Nostr notes by Neopatriarch

They don't care which name is on the ballot. They care that ...

2026-10-28T10:09:01Z

They don't care which name is on the ballot. They care that you keep consenting to be ruled.

Principled non-voting is a stated refusal.

Jesus never taught the Just War theory. It's just a war ...

2026-10-23T08:46:38Z

Jesus never taught the Just War theory. It's just a war theory. He said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," and to the Pharisees, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!" (Mark 7:9)

After the failure of most remakes, Hollywood has resorted to ...

2026-10-23T08:30:23Z

After the failure of most remakes, Hollywood has resorted to straight up rereleasing the same films. That ought to save on development costs, for certain.

Bitchat users, where are you? I've run it for nearly a year, ...

2026-10-22T20:12:15Z

Bitchat users, where are you? I've run it for nearly a year, told everyone at work, and never once seen another user on the mesh or in my location channel. If you're on it, reply with your region and let's find each other. Permissionless chat only works if people actually show up. #bitchat #nostr

Great. As long as you don't enslave anyone to accomplish it. ...

2026-10-22T12:06:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…ege0
_________________________

Great. As long as you don't enslave anyone to accomplish it.

Water is free too. But if you want it filtered, bottled, refrigerated, and brought to you on a silver platter, someone has to do that work. Internet access is the same. Cables, towers, power, and the people who keep them running all cost something.

"Free" just means someone else pays. Either they choose to give it, or someone takes it from them. The first is charity. The second is theft with a nicer name.

Someone told me, "The irresistible grace revealed in ...

2026-10-22T10:31:12Z

Someone told me, "The irresistible grace revealed in Scripture was simply the divine enablement bestowed upon chosen servants... The recipient could not resist the impartation of the gift. The gifts and the calling are irrevocable (Rom 11:29)."

Here's what the Scripture says.

God promised Eli, "I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever," but now, "Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 Samuel 2:30). The promise was real, and God withdrew it from Eli's house because they despised Him.

In the very chapter cited, branches were "broken off because of their unbelief" (Romans 11:20), standing branches are warned "otherwise you too will be cut off" (11:22), and the broken ones are grafted in again "if they do not continue in their unbelief" (11:23). Romans 11:29 is about Israel as a people (11:28), not a guarantee that no one can fall away.

God's gift is real. So is our freedom to despise it.

Maybe so, but that doesn't change the obvious common ...

2026-10-18T22:15:30Z

In reply to nevent1q…uk7j
_________________________

Maybe so, but that doesn't change the obvious common denominator. The shooters are almost always current or recent students of the school they attack. Pills don't explain why the target is so often the school.

School shooters are almost never outsiders. They're current ...

2026-10-17T20:33:42Z

School shooters are almost never outsiders. They're current or recent students of the exact school they attack.

They know the layout. They have grudges against specific peers or teachers. They leave the evidence of their social failure, isolation, and resentment right there in the building.

So the one institution they all share, the modern public school, is treated as the neutral backdrop instead of a possible contributing environment.

What if the system that warehouses adolescents for six or seven hours a day, sorts them by age and status, weakens family authority, and replaces older moral frameworks with therapeutic and identity-based ones is doing more than just "failing to prevent" these events?

Most kids don't shoot up schools. But the ones who do are almost always products of that same institutional environment. That pattern is hard to ignore once you stop treating the school as irrelevant to the outcome.

Most Christians have never noticed themselves doing this. Editing ...

2026-10-15T11:06:02Z

Most Christians have never noticed themselves doing this.

Editing Scripture while you read is eisegesis. It's not just twisting words. It's questioning God's motives so you feel licensed to override them. "Did God really say?" becomes "God couldn't have meant that." Watch for it when a verse says God regretted, relented, or didn't know something, and your instinct is to translate it into something safer. Same when "all" or "every" gets quietly narrowed until it means some. The test is simple: does your reading make the text say less than it says? If yes, you're not interpreting. You're protecting something.

Found this little fellow outside work a couple weeks back. I ...

2026-10-14T15:53:58Z

Found this little fellow outside work a couple weeks back. I believe it's a red fringed emerald moth (Nemoria bistriaria). Pale green wings trimmed in reddish brown, sitting right out in the open on gray concrete. God's attention to detail never gets old.

Just saw the new Spider-Man. Without getting into anything ...

2026-10-12T21:06:44Z

Just saw the new Spider-Man. Without getting into anything specific, did the ending make it feel to anyone else like Ned's connection to Peter was a little more stubborn than MJ's?

TGIF The Goal Is Freedom.

2026-10-09T11:31:14Z

TGIF
The Goal Is Freedom.

Why do friendly reminders never seem very friendly? Because if it ...

2026-10-09T04:45:28Z

Why do friendly reminders never seem very friendly?

Because if it were friendly, nobody would need to say so. "Friendly" is a warning label. It means "this is the second time I've asked, and there won't be a third."

It's the same trick as a "voluntary" contribution with a penalty for skipping it. Put a nice word in front of a demand and it's still a demand.

