Fringe Christianity

from The Patmos Paper E-magazine

Years ago, there was a TV series on called Fringe. It was wildly popular and based upon what is called fringe science. The premise of the show was about pseudo-science and delved into the paranormal, supernatural, duel dimensional and multi-universe worlds. Fringe science is defined in Wikipedia as: “an established field of study which departs significantly from mainstream theories in that field and is considered to be questionable by the mainstream.”

Today many Christians are dabbling into what I call Fringe Christianity! It also departs significantly from mainstream thinking and delves into theoretical and sometime unrealistic non-biblical fringe issues. Just as fringe science lives on the edge with elements of true science, mixed in with wild theories so does Fringe Christianity. It often mixes biblically based teachings with theoretical speculation. Unlike cults that oppose or distort biblical teachings and then substitutes them with false ones, Fringe Christianity holds to mainstream teachings but lives on an expanded or addendum world of speculation and theory. Many of these theorists are spirit filled Christians who expand upon biblical truth with speculative endtime suppositions.

Some of this fringe teachings that so many Christians are following include Nephilims, The Watchers, Alien (demonic) and Flying saucers deception, Archon and shadow people, Flat earth theory, Hollow earth theory, New World order and Illuminati conspiracies and other speculative teachings.

One of the big proponents of much of this fringe Christianity is a Rob Skiba. Now when I first started watching some of his videos on YouTube I thought it was quite fascinating. He had some interesting ideas on the genetics of the giants in the bible and he seemed like a real committed Christian with a real understanding of the scriptures but then I saw that he had some extreme beliefs. He believes in a flat earth (that it is not a globe but a circular disk with the arctic in the middle and Antarctica along the perimeter. He is a literalist and quotes Isaiah 40:22 22- “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth”. He also believes in shadow people, demons that appear to people in the form of a shadow? He believes a shadow person followed him from city to city and once took hold of him and spoke through his voice. He clearly says it was a demon but it wasn’t the name of Jesus that made it go away but his suicidal thoughts that made it give up. Skiba had an attraction to radio host Art Bell who’s nightly show focused on the paranormal!

Surprisingly, many Christians are starting to believe in this Flat earth theory. There is even a site that examines the “Flat earth theory from a Biblical World View!” These people throw out all Apollo spacecraft and satellite photos and declare that all the NASA photos are fake just like the moon landing! The flat earthers supplant literal belief for common sense. For instance they declare water always runs flat so therefore can not possibly encircle a globe. They however do not take in the account of gravitation effect on the oceans. They use fuzzy math to do strange computations to prove man isn't disappearing in long distances by the curvature of the earth and yet can’t fathom why a boat disappears over a horizon but does not fall off the edge of the world. They do not reckon with historic or modern records of ship and airplane circumnavigation or as I stated believe in photo evidence.

Recently Elon Musk sent a rocket into space and in the capsule he put his old Tesla Roadster car in it with cameras around it exposed to open space. The video came back with the background clearly showing a revolving earth with different angles of the continents which totally disproved the flat earthers but nevertheless they declared the images are fake.

One of the big fringe areas for many Christians, which has some merit yet is still speculation, is the Nephilim giant theories. People like L.A. Marzulli, Tom Horn, Gary Steadman, Rob Skiba and many others postulate that when Jesus said the end times would be like the Days of Noah that includes a return of the Nephilim. According to the theory, The Watchers were fallen angels that breed with earth women and bore children called the Nephilim (Gen. 6:1-4).

The bible says they were giants and that they existed before and after the flood. Giants are mentioned in the Bible in several places (e.g., Genesis 6:4; Joshua 12:4). Og, king of Bashan (Deuteronomy 3:11); the giant people in Canaan that Moses’ spies reported (Numbers 13:30–33); Goliath (2 Samuel 21:19); and the Anakites (Deuteronomy 9:1–2) are all examples of giants in Scripture.

Somehow according to these theorists, these Nephilim will return to earth in the last days. Many of these people are always on the hunt for evidence of the antediluvian man. They hunt for bones of giants with two rows of teeth and six fingers or six toes. They collect elongated heads and live like Indiana Jones looking for the lost ark (The book of revelation says that the ark of the covenant is in heaven (Revelation 11:19 )

They are also fascinated with flying saucers, believing that they are not aliens from other planets but demons impersonating aliens. I was a big flying saucer buff before I got saved, owning a huge library of UFO books including the government’s Project Blue Book! But I too now think that they are demons in the atmospheric heavens impersonating aliens. But many conspiratorial Christians think that the great deception will be when a UFO lands and the Anti-christ walks off a craft and declares world peace.

There are other Christians who are getting absorbed into conspiracy theories. They are big fans of Alex Jones and are into everything from the dark web, the deep state, Illuminati influence, Freemason and Templar secrets, bible codes, and much more.

Still others are getting into so called extra biblical and Apocrypha revelations. I certainly am a huge fan of Ken Johnson and his research on the dead sea scrolls and other books like the book of Enoch and Jasher, etc. But some have taken these books and overemphasized them or equated them with scripture or have used their contents to devise wild theories.

I was taught as an early Christian to major on what the bible majors and minor on what the bible minors on. In other words we should focus on what the bible speaks allot on and not focus on so much of what the bible speaks little on and to be silent were the bible is silent. I do not question these peoples faith or salvation. That's for God alone to do (Rom. 10:6,7). But I think it wise to center around what we do know from scripture and not base our ministry on speculation, theory and fringe doctrines.

“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.” 2 Timothy 2:23

“...nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.” 1 Timothy 1:4

Rather than engaging in conjecture and speculation we should hold fast the word to destroy speculation and help men to walk in surety and truth.

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:5

There is much in life that we do not know but even Paul was quick to make a distinction between what was his opinion and what was the word of God (1 Corinthians 7:10,25).

The fringe or outskirts of the camp is the most dangerous place to be. The lions go after the stray and fringe gazelles not the huddle of the herd. Fringe animals are the first to die. Lets be wise and be centrist Christians and live in the middle ground so we can avoid the false trails and ditches that have entrapped so many.

The biggest danger is if we deviate from the gospel and start focusing on fringe issues and theory more than truth we could be guilty of preaching another gospel which brings a curse. Let us focus on Jesus, salvation and preach on all that we know rather than what we suppose! Shalom!