The Anti-Calvinist Rant

I wanted to add one more post upfront.  This should be the last one.  (Yeah, right!)  But I want to add this because all over my blog you'll see that I am not kind towards Calvinism.  I take very strong stands against it, to the point of calling it a false gospel.  And occasionally, I've been called out by other Christians, even by non-/anti-Calvinists, for being too harsh.   Why would I be so harsh against other Christians?  Why would I call Calvinism (which correctly says we need to "believe in Jesus to be saved") a "false gospel," instead of saying (as one non-Calvinist said) that it's the "true gospel, just deformed"?  Why do I take such a strong, ungracious stand against it?  Can't we all just get along? To explain this, here's an exchange of comments recently posted at Soteriology 101 on the post "Calvinism obscures the simple gospel."   In the article, the author says that Calvinists claim the gospel is simple and clear...

(Not starting up this blog again, just putting this front and center because it's important.) If you don't know which pastor you can trust because so many of them are Calvinists , I recommend the one I listen to most and trust as the most biblically accurate: Tony Evans.  [And for one more: The late Charles Stanley .]    Back before we left our Calvinist church, when we were getting super fed-up listening to all the Calvinist sermons, I began listening to Dr. Evans every week, and I haven't yet heard anything that alarms me or that I disagree with (except for a few very minor points when it comes to prophecy).     I actually credit Dr. Evans with "restoring my faith" after I felt it crumbling under the Calvinist preaching we were getting at the time.   For quite awhile after we got our new pastor, I didn't know he was teaching Calvinism.  I just knew something was wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it yet.  But whatever it was, it wa...

I'm not writing new posts, but I am updating old ones to clean them up, make them easier to read, and correct typos (I once accidentally left the word "not" out of a very important sentence, completely reversing the meaning of what I wanted to say.  If you see a significant type, leave a comment on my Comment Page to tell me.  Thank you.).   I 'll try to keep a running list here of all the ones I updated and when.  So far, I've redone these: Why is Calvinism so Dangerous? , November 2022.    I also re-updated these individual posts in this series in May 2023:  "#10 (Sovereignty)"  and "#13: Wrath vs. Love, and Conclusion" .  And this one in October 2023: "#15: No Altar Calls, and Replacing 'Believe' with 'Repent'" .   Is Calvinism's TULIP Biblical? , January 2023 If Calvinism is true, then God is a liar , February 2023 "Defend Your Calvinism" Challenge , 2022 12 Tips on how to think critically about Calv...

I added these few notes to my post "Is Calvinism's TULIP Biblical?"  (which I have updated this week), but I wanted to put it front and center too.  Just because. 1.   About who my fight is with: Calvinist preachers often use deception and manipulation to spread their theology.   (And once you see it, you can't unsee it.  Maybe it's my training as a counselor that helped me see it when others didn't.)   They deceive by using the same words, concepts, and verses that all Christians use, but they have very different meanings which they keep hidden for as long as possible so that they can reel you slowly and stealthily into Calvinism.  And they manipulate by making those who agree with them feel smarter, more humble, and more godly, and by shaming those who would disagree with them.  (I watched it happen firsthand.)     [Many pew-sitting Calvinists do not think of themselves as being deceptive though and are not necessarily trying...

This isn't a new post, but I wanted to let you know I updated an old post: "Why is Calvinism so dangerous?"   (I will be breaking it up into smaller posts - two per week - starting February 15, 2023 on my other blog, My Crazy Faith .)  If you read any one post of mine on Calvinism, I think it should be this one!  I think you'll enjoy it.  Unless you're a Calvinist.  You really won't enjoy it if you're a Calvinist. Calvinists: Non-Calvinists: Added Dec 19: Since we're getting close to Christmas, I'm gonna add this post I put on  my other blog .  I think it's a nice way to end this blog: This One's For You!  (A Christmas Sermon) : Did you ever listen to a sermon where you felt as if God was saying "This one's for you"?  I've never looked up Willow Creek sermons before, but for some reason I decided to watch one yesterday.  And you know what?  This one was meant for me.  It really hit me in the heart.  Watch it; it's good...