Burroughs wrote A Princess of Mars. Somebody's working on the ...

2026-10-09T03:46:08Z

Burroughs wrote A Princess of Mars. Somebody's working on the sequel.

First he settles Mars, then Mars gets a Face. The Cydonia people ...

2026-10-09T03:38:59Z

First he settles Mars, then Mars gets a Face. The Cydonia people were just early.

No one is good enough to rule you. There are no good candidates. ...

2026-10-04T12:21:14Z

No one is good enough to rule you. There are no good candidates.

They don't want your ballot. They want to say you elected them. Don't give them that.

Liking one doesn't erase the record. If you wouldn't leave your kids with them while you worked a double, don't hire them. Lesser evil is still a hire.

Stay home on purpose. Then no one can say you put them in office.

Don't sell the rest. A paycheck to override someone's rights is not a job. A payout for your vote is the same trade.

Don't vote them in. Don't oppress for pay. Don't take money to be bought.

Ask one person: if no one is good enough to rule, why are you hiring one? Sit it out, and say why. Withhold your name and your hands.

Okay, I'm intrigued. Let's hear your plan.

2026-09-30T17:56:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…6xcn
_________________________

Okay, I'm intrigued. Let's hear your plan.

Who's going to enforce that?

2026-09-30T16:10:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…zsau
_________________________

Who's going to enforce that?

So I needed to update another Amethyst. Now everything works ...

2026-09-29T20:30:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…4e0x
_________________________

So I needed to update another
Amethyst. Now everything works great. Thanks for your patience. Badges even look better.

I'm using Amethyst. I see the award post. And it is a nicely ...

2026-09-29T17:12:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…4e0x
_________________________

I'm using Amethyst. I see the award post. And it is a nicely designed badge. I don't see it on my profile.

You guys are talking about something new. The badges I have are ...

2026-09-29T17:03:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…kv6a
_________________________

You guys are talking about something new. The badges I have are old. Maybe yours are great.

Steve Lawson was a famous Reformed preacher. In 2024 he lost his ...

2026-09-28T14:29:38Z

Steve Lawson was a famous Reformed preacher. In 2024 he lost his Dallas pulpit after a five-year relationship with a woman in her twenties. He was 73. Her father confronted him and threatened to tell the elders. Only then did Lawson go to the church.

His later confession named his wife, his children, the ministries, his counseling, and his hope that his marriage would be restored. She is “a woman not my wife.”

David was confronted too. Nathan charged him with taking Uriah’s wife and discarding the husband. David did not get to file Bathsheba under a category. He kept her. He had children with her. The record still calls her the wife of Uriah.

This girl will not get that. She will vanish from public view. Lawson gets the fallen teacher chapter. In her own tight community she will still be known, and she will likely be treated as the one who did it.

That is Clinton, not David. The man keeps the marriage plot. The girl keeps the name.

This is rulers versus subjects. The subjects knew what they ...

2026-09-26T21:59:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…r8kx
_________________________

This is rulers versus subjects.
The subjects knew what they wanted: keep the work here. Perot said it out loud.

Mexico was only the camel getting its head under the tent. Once the rulers made it so that a factory could chase cheap labor and still sell back into the American market, the rest was scale.

Perot thought one man could turn that machine. Then he said they threatened his family and forced him off the stage. What remained was the usual pair of choices with the same result.

A bureaucracy that already has what it wants does not get reversed by an election. Capital moved. Labor absorbed it. The ballot was the theater.

Writing can document and coordinate. It cannot make a taking ...

2026-09-26T21:42:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…whut
_________________________

Writing can document and coordinate. It cannot make a taking just.
The Constitution is useful the way a ledger is useful: it records a claim. It does not turn the claim into a right. When a badge says “necessary and proper,” he is not consulting a moral standard. He is consulting a permission slip.
Spooner’s point isn’t “don’t write.” It’s “don’t confuse the slip with the standard.” Conscience is the standard. The paper is the alibi when conscience is refused.

Ross Perot was right. Debt was $4 trillion. They laughed at the ...

2026-09-26T14:08:54Z

Ross Perot was right.

Debt was $4 trillion. They laughed at the charts. It’s $40 trillion. He said you’d hear a “giant sucking sound” as the factories left. They left. The surplus with Mexico flipped. The towns went quiet.

Being right didn’t matter. Both parties signed the deal. Both parties kept spending. The State still got its way.

The experts had the microphones. Perot had the arithmetic. Washington had the power.

This is cool. It would be nice to hear all your voices.

2026-09-26T11:15:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…9jk8
_________________________

This is cool. It would be nice to hear all your voices.

Wow that's cool. Just what most needs. Real voice exchange.

2026-09-26T10:47:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…9jk8
_________________________

Wow that's cool. Just what most needs. Real voice exchange.

I drew this. Grok brought it to life. ...

2026-09-25T06:51:07Z

I drew this. Grok brought it to life.

If God ever actually chose to create, Open Theism is true. A real ...

