#Sufficiency of Scripture

[theosporotos]

Doctrines of Sacred Scripture

Table of Contents Table of ContentsSufficiency of Scripture: Divine Authority of Scripture:Written Scripture over oral tradition:Scripture Is About ChristTo Be StudiedGod Does The Teaching of His WordRecognized CanonTraditions Then, Now WrittenExtra Biblical Doctrines Sufficiency of Scripture: Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32 – 2 You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away…

[eli-kittim]

Is the Authority of Scripture Biblical?

Eli Kittim

I have a high view of Scripture. But my authority is a Person, not a Book. My authority is God himself, as he reveals to me his will and purpose through spiritual communications. It’s one thing to say that the Bible is “authoritative,” in the sense that it’s reliable and truthful. But it’s quite another thing to say that it’s our highest authority. I think people mistakenly conflate the authority of Scripture with Cessationism, the Calvinist doctrine that spiritual gifts and prophecy ceased with the Apostolic Age. They often cite Jude 1:3 for support. But all that verse says is that “the faith” was revealed to us at some point in human history. It doesn’t say that the Godhead went out of business, took a Sabbatical, or died and left a will. The phrase—“the faith delivered once for all to God's people”—can be disambiguated by examining the context. The other passage cessationists love to quote is 1 Cor. 13:9-10. But all it says is that “we know in part and prophesy in part” because “when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with.” But not before the complete comes. That’s the key! It doesn’t say that prophecy has ceased. That would be a misinterpretation. Besides, Acts 2:17 says that people in the end times will prophesy and see visions.

Many people are confusing Scripture’s inspiration, revelation, truthfulness, and inerrancy with the concept of “authority,” which the Oxford languages dictionary defines as “the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.” In short, our highest authority is not the Church, tradition, councils, committees, or even the Bible itself. Our highest authority is Jesus Christ! In Matt. 28:18 (NASB), Christ says:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has

been given to Me”

Where does 2 Tim. 3:14–16 mention the authority of Scripture? It says that “the sacred writings … are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” In other words, Scripture gives us wisdom and leads us to salvation which can only be found in Christ Jesus. The fact that Scripture is “inspired” doesn’t mean it represents the final authority. 2 Tim. 3:14–16 reads:

“continue in the things you have learned

and become convinced of, knowing from

whom you have learned them, and that

from childhood you have known the sacred

writings which are able to give you the

wisdom that leads to salvation through faith

which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is

inspired by God and beneficial for teaching,

for rebuke, for correction, for training in

righteousness.”

The fact that Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16) doesn’t mean that the Bible has the final say in all matters. The Spirit that inspired the Bible is the ultimate authority on all matters, not the Bible. Scripture itself does not claim to have all authority. Jesus does.

Moreover, the concept of the Sufficiency of Scripture implies that Scripture itself is all we need to interpret Scripture. But Scripture can be interpreted in 30,000 different ways. Just look at all the Protestant denominations that split due to interpretative differences. Thus, Scripture is neither sufficient to interpret itself, nor is it the final authority. Without the Holy Spirit to illuminate us, we will inevitably misinterpret it (Jn 16:13)!

Where does 2 Pet. 1:20–21 mention the authority of Scripture?

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy

of Scripture becomes a matter of

someone’s own interpretation, for no

prophecy was ever made by an act of

human will, but men moved by the Holy

Spirit spoke from God.”

All it says is that prophecy and its interpretation should be revealed by the Holy Spirit, not interpreted by human beings. If anything, it demonstrates the insufficiency of Scripture!

The fact that the Bible contains the Word of God doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the final authority, or that it’s sufficient in and of itself, so that we don’t need anything else. If the Bible is entirely “sufficient” and adequate for all purposes, we wouldn’t need to be reborn. All we would need to do is read our Bibles. But Scripture cannot save anyone. Jesus does. The Spirit is what we need. We can be saved by the Spirit without the Bible. But we can’t be saved by the Bible without the Spirit.

