The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: Faking Death

by Tim Chaffey, AiG–U.S

In addition to studying the importance of the Resurrection of Jesus, we have looked at the “infallible proofs” and other evidences for this event. We have also critiqued many of the skeptical and critical attempts to explain away the historical evidence recorded in the New Testament. Each of these alternative hypotheses can account for portions of the evidence, but they do not come close to explaining all the facts. Unbelievers have posited that Jesus did not exist or was not even crucified, that the disciples were just seeing things, that someone moved the body, or that His body was buried in a family tomb. This article will examine a couple of views that admit Jesus was crucified but claim that He somehow managed to survive for a short time after being taken off the Cross.

The Swoon Theory

Proposed by Heinrich E.G. Paulus in The Life of Jesus (1828), the swoon theory states that Jesus was not actually dead when He was removed from the Cross. Instead, He had fallen into a coma-like state (a swoon) on the Cross and was then buried in a tomb in that condition. He later revived, rolled away the tomb’s stone from the inside, evaded the Roman guards, and escaped. He then appeared to His disciples proclaiming He had conquered death. But rather than making a full recovery, Jesus died soon thereafter due to His numerous injuries.

The Most Common FSD: Low Interest

Female sexual dysfunctions are highly prevalent, multi-dimensional, interrelated and associated with personal distress. Symptoms include problems with desire, with arousal, with orgasm/ejaculation and with pain during intercourse.

Female sexual function (interest in sexual activity) is associated with psychologic factors (mind, relationship) and biologic factors (brain, hormones, blood flow, nerves).
On the other hand, female sexual dysfunction, especially low interest, is associated with problems with mind and/or relationships and problems with brain, hormones, blood flow and/or nerves. 
If a woman complains of sexual dysfunction, such as low interest, it follows that: 
1) mental health care professionals should assess the mind and the relationship and
2) medical health care professionals should assess the integrity of the hormonal milieu, nerves and blood flow.

Of the first 3000 women with sexual dysfunctions evaluated at the Institute for Sexual Medicine, the 10 most common complaints include: 1) loss of desire since childbirth, 
2) loss of desire while using anti-depressants, 
3) loss of desire while using birth control pills, 
4) loss of desire since transition or since menopause, 5) loss of arousal since transition or since menopause, 6) never had orgasm, 
7) lost orgasm since childbirth, anti-depressants, birth control pills, 
8) sexual pain since childbirth, 
9) sexual dysfunction after hysterectomy and 
10) sexual dysfunction after breast cancer treatment.
The following represent 10 common statements from women with sexual dysfunction and low sexual interest: 
1) I am tired of being an actress, 2) I could write a book “101 ways to avoid sex with my husband”, 
3) I dread having sex, 
4) I even hate being touched, 
5) I don’t care about sex, I do this only to keep the peace, 
6) He takes this personally – even though I really love him, 
7) We live a brother-sister relationship, 
8) Not only am I not interested if I ever have sex again, it hurts so much, it is raw and burning at the vaginal opening, 
9) I do this out of pure guilt and 
10) My lack of a sex drive is causing great distress in the relationship.

Sex steroid hormones are critical for genital (clitoris, labia, vagina) structure and function. Sex steroid hormones induce protein synthesis – the proteins cause the genitals to: grow, become more sensitive, have more blood vessels, act on the brain to have libido, act on the bones, muscles, skin, mood, etc. Without sex steroids, genital tissues shrink/atrophy, become poorly sensitive and poorly engorge,

Conditions associated with reduced levels of sex steroid hormones in women with sexual dysfunction are: 1) Combined oral contraceptive pills, 
2) Infertility treatments with “lupron”, 
3) Childbirth, 
4) Hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy, 
5) Chemotherapy for cancer, 
6) Hormone ablation therapy for endometriosis, 
7) Eating disorders – bolemia, anorexia, 
8) Transition and menopause, 
9) Depression, major life stress, relationship conflicts, 10) Drug treatment for depression, 
11) Drug treatment for epilepsy, 
12) Thyroid disease (i.e. hypo- or hyper-thyroidism), 13) Lyme disease, HIV, diabetes mellitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and HIV-AIDS, and 
14) Major metabolic/nutritional disorders (e.g. iron or vitamin D deficiency)

Of the first 3000 women with sexual dysfunctions evaluated at the Institute for Sexual Medicine, those who have sexual dysfunction and low sex steroid hormone blood values have complaints of: loss of desire, decreased frequency of sexual activity, painful intercourse, atrophy of genital tissues, diminished sexual responsiveness, difficulty achieving orgasm and decreased genital sensation. Other symptoms include: less memory, less sense of smell, taste, hearing, worse vision, tiredness, fatigue, less energy, depressed mood and osteoporosis/osteopenia.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-institutional international trials have documented that androgen therapy in women with sexual dysfunction and androgen insufficiency (hypogonadism) can significantly improve sexual dysfunction during sexual activity compared to placebo. Side effects have been minimal, including no change in hirsutism or acne over baseline.

To fully evaluate androgens, we ask patients to undergo the following blood tests: DHEA-S, androstenedione, free testosterone, total testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, estrone, FSH, LH, prolactin, TSH, progesterone. Treatment with androgens is suggested if the woman with sexual dysfunction demonstrates sex steroid blood test values either below or in the lower quartile of the reference range. Patients on treatment should have follow-up blood test values every 3 months to assess the biochemical response to treatment.

In our experience, 70% of women with low interest secondary, in part, to low sex steroid blood test values will experience restoration of sexual function with normalization of the sex steroid hormone milieu.

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/sexualmedicine/informationsessions/the-most-common-fsd-low-interest/

"THE MAGIC IS NOT IN THE FAUCET!"

Matthew 17:14-21

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

"THE MAGIC IS NOT IN THE FAUCET!"

by Rev. Michael Phelps

INTRO:

Thomas Edward (T.E.) Lawrence was born on August 16, 1888 in Wales. Popularly known as Lawrence of Arabia, Lawrence became famous for his exploits as British Military liason to the Arab Revolt during the First World War.

WHAT'S OK? WHAT'S NOT? Paul & Lori Byerly

Paul & Lori Byerly

We are often asked questions like "Is oral sex OK?" or "My husband wants to make a video of us in the bedroom. Is this a sin?" The reason we get so many of these questions probably has something to do with the fact that the Bible does not specifically speak to everything that a couple can do sexually. Many couples don’t talk about these things, and it’s not uncommon for both husband and wife to want to try something new, but each is afraid the other will be upset or offended. Our aim here is to provide a way for a couple to discuss these issues.

Where scripture is silent, we must look at Biblical principles to build outlines for what is, and is not, good for our marriage bed.

Washington DC Residents Watch More Porn Than Anyone Else

DC residents watched nearly twice as many Pornhub videos per capita in 2012 than the next horniest states, which are also in the Northeast.

Alanna OkunBuzzFeed Staff

Chris RitterBuzzFeed Staff