2026-09-25T06:33:56Z

If God ever actually chose to create, Open Theism is true.

A real choice needs a “before,” real alternatives, and the possibility He could have done otherwise. A timeless, already-settled decree has none of those.

Gen 6:6 and Jer 3:7 are not metaphors for a God who never decides.

I'm playing Moss. So much fun. Worth playing in VR. ...

2026-09-24T20:29:01Z

I'm playing Moss. So much fun. Worth playing in VR.

A contribution you cannot refuse is not a contribution. An ...

2026-09-24T12:58:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…y3j4
_________________________

A contribution you cannot refuse is not a contribution. An investment you cannot decline is not an investment.

Society funded by threat of liens, seizure, and a cage is not civilized. It is organized taking. Soft words do not change the method.

Why do people say they "pay taxes"? Don't they really ...

2026-09-24T09:54:33Z

Why do people say they "pay taxes"? Don't they really surrender them?

"Pay" is a marketplace word. You pay a grocer because you want the bread and can walk out without it. Taxes are not that.

The law names a sum when you earn, own, or sell. You did not set the rate or the use. You cannot decline and keep the money. Refuse and you are not a customer who changed his mind. You are a delinquent. Liens follow. Seizure follows. A cage can follow. That is surrender under threat.

Tribute once meant money given in submission. A levy was a raising of men or money by command. "Pay" hides that hierarchy. It makes a taking sound like a bill.

Filing your own return completes the costume. No agent has to stand in the room with a gun. The gun is in the statute.

A vote does not turn this into consent. Roads do not either. A taker who later mends the road has still taken the purse.

You do not pay a sovereign the way you pay a baker. You hand over part of what you earned because refusal is punished. Soft language does not change that. It only makes the taking easier to say out loud.

#taxation #liberty #voluntaryism

Because rights are permissionless, freedom is decentralized. ...

2026-09-23T05:29:20Z

Because rights are permissionless, freedom is decentralized. Everyone should insist upon it.

Absolutely. She didn't want to be embarrassed at the Payless.

2026-09-22T21:58:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…6nk2
_________________________

Absolutely. She didn't want to be embarrassed at the Payless.

StarCraft was never just a setting. It was a verb: command from ...

2026-09-22T08:14:28Z

StarCraft was never just a setting.
It was a verb: command from above. Economy. Build orders. Three-race asymmetry. Maps as problems. You were the commander, not the marine.
Blizzard just announced an open-world shooter, set 70 years later, due in 2030, and put the word STARCRAFT on it. That is not the next StarCraft. That is a Far Cry-shaped shooter that licensed the furniture.
They already tried this. Ghost died. Ares died. Now they take the flagship name so the announcement sounds like a homecoming instead of a genre swap.
If the universe is rich enough, it can support a shooter. Fine. Call it that. Don’t tell people the RTS is “back” when the thing that made the name mean something is the part they left on the floor.
IP is not the game. The game is the game.
Disappointed. Not confused.

People say calling the press fake is how tyrants set up ...

2026-09-22T07:46:31Z

People say calling the press fake is how tyrants set up censorship. That part is true. What they skip is how much of the damage the press did to itself.

The fourth estate is a job, not a halo. The job is to investigate power. Too much prestige media became a comms shop for it.

In 1976 the Church Committee found covert CIA ties to about 50 American journalists or media employees. More than a dozen U.S. outlets had provided cover for Agency officers. George Bush then pledged no paid deals with accredited U.S. correspondents. Fine print: fewer than half of those ties would end, and unpaid “voluntary” contact stayed welcome. Carl Bernstein later put the working total far higher. Proximity to power was not a rumor.

Same pattern since.
2004: the New York Times admitted its Iraq WMD coverage had not been rigorous enough.
2020–21: a Wuhan lab leak was treated as a conspiracy. Then the FBI (moderate confidence) and Energy Department (low confidence) said a lab incident was most likely. The question was never crazy. The coverage was.

Do not hand the state a license to police speech because you hate the networks. Do not pretend the networks are a free press because you hate the state.

If you want journalism, follow people who cannot hide behind a logo. The Corbett Report. Press For Truth in Canada. Judge them the same way. By the sources, and whether they bite the hand that feeds them.

I've never heard of this one. I hit the link. I'm going ...

2026-09-21T21:22:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…kl3m
_________________________

I've never heard of this one. I hit the link. I'm going to read about it, but what do you like about it?

I used to think Steemit was going to be the next big social ...

2026-09-21T19:53:36Z

I used to think Steemit was going to be the next big social network. I made $1,000 in its token in about six months because the platform paid people to write and to recommend good posts. It later failed. The founder left, the company sold, and a coin they kept printing was never going to be Bitcoin.

Nostr already has Bitcoin payments through Lightning. It still treats paying creators as optional tips. That is the missed shot.

You cannot print Bitcoin. You can still build a rewards economy with the Bitcoin you already have: a shared pool, weight for people who find good work, and payouts for work worth repeating. It will not be Steemit. It could still pull serious writing and art onto the network instead of leaving Bitcoin tips as spare change.