The Bible does not attest to its own authority. Revelation of the Word does not mean ultimate Authority. The fact that God’s Word is true (Jn 17:17) doesn’t mean that the Bible is the highest authority in our lives. As Christ said, it is the Spirit that perfects us, not the Scriptures (Jn 16:13). Luke 24:49 reads:

“But remain … until you have been clothed

with power from on high”

John 3:5 says categorically and unequivocally:

“unless someone is born of … the

Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

Likewise, Romans 8:9 puts it thusly:

“But if anyone does not have the Spirit of

Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

In John 5:39-40, Jesus demonstrates the insufficiency of Scripture by saying the following:

“You examine the Scriptures because you

think that in them you have eternal life; and

it is those very Scriptures that testify about

Me; and yet you are unwilling to come to Me

so that you may have life.”

When Jesus says that all will be accomplished according to his Word (Matt. 5:18), he’s talking about prophecy, not the authority of Scripture. I’m not suggesting that Scripture errs or is contradictory. Absolutely not! But let’s not confuse the issues. The fact that the Bible contains the Word of God doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s our final authority, or that it’s entirely sufficient. That would be equivalent to Bibliolatry. The Bible is not a paper Pope. Truth and trustworthiness is one thing. Authority is another.

[soonintheclouds]

Sufficiency of Scripture

[protestantworkthatethic]

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12 NKJV

[thelordismylightandmysalvation]

Verse of the Day - 2 Corinthians 12:9

[mindfulldsliving]

A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Sola Scriptura, Creeds, and Divine Revelation

A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Sola Scriptura, Creeds, and Divine Revelation For many Christians, “Sola Scriptura” serves as a central guiding belief, emphasizing scripture as the sole authority. But Latter-day Saint theology offers a different perspective—one that values the Bible deeply while also embracing modern revelation, prophetic authority, and a broader view of God’s work. When…

[thinkingonscripture]

Cultivating a Biblical Mind

The stability of Christians is largely predicated on the biblical content and continuity of their thinking. It is not only what they think, but what they continue to think that provides stability in their souls. When God’s Word—divine viewpoint—flows through their daily thoughts, it enables them to frame life from a divine perspective and respond properly from a position of strength. The more…

[bristolchurch]

Examining Women's Authority in Faith and Leadership

The question of whether a woman can exercise authority over a man brings to mind specific biblical passages, most notably 1 Timothy 2:12, which states, “I do not permit a woman to teach or assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” There are numerous interpretations of this verse, with some advocating for a complementarian viewpoint, assigning distinct roles based on gender, and others…

[darkangelk007]

Sufficient In The Word

Sufficient In The Word It’s been 19 years. 19 years since my life changed. I’m not sure why young men are so anxious to go to war. Between personal experience, and how it’s portrayed in movies, young men are all too excited to go to war and fight for what they believe in. The idea of going to war is also one of fear, and we think nothing of what is to come.  Psalm 144:1  144 Blessed be the…

[pretend-i-don-t-exist]

ok back to my sy as yang yixuan au bc the brainrot refuses to leave

Luo Binghe's shixiong and shijie do not like him. This is a fact.

Qing Jing Peak and Bai Zhan Peak have long-standing animosity with each other. This is also a fact.

Those two facts are the root cause of why Luo Binghe is desperately running away, ducking and weaving through the bamboo as four Bai Zhan disciples hunt him down during their raid.

He yelps when he trips over a portruding stone, landing harshly on his elbows. He's already scrambling away when one of the disciples grabs his arm, and punches him on the cheek.

Luo Binghe, with all the force he can muster, pushes him away and resumes running. It doesn't take long before he's cornered to a dead end, and he backs away, trying to find an exit.

He does not need to plan his escape any further when a boy– dressed in Bai Zhan blues and blacks, lands down silently in front of the disciples, and proceeds to solidly beat each and every one of them up.

He has them all giving up in just a few minutes.

"Ah, seriously..." this new boy— older than Luo Binghe, stronger and smarter, too— sighs, placing his hands on his hips. "None of you really listen, don't you?"

With one swift, practiced motion, he swings the four rambunctious disciples over his shoulder, looking unamused. "All of you are to present at the Hall of Reflection and copy down the scriptures fifty times, and I will personally oversee your training for the next two months," the boy says, authority dripping off of every inch of his body. "Seriously, you're lucky you haven't injured anyone or else you'll be facing a worse punish–"

The boy's eyes catch Luo Binghe's. Luo Binghe shrinks away, all too aware of the livid bruise on his cheek and the blood from his nose.

