Reasoning Leads to Confusion

A piece From Battlefield of the mind by Joyce Myer

Reasoning occurs when a person tries to figure out the "why" behind something. Reasoning causes the mind to revolve around and around a situation, issue or event attempting to understand all its intricate component parts. We are reasoning when we dissect a statement or teaching to see if it is logical, and disregard it if it is not.

Satan frequently steals the will of God from us due to reasoning. The Lord may direct us to do a certain thing, but if it does not make sense-if it is not logical- we may be tempted to disregard it. What God leads a person to do does not always make logical sense to his mind. His spirit may affirm it and His mind reject it, especially if it would be out of the ordinary or unpleasant or if it would require personal sacrifice or discomfort.

Matthew 16:8...Oh ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves?...
Don't Reason in The Mind, Just Obey in the Spirit.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Any time we see what the Word says and refuse to do it, reasoning has somehow gotten involved and deceived us into believing something other than the truth. We cannot spend excessive time trying to understand (mentally) everything the Word says. If we bear witness in the spirit, we can move ahead and do it.

God wants us to obey Him, whether or not we feel like it, want to or ask ourselves if what He has said is logical. When God speaks, we are to mobilize-not rationalize.

Something Different

Seven things you should know about UFO's
Part 1.

As unlikely as it may at first seemed, the UFO phenomenon appears to be going mainstream. For most evangelicals, belief in UFO's has been more a matter of amusement than concern, but in today's postmodern culture this movement needs to be taken seriously.

How should Christians address this seemingly preposterous, yet pressing issue? What should parents teach their children about aliens? How can youth workers answer the ET questions of their teenage congregations, and how can the Christian employee capably address this topic with his or her co-workers? Does church history provide any lessons for us? We should be aware of some key issues while addressing/witnessing to those who believe in the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence.

1. It's not just a fringe belief anymore

No matter how far out belief in extraterrestrials may seem to some people, the fact is that belief in their existence has come both widespread and en vogue. In an issue of popular mechanics, kenneth Nealson, a scientist on the National Academy of Sciences Subcommittee for Solar System Exploration, said, "The search for life is no longer a fringe type of thing."1 Politicians, scientists and astronauts concur that intelligent extraterrestrial life must exist within the universe and that it is "arrogant" to presume that humanity is the only intelligent life form. A survey by USA Today revealed that "61 percent of Americans say they believe humans are not the only life form in the galaxy."2 (Interestingly, another survey revealed that six percent of Americans claimed to have actually seen a UFO first hand).

It wasn't that long ago when an admission of the belief in aliens may have qualified a person as a candidate for the insane asylum. Today, such a confession may further advance one's chances in receiving a research grant or qualifying as a candidate in a Ph.D. program. The first step in addressing this phenomenon, therefore, is to recognize that it is considered a legitimate subject in a variety of mainstream circles. As ludicrous as this may sound, this recognition is essential for effectively ministering to the post modern culture in which we now live. This is not to imply that we are to patronize their beliefs; rather, we are to treat them with respect they deserve as human beings and so earn the right to be heard (1 pet. 3:15).

2. People are really seeing things

Bobby Brewer of the Christian Research Institute who wrote this article was one of many who witnessed what's now referred to as the "Phoenix lights" incident. On the evening of March 13, 1997, hundreds of people in Arizona observed a very unusual formation of lights that was well documented by video and eyewitness accounts. The incident created a flurry of speculation concerning the nature of the lights, with the most popular being extraterrestrial. The Air Force acknowledeged the occasion with the explanation that the lights were actually flares.

Military and airline personnel, engineers, air traffic controllers, police and people of all walks of life across the globe have made UFO reports. It is true that a number of reports are hoaxes and intentionally fraudulent, but the fact remains that credible people are witnessing events that they cannot explain.

3. No evidence support that there is ETI

To date there is no nut, bolt, spaceship, carcass, or transmission to provide overwhelming and convincing proof that ETI exists. This is not to deny that credible people are seeing inexplicable aeronautical and cosmic incidents. It is noteworthy, however, that the vast majority of UFO reports are easily explainable. This may not be the sensationalistic answer for which many people in our culture are looking for, but the fact remains that the overwhelming majority of UFO reports have earthly origins.

4. Biblical revelation lends no support to ETI

The Bible does not refer to intelligent life on other planets. The focus of the Bible, instead, is on humanity's need for redemption. When Jesus commissioned the disciples to preach the good news, He directed them to the "uttermost parts of the earth" (emphasis added), not the uttermost part of the galaxy or universe (see Acts 1:8). One doesn't have to read between the lines to see that God has great interest in people on the earth, whereas we have no specific revelation demonstrating God's interest in intelligent life outside of earth. A dogmatic belief in ETI simply cannot be justified from Scripture.

The focus of the ministry of Jesus Christ, as well, is on the human race. The most famous verse of the New Testament probably is (John 3:16:) "For God so the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (NASB, emphasis added) . It's true that the greek word for "world" (kosmo) can be translated as "universe," but the claim that this verse validates and biblically proves the existence of ETI is not only a massive stretch but also a hermeneutical (rules of biblical interpretation) violation. First, the word "kosmos" is used in other places in the New Testament specifically to refer to humanity (see, e.g., John 1:19). Second, such an interpretation would be out of context with the entire Bible as a whole because it's message is clearly focused on the human condition and need for redemption.