Paper can’t do anything. Writing doesn’t give it magic ...

2026-09-19T12:03:57Z

Paper can’t do anything. Writing doesn’t give it magic powers.
It doesn’t protect rights. Only people can do that.
Men with badges generally don’t. They cite the Constitution so they don’t have to. The document becomes the excuse: the taking was lawful, the search was reasonable, the tax was necessary.
A constitution cannot justify what is already immoral. At best it is wishful thinking. At worst it is the respectable name we give to theft.
Rights survive only where a man already holds a moral standard the paper did not create. Conscience doesn’t need a clause. Most badges choose the clause.

Only open theism understands that God can decree something new ...

2026-09-19T11:49:58Z

Only open theism understands that God can decree something new and bring it to pass.

The opposing view treats the decree as one finished act—settled before time, or outside of time. On that account nothing new can be decreed. God does not bring a new thing to pass. He only unfolds what was already fixed.

That framing is later than the Bible. Scripture does not talk that way. God creates. God regrets what He made. God thought Israel would return and she did not. God plants a vineyard and looks for fruit that never comes. Those are not metaphors for a single timeless decree. They describe a God who can issue a new word and then act on it.

A decree already complete from eternity cannot be added to. Only a God who is not locked to one finished plan can decree something new and bring it to pass.

That is the God of the Bible.

Nostr event nevent1qqsw7gja08xgaup0wcw9ze3dc3kqzfr28dz7et4s3zgta9g6zuhsg9szyp8lv5nz9jlz9kf78gxwyjr7seek4x3qjuj2wv5vtx7znvry5s5jvp3kgx4

2026-09-18T07:19:29Z

Free speech doesn't have zones.

I never left. It's just hard to get any engagement here. ...

2026-09-17T10:12:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…v09j
_________________________

I never left. It's just hard to get any engagement here. It's my hope that nostr becomes the preferred social network.

I think it may be worse in smaller countries. There is just less ...

2026-09-17T10:09:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…v09j
_________________________

I think it may be worse in smaller countries. There is just less room to get lost in. In a big country you might get lost in the cracks at least till they have absolute surveillance.

The claim is that government serves the people. It doesn’t. ...

2026-09-17T08:22:08Z

The claim is that government serves the people.
It doesn’t.
Rulers and subjects. That’s the real arrangement.
They don’t serve you.
They subsist off you.
A parasite that keeps growing until it kills the host.

“Lawful government” is an oxymoron. Government is people who ...

2026-09-17T08:17:27Z

“Lawful government” is an oxymoron.
Government is people who claim the right to make laws for others.
Lawfulness would mean those people are bound by a rule they did not invent.
They are not.
They simply declare their own acts lawful.
It’s a vicious circle.

God did everything a vinedresser does. Then He looked for grapes ...

2026-09-15T16:33:48Z

God did everything a vinedresser does.
Then He looked for grapes and got wild fruit.
“What more could I have done?”
Isaiah 5:4
That question only makes sense if the harvest was not already written.
If the future is exhaustively settled, God is asking a question He already answered.
The text does not read that way.

“Take me to your leader” isn’t a greeting. It’s a test. A ...

2026-09-15T14:31:32Z

“Take me to your leader” isn’t a greeting.
It’s a test.
A species that immediately produces a president, king, or general has just told the visitors everything they need to know: you still organize around a single throat to choke.
An evolved answer would be:
“We don’t have one.
What do you need done?”
The punchline only works because the human reflex is so reliable.

If God speaks so you can understand Him, you don’t get to say ...

2026-09-15T13:56:40Z

If God speaks so you can understand Him, you don’t get to say other men understand Him better than His words do.

That’s holding man’s system over what God actually said.

It’s the same move the serpent made: “Did God really say?”

When God says He thought something would happen and it didn’t, the text is not asking you to protect a theory of God. It’s asking you to believe Him.

If your theology needs God to mean the opposite of His own sentences so He won’t sound too human, the problem isn’t the verse. It’s the theory.

Jeremiah 3:7.

God desires all men to be saved. That’s not Calvinism. — ...

2026-09-14T15:38:12Z

God desires all men to be saved.

That’s not Calvinism.
— Jacob Thornton

Government doesn’t protect us from domination. Government ...

2026-09-14T15:34:29Z

Government doesn’t protect us from domination. Government institutionalizes domination, gives it laws, uniforms, borders, prisons, taxes, and a bureaucracy, then teaches us to call the whole arrangement civilization.
— Government Sucks

Mike Brant: “Corruption runs so deep in DC that Democrats and ...

2026-09-14T15:27:04Z

Mike Brant:
“Corruption runs so deep in DC that Democrats and Republicans will not prosecute any politicians for fear their own crimes will be revealed.”
https://www.facebook.com/mike.brant.5030/posts/pfbid0dKjbZCgSt6i8S2VQZmV71ku6PQ52L7MgnNSWhuUoytAzRKWXzY9Dman2ym4mdPEil

Bingo.

