Rick Tryon

Watchdog Alert: Faith Leaders’ Reaction To Hostage Release

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Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events in the areas of religion and faith from around the world and brings the information to our readers in bite sized chunks. Here are some reactions from various faith leaders about the recent ceasefire and hostage release in Israel and Gaza.

Christian Leaders / Institutions

  • Bishop Robert Stearns (Eagles’ Wings Ministries) spoke of “hope amid historic ceasefire,” saying that God works in the midst of our pain as families reunite. The Jerusalem Post
  • Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem welcomed the hostage release “with joy,” calling it “a first step” and hoping it would mark “the beginning of the end of this terrible war.” They emphasized urgency of humanitarian relief and the path toward healing and reconciliation. Religion Media Centre
  • The Anglican bishops in parts of England (Southwark, Chelmsford, Gloucester, Norwich) issued statements welcoming the Gaza peace deal, praying for immediate relief and comfort, and calling for a “fundamental shift in attitudes and behaviour” to avoid a return to violence. Religion Media Centre

Faith / Aid Organizations

  • Tearfund (Christian relief agency) welcomed the agreement but stressed that unless the ceasefire holds and humanitarian aid flows without obstruction, lives will continue to be lost. Religion Media Centre
  • Islamic Relief similarly urged that the announcement alone is not enough — there must be enforcement, unrestricted aid, and accountability. Religion Media Centre
  • Christian Aid cautioned that a return to “the old status quo” is not an option; peace must include justice, dignity, and equality for Palestinians and Israelis. Religion Media Centre

Jewish Religious Voices

  • Jewish community and organizational leaders broadly praised the hostage release deal and saw it as a fulfillment of prayers and moral hope. eJewishPhilanthropy
  • Federations and Jewish organizations issued statements calling for conversion of this moment into lasting peace and security for all. eJewishPhilanthropy

Watchdog Alert: Who Are The Palestinians?

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In light of the most recent events in the Middle East surrounding a ceasefire and potential long-term peace deal between Israel and Gaza, I wanted to revisit a blog post I did in March of this year which highlights a very interesting and informative article published recently on the Jewish Press website by Dr. Harold Rhode titled “Most Palestinian Families Come from Immigrants from the Past Two Centuries“.

Here are a few excerpts from his piece.

“Prior to 1948, the date when the Jewish state was re-established, practically the only people who referred to themselves as Palestinians were the Jews who lived there. The others there, mainly Muslim Arabs, referred to themselves as Muslims.” 

“…The modern Palestinian identity was largely invented in 1964, when the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was created.”

“…By the 19th century, much of what is now the West Bank and Gaza was sparsely populated and underdeveloped. Travelers such as Mark Twain and former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant described the region as barren and largely uninhabited. These accounts, written without political bias, provide insight into the state of the land before the demographic shifts that followed.”

And in his conclusion to the article, Dr. Rhode states: “The historical connections between the people of Gaza, the West Bank and British Mandate Palestine are complex—shaped by centuries of migration, trade and political shifts. They are not one people, but a hodge-podge of peoples with no prior connection to pre-1948 Palestine, who settled there during the past two centuries.”

The biblical history of the region is clear – the land and the blessing were given to Abraham and his seed through Isaac by God’s covenant.

Genesis 17:18-21 (KJV) – 18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

Biblical Literacy: Setting The Record Straight

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Here are three common misconceptions about what the Bible says – and doesn’t say.

Singular, Not Plural

The last book of the Bible is not called ‘Revelations.’ It should be referred to as the ‘Book of Revelation’, singular.

Fruit, Not Apple

The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, is never called an apple.

Genesis 2:16–17 (KJV):
“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Store Cities, Not Pyramids

In Exodus 1:11, it says the Israelites built the “store cities” of Pithom and Raamses for Pharaoh. These were supply or storage centers, not pyramids. The pyramids of Egypt were constructed many centuries earlier, during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods (roughly 2600–1800 B.C.), long before most scholars date the events of the Exodus (often placed between 1500–1200 B.C., depending on interpretation).

So, while the Israelites were enslaved and forced into construction labor, the Bible and archaeology both indicate they built cities and other works, not the pyramids.

The idea that they were building pyramids most likely comes from the Cecil B. DeMille movie, ‘The Ten Commandments‘.

They Said It: Israel/Gaza Ceasefire

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Picture via Lara Jameson pexels.com

Bible Rebel continues to keep a watchdog’s eye on events in the Middle East and around the globe, bringing the latest news summaries to our readers. 