What about the "wheels" in Ezekiel? The passage referring to "wheels" within wheels" (Ezek. 1:16) initially does indeed sound like an ancient UFO report, and UFO enthusiasts regularly cite this passage in an attempt to verify their claims of extraterrestrial interventions in the course of human history. A closer examination of the text, however, clearly demonstrates that Ezikiel was communicating a vision from God (Ezek. 1:16-18) and not an extraterrestrial visitation. Basic hermeneutic rules are violated when it's assumed that the "wheels" of Ezekiel are spaceships.

Events seen in visions are not necesarrily literal but often symbolic and metaphorical. In this case, the creatures and wheels are most likely representations of angels, who are presented as God's attendants delivering a message for Israel from God to Ezekiel (Isa. 6:2).

Some commentators concur that, among other things, the "wheels" are a vision to encourage Ezekiel by reminding him of God's omnipresence. Since the Kebar river, the location of the vision, was probably south of Babylon and a place of prayer for the Jewish exiles, this vision would have been most appropriate at this site to remind Israel that wherever they went, God went, even to Babylon.

5. Proof of ETI would not undermine Christianity

Even if extraterrestrials do exist, God is their Creator, too. According to Genesis 1:1, "God created the heavens and the earth. "Such a discovery, therefore, would not nullify Christian doctrine but rather confirm the extent of God's creative capabilities. From Scripture and from creation, we see clearly that God delights in His creativity. For example, when He created angels, He didn't create just one type but rather many different kinds. It's shouldn't surprise Christians if other life forms exist in the universe. We should learn from the copernican revolution and choose our battles wisely and avoid dogmatism with scientific issues that are not clearly articulated in scripture. The bottom line for humanity, nevertheless, is that we on earth are spiritually corrupt and in need of a Savior for forgiveness and everlasting life that is available only through Jesus, regardless of the existence of ETI.

6. The UFO phenomenon tends to have occult qualities

Due to the paranormal attributes of many UFO encounters, it can be logically argued that some supernaturally devious activity exists within the UFO phenomenon. Consider the following observations:

Evil Encounters. Speaking generally, UFO abduction encounters are not pleasant and wholesome experiences. For the most part, they are nightmarish events that often plague victims for years, if not the rest of their lives. These abduction encounters are obviously not the work of benign and benevolent "space brothers".

False Prophets. The aliens consistently proclaim a different gospel. The religion of these beings is typically a version of Eastern mysticism or New Age philosophy, which is, in actuality, very old-so old, that it goes back to the Garden of Eden with the temptation to "be like God" (Gen.3:5). Paul warned the church in Galatia to be aware of false teachings regardless of how impressive the source might be. "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preach to you, let him be eternally condemned!" (Gal.1:8).

There have been numerous reports of contact with aliens, and yet none thus far has acknowledged Jesus Christ as the Son of God. (If you know of any, please write and let me know about it.) They almost always sanction various Eastern and New Age groups instead as their official spokepersons. A significant percentage of all alleged contactees admitted to be involved in some form of occult belief or practices. It is therefore reasonable to presume that in some cases a spiritual dimension is within the UFO phenomenon, and it is obviously outside the presence, activity, and authority of the Holy Spirit.

7. The UFO phenomenon is indicative of a spiritual quest

One of the characteristics of our postmodern society is spiritual curiosity. This helps explain why books such as Left Behind and Harry Potter that are poles apart in their worldviews can simultaneously share a secular bestseller list. The popularity of spiritual topics, in my opinion, is a reflection of a society that is hungry for meaning and purpose in life, which they mistakenly believe will be fufilled via contact with extraterrestrial civilization or proof that life exists outside of planet earth. In effect, for some, the search and hope for ETI amounts to a quest for an extraterrestrial savior.

We witness a glimmer of this perspective in 1996 with the premature announcement that evidence for life on mars had been found in a meteorite known as ALH84001. President Bill Clinton said, "Today, rock 84001 speaks to us across all those billions of years and millions of miles. It speaks of the possibilty of life. If this discovery is confirmed [it wasn't], it will surely be one of the most stunning insights into our universe that science has ever uncovered. It's implications are far-reaching and awe-inspiring as can be imagined.

In Megatrends 2000, John Naisbett accurately forecasted that the late nineties and early twenty-first century would experience an increased and renewed interest in spirituality, but that people would not necessarily seek out the main line Christian denominations to have those needs met. He was right. Spirituality is big business. The typical secular bookstore has entire sections devoted to UFO's, Wicca, Eastern thought, and, yes, even Christianity. An article in the New York Times Magazine described this surge of interest as a "revival", although the "revival" is not within Christianity per se, the church should recognize its unique position in being the only candidate capable of truly meeting this need.

We have seen, then that the proof for ETI is deficient and lacking. Regardless of the existence of ETI, humanity needs redemption, which is exclusively available through Jesus Christ. The presupposition that an advance alien race could solve the world's problems is misleading and deceptive. Such a hope is a cloud without rain. Christ alone is able to provide a solution to the problem of sin, and we have been commissioned to spread this good news to the utter most parts of our planet. We must focus our attention on the Gospel.