“And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return ...

2026-09-14T15:02:32Z

“And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me,’ but she did not return.”
— Jeremiah 3:7

If He already knew she wouldn’t, that isn’t what “I thought” means.

If “I thought” means what it says, the outcome wasn’t settled.

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth ...

2026-09-12T23:07:28Z

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

James does not leave that hanging. He names Elijah—a man of like passions as we are. Elijah prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain for three years and six months. He prayed again, and the heaven gave rain.

Two prayers. Two different outcomes.

“You do not have, because you do not ask.” (James 4:2)

Moses stood in the breach, and the destruction stopped (Exodus 32).
Nineveh turned, and the disaster God announced was withheld (Jonah 3).
Hezekiah wept, and fifteen years were added (2 Kings 20).
Abraham bargained, and the number required to spare the city moved.

They spoke. Then the story changed.

That is what “availeth much” means. A righteous man prays *now*, and what happens next is not the same as if he had stayed silent.

If prayer avails much, the future is not already written.

Nostr event nevent1qqsw3z5ky8cy2cyxwpwwq2mkq34904adsnnhn0dqx4f866ycusz9qnszyp8lv5nz9jlz9kf78gxwyjr7seek4x3qjuj2wv5vtx7znvry5s5jv76kgg9

2026-09-10T20:21:01Z

Because rights are permissionless, freedom is decentralized.

Psalms 94:9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who ...

2026-09-10T15:46:16Z

Psalms 94:9
He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?

If course it will. The question is always: When will it hit a ...

2026-06-16T09:51:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…ud9g
_________________________

If course it will. The question is always: When will it hit a goal?

If God cannot save people right now, that's not good news.

2026-06-12T06:46:19Z

If God cannot save people right now, that's not good news.

Somalians did not steal from you, your elected officials did. ...

2026-01-01T01:40:01Z

Somalians did not steal from you, your elected officials did. Remember, you voted for the lesser evil. Well, here it is.

🗓️ EVENT: New Years Day 📍 WHERE: USA 🕖 WHEN: January ...

2025-12-30T18:35:46Z

🗓️ EVENT: New Years Day
📍 WHERE: USA
🕖 WHEN: January 1, 2026 at 12:01 AM EST
📝 DETAILS: Welcome to a brand new year everybody.

---
Posted with the Agora Marketplace App. A decentralized platform for local events.
Learn more and contribute on GitHub: https://github.com/Neopatriarch/AgoraMarketplace

{"name":"Watch the Ball ...

2025-12-30T16:23:04Z

{"name":"Watch the Ball Drop","location":"Dallas Texas","startTime":"2025-12-31T23:59","description":"I will be sleeping","image_url":""}

I understand, I cannot find what I need on getAlby to do ...

2025-12-30T07:28:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…gukm
_________________________

I understand, I cannot find what I need on getAlby to do that...but I have a message out to them. Thanks for trying.

This is a test comment.

2025-12-30T07:00:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…v2tu
_________________________

This is a test comment.

I look forward to next year.

2025-12-30T06:00:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…cqv3
_________________________

I look forward to next year.

{"name":"New Years ...

2025-12-29T20:15:37Z

{"name":"New Years Day","location":"USA","startTime":"2026-01-01T00:01","description":"Welcome to a brand new year everybody.","image_url":"https://i.imgur.com/8ELGgoz.jpeg";}

Nostr event nevent1qqs24az2myjyw8mz8tnt0gzhpgtzcm9sr846268tleuxcqgkngzn9qczyp8lv5nz9jlz9kf78gxwyjr7seek4x3qjuj2wv5vtx7znvry5s5jvrr2weg

2025-12-29T00:20:00Z

{"name":"My Birthday","location":"South Carolina","startTime":"2026-01-19T12:00","description":"I will be 60, and as my present you could use my new app.","image_url":""}

🎉 SPONTANEOUS MEETUP! 🎉 Event: Church Where: At the corner ...

2025-12-28T15:05:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…f5ur
_________________________

🎉 SPONTANEOUS MEETUP! 🎉

Event: Church
Where: At the corner
When: Tomorrow at 8am

Come join us! #meetup #nostr

(This event was created with the Agora Marketplace App)

Avoiding Vain Philosophies: The Danger of Speculating About Time ...

2025-02-24T11:34:16Z

Avoiding Vain Philosophies: The Danger of Speculating About Time

Introduction: When Theology Becomes Science Fiction
Some words sound theological, but they are not biblical. Concepts like "before time," "outside of time," and "timelessness" are often used in theological discussions, yet they have no scriptural basis. Instead of leading us into truth, they tend to drift into the realm of science fiction. These terms would feel more at home in Back to the Future or Star Trek than in serious Bible study.
Yet, many Christians repeat them without question. But is this how God reveals Himself? Or are we allowing human philosophy to redefine the God of Scripture?

