About this site

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Purpose

The purpose of this site is:

To help Christians engage in intelligent and persuasive conversations with doubters and unbelievers

Most Christians are unprepared for the tough questions being asked today by well-educated people who need coherent answers about the reasons for Christian faith.

Most doubters and unbelievers today – particularly the 'nones' – don't go to church, don't go to Christian media sites, and don't read Christian books. More than a fourth of young Americans today are raised in families without any religious teaching at all.

The only way they will understand Christian faith is if Christians tell them in sensible language they can understand. Sadly, most Christians keep silent whenever spiritual conversation gets below surface level.

Many Christians think that just living a good life or giving testimony is enough. But there are people of all faiths who live good lives and give testimony to some kind of spiritual faith. The modern reaction is, 'That's cool. You have your spirituality ... he has his ... she has hers ... and I have mine. That's what's so beautiful.'

Solid Christian faith needs to be based on facts recorded in the Bible ... tested by tough questions and intelligent answers ... confirmed by feelings, not based on feelings.

Doubters and unbelievers

This site is about doubters and unbelievers but is not intended for them directly. This site is for Christians, to help Christians become more comfortable and effective in spiritual conversations.

Thinkers Bible Studies can make Christians more confident, respected and persuasive.

This site helps Christians build bridges from unbelief to belief.

Removing barriers

'The heart cannot embrace what the mind cannot accept.' (Anonymous Christian pastor)

The Christian message was simple as expressed by Jesus and his apostles, but over a span of two thousand years, Christianity has sprouted many different branches – Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentacostal, etc.

There are now more than 2,500 different Christian denominations, each believing that its interpretation of scripture and definition of Christian faith and practice is the correct one. No wonder doubters are confused!

Over time, theologians and pastors within each denomination have formulated explicit doctrines of faith. Many of these doctrines, though good in themselves, are not what Jesus taught and not grounded in scripture – just extra baggage, creating enormous barriers to Christian faith for doubters and unbelievers.

This site identifies the barriers ... examines them in careful Bible study ... and shows how they can be removed, or at least reduced in size.

Writer

Writer for this site is Richard Lundborg, responding to questions being asked by people today who can't get clear and direct answers in church.

◉ Statement from the writer

– FROM THE WRITER –

I WOULD PREFER to remain anonymous, but that arouses suspicions, so here is full disclosure.

I write and produce this site myself to help others in their spiritual journey, with nothing expected in return. I'm just eager to share what I've discovered over the years.

I have no theological credentials to offer. I have a full-time law degree and MBA but have never been to seminary. Maybe that's why the presentation here is different from most religious sites. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, have studied the Bible carefully for decades, and have enjoyed a long and happy Christian life.

I have held management positions in three Fortune 500 corporations ... owned companies of my own (real estate development, mortgage financing and restaurants) ... retired at 49 ... then volunteer consulting with dozens of national and international Christian organizations in strategic planning and fund raising ... and I have done some writing and teaching over the years on various theological topics.

I have been a leader in my local church ... traveled in more than 50 countries ... first marriage, three children, twelve grandchildren.

For this site, I have pulled together important information from the Bible, history, and science and have organized all to form a comprehensive and coherent theology. Not just bits and pieces, but a structure for the whole of it, summarized, online in one place, quick access, easily shareable.

New material is added every week.

I believe that the Bible is the Word of God – the foundation and test for Christian belief. I don't challenge the Bible, but I do challenge some traditional interpretations. I make my case with in-depth Bible studies which lay out all relevant Bible statements in a way that enables you to see for yourself what the Bible actually says.

This site tells not only WHAT millions of Christians believe, but also WHY. Even if you come to some different conclusions, I trust that this will help you find and articulate the REASONS for your own faith.

Most people read the Bible to affirm what they have been taught. Hopefully, this will help you read it for new insights.

Richard Lundborg

Minneapolis MN / January 2021

Personal bio

'ALWAYS BE PREPARED to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the REASON for the hope that you have.' – I Peter 3:15

Sources

There is nothing new here that hasn't already been expressed in the media or on the Internet, or discussed somewhere. The purpose is not to develop something new, but to simplify the basic teachings of the Bible and make them intelligible to ordinary people.

The Bible itself is the information source for this site, with some help from science and history for interpretation. Statements here are the result of direct Bible study, documented here in detail.

This is basic Christianity at the core, stripped of Bible stretches and add-ons.

Method

This is not a typical fill-in-the-blanks or lecture-type of Bible study.

This study uses the Socratic method of learning, the method used with amazing success by the Apostle Paul in the Hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus (Acts 19:8-10).

This is a method of open questioning and investigation with these distinctives:

No question is out of bounds. No one is judged or rebuked for respectful objections or comments.
No church talk. No celebrity authorities. The only authority here is the Bible, which is the sole subject of objective study and discussion, one topic at a time.
This is deep focused learning for the purpose of gaining new spiritual understanding and the ability to explain it intelligently and persuasively to others.

