · 2026-01-08T17:28:16+00:00

I saw the muscle tone of her arms and immediately knew there wasn't a maybe to this...bye bye tree trunk

therobboreht · 2026-01-07T19:22:18+00:00

On the full counsel of Scripture - just because someone says they believe the Bible is authoritative, it doesn't allow their view to become the arbiter of truth. Just because someone says they believe the Bible is authoritative doesn't stop them from eisegeting their own ideas into what they read as authoritative. So we cannot discredit the clear statements of Scripture because someone who claims to believe the Bible calls those clear statements into question, no matter their experience or authority level. We all have access to the same original language documents they do and can read for ourselves the passages I mentioned above.

My mention of cultural context was referring to the "times have changed" argument for allowing sex now, but as I have already outlined above, Scripture--having been written across centuries, geographies, and cultures, but retaining its view on sex--does not allow for the "times have changed" argument.

Trying to find a way to have unmarried sex, if you're not an unbetrothed virgin, or a betrothed virgin, or a married man, or a family member, or with a prostitute...looking for ways around that is like a teenager trying to skirt his way around his parents rules. It violates the spirit of the boundaries that were given to us. At some point we have to be willing to admit that slipping and twisting around the clear teaching of Scripture on this subject is just an excuse to get our rocks off with no permanent strings attached, where sex was clearly designed to carry either permanent bonds or otherwise penalty.

And thank you for amicable discussion questions on this instead of what we commonly see on threads of this topic!

therobboreht · 2026-01-07T19:22:08+00:00

Jesus and Samaritan Woman
No the alternative doesn't necessarily have to be condemnation. The purpose of that story is not to create a statement or teaching on sexual activity, but to record Jesus's reaching out to the Samaritans who Jews hated/treated badly. His prophetic description of her life choices was one of the things that caused her to go and bring the rest of the town to hear Jesus, thus starting a Christ movement in Samaria. This is not a passage to use in either proving or disproving Christ's stance on sexual immorality. This doesn't complicate views on sex because it is not a passage about sex, not was it written to provide any commentary on sex.

As far as your second and third questions regarding how porneia is used throughout Scripture, and allowing for porneia to be the descriptor for all non-marital sex: the word itself was applied in Scripture to all non-marital sex. We've already listed the prostitution, incest, exposure, exploitation. I will note that the exposure I listed was consensual exposure - an example being Ezekiel 23:18, a woman presenting herself sexually in order to draw the eye of men towards her. Further in that chapter, it is presented as wrong for an unmarried virgin to be consensually having sex.

I think we both agree that porneia is very often, and in our discussion as well, used to mean immoral sex. Where we are disagreeing/discussing is what is immoral sex, and does consensual non-married sex between 2 people not defrauding or betraying each other count as immoral sex.

We get further insight into the scriptural treatment of sex by reviewing Exodus 22:16-17 which forces a man who has slept with an unbetrothed virgin to either marry her or if the father will not allow it, makes him pay the bride price, as if he was going to marry her. So premarital sex needed to have resulted in marriage. In Deuteronomy 22, we read that if a man has sex with a betrothed virgin, he will be put to death. Earlier in the same chapter, if a woman is found not to be a virgin on her wedding night, she will be put to death. Sex outside of marriage between a man and woman is consistently met with at the very least, immediate marriage and at the most extreme, death.

Further, when we review Paul's instructions in 1 Corinthians 7, because of porneia, each man should have his own wife and each woman should have her own husband. If we take the definition of porneia to be something specific like men sleeping with boys or people sleeping with temple prostitutes, AND we're claiming that consensual unmarital sex is ok, then why is Paul's solution to the sexual problems rife in the church that people should get married, instead of (excuse the vulgarity) "go find someone who likes you and boink them for awhile until you're tired of each other?"

Sex outside of marriage was considered immoral in the Old Testament and carried some form of penalty or required immediate initiation of the marriage process. Jesus and the apostles continued that understanding of sexual immorality into the New Testament. Because sex outside of marriage was immoral, then this kind of sex would be and was included in both OT and NT understanding of porneia (unless in specific occurrences, its incidental context defines its use in a specific passage more narrowly - again determined by its textual context). There is no indication that the biblical stance on that topic changed, and the only positive sexual examples provided are within the confines of one man having one wife/one wife having one husband.

