The Anti-Calvinist Rant

I just watched Jordan Hatfield's interview with Alana L,   about her leaving Calvinism, and I totally recommend it.  It's really good.  (And I really appreciate the graciousness these two display.)   And I'm writing this because I wanted to say something to her, but I can't find an email address for her and I don't leave comments on YouTube videos.  (And so I'm hoping that someone can eventually share this with her.  Here's her YouTube channel . ) First of all, Alana, I'm so glad you (and Jordan) are speaking out against Calvinism.  We need all the voices we can get.  There are so many good things you said.  And I totally get what you said about how disagreeing with Calvinism leads to communication issues with other people at church, and how it ends up making you pull back, feeling like you have to go through it alone.   I understand.  My husband and I were one of the only ones (the only ones?) pushing back against the Calvinism in our church.  And it ma

#68 in "The Calvinist ESV"  series, from the long post  "A Random Verse That Destroys Calvinism (And 'Is the ESV a Calvinist Bible'?)" : #68:  (I simplified this one but made it longer in the process.  Go figure.)   This one is about the end times.  In  Revelation 5:9-10 , the elders around the throne in heaven are singing about the people God has redeemed from the earth. In the KJV, it says that Jesus  "hast redeemed  us  to God by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.  And hast made  us  unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth."    But the ESV says:  "... by your blood you ransomed  people  for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made  them  a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."    In the KJV, the elders identify themselves as part of the redeemed group, but the ESV (and many others) makes it sound like the elders are

Just wanted to pass along this quick, wonderful testimony from someone who came out of a commune/cult (the 60's!):  Why I Believe in a Biblical Worldview (A Testimony)  by Rick Segoine.  I loved it when he said  "...  along with all of the study and knowledge that comes with it, my dear and precious Jesus always reminded me along the way to never forsake the simple things.  The simple faith of a child. The gratefulness for my salvation and what He did for me. My heart filled with His love..." This resonated with me because after leaving our church (because of Calvinism - lofty, convoluted, contradictory, soul-deadening, love-destroying, faith-suffocating garbage), I have been longing to get back to the simple things.   Simple truths.  Simple joys.  Simple relationship with God.  Simple Gospel. "For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."    ( John 3:16 ) We complicate things s

Some testimonies from those who came out of Calvinism: Alana L.: In and Out of Calvinism, Part 1   [She's been popping up here and there lately, but I only just recently started watching her.  It's great she's sharing her story.  For more about her story: Here's a quick 6-minute peek at her testimony from Faith on Fire , a guy my husband has been watching recently.  Here's her 2-hour interview with Leighton Flowers from Soteriology 101 and  her 80-minute interview with Jordan Hatfield from Great Light Studios.] Living Christian: Why I don't believe in Calvinism anymore (I was sent this link by a friend who recently left Calvinism.  I haven't watched it fully yet, but thought I'd share it anyway.  And here's an almost  2-hour video  where Alana interviews him about leaving Calvinism.) Why Reject Calvinism? (Leighton Flowers' interview with Jordan Hatfield of Great Light Studios.  Not sure why, but when I click the link, it automatically start

A fantastic song from a fantastic movie ( Jesus Revolution  - a favorite!):  Living Water  by Anne Wilson  As she rightly sings, "He paid  every  sinner's price!" And so "every outcast, every wrong-way, runaway rebel" - no matter who you are or where you've been - can come on down to the Living Water and find hope, healing, and eternal life in Jesus.   No one is hopeless.  No one is too far gone.  No one is destined for hell.   There's a place for us all in God's family.  All of us are able to and welcome to freely accept the gift of eternal life, paid for by Jesus's death for us all.   “For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.    For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."    ( John 3:16-17 ) "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge

Here is the second half of the letter I wrote to pastors whom I don't think are Calvinists but who quote from Calvinists a lot.  (I added a few extra quotes and notes that I didn't include in the letter I mailed to them.  When do I ever make anything shorter !?!): FYI, Here are some direct quotes from Calvinists, so that you can see what Calvinism really is in their own words, so that you can see that I’m not exaggerating or misunderstanding them  [my comments in brackets and italics] : John Calvin,  from  Institutes of the Christian Religion, book 1, chapter 16 :  “Hence we maintain that, by his providence, not heaven and earth and inanimate creatures only, but also the counsels and  wills of men are so governed as to move exactly in the course which he has destined…  Men  do nothing save at the secret instigation of God , and do not discuss and deliberate on anything but what he has previously  decreed  with himself, and  brings to pass by his secret direction.”    From  Con