The Socratic method is not a debate where there are winners and losers. It is an exploration method for finding truth, wherever the truth may lead.

Most people like to learn through the Socratic method but are afraid to participate directly in it because it exposes lack of knowledge and incoherent thinking, often making participants feel humiliated or embarrassed. However, this site simulates the method online so that anyone can just sit back in his or her own home and‍ get all the keys points without having to go anywhere or speak to any group.

Funding

This site is produced and funded by Lundborg Foundation as a public service.

Costs are covered by investment income and a $10,000 per month grant from Google Foundation. (Google does not endorse site content but gives grants to IRS-approved nonprofits which maintain sites with excellent user experience, high technical quality, high click-through rates, and high user time on page.)

No contributions have ever been solicited or received by Lundborg Foundation. No products or services are for sale, promoted, linked or endorsed.

Lundborg Foundation is not affiliated in any way with any church, school, business or other organization of any kind. It is totally independent and not constrained or influenced by any constituency.

The only objective here is to help people better understand Christian faith and experience a better life ... and to share it.

Work in process

This site started in 2020 and is still in early stages of development. New materials and edits are added every week.

Come back often for review and fresh content.

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◉ Recent comments from readers

You’re freaking idiots led by Satan! Change the Bible, go to hell! Hope you enjoy it!

Humans were around a lot longer the 4000 bc. Thats not even as old as Sumer the first proven civilization. Evidence strongly supports that civilization may have existed long before Sumer.

Very insightful

Really enjoyed

Loved it. Been saying it for years but nobody listened.

Thank you

This is a great Bible study, it explains everything perfectly so there is no confusion anywhere, it just helps understanding the Bible and God's word so well.

I stumbled on your website recently, and was impressed by the scope of it and the balance evident in it.

Do you offer a textbook?

awesome info keep up this good work

Great job! Fantastic resource for believers not only to be able to speak intelligently in a time of waning faith, but for our own education and edification as well!

Your are wrong

Of course there were people before Adam. Adam and Eve were created for a line through which Christ would come.

This is great, I am going to read more of your topics!

Not bad, I'll have to check the Hebrew to double-triple check, for this kind of study the KJ is almost useless.

Yes, I agree there is a lot of evidence to substantiate what you say. I have often thought about this myself. Thank you for all the research you have done.

Interesting !!

This is awesome, very detailed information and totally makes sense, thanks for sharing!

Interesting and thought provoking, following a line of thinking that has interested me for years. To question traditional interpretation doesn't detract from the validity and power of scripture but reinforces it. Jesus was rejected by the religious experts of His day because He didn't fit the traditional interpreting of scripture. We still have much to learn.

Thank you for the article! There are several nonbelievers in my life that I love deeply. My heart breaks for them. Every time I share my faith, I'm bombarded with science. Perhaps this will help. Thank you. God bless you.

You have answered so many questions for me! Thank you!

praying Gods direction, provision, and anointing on this site and everyone, like me, blessed enough to have been led to it .

Bullshit. Just utter bullshit.

This makes me better understand that you need to "dig deeper" in Bible study.

Great explanation of something I've wondered about.

I really liked what is written and honestly agree with the reasoning. May the Almighty broaden my mind to perceive and digest these facts.

Wish I could remember all this.

Thank you for letting me know. Opened up my mind.

This is utter nonsense in my opinion

I don’t think Adam was the first human on earth. I am 72 in age. Most people my age and older do not have this perception. But from my bible study I believe this Genesis points to others.

I learned one key thing and that is to be very careful w/pastors speaking lots of stuff from their memory bank & not reading from the word of God to express truth. Recently, I heard a famous pastor out in Georgia saying that Adam was the 1st man and I automatically remembered how my friend asked then where did Cain's wife came from if it were only Adam & Eve plus their 2 sons, that provoked me to open up my bible and see for myself and went further to discover that Cain was even afraid that other people would kill him (key that other people existed).

I can't wait to share this article with my grandson.

The problem with "science" today that too much of it is based on theory and not enough observation.

If for nothing else, this at least may cause someone to dig deeper.

2nd law of thermodynamics disproves big bang & evolution.

Thank you for helping to break down these scriptures, I found out now a lot of what I thought I knew was actually just tradition, most of which was confusing up until now, very grateful.

FInally someone uses their brain instead of emotions to explain what I have thought and tried to say for sooo long. Thank you!

Just came across your website, want to commend you on believing the Bible can and should be read as the Truth. I have always believed that if I cannot make sense out of the scriptures, it is my deficiently not the Bibles. God Bless.

I really enjoy your website. I find your arguments compelling.

God created everything that was created in six literal days.

Thank you for this! I have had many conversations about science and Christianity. I am not very smart but now I am a little smarter.

