The "Ray says to never see a doctor" issue -Ray Comfort <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

For months atheists have been accusing me of saying that those who are sick should never see a doctor. Today, I was very encouraged to see that one of my regular opponents (Raoul Rheits) kindly conceded that that isn't the case. He said:"Now I can actually read the context it is apparent (albeit clumsily written if you don't mind me saying so) that you are *not suggesting* that people refrain from seeking medical assistance. Quite the opposite." He also said, "But please at least have the honesty to acknowledge that I ASKED you for the context before you implied that I somehow ignored the missing context in the quote I gave (the one you censored along with my request for context)." My apologies for deleting your post Raoul. I didn't want to have to deal with it because I thought it would just open a can of worms (also, I didn't have a copy of the book, and couldn't give you the word-for-word context). For those who are interested (I hope this doesn't open a worm-can), I clumsily wrote a book over 30 years ago called More The Just Comfort. It was written to try and comfort those who found themselves battling terminal cancer. It's common for those in such a case to think that somehow God is punishing them for their sins. I had said that if a person truly believed that it was God's will for them to have cancer (confusing His permissive will with His perfect will), then they should never see a doctor (because they would be going against what they believed was His will). Here is the actual out-of-context wording:"Therefore you should never take medicine to relieve pain. You should never consult a doctor or go to a hospital for treatment, because you would be interfering with the work of God in your life." This whole thing was started on:http://canterburyatheists.blogspot.com/2009/03/ray-comfort-claims-to-find-cure-for.htmlIt understandably fueled anger towards me with "What a sick b-st--d Comfort is--sicker than I ever could have imagined," and similar comments...and they haven't stopped since.The anonymous writer of the article did temper his words a little, with: "I am not into character assassination, he did some splendid work in the field of drug rehabilitation. It is however important to record 'where he was at' during his time in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />New Zealand. Remember, people change. We've all done things in past we'd rather forget, but generally we don't make our living telling other people how to live. Ray feels a zeal to run-down atheists that knows no peer, so this alone makes him 'fair-game'." Thank you again Raoul, I have a new-found respect for you.

The Religion of Evolution

I was asked recently during an interview if I thought that the Theory of Evolution was a religion. I said that I think it is. If evolution is responsible for everything that has evolved--everything, then it is worthy of praise. What it did was miraculous, and time is the miracle-method it used. Its prophet was Charles Darwin (the faithful can pay homage to his facial hair in the Natural History Museum, in London), and Richard Dawkins is the sitting pope. According to his decree, if you disagree with the canon of evolution you are "wicked." So those who don't believe, should therefore be excommunicated from the realm of science. The "Bible" of the Darwinian believer is On the Origin of Species. If you write a mere Introduction that disagrees with its sacred contents, it is tantamount to blasphemy. Be prepared for an inquisition from believers and threats of book burnings.So, if you believe in evolution, don't question dating methods, or the credibility of revered paleontologists, or the learned priestly professors. Just believe.

Luke 2

1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, gives us specifics as to when and where this incredibly important event took place. The fact that Mary and Joseph her husband were forced to return to the place of their birth, is a part of history. The Scriptures foretold 700 years BC that the One who would come and destroy death, would be born in the town of Bethlehem: "But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, you are little to be among the clans of Judah; [yet] out of you shall One come forth for Me Who is to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from ancient days (eternity)" (Micah 5:2, Amplified Bible). The Creator of the universe became one lowly human being, born in a feeding trough, wrapped in swaddling clothes. According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "The oriental swaddling-clothes consist of a square of cloth and two or more bandages. The child is laid on the cloth diagonally and the corners are folded over the feet and body and under the head, the bandages then being tied so as to hold the cloth in position. This device forms the clothing of the child until it is about a year old, and its omission (Ezek 16.4) would be a token that the child had been abandoned." So, it seems that Mary and Joseph knew what they were doing with their new baby. A 2002 study by the Washington University School of Medicine concluded, "Now we have scientific evidence to support the age-old belief that swaddled infants sleep better than unswaddled infants," Gerard said. "It helps babies stay asleep and so may help parents keep their babies sleeping in the safer back position."[1] Still, there was no chance that Jesus could die as a babe. Ten times His enemies tried to kill Him before He was finally crucified, and when a number of those took place, the Scriptures say, "For it was not yet His time." The cross of His destiny. He was (as the hymn writer says) "Born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth."--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[1] http://www.biblestudy101.org/definitions/swaddling.html