Assuming that you have some interest in and knowledge of the Bible, how would you rate the New Testament as a reliable and accurate document of historical record?
20-page essay and research that will make you think!

We need to be clear at the outset that the ideas and information presented here, if accepted as reasonable and plausible, could be devastating to a traditional conservative Christian worldview…
Watch the accompanying video: https://youtu.be/r1rmKQc_upE

Pastor Steve explores the human nature of ambiguity and our capacity to tolerate conflicting ideas, showcasing how this attribute serves us in critical decision-making. The first ambiguity discussed is that of power, where evil often lurks. Drawing from Ephesians 6:12, Pastor Steve uncovers the inherent duality of power, exposing the potential for good and harm. He emphasizes faith as the solution, enabling us to see beyond present hardships.

The discourse then navigates to the problem of placing faith in supernatural forces. Pastor Steve challenges the perception that the supernatural inherently exists, asserting it's only present if believed. He introduces a theory on Satan's non-existence in the physical realm, cautioning against fear-induced dogma. Through historical context, he underscores how fear-driven belief systems have led to atrocities throughout history.

Cotton Mather's role during the Salem Witch Trials is highlighted as a prime example. The essay unveils how Mather's fear-driven beliefs fueled accusations and executions, reinforcing the power of unchecked faith. This narrative is extended to explore how belief in supernatural entities hinges on individual perception.

The work concludes by examining miracle stories in religious texts as allegorical reinforcements of cultural identity. Pastor Steve emphasizes that supernatural manifestations, whether positive or negative, revolve around empowering the powerless. The narrative echoes the idea that belief shapes reality and empowers us to transcend circumstances.

Pastor Steve champions the innate power within each individual, emphasizing that this isn't magic, the supernatural, or even religion. Rather, it's a natural human capacity to shape our own reality. In a world filled with challenges, understanding the interplay between faith, belief, and human power allows us to navigate complexity with clarity.

You may also wish to watch Pastor Steve’s sermon, an introduction to the subject matter, on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tNxqCPOu2HA

Whenever we find ourselves confused, angry, or frustrated at the crossroads of life, we have an opportunity to improve our perceptions of how things are going and why they are going that way. This essay is built on the idea that our perceptions of things are never anywhere near as accurate as we think they are.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

People have their own narrative, story, or symbolic vocabulary by which they explain life’s big questions. [1] These questions include who we are, where we came from, why we are here, and where our world is heading. Because we are culturally fixed individuals, our answers to these questions are always culturally determined. This paper attempts to move toward a narrative which transcends the limitations of normal American, Christian cultural discourse by looking for common ground between the disciplines of theology, cosmology, philosophy, physics, and mathematics. This is an effort to bridge the perceptual gap between scientific and religious mindsets. It is important to realize at the start that no one will ever compose a universal human religion.

Learn more: https://youtu.be/qg44TZA0r_Q (short) or here https://youtu.be/6AIg86p8iko (longer version)


[1] Compare the concept of meta-narrative, or “grand narrative” as developed in postmodernism, especially in the work of Jean-François Lyotard.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Four Visions of the Good Life
19-page essay and research that is intellectually challenging.

Our world is a complicated place. It is composed of a complex group of forces mixed with each other. One set of problems combines with another, and before we know it, we have lost track of how we can help ourselves or those we love to live a better life. Problems come to define us and to define the way we live. This essay is an effort to help us to see a way to sort out our problems and to find joy in the midst of all the problems life brings our way.
Watch Pastor Steve’s accompanying video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EASHtkXZ840

14-page essay with images and research that is revealing.

Akhenaten was an Egyptian Pharaoh some scholars have called the “first individual” in human history. His individuality is evident in the way he broke with so many aspects of the tradition bound society of ancient Egypt. He is noted within the history of ancient Egypt for abolishing the older polytheistic Egyptian cults, especially the cult of Amun at Thebes in favor of his “One True God” who was named Aten.

My thesis here is that the roots of Western monotheistic religion and all its subsequent violent patriarchal and homophobic iterations owe their birth, their very existence to an extremely odd set of historic processes. Once these odd processes are understood, respect for the “other” may begin and the wounds of patriarchy may be healed. The idea here is that if we know where we have come from, we can make better, more liberated choices as we build our future.

