“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” Matthew 5:34-37, KJV
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:28-31, KJV
“And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish.” Luke 21:16-18, KJV
“And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.” Acts 27:33-35, KJV
NOTE #1: In Acts 2:16-18, the Apostle Peter — who had just been filled with the Holy Spirit — is clearly saying two things: Joel’s prophecy was being fulfilled at that time during the First Century, and that period was also the Last Days. The phrase “last days” does NOT mean from 30 AD to the 21st Century, as some modern, Futurist-leaning Bible teachers erroneously teach. That is a false doctrine of men.
NOTE #2: The fact that in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 the Apostle Paul includes himself by saying “we” is clear proof that he was expecting Christ’s soon return, and he was hoping to still be alive to witness it.
NOTE #3: In Hebrews 1:1-2, the phrase “last days” refers to the very end of the Prophet Daniel’s 70 weeks — or 490 years — prophecy. It has nothing to do with our modern times, as Futurists claim.
NOTE #4: In Hebrews 10:37, the phrase “a little while” does NOT mean 2,000 years in the future as the Futurists claim.
NOTE #5: In James 5:2-3, 7-8, the Apostle James is likewise confirming that it was the Last Days, and he was convinced that Jesus would be returning soon.
NOTE #6: 1 Peter 4:7 confirms the phrase “in these last days” mentioned in Hebrews 1:1-2 above.
NOTE #7: In 1 John 2:18, not once, but twice, the Apostle John tells his readers that it is the Last Time, or the very end of the Prophet Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy.
Conclusion: Peter, James and John — who were Jesus’ inner circle — as well as the Apostle Paul, were all convinced that Jesus would return during their lifetimes, exactly as He had promised them in these verses:
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also . . . I will not leave you comfortless: I WILL COME TO YOU.” John 14:2-3, 18, KJV
How can so many modern, Futurist-leaning Christians continue to resist the plain truth of the Scriptures?
“Apostles Were Convinced Jesus Would Return Soon” KJV Bible Verse List:
“By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:” Psalm 65:5, KJV
“Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Proverbs 3:25-26, KJV
“In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. Proverbs 14:26, KJV
“And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:4, KJV
“But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end . . . For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;” Hebrews 3:6, 14, KJV
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:35-36, KJV
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1 John 5:14-15, KJV
“WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33, KJV
“Also I say unto you, WHOSOEVER SHALL CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8-9 KJV
“BUT THIS I CONFESS UNTO THEE, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:” Acts 24:14, KJV
“That if thou shalt CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE IN THINE HEART that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION.” Romans 10:9-10, KJV
“And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:19-20, KJV
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSETH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world . . . And WE HAVE SEEN AND DO TESTIFY that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. WHOSOEVER SHALL CONFESS THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” 1 John 4:2-3, 14-15, KJV
“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” 1 Corinthians 12:3, KJV
Bread and circuses, bread and circuses,
It is really such a nonsensical way to go,
Strutting out their celebs onto their stage,
It is really meaningless you should know.
Trying so hard to impress the audiences,
With the biggest & most famous names,
If you are smart you will just ignore it all,
Don’t be taken in by the political games.
What really matters are the major issues,
Not what a Hollywood celeb wants to say,
So let’s talk about what’s really going on,
As for those celebs, just please go away!
The social networks are just nonsense,
I know for sure that it’s really true,
You think you’ve got 1000s of friends,
But they’re simply bots following you.
Sure, you may even get so darn excited,
Man I must really be just one cool guy,
But if you dare to examine more closely,
You’ll discover it is all a big fat lie.
All those people you thought were real,
Are just part of that network’s scheme,
They slyly send out an army of robots,
Trust me, things are not what they seem.
Now if you visit those accounts directly,
A shocking discovery you’re sure to make,
That young pretty woman who followed you,
My gosh, she is really just one big fake!
That gal’s never even made a single post,
Although she has had an account for years,
She does not have a personal profile pic,
So you start getting hot around your ears.
Oh, indeed it is one great big deception.
As social networks bloat their population,
It is a tactic so many of them like to use,
Your discovery fills you with indignation.
How they so easily played you for the fool,
Convincing you that you had so many friends,
But, pal, your experience is not so unique,
That’s how this deceptive story often ends.
There are millions of users around the world,
Who are all caught up in the very same game,
The social network’s army of bogus followers,
Convince you that you’ve got a slice of fame.
Well, I am sorry to have to burst your bubble,
By telling you about this distasteful truth,
Yeah, I really don’t blame you one single bit,
If you suddenly want to go through the roof.
Go ahead, let off your steam and frustration,
I’d do the same if I had also been so played,
But the great thing about my sarcastic poem,
Is that the deceptive networks have been made.
** Note to non-native English speakers: To make someone means to expose or uncover their questionable activities or identity.
— My Firsthand Experience With the Truth Social Network
As I have mentioned before, it took almost two weeks for me to get into the “Truth Social” social network once I had registered with them on my iPhone during the first week of March of 2022. If I recall correctly, my wait list number was 1,090,253, or something close to that. I don’t remember the exact number now. I made a Facebook timeline post regarding my initial experience with Truth Social around the middle of March. Oddly enough, I can no longer find that particular post on my Facebook timeline. Or maybe it isn’t so odd, considering how Facebook chooses to operate. Many of you reading this commentary will already understand what I mean by this.
Then, after my Truth Social account request had finally been approved during the second week of March — it does require a lot of patience — and I had gotten into their social platform, when they announced that they were going to begin verifying accounts so that users could have a red check mark displayed next to their name, I submitted a verification request for my account. Well, after a few days, I received an email from Truth Social in which they outlined the criteria which they use to determine whether or not to verify a person’s account.
