All Set Free - Page 3 of 17 - None Are Free Unless All Are Free

Direct Experience vs. The Bible: Some Initial Thoughts

May 29, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

Over the past couple weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about experience and how it relates to truth, the pursuit of truth, the Bible, and so on and so forth. I’ve been doing this, not only because my friend and colleague Keith Giles has been discussing it a lot on his blog and elsewhere, but because it’s been the topic of conversation during my weekly bonfires with my best friend and fellow author Mike Machuga. What I have found utterly… Read more

If Anyone Is Going to Hell, It’s the Christians

May 22, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

38 Comments

Although I no longer engage in theological discussions on Facebook all that often, I still get into it with folks from time to time. What I find fascinating is the level of certainty with which many Christians approach whatever topics are being discussed. Especially confounding is how many of these “believers” offhandedly talk about the fate of non-believers. In essence, everyone is going to hell. Muslims. Atheists. Jews. Even Christians who theologically see things differently than them are one day… Read more

A Quick Note to Kevin DeYoung

May 18, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

3 Comments

Hey man, I doubt you know who I am. And that’s totally cool. Unlike the folks you roll with, I’m a nobody. But I know who you are. I saw your interview from the film “Hellbound?” And although I don’t agree with you on most theological matters, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to talk to Kevin Miller. Given that you guys vehemently disagree, it probably took some guts to do that. Anyway, the other day, I… Read more

The Date for the End of the World REVEALED!!!

May 11, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

38 Comments

There have been a multitude of end-of-the-world predictions concocted throughout my lifetime. Too many to count in fact. The latest comes from this crackpot named Mathieu Jean-Marc Rodrigue, who claims that according to the Bible, June 24, 2018 will be that fateful day. Somehow or another, if you do some calculations based on crop prices, a passage from the book of Revelations (yes, with an “s”), and some other nonsense that I can’t quite follow, you’ll come up with this… Read more

A Biblical Worldview? No Thanks!

May 7, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

33 Comments

There are many Christian phrases that make me recoil in agony. In fact, a short time back, I wrote an article on some of the ones I find most cringeworthy. You can read it here. One I didn’t cover, however, is the phrase “biblical worldview.” So, that is what I am going to focus on in this piece. To start, I really don’t even know if such a worldview exists. Sure, many Christians, being the self-referential creatures of certainty that… Read more

Can We At Least Be Honest?

May 2, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

9 Comments

If you read my previous post, then you are probably well aware that my patience with Christianity is wearing thin. Does that mean I’m renouncing Jesus? No. Does that mean I’m going to stop believing in the Gospel? No. Does that mean I’m heading back to atheism? No. It just means I’m frustrated and felt comfortable enough to voice my frustration. I’m frustrated, first and foremost, because Christians are refusing to have honest discussions with each other. We aren’t, by… Read more

Losing Patience with Christianity

April 25, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

339 Comments

People far and wide are losing patience with the Christian church. And so they are leaving her. In droves. And I don’t blame them. Not one bit. It has become a tired religion. And it’s a tiring religion. It kicks your ass, makes you feel like a loathsome spider, and then sends you packing the moment you step out of line. That’s been my experience anyway. Now, to be clear, in spite of this harsh criticism, I will gladly admit… Read more

Am I Really One With Satan?

April 20, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

15 Comments

I’ve often been accused of being one with Satan. Given that the satan—or, ha satan in Hebrew—can translate to “the accuser,” I find this deliciously ironic. Nevertheless, it seems to be some Christians’ favorite thing to say about me. Case in point, check out this “review” of my latest book “Heretic!”: “This is a demonic lie. It directly goes against the very words of Jesus and it is a Gospel of the spineless who are not willing to face the… Read more

The Heresy Hunters of “Come Sunday”

April 18, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

15 Comments

The other day, I watched the Netflix original film “Come Sunday,” which chronicles Bishop Carlton Pearson’s deconstruction out of Infernalism (the doctrine that states some humans will burn in hell for all eternity). My goal in this piece is not to offer a review or to drop spoiler bombs on y’all. (Just go watch the film. It’s great.) Rather, I wanted to discuss one specific thing that happened in the film and talk about why it annoyed me so much…. Read more

4 Heresies That Really Aren’t

April 11, 2018 By Matthew Distefano

26 Comments

Being called a heretic is not something I relish. It can be humorous, sure. But, for the most part, it’s nothing more than an annoying distraction that offers zero meat to the conversation. Take, for instance, what YouTube commenter—and all around super-Christian, I’m sure—AJ Velichko recently said about my latest book: “You’re a heretic Matthew and your book is going to lead people to hell. You need to REPENT and withdraw all of your books and ask God to undo… Read more