Where Do These Ideas Come From?
When people talk about God being "outside of time," they are not drawing from the Bible but from Greek philosophy, particularly Platonism and Aristotelian metaphysics. Plato taught that the material world is an inferior copy of an eternal, unchanging realm of perfect forms. Aristotle developed the idea of a "Prime Mover"—a being that causes motion but does not move or change itself.
Early Christian theologians, influenced by Greek thought, attempted to merge these ideas with the Bible. The result? A concept of God that is static, impersonal, and detached from time and human history. But is this how God presents Himself in Scripture?

The Biblical God: A God Who Acts in History
From Genesis to Revelation, God is revealed as a living, dynamic, and relational Being who interacts with His creation in real time:
God speaks and creates – "And God said, Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3).
God walks with man – "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden" (Genesis 3:8).
God responds to prayer – "And God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not" (Jonah 3:10).
God enters history as Jesus Christ – "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).
God has a future plan – "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father" (1 Corinthians 15:24).
These passages do not describe a "timeless" deity but a God who engages with His creation in real, unfolding history.

Paul’s Warning: Beware of Vain Philosophies
Colossians 2:8 warns us:
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
Many theological ideas that pass as "deep truths" are actually vain philosophies that lead believers away from Christ. Instead of focusing on how God actually reveals Himself, people become obsessed with abstract ideas that sound profound but have no scriptural foundation.
Paul tells us to guard our minds against these influences. Our theology must be rooted in Scripture, not speculation.

Conclusion: Keep Theology Biblical, Not Speculative
The Bible never speaks of a "timeless" or "outside of time" God. These ideas do not come from Scripture but from human philosophy and speculation.
God acts in real time.
God engages in history.
God reveals Himself through events, covenants, and relationships.
Instead of drifting into abstract, extra-biblical ideas, let’s stick to how God actually presents Himself in Scripture. The moment we go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6), we risk exchanging biblical truth for philosophical speculation.
As Paul warns, let’s not be "spoiled" by vain philosophy. Let’s keep our theology rooted in Scripture, not speculation.

That's an interesting question, and I appreciate the ...

2025-02-20T06:33:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…6hj3
_________________________

That's an interesting question, and I appreciate the opportunity to discuss Open Theism! Let’s dive into the key points you raised.

Future Contingent Propositions & Open Theism

Dr. Craig argues that there are true future contingent propositions—statements about the future that are already true or false, even before the events happen. Open Theists reject this because it assumes a settled future rather than an open one, which would trap God in fate. However, Molinism provides God with more freedom than simple foreknowledge because there was a point when God chose to create.

The key issue is whether truth exists for things that haven’t happened yet. If future contingent propositions (like “Person X will choose Christ”) are already true or false, then the future is determined in some way—either by necessity (Calvinism), middle knowledge (Molinism), or simple foreknowledge (Classical Arminianism). But if the future is truly open, then such propositions do not yet have a truth value. Instead of saying, “God knows X will happen,” Open Theism says, “God knows X might happen, and He knows all possible futures.”

This view is fully consistent with God’s omniscience—He knows all that can be known. But if the future is not fully determined, then it cannot be “known” in the way Craig suggests because there is nothing definite yet to know.

Isaiah 46:10 & "God Knows the End from the Beginning"

You mentioned the biblical phrase, “God knows the end from the beginning.” This comes from Isaiah 46:10, where God says:

"Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’”

This is often used to argue that God foreknows all future events as settled. However, if you read the context, God is contrasting Himself with idols, showing His sovereignty and power to bring about His plans (not necessarily foreknowing every detail of the future). In Isaiah, God is appealing to His people, who have a history with Him. They know that He would declare a thing and was faithful to do that thing. The phrase doesn’t mean every event is already fixed; rather, it highlights God’s ability to accomplish what He has decreed. Open Theists fully affirm this! God does declare some things and ensures they happen (e.g., Christ’s return), but that doesn’t mean every choice is already settled.

Molinism vs. Open Theism

Molinism, as you mentioned, seeks to solve problems with Calvinism by introducing middle knowledge—the idea that God knows not only what will happen but also what would happen under different circumstances. The challenge is that Molinism still assumes a settled future in God’s actualized world. Open Theism, by contrast, argues that the future is partly determined and partly open. God knows all possibilities, but He has left room for genuine freedom.

One of the main issues Open Theists raise with Molinism is that middle knowledge still results in determinism by selection. If God knows what every free creature would do in every situation and then actualizes the one where things play out the way He wants, how is that real freedom? Open Theists argue that if humans are truly free, then some aspects of the future cannot be definitively known because they haven’t been determined yet.

Is This an Essential Doctrine?

I really respect your attitude here. You’re right—this isn’t an issue of who we worship. We both affirm that God is the sovereign Creator, Jesus is Lord, and salvation is by grace through faith. Open Theists and Classical Theists agree on these fundamentals but differ on how God relates to time and the future.

In my view, Open Theism actually makes God more free, rather than less. If God has total freedom to act in the present, rather than simply executing a pre-known script, then He is even more dynamic and relational than traditionally understood. But I completely agree that this is an area where believers can disagree while still being brothers and sisters in Christ.