There is silence. Then there is a thud, and all the Bai Zhan disciples who came for the raid groan in unison. There are footsteps, and the boy is suddenly kneeling in front of him, his hands inexplicably tender and gentle.

The boy hisses at the sight of the bruise. "I apologize for my shidi and shimei," he says, soft. His hands are marred with callouses, strong and firm and powerful, but they are gentle when they touch Luo Binghe. "They are rowdy and a little feral after being left uncontrolled for too long. May I ask for shixiong's understanding?"

Shixiong? Luo Binghe nods, a little wide-eyed. The boy softens, perceptibly, and begins threading qi to his meridians. "This is to quicken your body's natural healing," he explains. "You should get it looked better, however– I can accompany you to Qian Cao Pe–"

"No!" Luo Binghe blurts out, cringing away. Da-shixiong's friends warned him against going to Qian Cao. He doesn't want to know what they'd do if he does go there.

A pause. "Very well." The boy stops his qi, finding the bruise to be sufficiently healed. He pulls out medicine from his sleeve, just like how his Shizun does. "This is for bruises, and this one for small cuts. All topical– externally applied on skin, not ingested. No, please don't worry, this is the least I can do."

Luo Binghe accepts the medicine under the boy's insistence. He cannot say anything, tongue heavy in his mouth, not to even ask for the boy's name or why he is helping him.

The boy rises to his feet. "Well," he says, hesitantly laying a hand on Luo Binghe's hair. Either he doesn't seem to notice the flinch or he ignores it, but that doesn't matter because the boy is– patting his head. Gently and softly, like he has not the power to defeat all of the disciples here in this clearing on Qing Jing Peak.

"We'll have to get going now," the boy says. "Don't worry, they will be reflecting on their actions and will be sincerely apologizing for them. Take care, shixiong."

With two disciples over his shoulder and two under his arm, the boy flies away on his spiritual sword. Luo Binghe clutches the medicine in his hands tighter, feeling the warmth of the boy's gentle hands lingering on his own, and tries to carve every line of the boy's face into his memory.

[alwaysrememberjesus]

Always Agree With God’s Word

Jesus said it plain and clear in Luke 6v45 (NIV): “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” So if you want to know where your faith really stands, don’t just check your Sunday shout, check your Monday mouth. When pressure hits, when life squeezes tight, when things don’t go your way, what spills out of your mouth is what has been stored in your heart. You say you trust God. But are your words rooted in fear or faith? Are you rehearsing defeat or declaring victory? You say He’s your provider, but when the bills stack up, are you speaking panic or provision?

We aren’t called to fake it, we’re called to face it. And the truth is, some of us are walking around quoting Scripture while quietly doubting everything we say. That isn’t faith, that’s performance. And God isn’t impressed by performance, He is moved by belief.

If your heart is filled with frustration, discouragement, and anxiety, it’s going to come out. If your thoughts are consumed with your limitations instead of His sufficiency, your words will sound like you forgot who your God is. So what’s the fix? Get your heart in alignment with His Word. Let the Spirit renew your mind. Ask God to help you believe again, not just in your head but in your core.

Paul got it right when he said in 2 Corinthians 3:5 (NKJV), “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” And when you believe that deep down, your language starts to match your revelation. Because your words aren’t empty, they carry power. Proverbs 18v21 says “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” So fill your mouth with faith, speak what God speaks and agree with heaven. And if you ever start to drift, catch yourself. Ask, “Is what I just said what God said?” If not, fix it.

Fill your heart with truth, and your mouth will follow. Speak like someone who knows their help comes from the Lord, who believes God is able and who remembers that “in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV). Say what He says and say it like you believe it.

[talonabraxas]

"Shiva is chidambaram, like the inner sky. Shiva is the inner sky of consciousness." - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Lord Shiva Talon Abraxas

Shiva, The Auspicious One

Shiva is among the most widely worshiped deities in India. With names such as Mahadeva (“the great god”) and Nataraja (“the king of dancers”), he is venerated in ancient holy cities like Benares, where Shaivites (as his worshipers are called) devote their lives to him, viewing him as the Supreme Lord.