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres

“The United Nations will support the full implementation of the agreement and will scale up the delivery of sustained and principled humanitarian relief … He urged all parties ‘to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.” AJC

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer

“I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza … This is a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world, but particularly for the hostages, their families, and for the civilian population of Gaza.” VOZ News

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

“I extend my heartfelt greetings to my Palestinian brothers and sisters who have endured indescribable suffering for two years … We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen.” AJC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace … With God’s help we will bring them all home.” L’Orient Today

Watchdog Alert: The Bible As History

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Photo via Виктор Соломоник at pexels.com

Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on discoveries in biblical archaeology and brings the information to our readers. Here are some key discoveries and why they support the biblical record.

Dam Wall from the Time of King Joash at the Pool of Siloam (~805-795 BCE)

A large dam wall in the City of David, near the Pool of Siloam, has been excavated and dated via carbon-14 to about 805-795 BCE. The walls are substantial: ~21 meters long, ~12 meters high, ~8 meters thick. Bible Archaeology Report

Why it supports biblical history:

  • The Bible describes several construction/repair projects by Judahite kings; a major water-infrastructure project fits in with what one might expect of a centralized Judah in that era.
  • The dam would have helped manage water supply in times of dryness and flooding, which matches other environmental/climate evidence from the region showing arid conditions with occasional flash floods. Bible Archaeology Report
  • It gives physical confirmation of large scale civic/royal activity in Jerusalem in the early 8th century BCE.

Clay Seal (“Bulla”) Inscribed with “Yeda‘yah son of Asayahu” (7th-6th century BCE)

A clay seal impression, or bulla, reading “Belonging to Yed[a‛]yah, son of Asayahu”, from the late 7th / early 6th century BCE. Found via the Temple Mount Sifting Project in soil removed from the Temple Mount area. Bible Archaeology Report

Why it supports biblical history:

  • The names “Asayahu” (and variations) appear in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in connection with King Josiah: 2 Kings 22:12; 2 Chronicles 34:20. Bible Archaeology Report
  • The bulla confirms that these names (and presumably persons with these names or offices) were in use in Judah at the appropriate period.
  • The preservation of writing/sealing activity supports the idea that Judah had administrative bureaucracies with literacy in the late monarchic period.

Olive and Grape Traces Beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre / Mount Calvary (1st Century AD Garden Context)

Under the floor of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, archaeologists found about 2,000-year-old olive pits (stones), grape pips, pollen evidence, and remains of stone walls or features consistent with cultivation. These lie beneath a basilica, in an area associated with Golgotha / Mount Calvary, part of Jerusalem’s ancient quarter. The Times+1

Why it supports biblical history:

  • The Gospel of John (and other Gospels) mention that Jesus was crucified at a place called Golgotha, “place of a skull,” outside / near a garden and tomb. The presence of a garden (olive and grape cultivation) at that location in the 1st century AD gives archaeological plausibility to that Gospel description. The Times
  • It shows that agricultural use was present in that area just before or around the time of Jesus, rather than all being occupied by other structures.

Identification of Widespread Literacy / Use of Seals in Jerusalem ca. 2,700 Years Ago

An ancient seal discovered in the City of David area (Jerusalem), dating to the First Temple period (approx 700-600 BCE), evidences artistic craftsmanship and inscription. It is taken as evidence that reading, writing, and use of official seals were more widespread than some earlier models of Judahite society assumed. GB News

Why it supports biblical history:

  • The Hebrew Bible presumes certain levels of bureaucratic administration — e.g. prophets, kings, scribes, royal decrees, temple officials, etc. Widespread literacy or at least administrative writing (seals) is a necessary component for those functions.
  • It helps move faceless administrative structures from being purely literary imagination to part of the archaeological record.

Your Life And What Comes After (2): God’s Grand Plan Part 2

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We have a function to perform and a part to play, each one of us individually and all of us together as God’s people, in God’s Grand Plan.

God’s Desire

God’s desire is to dwell together with his children forever in His perfect creation.

Our job in that relationship is to love and glorify our Heavenly Father and to take care of and add value to the creation He has given us.

The original creation and state of mankind was in perfect harmony and fellowship with the Creator and all was well with the universe.

The Rebellion

Then disobedience, rebellion, and sin cut mankind (Adam and Eve) off from their relationship with God.

Adam and Eve hid from God in shame. God’s perfect garden of delight was ruined, brought forth thorns and weeds, and was no longer the joyous place for Adam and Eve to tend and enjoy.

So Along Came Jesus

Then, after the fall and ruin, the whole purpose and plan of God is to restore that original relationship with His people and redeem the creation from the wreck of death and decay brought about by the rebellion.