Thanks for engaging in the discussion thoughtfully! Let me know if you’d like more resources on the history of Open Theism or its biblical basis.

I'm glad to see you're taking the time to explore Open ...

2025-02-19T21:24:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…6z2s
_________________________

I'm glad to see you're taking the time to explore Open Theism more thoroughly! Dr. Craig is certainly a brilliant thinker, and I respect his scholarship as well. His critiques of Open Theism tend to stem from his commitment to classical foreknowledge models and his philosophical views on God's relationship to time. While he presents his case well, I believe Open Theism provides a more coherent understanding of God's freedom and the dynamic nature of creation.

One of the key issues I see in Craig’s perspective is that his middle knowledge view, or Molinism, still locks in all possible futures before God even acts. This essentially means that while God chooses among various possible worlds, He is still bound to a framework in which every outcome is predetermined in some sense. In contrast, Open Theism maintains that the future is truly open, allowing for real relational engagement between God and humanity, as well as genuine human freedom.

Another point worth considering is that Open Theism aligns more naturally with the biblical witness of God's interactions with people. The numerous passages where God expresses regret, changes His mind, or responds dynamically to human choices make more sense within an open view of the future. If the future were exhaustively settled, these interactions would appear either disingenuous or merely anthropomorphic, raising theological concerns about the sincerity of God's engagement with creation.

Moreover, Perfect Being theology, which underlies much of classical theism, has its roots in pagan philosophy. Concepts such as immutability, impassibility, and timelessness were heavily influenced by Greek metaphysical ideas, particularly from Plato and Aristotle. While these ideas were later incorporated into Christian theology by thinkers like Augustine and Aquinas, they often present a more static and abstract view of God—one that seems distant from the living, relational God revealed in Scripture. Open Theism challenges this framework, seeking to restore a biblical understanding of a God who genuinely interacts with creation in real time.

I've watched this video before. I’d be curious—do any of Craig’s arguments against Open Theism stand out to you so far?

P.S. There’s a great Unbelievable? episode where he and Dr. James White discuss related topics. It's a fascinating conversation.

You're right that Calvinism does assert those things, but ...

2025-02-18T11:39:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…z9ch
_________________________

You're right that Calvinism does assert those things, but they are not found in this 1 Samuel text. In fact, this passage presents a scenario where God declares what would happen if Saul remained, yet Saul does not remain, meaning the future was not exhaustively settled. This directly challenges the idea of exhaustive, definite foreknowledge as understood in Calvinism. If God's knowledge of the future were entirely fixed, He would not state a conditional outcome that never comes to pass. Instead, this passage fits naturally within an Open Theist framework, where God knows all possibilities and responds dynamically.

---

Would you like to add anything else to emphasize your point?

God knew David would be delivered up to Saul. In 1 Samuel ...

2025-02-18T11:27:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…w3c0
_________________________

God knew David would be delivered up to Saul. In 1 Samuel 23:10-13, David inquired of the Lord about whether the people of Keilah would hand him over if he stayed, and God said they would. Yet, David left, and the event never happened. This passage shows that God’s knowledge includes not just what will happen but also what could happen based on human choices. Open Theism affirms that God knows all possibilities perfectly, and His wisdom allows Him to respond freely in real-time.

This does not mean God is ignorant of the future but that the future is partly open because free agents make real choices. If the future were exhaustively settled, God's statement about Keilah’s betrayal would be meaningless since it was never actualized. Instead, we see that God’s knowledge includes contingent realities—what would happen given certain conditions—while still allowing for human freedom. This makes God's foreknowledge dynamic, not limited.

Yes, Open Theism holds that God knows all possible outcomes and ...

2025-02-18T07:56:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…nhr8
_________________________

Yes, Open Theism holds that God knows all possible outcomes and is perfectly wise in responding to them. However, this doesn't mean God is ignorant of the future—it means the future is not exhaustively settled yet. Instead of seeing the future as a fixed script, Open Theism sees it as partly open, allowing for genuine human freedom and real relational interaction with God.

God’s knowledge is not limited; rather, He knows reality exactly as it is—some aspects are determined by His sovereign will, while others remain contingent on human choices. This allows for true love, dynamic relationships, and meaningful prayer, all while ensuring that God’s ultimate purposes will be fulfilled.

#GodIsWise #RelationalTheology #OpenTheism

Open Theism: God sovereignly created a world where the future is ...

2025-02-18T06:40:21Z

Open Theism: God sovereignly created a world where the future is partly open. He knows all possibilities, responds in real time, and guides history without determining every choice. The future isn’t fixed—it’s a dynamic story with a relational God. #OpenTheism #GodIsFree

Happy Presidents Day! JK - enjoy your day anyway

2025-02-17T12:25:04Z

Happy Presidents Day!

JK - enjoy your day anyway

How do you feel about that now? #nevent1q…x2ry

2025-01-22T06:39:39Z

How do you feel about that now?

quoting
nevent1q…x2ry
exactly, you gotta be very dumb to believe that

Okay, I started using Ubuntu yesterday. I keep getting this ...

