Two unmatched strands of a future storySeem (un)resolved, but not too clear;Felt 'twas one; but, now feels dividedBetween the now and the coming then.Hoped 'twas one, the tale was unmixed,And the future unraveled this form of the best;But, though 'twas two, and the latter come true,This thing will happily come to rest.© Domenic Marbaniang, March 30, 2...
Wisdom is the Principal Thing
The Book of Proverbs in the Bible presents Wisdom as the first of all things (Prov.4:7). Wisdom existed before the worlds existed, for by it were the worlds created, it says. Therefore, King Solomon advices the youth to first seek for wisdom above all things, above rubies, pearls, and whatever categorized material blessings in those days. For, when wisdom comes it comes with these and more.Interestingly, the word “philosophy” actually referred to the Greek quest or love for wisdom (phileo meaning “to love” and sophia meaning “wisdom”). Sadly, in...
Why Gandhi Didn’t Become a Christian - In His Own Words
Why Gandhi Didn’t Become a ChristianQuotes from Mahatma Gandhi’s An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with TruthTranslated from Gujarati by Mahadev Desai, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 1927Online Book: http://www.mkgandhi-sarvodaya.org/autobio/autobio.htmChapter 20: Acquaintance with ReligionsAbout the same time I met a good Christian from Manchester in a vegetarian boarding house. He talked to me about Christianity. I narrated...
The Culture of Shame and the Shame of the Cross (Hebrews 12:2)
Message delivered at Pentecostal Church, Itarsi. Tuesday, March 16, 2010."looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrew 12:2He despised the shame....The consciousness of shame that the world has is warped, distorted, confused; its values are determined by the shame culture.Luke 16:15: "what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."Note: It says "abomination in the...
Why Idolatry is Wrong
IDOLATRY© Domenic Marbaniang, May 2007Published in the Light of Life Magazine, Mumbai, 2007INTRODUCTION‘Idolatry’ may be defined as the practice of worshipping and serving images (pictures, sculpts, etc) as identical with, as representative of, or as deity. In almost every major religion, idolatrous misrepresentation of God has been denounced at some point or the other by religious reformers. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are blatantly against idolatry. Though Roman Catholicism practices reverence to icons, such practice is nowhere endorsed...
Churn, Lord...
Churn, Lord... May the Sword of Your Spirit pierce through my conscious and subconscious, stirring, churning, and bringing to surface all that Your grace has worked, warned, and willed in me. Bath my memory with the cream of Your goodness and mercy! In Christ's Name, Am...
Religions and An Evangelist's Approach to Other Faiths - Lectures
From Lectures given at Grace Covenant Church Short-term Bible School, Shillong. April, 2008IndiaMotley of religionsBirth soil of major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, SikkhismModern Problems - Pluralism, FundamentalismModern Issues - Religious ConversionsMeaning of ReligionThe word comes from the Latin "religare" and means "to bind"Religion:-Binds a community together to some authority-Binds the adherent to the religious creed-Binds people to customs, rituals...Functions as a kind of social adhesive - Religion is the soul of cultureOrigin...
A Matter of Faith
A Matter of FaithZERO REINTERPRETEDDr. Domenic MarbaniangProfessor, CITS. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God….” (Heb. 11:3)One distinctive tenet of Christian faith is the doctrine of creatio ex nihilo or creation out of nothing. Contrary to many other cosmogonies, the Bible teaches us that God did not create this world out of some primordial substance; the universe is not eternal, but God created the world out of nothing. This is contrary to the natural principle that something cannot come out...
