Recent content by shawntc

  1. shawntc

    Need Idea for Topical Devotion

    I've read the Bible a couple times through. I've read some books more than others. Right now I don't have anything to read for my devotional. I would like suggestions for a Bible study I can read for my (usually) daily devotional. I'd like it to be something practical, not just reading through a...
  2. shawntc

    I'm a Sinner at Church, Too

    I have a desire to be true to who I am. I don't like the idea of pretending to be something I'm not. People should know the real me. A lot of times we're inclined to be on our best behavior when we enter a church building for Sunday service. It's God's house, after all, and we are surrounded by...
  3. shawntc

    My Crisis of Faith

    "Oh great. Another idiot who thinks the world is only 6,000 years old!" This statement by an anonymous user on the Internet is what set a search for answers into motion. I forget what the topic was but when I mentioned my Christian perspective, the person typed this sentence and abruptly left...
  4. shawntc

    The Quiet God

    One of the more challenging aspects of being a Christian is accepting that, for all the idealism that the Bible portrays, things don't always turn out like rainbows and daisies. We don't always get what we've asked God for. Sometimes it feels like a grave injustice is being done to us and God...
  5. shawntc

    Any Fellow Story Writers?

    One of my hobbies is writing. In the past I'd try to make novels, but that's way out of my league. Recently I've begun doing short stories, and I'm finding the format much more pleasing. My ideas usually aren't big enough to be novels, but serve better as short stories or novellas. I posted a...
  6. shawntc

    Homosexuality and Salvation

    One of the more visible topics in society these days is homosexuality. In the church, one of the big questions being asked is, "Is it right?" That's for another post. The question I want to address is, "Can gays be saved?" My answer is "Yes." Now, before you form a mob with pitchforks, I want...
  7. shawntc

    Narrowing Down My Apologetic Interests

    Let me see if I can try to narrow down the sort of stuff I want to look into with apologetics. Teleological argument: Does the multiverse exist? Does the multiverse threaten the existence of God? What is Intelligent Design? How does Intelligent Design indicate the existence of a Designer? How...
  8. shawntc

    Prayer

    I wish I prayed more, about things in general. I wonder how often prayer is neglected or underestimated. It may seem useless, talking to the air. But in reality, prayer is communicating with the creator of the universe. Our prayers can influence the actions of God. Theologians and philosophers...
  9. shawntc

    Who's Afraid of the Multiverse?

    Some of you may have heard the term "multiverse" thrown around before. Basically, this is a theory which tries to explain how our universe came into existence. Many see it as something that can explain the existence of the universe instead of God. Because I am interested in topics related to...
  10. shawntc

    In the Face of Disunity, Love

    The next entry in my series, "I Give Up on Everything!" :D If you spend more than just a few minutes in the Lounge or Bible Study room in the chat, you're going to find people that you disagree with. In 2,000 years of history, somehow the church has come to develop an insane amount of inner...
  11. shawntc

    Requiem for the American Ecclesiastical

    (Unpopular opinions lie below. Read at your own peril.) I'm about ready to give up on the American church. My experiences have led me to find that Christianity in the US has become more of a "feel good" religion than anything else. "Nothing can stop my faith in God!" one might declare...
  12. shawntc

    I'm a Layman

    I've been bothered by something lately. I want to contribute to the church and to the society around me. Not in the form of money, but in the way of practical help. There are plenty of skills I have: administration, cleaning, teaching, social media, and so on. Yet I simply see no ways of helping...
  13. shawntc

    Simple Life, Complex World

    The idea of a simpler life has been floating around in my brain for a while now. I was thinking earlier about how simple life must have been in the Middle Ages. Every Sunday morning the church bells would ring, and almost everyone in the community would flock together for Mass, where hopefully...
  14. shawntc

    Free Holy Rap site

    I found the site FreeHolyRap.com through a song I was listening to on Spotify. The person has plenty of music on there and it seems interesting. If anyone is into rap or techno you might enjoy it.
  15. shawntc

    Dreams that Don't Come True

    I've spent the last couple hours in a bit of a depressed state. Why? Because I've been thinking about the fact that it's rather unlikely that any of my dreams or desires will ever come true. Let's consider what I want to do: Publish a novel The chances I will ever write a story so...