Before proceeding, let me point out that joining Truth Social, and being a verified user, are two separate things. In other words, anyone can make an account request, be accepted into their social network, and make posts and interact with other users, without ever being verified. Being verified is an additional optional step which confirms that a person is who they say they are. As occurs on some other social networks, its purpose is to engender trust in that particular user so that other users will interact with them, and have confidence that the posts — or truths — which are being made are true, and are actually being posted by that person or entity.
But here’s the thing. What I have discovered thus far in my almost one month with Truth Social, is that insofar as verified accounts are concerned, the people behind Truth Social are really only interested in verifying high profile conservative influencers, such as Sean Hannity, Dan Bongino, Kevin McCarthy, Dan Scavino, Maria Bartiromo, Breitbart News and the like. Two of Trump’s sons — Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump — also have verified accounts, as does Melania Trump. Even The Babylon Bee — which a lot of people often quote, as if what the Bee says is true, when it is really all satire — has a verified account there. Country music star Travis Tritt also has a verified Truth Social account.
A few high profile personalities for whom I expected to find verified accounts when I just conducted my Truth Social search, but for whom I did NOT find verified accounts, include Ivanka Trump, Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani, Glenn Beck, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Kayleigh McEnany and Kellyanne Conway. Conway does have a Truth Social account, but it is not a verified account. From reading certain news reports from recent months, what I also discovered is that prior to its official launch to the general public, the Truth Social team sent out special invitations to many high profile VIPs, encouraging them to join Truth Social. This endeavor even included sending out invitations to some of former president Donald Trump’s most vocal critics.
Oddly enough, even though Truth Social was specifically set up by and for former U.S. president, Donald Trump, so that he could have a free hand to express his views without any kind of censorship, to date, Trump himself has only made one post there. Weird. He — and his views — is supposed to be the main attraction and the magnet which draws millions of other conservatives to Truth Social; and yet the man hasn’t even posted anything yet. I am not sure what to make of that.
In contrast to the aforementioned VIPs, sad to say, my initial impression after one month’s usage of the Truth Social network is that all the rest of us are viewed as small potatoes, and are basically ignored; meaning that we don’t get much exposure — if any at all — on Truth Social. We most certainly will never be considered for a verified account. This became clear to me when I read the email which was sent to me by the Truth Social staff, which just so happens to have “@vip.truthsocial.com” in the email address. In my view, this email basically says to me “You are not important enough.” Following are the full contents of the email. Decide for yourself if I am wrong:
—– Begin Quote —–
A red check on TRUTH Social lets users know that an account of public interest is genuine and not an imposter, impersonation, or parody.
In order to receive a red check your account must be authentic, active on TRUTH Social, and noteworthy. We will consider noteworthy people and organizations in the following categories:
* Government
* Brands, companies, and nonprofits
* Journalists and news organizations
* Sports (including esports)
* Entertainment
* Activists, influencers, and organizers
For an account to be verified, you must be an active user of TRUTH Social. TRUTH Social users will be considered active users upon completion of the following steps:
* Your account must have a complete profile name with a profile image.
* Your phone number and email address must be confirmed.
* Your account must be actively posting content.
To be verified on TRUTH Social, you will be asked to provide the following information to confirm your identity:
* An official website that confirms you or your organization’s identity.
* A valid official government issued identification document, like a passport or driver’s license.
* An official email (i.e., a branded email address that matches your official website).
Or
* Announce on your verified Twitter or Instagram account where users can find you on TRUTH Social. The announcement must not be removed for six months.
—– End Quote —–
To prove my point, consider the fact that even though I have been a member of Truth Social for about a month now; and even though I have made over sixty posts thus far, many of which are my politically-oriented poetry, some of which even support Donald Trump; and even though I have openly declared that I am a Christian in my user profile; to date, I have only acquired four followers. That’s right, folks; only four people in a month’s time. I don’t know any of them on a personal level. For all I know, some of them may not even be real people. They could be bots. Furthermore, even though I have advertised my Truth Social account on Facebook multiple times, none of my 5,000 Facebook friends have joined me on Truth Social.
As if the previous points aren’t already enough to discourage my ongoing participation on the Truth Social platform, consider the fact that no one has liked, commented on, or shared — what Truth Social calls “retruth” — any of my posts. It is as if no one is even seeing them, just as now occurs on Facebook. After all, it seems to me that if other Truth Social users were actually seeing my posts, surely I would have received at least a few likes and comments by now. Yet I have yet to receive a single one. Why do I believe this? Because as I mentioned earlier, I have specifically shared poetry — as well as some graphics, videos and commentaries — which are clearly conservative and/or Christian in nature. Unless I am wrong, conservatism is supposed to be a strong attractor on Truth Social. So why aren’t the fish biting?
The discouraging truth of the matter is that the ONLY interaction I have seen, is when I have commented on OTHER users’ posts, and those other users happen to be big name accounts such as Sean Hannity, NASA, Cute Animals Doing Stuff, Science Videos, etc.
In case you have missed one of my main points, it is this: It should not matter if a person is a VIP, high profile politician, popular social influencer, well-known celebrity or not. If any individual is willing to provide whatever proof the Truth Social network requires in order to verify that they are who they say they are, then Truth Social should be willing to verify their account. By failing to do so, and by only verifying VIP accounts, they are in fact already practicing discrimination, and dividing their users into different classes on their network. They are creating an elite class, and a peon class, and they are no better than any other social network which does the same thing. This ought not to be, in my opinion.
So the aforementioned has been my personal experience on the Truth Social social network thus far. Unless the situation changes soon, I honestly cannot justify spending a lot of time on their platform. As bad as Facebook has become for those of us who embrace Conservative and Christian values, it still gives me more exposure — as little as it may be — than Truth Social, and that is not saying a lot for Facebook either.