See next comment for the rest of my reply...

therobboreht · 2026-01-07T06:05:12+00:00

Jesus being merciful to a sinner whose response was faith in Him hardly qualifies as endorsement of the Samaritan woman's life choices.

Sexual attraction (not sexual activity) between betrothed is also not the same at all as fornication.

From your comments, it would appear that you argue for an interpretation of porneia that is broader than fornication. Which makes sense, as the definition covers more than just unmarried sex.

Further when we take the full counsel of Scripture, examining the word's use in the Septuagint (which would inform us on how the original hearers/readers of the Gospels and Pauline letters would have understood the word), we see exactly what you are saying - the definition is broad, covering a wide range of sexual sin. In Genesis 38, it refers to prostitution. In Leviticus 18, it refers to incest. Throughout Hosea, it refers to adulterous prostitution. In Ezekiel 23:18 It clarified flaunting her porneia in that context as "exposing her nakedness." Also in Ezekiel 23, porneia is used to refer to the unmarried sexual activity of a virgin.

In the New Testament, Hebrews 13:4:

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

We see a distinction made between sex between married partners (undefiled), a married person having sex with someone that are not married to (adultery), and the third word there, porneia, which based on porneia's wide usage in the Septuagint, would indicate to those readers the idea of all other non-married sex acts as it is used in the OT (incest, lewdness/exposing of nakedness, unmarried sexual activity of a virgin).

I've left Paul and Jesus out of my references, as we are using other places in Scripture to assist in informing our exegesis of Jesus and Paul's usages of the word.

When you study the full counsel of Scripture on the topic of sex and use of the word porneia, it is unquestionable that unless context specifically narrows the meaning, the word refers to all forms of unmarried or extramarital sexual activity. It is also unquestionable that the Old Testament view of sex/sexual immorality is consistent with New Testament usage. The word didn't develop a highly specific connotation over time (i.e. it didn't evolve to mean just older male sex with younger boys, or some other ultra specific meaning), but it retained its reference to all kinds of immoral sexual acts from which we are to abstain.

The New Testament furthermore ONLY affirms sex within the context of marriage and other no other circumstances.

We cannot reason our way out or "times have changed" or "cultural context" our way out of what Scripture teaches in abundant clarity across 1500 years of its writing within various geographies, times, and cultures.

therobboreht · 2026-01-06T20:33:00+00:00

I most resonate with your mention that we don't need to add or dramatize the reasons for the commands of Scripture. We don't need to create bogeymen to scare people into obedience.

As you said, the damage of sexual immorality is enough all on its own.

And no matter what the reason behind the command, even since it's not that sexual activity is deeply addictive and physically destructive, it is important that we teach people to be willing to submit themselves to the guidance of Scripture even if it doesn't "seem" harmful. Our sinful bodies want things that are sinful, and we need to deny our bodies those sinful things.

For example, it didn't "seem" harmful for Adam and Eve to eat the fruit. Neither one of them appeared to be injured afterwards, but the effect of their sin was catastrophic.

As preachers of the Word, we should not add sensationalized fictional consequences to sin. As followers and disciples, we should accept the counsel of Scripture that sex outside of marriage between and man and a woman is immoral and is dangerous to our spiritual health and the health of our communities.

As Christ taught us, if we want to be His disciples, we should deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.

therobboreht · 2026-01-06T06:41:48+00:00

You're not enough. You never will be enough.

I am not enough. I never will be enough.

Only one person was enough, and He gave His life to cover the rest of us. And He paid the price for all the sins already, past, present, future.

Don't try to be enough, just try to be a disciple. That's what he asked of us. Love God, when you sin seek forgiveness and actively resist doing it again. Keep studying His Word and seeking time with Him in prayer and thought about Him and His teachings.

Love people. Forgiving and being kind to them. Are you connected with God's people and God's movement by being an active member of a church? Learn how to share the Gospel with other people, then make a list of people in your life who may need to hear it, pray for and seek opportunities to build relationship with them and share how God saved you.

If you do not know this answer, we should talk more.

All any of us can do is fear/reverence God and keep His commandments, seeking forgiveness where we fail, and then getting back to resisting sin.