2025-01-20T13:48:42Z

Okay, I started using Ubuntu yesterday. I keep getting this "Authentication required" popup. It doesn't matter if I give a password and hit unlock or just hit cancel. It doesn't disrupt anything else. So at this point it is just annoying, How do I fix it?

Wow. You have a mighty nice company. It sure would be a shame if ...

2025-01-20T09:19:30Z

Wow. You have a mighty nice company. It sure would be a shame if something happened to it. How about I give you protection for half your business? - said a gangster

Sometimes the mask just comes right off.

Please explain to me how a consistent Christian can swear ...

2024-12-12T08:09:02Z

Please explain to me how a consistent Christian can swear fidelity to a godless organization like the State.

No one can serve two masters.

Voting brought us to this. ...

2024-11-04T00:56:08Z

Voting brought us to this.

This podcast came over my feed this morning. No, I haven't ...

2024-10-18T09:57:11Z

This podcast came over my feed this morning. No, I haven't listened to it, but it generated in me a thought. -- Whole milk has nutrition designed to take a ~50 pound calf to a 500lb full grown cow in six months. Maybe this isn't what humans should be nurtured on.

You guys know this is not the first time FEMA has failed the ...

2024-10-10T13:16:23Z

You guys know this is not the first time FEMA has failed the American people. Right?

You sound angry.

2024-10-09T16:32:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…p525
_________________________

You sound angry.

Your vote doesn't change the outcome of the election. It ...

2024-10-06T06:28:37Z

Your vote doesn't change the outcome of the election. It changes you.

I think it's more persuasive to remind people about the ...

2024-10-06T01:08:59Z

I think it's more persuasive to remind people about the things they know, rather than overcome what they think.

Sunset in Minnesota ...

2024-09-28T03:08:48Z

Sunset in Minnesota

# Why should people vote for your preferred political party. ...

2024-09-21T11:46:36Z

# Why should people vote for your preferred political party.

Despite marginal differences between political parties.

1. Which party will stop committing war crimes?
2. Which party will observe all of the moral rights that people exercise?
3. Which party will stop coercive confiscation of personal property?
4. Which party will allow competition for monopoly government services?

It's almost like they were misled.

2024-09-16T16:33:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…3pdf
_________________________

It's almost like they were misled.

We do like to pretend the politicians in the past were better. ...

2024-09-14T13:48:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…j8x9
_________________________

We do like to pretend the politicians in the past were better. Which is weird, because even when it's demonstrated they are not you'll here people say that was back then, now they don't do such things.

# EVIL >One must choose the lesser of two evils. >-Pope ...

2024-09-14T10:07:40Z

# EVIL
>One must choose the lesser of two evils.
>-Pope Francis

There is no "lesser evil", there is just evil. Voting is itself an evil act. The attempt to lord over others through a monopoly of violence and submitting to the winners if you lose the election is an evil gamble.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/13/politics/pope-francis-trump-harris-abortion/index.html

Also read Starship Troopers, Window in the Sky, The Red Planet, ...

2024-09-13T08:55:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…hlc5
_________________________

Also read Starship Troopers, Window in the Sky, The Red Planet, Have Spacesuit Will Travel.

He later novels were a little blah. So avoid Job, and The Cat that Walked Through Walls.

Great book. There's an awesome description of how to organize ...

2024-09-13T08:51:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…9lxs
_________________________

Great book. There's an awesome description of how to organize revolutionary cells in order to maximize efficiency and anonymity. The ai is fun. He Heinlein was ahead of his time.

# LIFE ## There is absolutely no moral difference between the ...

2024-09-11T21:57:50Z

# LIFE

## There is absolutely no moral difference between the Pro-Choice position of Kamala Harris and the Pro-Life position with exceptions of Donald Trump.

Ultimately neither candidate will protect unborn human beings.

If this is your single issue, just stay home. The State has no interest in protecting human lives.

"Won" is the wrong word for the debate last night. The ...

2024-09-11T16:33:59Z

"Won" is the wrong word for the debate last night.

The right word is Trainwreck.

#GM > Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace ...

2024-09-11T09:37:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…4ggv
_________________________

#GM

> Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

Nostr event nevent1qqszehxhd85d4vufl869ta5tespgxygl8a2p3e4h9l3lwtw8ypl2txczyp8lv5nz9jlz9kf78gxwyjr7seek4x3qjuj2wv5vtx7znvry5s5jv82nwnj

2023-08-31T00:38:36Z

Why can't I zap?

And yes, Maybe it's just my topics... I need to find a way ...

2023-07-21T07:20:15Z

And yes, Maybe it's just my topics...

I need to find a way for my notes to have a life beyond the few minutes after I post them.

Which of your notes go viral?

And maybe it's less of a thing on Nostr without an algorithm. Your notes, like messages in a bottle, float down stream and are only seen by people at the shore when it goes by, and then they float off out to sea...

#grownostr

Please boost this note if you share these thoughts.