W. Kent Smith - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by W. Kent Smith
One of the most familiar biblical mandates of all time is contained in the sixth commandment, whi... more One of the most familiar biblical mandates of all time is contained in the sixth commandment, which states: “You Should Not Kill.” On the surface, this decree seems to condemn anyone involved in the taking of human life, such as soldiers, executioners, or police. In every case, there’s a tendency to enlist God and His word in the holy crusade of anyone citing this prohibition against the killing of humans. The only problem: The God of the Paradox isn’t that easily corralled into such one-dimensional thinking. And this is where The Bible becomes a quagmire of apparent contradictions, leading to centuries of confusion on the part of a disbelieving world who, without even knowing it, are themselves victims of the most unnecessary form of disinformation in the history of Scripture. Because unlike so many biblical misconceptions, which demand extensive review of their proper context to disarm them, this misconception requires very little.
For as long as anyone can remember, the promise of an eternal Heaven, the threat of an eternal He... more For as long as anyone can remember, the promise of an eternal Heaven, the threat of an eternal Hell, and the doctrine of the eternal human soul have been heralded from virtually every sacred space. To believe otherwise is not only unthinkable but heretical as well, if one claims to believe The Bible. Oddly enough, though, when one simply takes the time to fully examine the Scriptures, one is irrevocably thunderstruck by the inconsistency of believing in said eternal nature of Heaven, Hell, and the human soul. But mind you, I'm not suggesting here that the Godhead itself isn't eternal in every sense of what that word implies. Instead, what I will be questioning is whether Heaven, Hell, and the human soul bear any intrinsic resemblance to the Godhead Who created them.
One of the most overlooked aspects concerning the subject of biblical prophecy is that some one-t... more One of the most overlooked aspects concerning the subject of biblical prophecy is that some one-third of the prophecies in The Bible originated as a dream -- or as is sometimes the case, a vision, which is just another way of saying a waking dream. If that's true, then perhaps the domain of prophecy isn't restricted to just the prophets of old but is also open to all humans due to the fact that we all dream.
Even though The Bible claims that God alone created the stars, and gave each one a name of their ... more Even though The Bible claims that God alone created the stars, and gave each one a name of their own, anyone who even suggests The Zodiac is anything more than Satan’s exclusive domain is instantly branded a fool or heretic. Instead of seeing the stars of Heaven as divine instruments of creation, Christians insist they’re vile tools of Hell to be avoided at all cost. However, a thorough examination of Scripture clearly reveals that not only were the individual stars named by God but the constellations were also designated by Him: Arcturus, Orion, the Pleiades, and the like. What’s more, these stars and constellations weren’t created just to be mere ornaments beautifying the night sky but are, says Scripture, intended to convey signs and wonders to humanity, which expressly declare the glory of God.
Despite the well-known declaration of Scripture, that humans are created in the image of God, it ... more Despite the well-known declaration of Scripture, that humans are created in the image of God, it has long been asserted by Western Protestantism that there is no feminine component to be found in the Godhead. But upon further review of two self-evident facts, a much different picture emerges: First, there is the most obvious reality that women -- made in God's image -- comprise half of said human race and so this should shed light on the true nature of the Divine. And second, there are the words that biblical writers use, which reveal a further truth in light of the original languages of both The Old Testament and The New Testament.
Books by W. Kent Smith
THE JOY OF CYNICISM AND THE DEATH OF BEAUTY: How Your Worldview Shapes the World You Live In, 2023
If you’re a member of the human race, then you’re no stranger to one of the most destructive forc... more If you’re a member of the human race, then you’re no stranger to one of the most destructive forces in the Universe: cynicism. Instead of seeing the beauty in life, the cynical mind sees only ugliness and in doing so changes that beauty into something ugly. To better understand how to resist such a mindset is the subject of this work, The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty: How Your Worldview Shapes the World You Live In.
In humanity's darkest hour, the God of The Bible uttered His most pivotal promise to Adam and Eve... more In humanity's darkest hour, the God of The Bible uttered His most pivotal promise to Adam and Eve, to their children, to their descendants, to us. And although this promise was of the utmost importance—as so often happens in the history of God's revelation—a knowledge of this primordial promise was obscured over time and nearly lost to history forever. This book, Tales of Forever, tells the story of that promise, and the marvelous way that, no matter how hard the forces of darkness sought to eclipse a knowledge of this promise, the light of hope it held out to humanity could never be fully extinguished.