The fact is, he is supreme. As the scriptures say, “Srimad-Bhagavatam is supreme among Puranas just as the Ganga is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta [Vishnu] the best among deities, and Lord Sambhu [Shiva] the greatest among devotees of Lord Vishnu [vaisnavanam yatha sambhu].” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.13.16) According to this and similar statements, Shiva may correctly be considered the greatest—at least among devotees—but among gods the supreme is Vishnu. This is made clear as far back as the Rg Veda (1.22.20): “The lotus feet of Vishnu are the supreme objective of all the demigods. Those lotus feet of the Lord are as enlightening as the sun in the sky.”

Shaivites, however, tend to see Shiva not just as the greatest devotee but as God Himself. There is some basis for this in scripture. In the Bhagavatam (4.7.50) Lord Vishnu Himself says, “Brahma, Lord Shiva, and I are the supreme cause of the material manifestation. I am the Supersoul, the self-sufficient witness. But impersonally there is no difference between Brahma, Lord Shiva, and Me.”

In other words, all three divinities are one because they are all avataras, or descents of the Supreme, for the creation, maintenance, and annihilation of the material world. In this context, they are known as guna-avataras, and they preside over the modes of passion (embodied by Brahma, the creator), goodness (embodied by Vishnu, the maintainer), and ignorance (embodied by Shiva, the destroyer). All three of these avataras are considered aspects of the same principle of Godhead.

The Mahabharata too (Anusasana-parva 135) says that Vishnu and Shiva are nondifferent and even counts the names Shiva, Sarva, Sthanu, Isana, and Rudra—names traditionally identified with Shiva—among the thousand names of Vishnu. Such identification between Shiva and the Supreme Lord seemingly gives weight to the idea of contemporary Hinduism that all the gods mentioned in the Vedic literature are one.

But a close study of scripture shows that while there is reason to see Shiva as nondifferent from Vishnu, there is also reason to distinguish strongly between them. According to Bhagavad-gita, which is accepted by nearly all classes of transcendentalists in India—including Vaisnavas and Shaivites—Vishnu (Krishna) is the ultimate Godhead, to whom even Shiva must bow down. This is not a matter of opinion or sectarian prejudice. Krishna identifies Himself as the source of all material and spiritual worlds, and Arjuna confirms that Krishna is indeed supreme (Bg. 10.12). Krishna is “the God of all the gods” (devesa, Bg. 11.37).

In countless incidents from the Puranas, Shiva is clearly seen to be Vishnu’s devotee. For example, there is the story of Vrkasura, a demon who practiced severe austerities and then asked Shiva for a boon—the power to kill at once any living being whose head Vrkasura would merely touch. Shiva granted the boon, but was soon to regret his decision, for Vrka came after him to try out the newfound power. Lord Shiva ran to all parts of the universe to escape this power-mad devotee and finally ended up at the door of the kingdom of Vishnu.

Hearing the words of a frightened Shiva, Vishnu devised a plan to help him. Vishnu appeared directly before Vrkasura and told him Shiva was not to be trusted. “Shiva is fond of joking and even lying,” said Vishnu. “I am sure he is not telling you the truth. He was just teasing you. Touch your own head, and you will see that nothing will happen.”

Vrka, of course, touched his own head and died. But the point of this story, in the present context, is Vishnu’s superiority over Shiva, who could not resolve the problem on his own. After racing through the entire material cosmos to escape Vrkasura, Shiva sought refuge in Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

To counter this, Shiva devotees cite traditions in which Rama, for example, is seen as a devotee of Shiva. This would make an avatara of Vishnu subservient to Shiva, and thus support the tenets of Shaivism. But upon closer study Rama’s worship of Shiva turns out to be a later tradition, not supported in Valmiki’s Ramayana. Moreover, even these later traditions explain that Rama became a devotee of Shiva only out of etiquette: Rama wanted to become a greater devotee of Shiva than the evil Ravana was, and then ask Shiva for permission to defeat Ravana.

The Ramayana offers many stories about the glories of Shiva—his destruction of Daksa’s sacrifice, his marriage with Uma (Parvati), his drinking of the ocean of poison, his killing of the demon Andhaka, his cursing of Kandarpa—but ultimately the Ramayana makes the supremacy of Rama quite clear. Rama (as an incarnation of Vishnu) is supreme.

The differences between Shiva and Vishnu should be further underlined. As Srila Prabhupada says (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.16, purport),

“Of the three principal agents controlling the three modes of material nature, Vishnu is the Almighty; even though He is within material nature for the purpose of maintenance, He is not controlled by the laws of material nature. The other two, Brahma and Shiva, although almost as greatly powerful as Vishnu, are within the control of the material energy of the Supreme Lord.”