I admit that I have some struggles with your interweaving of science and the Bible, but that will not stop me from reading and considering the material.

This is a very interesting read and I'm going to be reading it again.

The reason the doctrine of original sin arose, was that Augustine couldn't read Greek and there was an inadequacy at certain points in the Latin translation, resulting in a misunderstanding.

Wrong!!

Thank you for the work that goes into this site, and please keep the good material coming.

I like it! I always wondered about the dinosaurs, and whether other people lived before Adam. You see, the Bible says that Cain was worried about being slain by other people. So, what does that tell you? It's more to the Bible than some clergymen are letting on.

I appreciate this study.

Love the study

Thank you for this most interesting discussion of genealogy re: the timing of the first man as relates to both the Bible as well as archaeology!!!

Of course. If Adam and Eve were the only humans and had children, who did the children copulate with? If it was each other, then everyone would have mental defects. The Adam & Eve story is just the beginning of the Old Testament.

Blessings to you!!

You really don’t understand the Bible at all.

Would like to keep you on my site for further study. You made me think.

I am eagerly awaiting more topics.

Very interesting please keep me posted

When are you going to have more?

I ran across your website this morning. At age 50, I lead a women's Bible Study in Florida. I am at a place where I am questioning so many things about what I have been taught - traditions handed down for generations. To continue teaching is becoming challenging. I have a daughter who is also a believer but wrestles aloud with questions concerning Adam and original sin, eternal hell with eternal suffering, etc. Honestly, I think her wrestling has led me to stop and think more. So now I am seeking…

Are these lessons available in printed form that can be purchased or that can be downloaded on line in a condensed version?

With this pandemic going on, I have many of these conversations with myself.

Brilliant

An extremely good read.Would like very much to hear more.

Fully embrace this information. By the Spirit I have been convinced before reading this. Any serious thinker who is honest and observant will become agnostic in trying to remain with the ultra conservative ideas of literal six day creation. What a beautiful creation was being made by a glorious intelligent designer!

I love the premise of this site and its focus on engaging the modern doubter or unbeliever, and can't wait to see the new material that is planned.

Very interesting. Verification of my own thoughts.

This is heresy. I hope you repent and trust the Scriptures.

Mainstream science is wrong about almost everything.

Pure sophistry for the purpose of setting aside the claims of God upon us.

Someone has never had a real encounter with God and does not know the assumptions he is making with the scientific evidence. Sad when you don't know either God or Science

Thank you so much for confirming what I had always thought!!! Our Father makes wonderous wonders!!!

Fascinating to think about. Here is something also to absorb. Let Us make man in Our image. Who is Us? Why not let Me make man in my image. Sounds plural to me. Thank you for the compelling argument Adam is not the first man:)

Not only do I thoroughly enjoy the topics you discuss but also the motivation behind their writing.

Right!

Thank you I knew about these things but I did not understand

This is the best information a believer can get. Where can I donate. Big Bang is consistent to the Bible, great news. Let’s ge smart about religion. Saying the Bible is wrong has helped millions become non believers. This news can reinforce the beliefs in those who strive to believe but need a more firm and also scientific reasoning for the existence of a God. Great web site!

All present dating methods are based on assumptions that cannot be proven. The methods do not meet scientific requirements of being observable, repeatable, and testable. They can reliable determine chemical compositions, but they CANNOT reliably give age..

Interesting and thought provoking.

THANK YOU. You are helping me to understand so much more! I have always questioned, and for the first time, feel I am getting answers, or at least more of an insight to my own feelings and beliefs.

Great Information. I've been teaching these studies for some time to hopefully help Christians have a true biblical world view and not just a churchy world view. Glad yall out there.

Dumbest thing I've ever read!

There are too many pastors and theologians who take the simplicity of God's Word and try to make it profound when they should be taking the profoundness of God's Word and making it simple.

Very enlightening and interesting, Thank you

You should just go away. You are preaching heresy.

I recently discovered your bible studies website and I just want to thank you for your initiative in establishing this study resource.

Have always believed in this way ,read and ask for understanding and it will be given to you.

Yes to have a intelligence conversation is of most importance.

I like your site. Good to see others believe as I do.

This is great stuff!!

Adam was perfect because it doesn’t say anywhere in the Bible that he had body aches and gray .

This is from the devil. The Bible says Satan is a liar and the creater of it. This is a lie created by Satan to deceive people. Adam was the first man and the first sinner. His sin is what started death.

Fascinating and deightfully clear!

I’m learning so much. Thank you.

This sounds interesting.

You have developed material that is vitally needed for reaching the newer generations.

I will read this in its entirety. What I've read so far is right on according to my extensive studies over 27 years.

Please let me know if it is available in a hardcover or paperback book.

Adam was the first person on this earth bottom line

As much nonsense and stupidity as I have heard since big bang or evolution.

When are more topics coming?

Very informative and interesting.

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