Watch Pastor Steve’s accompanying video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GtvK3bXTHTs

19-page essay that is eye-opening.

This essay is about why social groups fight with each other and how we can work for unity. To discover the deeper roots of social conflict, we used the issues of solid waste management as a test case. To develop the ideas presented here, we worked with waste, and learned how it is that people see what they waste as “irrelevant”. From the time we began working on this project until 2023, my family and I have diverted over a million pounds of wasted material from going into the landfill. This essay presents the basic philosophy developed in the process of salvaging all those wasted resources.

The principles of non-essentialism presented here helped me to compose the essay on “Jesus, an Alternative History.” If you read both essays, I think you will see how closely related the ideas involved actually are. Essentialism teaches us that our traditions are based on perfect knowledge from on high. Therefore, tradition is binding, never to change or be questioned. It seems obvious to me that being stuck in our traditional beliefs may not equip us to solve the great social problems we face today. Take a look and let me know what you think!

Watch Pastor Steve’s accompanying video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Agzj7gy2E68

Marion visions are a lot more common than most people realize. Only a very few are recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. One of the main requirements for a Marion vision to be validated by the RC Church is that it demonstrate "docility" to the authority of the church. Most protestant and evangelical churches disregard Marion visions entirely because they disagree with trinitarian theology. In other words, there is no room for the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Holy Trinity.

I would point out that belief in the Blessed Virgin in one form or another is ancient and it crosses many cultures and belief systems. The ancient Hebrews venerated Holy Wisdom, a distinctly feminine and virginal entity. To see this, look at Proverbs 8. The ancient Greeks worshipped Athena, the virgin goddess of Wisdom. In Rome she was Minerva. The Romans also had Vesta, and her ministers, the Vestal Virgins. Similar concepts of divinity were present throughout the ancient world in a range of cultures. This amazing, powerful feminine aspect of Divinity has presented itself to many people in many ways, and in many places.

There are a few common threads which connect many of these manifestations. Among them I see most prominently a call to seek sympathy, understanding, nurturing kindness, and love as a solution to earthly conflict. Universal love and acceptance is a common theme in many modern Marion visions.

In 1995 I was gifted (very briefly) with an insightful session of thought-communication with an entity who identified herself as Mary. For me personally it was a deeply moving, deeply personal, and profoundly life changing event. I wrote two texts in response to this experience. The first is the "New Apocalypse of Mary," which I channeled. Channeling is also known as "automatic writing," a form of creative writing where a text, or other work of art is allowed to flow while a person is in a trance state.

The channeled text of my conversation with Mary is presented here in its original form. The second essay is a much deeper and detailed reflection entitled the Nature and Process of Divine Revelation. This is largely an exposition of my own experiences reading various inspired texts over the years, including my own.

Before reading this material, a few important observations will be helpful. First, note that I wrote, under the section labeled "Transforming Changes are Coming Upon The Earth" that there would be major earth changing disruptions in 1998. I now know that this was my ego and my anxiety speaking. At this point in time, nearly thirty years later, we can see that these apocalyptic predictions never came true. In time, this led me to the conclusion that inspiration is something that is always filtered through the ego and the culture of the receiver. I also want to state as clearly as I can that many artists, creators, authors, and performers are gifted with a little bit of inspiration now and then. We make a big mistake if we allow our creations to be represented as some sort of supernatural phenomenon in order to promote them. I know that She came to me at that moment in 1995, but I also know that the text I composed is my creation. It is not unique and it is no more inspired than any other of the thousands of similar texts we may have access to. This is a crucial observation. Texts can only become "scripture" if they are recognized and venerated by a large collective over time. This process is explored in detail in the longer essay presented here. What astounds me in all this is that the basic thesis of my Marion text follows the same theme as the rest of the texts and videos presented here in the pastorsteve.faith project. Thanks so much for downloading and reading this document. Please feel free to send any questions or observations to the email address in the "Contact Us" section of the website.