Shiva is superior to Brahma, who is an empowered soul (jiva), but Shiva is not quite on the same level as Vishnu. It is therefore said that Shiva is a unique living being who merits his own category, known as Shiva-tattva.

To clarify Lord Shiva’s position, the Brahma-samhita (5.45) offers an analogy: “When milk is transformed by acids into yogurt, the yogurt is neither the same as nor different from the milk. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda [Krishna, Vishnu], of whom Lord Shiva is a transformation for performing the work of destruction.”

Though milk and yogurt are essentially nondifferent, yogurt is a product of milk. One can use milk to make ghee, cheese, ice cream, or yogurt, but one cannot turn yogurt into milk. Clearly, then, Shiva’s divinity is intimately connected with, even dependent upon, his relationship to Vishnu.

This is made clearer still in the Bhagavatam (3.28.22): “The blessed Lord Shiva becomes all the more blessed by bearing on his head the holy waters of the Ganges, which has its source in the water that washed the Lord’s lotus feet.”

Srila Prabhupada comments, “Lord Shiva is important because he is holding on his head the holy Ganges water, which has its origin in the footwash of Lord Vishnu.

“In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, by Sanatana Gosvami, it is said that anyone who puts the Supreme Lord and the demigods, including Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma, on the same level at once becomes a pasandi, or atheist. We should never consider the Supreme Lord Vishnu and the demigods to be on an equal footing.”

So, theologically, Shiva is both God and yet different from God as well. Because of Shiva’s intimate contact with the quality of ignorance and with matter (which is innately ignorant), the living beings in this world cannot receive the same spiritual restoration by worshiping him as by worshiping Vishnu.

And yet they try. As mentioned earlier, the worshipers of Shiva are second in number only to the worshipers of Vishnu. Shaiva Siddhanta, a form of Shiva worship found mainly in South India, is a force to be reckoned with, and Vira Shaivism (or Lingayatism), another form of the religion, is popular in the South Indian state of Karnataka.

There are other forms of Shiva worship as well, but the only authorized form comes down in the Rudra Sampradaya, also known as the Vishnusvami Sampradaya, an authorized Vaisnava lineage in which Shiva is worshiped as the greatest devotee of Vishnu. Its adherents say that ultimate liberation comes from devotion to Vishnu. And Shiva, they say, showed how to be the perfect devotee. Even Shiva himself confirms that one can achieve the supreme destination only by the mercy of Vishnu. Lord Shiva says, mukti-pradata sarvesam Vishnur eva na samsayah: “There is no doubt that Vishnu is the deliverer of liberation for everyone.”

[canthandlethishit]

Batfam’s handwriting headcanons!!

Alfred (right handed): cursive, normally neat and kind of flowery calligraphic(?) (he usually write the gala, party invitations for worthy guests himself), his notes are written just as neat but the letters are more narrow and tilted to the right.

Brucie (left handed): writes in cursive, bubbly letters, flowery, extravagant with endless numbers of loops and stems, big flourishes (picture light yagami writing) watching him write is a performance itself (near impossible to read, looks like an art piece from afar)

Bruce (self-trained ambidextrous, favors his left though is equally efficient with both hands): rounded print (for notes in reports), and cursive (for personal writings), he’d had some influence from alfred so theres a little extra in his writing like an extra curve, stem (ie: his i’s & t’s got lil hooks, his v as a downward stem at the end), but its overall quite minimalistic and tidy, there’s sufficient force on the paper.

Batman: doesn’t write >:( computer <- duh (if he really has to like idk the riddler forces him to write sth he would in caps block letters very strong straight lines, almost like excessively forced and he also place his pinkie on the pen/pencil to further deter identification, he switches hands every time to keep people off-track)

Dick (trained ambidextrous, favors his right, naturally right-handed until robin): cursive quick and kind of messy but still eligible writing, he’s used to taking quick notes (cop job), his letters are jaded, pointed (ie: his b’s are written like music notes, not rounded). he uses average force when writing (dents the paper but not through multiple pages), his letters’ spacing are nonexistent they overlap a bit, his words narrowly apart.