The way he has done and is doing that is through His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who through his love and obedience has made it possible for us to once again live God’s original purpose.

So What About Us?

What is our part in all of this today? Where do you fit in?

Let’s consider this idea: Our purpose is to help God in bringing about the redemption of His people and the final restoration of His creation.

Let me say that again with a slight variation: YOUR purpose is to help God in bringing about the redemption of His people and the final restoration of His creation.

So, we can either believe we are just tiny specks of dust with no purpose or meaning floating around aimlessly in a cold and dark universe – or we can believe that we are actually workers together with the Creator of the universe to accomplish a Grand Plan with an everlasting purpose.

I choose the latter. The challenge is to understand and believe it to the point of action. How do we do that? We’ll dig deeper in the next post.

Your Life And What Comes After: God’s Grand Plan Part 1

Watchdog Alert: Latest From The LDS Church

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Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events in the areas of religion and faith from around the world and brings the information to our readers in bite sized chunks.

Here’s the latest from the Mormon Church.

Death of President Russell M. Nelson

Russell M. Nelson, the president of the church and the oldest person to have held that office in its history, died at age 101.

Nelson became president in 2018 and led numerous institutional and doctrinal shifts, such as discouraging use of the nickname “Mormon,” reemphasizing the church’s full name, making some policy changes regarding LGBTQ+ families, and overseeing expansion of global leadership.

The church announced a memorial and tributes, and Dallin H. Oaks (senior apostle) issued a statement mourning his passing and calling his teachings a guide for comfort amid recent tragedies. newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org

Shooting and Arson Attack at Michigan LDS Church

On September 28, 2025, a gunman rammed a pickup truck into a meetinghouse of the LDS Church in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, set it on fire, and opened fire. Four people were killed and eight others injured.

The attacker was shot by police and died at the scene. Investigators are probing motive; preliminary reports suggest anti-Mormon sentiment may have played a role.

In response, members of the church raised funds not only for the victims, but also for the shooter’s surviving family, citing principles of forgiveness. Over $200,000 was reportedly raised.
Church leaders expressed sorrow and rallied support; local LDS officials said the congregation would support survivors and mourn the senseless violence. FOX 17 West Michigan News

Fundraising by LDS Members for Shooter’s Family

In the wake of the Michigan church attack, LDS members initiated a crowdfunding campaign (via GiveSendGo) to support the widow and child of the shooter, Thomas Jacob Sanford. The campaign quickly surpassed its goal, reaching more than $200,000 (and in some reports over $300,000) in donations. The Washington Post

The donors framed the effort as an expression of Christian values: caring even for the families of perpetrators, showing compassion, and embodying forgiveness.

This fundraising garnered broad attention as an example of how some religious communities respond to tragedy by extending grace even in difficult circumstances.

Dismissal of Lawsuit over Use of Tithing Donations

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit accusing the Mormon Church of misusing tithing donations. The plaintiffs alleged the church improperly invested donations through its affiliate, Ensign Peak Advisors, rather than using them directly for charitable works.

The dismissal largely rested on statute-of-limitations grounds: the fraud claims were deemed untimely under Utah law. The judge also found the plaintiffs failed to adequately prove intent to commit fraud.

The case renews scrutiny of the church’s financial practices and transparency, especially given past controversies (e.g. the church’s fine by the SEC over disclosure practices). AP News

They Said It: Intelligent Design

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Here are four quotes about intelligent design. ‘Intelligent design’ being a scientifically correct way of giving credit where credit is due – to our Creator, who is God Almighty.

Michael Behe (biochemist, author of Darwin’s Black Box)
“To a person who does not feel obliged to restrict his search to unintelligent causes, the straightforward conclusion is that many biochemical systems were purposely designed by an intelligent agent.”

    William Dembski (mathematician, philosopher, intelligent design theorist)
    “Intelligent design is just the logos theology of John’s Gospel restated in the idiom of information theory.”

      Stephen C. Meyer (philosopher of science, author of Signature in the Cell)
      “Whenever we find information—whether inscribed in hieroglyphics or written in a book or encoded in a radio signal—it always arises from an intelligent source. Information is the hallmark of mind. And the DNA molecule has precisely this characteristic.”

        Albert Einstein (often quoted in ID contexts, though not himself an ID advocate)
        “The more I study science, the more I believe in God.”
        (While Einstein did not promote intelligent design in the modern sense, his statement is often invoked by ID supporters as evidence that the universe points to design rather than randomness.)