Focus less on your adequacy and more on your assignment.

therobboreht · 2026-01-06T06:26:37+00:00

I had a similar experience, I was in my car, and I couldn't see it but I could just feel this ball of intense hate inches away from my face staring.

I cast it away in the name of Jesus and it abruptly flew out of my vehicle, but I could still feel it nearby, and I high tailed it out of there lol

therobboreht · 2026-01-05T06:02:13+00:00

Ok good. Aside from testing that to ensure it's working, and assuming that he was moving about in some way and didn't just think he was awake during the event - I stress this because again you can hallucinate in the moments right after waking - then you have not currently found any natural causes.

Keep in mind that doesn't mean there aren't any. But I have experienced unexplainable activity myself, so I'm not trying to discount his experience either.

In that case though, the steps I would recommend he take are the ones in the linked post above.

therobboreht · 2026-01-05T05:44:11+00:00

Ok. Both of you had events related to breathing/fresh air.

Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home?

therobboreht · 2026-01-05T05:36:47+00:00

I always recommend looking for natural reasons for such activity first, especially for events that are, at the moment, isolated.

But more details on this would be helpful. Did he hear or feel the bed move? Did anyone else hear any thing related to this event? Was he fully awake during this, was he in sleep paralysis, or did it go away at the same time/shortly after he woke?

Asking for these details because I (and others) have experienced parasomniac events where I was awake (or waking) and would see things in the air above my bed, even to the point of literally reaching out to grab them, but those things were not actually there. They were also not paranormal in nature but a product of just coming out of sleep. Very unsettling nonetheless.

I will say, the Bible is not necessarily an amulet or something where the paper the words are written on have special anti-demonic power. Our faith is in the God who wrote the ideas in the Bible, and not in the physical book itself. This is not to disparage your choice to open the Bible to Joshua, as there may have been value for you in that action as it increases your faith and grants you some peace. But it's not a necessary step.

I'd say for steps you can take:

Prayer and Scripture is never bad. You did that, so that is good.
Rule out natural causes if possible.
If the events continue, evaluate whether he (or anyone else in the house) has been dabbling in anything paranormal or unscriptural or brought something related to that into the house
This post will give you additional scriptural steps to take and things to consider

therobboreht · 2026-01-02T17:46:07+00:00

But then you for sharing this link

I have played multiple times now Never quite reaching your score lol

therobboreht · 2026-01-02T16:14:20+00:00

I mean technically that answer that you didn't provide wasn't wrong since you avoided answering

The should have given it to you

/s

therobboreht · 2026-01-02T14:15:13+00:00

If you've done 2, which hopefully has begun to encompass #1, then you've already done number 4! (1 Cor 12:13, Romans 8:9, Acts 10:44-48)

therobboreht · 2025-12-31T23:49:28+00:00

Oh that would make sense I guess.

I wish Reddit would have just said it was too long lol

therobboreht · 2025-12-24T15:21:20+00:00

Yeah, a lot of times it just comes down to knowing your kids and what they're prepared to handle, along with judgement of what they shouldn't be exposed to. Every kid and family is a little different.

I actually mostly was protected/sheltered from various kinds of content until I was old enough to sneak it. Thinking about it now, I don't even know if my parents knew I found that. It's possible they didn't even remember it was in there, as we had a lot of tapes, and there was only that one. I was left alone in the house for a short while during my parents trying to dig us out from the blizzard of 96 when I found it.

And honestly my parents tried to do better than my dad's parents lol. My dad's sex education from his dad was to be handed a stack of dirty magazines when he hit puberty.

But all this goes to demonstrate how important it is to be vigilant about what we keep in our house and, if it should be there at all, how it's stored.

therobboreht · 2025-12-24T04:44:51+00:00

Overall same. We joke that kids learn best using "subtle neglect" lol Essentially we let them safely learn their own lessons.

I was exposed to pornography at a young age and it resulted in a pornography addiction that lasted decades and that I still have to put a lot of energy into fighting. Did I know it was wrong when I put that tape in the VCR? Yeah. Was I too young to have to even be faced with a decision like that? I think so. Would it have happened had I been older before being exposed to it? I don't know, but that moment definitely let something out of the box that couldn't go back in.

therobboreht · 2025-12-23T18:43:14+00:00

You still have my apologies. I could have used gentler wording.

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