One of the most familiar biblical mandates of all time is contained in the sixth commandment, whi... more One of the most familiar biblical mandates of all time is contained in the sixth commandment, which states: “You Should Not Kill.” On the surface, this decree seems to condemn anyone involved in the taking of human life, such as soldiers, executioners, or police. In every case, there’s a tendency to enlist God and His word in the holy crusade of anyone citing this prohibition against the killing of humans. The only problem: The God of the Paradox isn’t that easily corralled into such one-dimensional thinking. And this is where The Bible becomes a quagmire of apparent contradictions, leading to centuries of confusion on the part of a disbelieving world who, without even knowing it, are themselves victims of the most unnecessary form of disinformation in the history of Scripture. Because unlike so many biblical misconceptions, which demand extensive review of their proper context to disarm them, this misconception requires very little.
For as long as anyone can remember, the promise of an eternal Heaven, the threat of an eternal He... more For as long as anyone can remember, the promise of an eternal Heaven, the threat of an eternal Hell, and the doctrine of the eternal human soul have been heralded from virtually every sacred space. To believe otherwise is not only unthinkable but heretical as well, if one claims to believe The Bible. Oddly enough, though, when one simply takes the time to fully examine the Scriptures, one is irrevocably thunderstruck by the inconsistency of believing in said eternal nature of Heaven, Hell, and the human soul. But mind you, I'm not suggesting here that the Godhead itself isn't eternal in every sense of what that word implies. Instead, what I will be questioning is whether Heaven, Hell, and the human soul bear any intrinsic resemblance to the Godhead Who created them.
One of the most overlooked aspects concerning the subject of biblical prophecy is that some one-t... more One of the most overlooked aspects concerning the subject of biblical prophecy is that some one-third of the prophecies in The Bible originated as a dream -- or as is sometimes the case, a vision, which is just another way of saying a waking dream. If that's true, then perhaps the domain of prophecy isn't restricted to just the prophets of old but is also open to all humans due to the fact that we all dream.
Even though The Bible claims that God alone created the stars, and gave each one a name of their ... more Even though The Bible claims that God alone created the stars, and gave each one a name of their own, anyone who even suggests The Zodiac is anything more than Satan’s exclusive domain is instantly branded a fool or heretic. Instead of seeing the stars of Heaven as divine instruments of creation, Christians insist they’re vile tools of Hell to be avoided at all cost. However, a thorough examination of Scripture clearly reveals that not only were the individual stars named by God but the constellations were also designated by Him: Arcturus, Orion, the Pleiades, and the like. What’s more, these stars and constellations weren’t created just to be mere ornaments beautifying the night sky but are, says Scripture, intended to convey signs and wonders to humanity, which expressly declare the glory of God.
Despite the well-known declaration of Scripture, that humans are created in the image of God, it ... more Despite the well-known declaration of Scripture, that humans are created in the image of God, it has long been asserted by Western Protestantism that there is no feminine component to be found in the Godhead. But upon further review of two self-evident facts, a much different picture emerges: First, there is the most obvious reality that women -- made in God's image -- comprise half of said human race and so this should shed light on the true nature of the Divine. And second, there are the words that biblical writers use, which reveal a further truth in light of the original languages of both The Old Testament and The New Testament.
THE JOY OF CYNICISM AND THE DEATH OF BEAUTY: How Your Worldview Shapes the World You Live In, 2023
If you’re a member of the human race, then you’re no stranger to one of the most destructive forc... more If you’re a member of the human race, then you’re no stranger to one of the most destructive forces in the Universe: cynicism. Instead of seeing the beauty in life, the cynical mind sees only ugliness and in doing so changes that beauty into something ugly. To better understand how to resist such a mindset is the subject of this work, The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty: How Your Worldview Shapes the World You Live In.
In humanity's darkest hour, the God of The Bible uttered His most pivotal promise to Adam and Eve... more In humanity's darkest hour, the God of The Bible uttered His most pivotal promise to Adam and Eve, to their children, to their descendants, to us. And although this promise was of the utmost importance—as so often happens in the history of God's revelation—a knowledge of this primordial promise was obscured over time and nearly lost to history forever. This book, Tales of Forever, tells the story of that promise, and the marvelous way that, no matter how hard the forces of darkness sought to eclipse a knowledge of this promise, the light of hope it held out to humanity could never be fully extinguished.