Jason (circumstantial ambidextrous, favors his right, his left handwriting is still neat, not as pretty as his right’s): cursive, his handwriting experienced several metamorphosis, he was left handed by birth & mother’s teachings, then at school he was taught write right-handedly. His writing was somewhat neat minimally scratchy, letters joined with loops, generous spacing. during his time with bruce he copies writing styles from his favorite authors (look up Jane Austen), Alfred and ends up with a very distinct, tilted to the right, beautiful scripture, some loops (Mary Shelly), long y’s and consonants. Post-death, he still got a nice handwriting, just less of the pizazz, the flare of personality bleeding through ink, its more tamed, still slanted, he doesn’t take as much care to force distribution (calligraphic way) but it just became more subtle, not completely gone.

Cass (ambidextrous, writes left handed): print, when first asked which hand she’d like to learn to write with she chose left, she didn’t learn to write ambidextrously. clean yet a bit weirdly spaced, she dots her i’s and cross her t’s after whole sentences. She likes making capital first letters of her text flowery like brucie’s, its amusing how out of place it looks.

Tim (self-trained ambidextrous, born left handed, writes with both hands interchangeably): cursive, young tim researched on lots of encryption, alternative writing systems. he take notes in shorthand’s, his handwriting is fairly eligible but frequently misses letters from words (ie: handwriting -> hdwritig). his lines are slanted downwards, narrow spacing overall.

Steph (trained ambidextrous, writes right handed, batman’s ambidexterity training for her hadn’t reached handwritings): mixed, her handwriting alternates between really messy and scratchy and more eligible curvy with sharp ends to her words (when writing lift pen up fast, bigger hand movement, picture a tame and hinged light yagami). Her lines tilt upwards from left to right. her writing’s eligibility depends on her mood, what she is writing.

Duke (right handed, trained ambidexterity but opted out of handwriting training): mixed, his letters are rounded and evenly spaced, fairly neat but scrawls when he’s in a rush (makes more sharp loops, longer curls at the ends, more connected words). his letter have thin loops, sometimes subconsciously dots his i’s with crescents. his lines tilt upwards slightly in the middle (he prefer to keep his lines straight so he take notice and fixes them).

Damian (natural ambidextrous, favors his left for arabic and his right for english): cursive, strong neat strokes, clean writing, clear appropriate spacing. its almost a font, print-like from how consistently he writes. His signature on his arts is more rounded with a bit of lilts and curves (the end of his m curve like the symbol for scorpio zodiac sign). His personal diary/journal writing is softer, his paragraphs more densely packed, the first letter of each entry are more ornate than the rest (loops, curves, tiny doodles)

note: handwriting style main variety are these

these headcanons are based on handwritings of people in my life & myself :)! not based on graphology (during my search for specific adjectives and vocabularies i came across some graphology & writing analysis articles and found them to be kind of mean & biased, rude etc so just clarifying im basing these hcs on my friends and family’s)

[chicago-geniza]

the problem is that in a climate of "rampant misinformation" (the term 'misinformation' carries with it a host of implications, political and otherwise, that are baked into its intellectual history and as is often the case, relate to the cold war, so i don't generally like it). BUT. in such a climate you need to be able to independently evaluate information and "truth-claims" for veracity (not the same as legitimacy, which in my understanding is a function of source evaluation, not content evaluation--and as institutions become less reliable, the authority conferred on individuals by institutional credentials/credential-conferring systems in and of themselves come into doubt, as merritt noted MDs post junk science under their professional accounts etc., as others have said papers of record deny genocide or "just ask questions" in plainly spurious ways that undermine their journalistic integrity, etc.)--BUT. you need to be able to independently evaluate information and i CAN'T because i am STUPID in certain, specific ways. i need some types of information to be interpreted for me--e.g., statistics!--or i will come to incorrect conclusions, because i lack both the knowledge and the cognitive capacity (i have particular developmental + learning disabilities re: math and abstract reasoning that impair me here, more than the average non-specialist). this is the gap into which a lot of people who "do their own research" fall, and i am sympathetic, because like--if you can't trust the papal authorities, so to speak, to interpret the texts for you, then surely one's own take on the scriptures must be sufficient for daily life. but it isn't a lot of the time. because you can't be Protestant about public health data, or about the nuts and bolts of the global economy, or the law, or a bunch of other things. idk where i am going with this, briar was thinking along similar lines with genAI the other day too, i am just rambling. OGRE CANNOT EVALUATE INFORMATION. OGRE ONLY PICK UP SURFACE-LEVEL THEMES

[thedaugtherofchrist]

If I were Satan and wanted to make you hate God, I would use deception, manipulation, and emotional tactics to turn you away from Him. Here’s how:

1. Plant Doubt About God’s Goodness

- I’d whisper, "If God is loving, why does He allow suffering?"

- I’d make you focus only on hardships and tragedies, making you think God is cruel or distant.

2. Corrupt Your View of Christianity

- I’d highlight the worst examples of religious people—hypocrites, corrupt leaders, and extremists—to make you think all Christians are like that.

- I’d convince you that following God means losing your freedom, fun, or individuality.

3. Fill Your Life with Distractions

- I’d keep you so busy, entertained, or obsessed with material things that you’d stop thinking about God altogether.

- I’d make sin seem enjoyable and harmless, so you’d see God’s commands as restrictive rather than protective.

4. Use Pain and Betrayal

- I’d make sure people who claim to be Christians hurt you so you’d associate God with their actions.

- I’d twist your suffering into proof that “God doesn’t care about you.”

5. Encourage Pride and Self-Sufficiency

- I’d make you think, "I don’t need God. I can figure life out on my own."

- I’d promote the idea that believing in God is outdated, foolish, or weak.

6. Distort Scripture

- I’d take Bible verses out of context, making you believe God is unfair, harsh, or contradictory.

- I’d twist theology so you see God as a tyrant rather than a loving Father.

7. Make You Angry at God

- I’d push the idea that God didn’t answer your prayers because He doesn’t care.

- I’d convince you that God is unjust, letting evil people prosper while good people suffer.

The best way to resist these tactics is to seek truth, study Scripture for yourself, and develop a personal relationship with God rather than basing your faith on emotions or negative experiences.

[thatgentlewife]

I disagree with this — And I think traditional men would too. Here’s why:

A man who desires to be a leader, protector, and provider in a relationship will not secretly admire a woman who prioritizes her own strength, independence, and personal ambitions above all else. While strength and confidence are not inherently bad, and having dreams is not sinful, the way these traits are framed in modern culture often contradicts God’s design for men and women.

Why Would a Man Not Feel This Way?

Men are naturally wired to seek a woman who complements them, not one who competes with them. A man wants to be respected, needed, and honored by his wife—not challenged by someone who insists on being entirely self-sufficient or who takes pride in her independence over her role as a wife and mother. When a woman exalts her own ambitions above the family structure, it can create tension and make a man feel unnecessary in the relationship.

A truly godly man respects a woman who embraces her femininity, supports his leadership, and fosters a peaceful, loving home. He does not need a woman who acts as though she is his equal in authority, but rather one who trusts his ability to lead while offering wisdom, grace, and support.

Pride is Sinful, Dreams Are Not

The original statement suggests that a woman should have “pride in who she is.” However, Scripture repeatedly warns against pride:

• “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

• “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

Pride is dangerous because it places the self above God’s design. If a woman takes pride in herself in a way that exalts her independence, her achievements, or her personal strength over humility and submission to God’s will, she is walking in sin. However, this does not mean that dreams and ambitions are wrong. A woman can have goals, but they should always be in alignment with God’s plan and never take precedence over her role as a wife and mother if she is called to marriage.

Strength and Confidence Aren’t Bad, But How They Are Used Matters

The Bible does not condemn strength or confidence—in fact, Proverbs 31 describes a woman who is strong:

• “She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” (Proverbs 31:17)

• “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.” (Proverbs 31:25)

However, this strength is not about independence from men or the pursuit of personal fulfillment. It is strength in character, in faith, and in her ability to serve her family. Confidence, when rooted in Christ, is a beautiful trait. But when it is rooted in pride or self-importance, it becomes a stumbling block.

Conclusion

A man who desires a biblical relationship does not secretly admire a woman who prioritizes herself above her God-given role. He values a woman who is strong in faith, confident in her identity in Christ, and humble in spirit. Dreams, strength, and confidence are not wrong, but they must be submitted to God’s will. A woman’s greatest beauty and worth come not from pride in herself, but from her devotion to the Lord and her willingness to embrace His design for her life.

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