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THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND

Posted by straight shooter on March 9, 2010 under Economy, General, Political, Theological Concerns

Written to the church: “Because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’  But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” (Rev 3:16-17)

At a Texas Baptist University chapel service a chapel speaker shared how a man blind from birth had been led to a skilled surgeon.  After performing the meticulous operation, the man’s eyes were miraculously and perfectly healed.  For the first time he could observe the beauty of God’s creation.

A few weeks later a beautiful and heart-touching act unfolded.  Walking carefully into the doctor’s office were 10 men with their hand resting on the shoulder of one in front of them being led into the doctor’s office by the man who had been blind, but now seeing clearly.  When asked why they were there, the man leading them and still overflowing with joy explained, “These are my friends.  They have been blind from birth.  I want them to see as I see.”

What an inspirational picture.  Jesus said He not only came to “set the captives free, but to restore sight to the blind and free those who are downtrodden.” (Luke 4:18)  If there was ever a time when blind eyes need to be opened, it is now!

The story exemplifies what every Christian should be doing as it relates to their faith.  We should be so excited about being able to see clearly the will of God and His ways along with the profound results of this transforming experience that we simply can’t wait to share with others.   is too special to be kept secret and withheld.

Even when threatened by persecution and prison, the New Testament believers in the book of Acts boldly proclaimed, “We cannot help but speak the things we have seen and heard!” (Acts 4:20)  It is sad to acknowledge, but much of the church today is not only asleep, they are by their failure to lead others into the light proving to be blind to the truth and their responsibilities.  Jesus said, “You are blind leaders of the blind, and when the blind lead the blind they will both fall in the ditch.”

We are witnessing firsthand the tragic effect this has on the church and our nation.  We are blindly being led into the ditch of defeat, despair, dissension, division and debt with little resistance.  It is amazing to watch those who are in the ditch trying desperately to make it more comfortable.  In the Christian church, people seem to find false comfort in stained-glass windows, cushioned pews, and sweet little messages that move no one to action, but enhance the slumber.  We air-condition the ditch, decorate it, install magnificent pipe organs, have big choirs, loud praise and gifted musicians and take pride in the gathering, but only a few dare to come out from under the covering of conformity and compatibility that leads to compromise and an ineffective witness.  We hide the light under this bushel and refuse to put it on the lamp stand.  We took our influence out of society.  We stopped standing up ourselves and others.  We stopped standing firm and truly piercing the darkness with the transforming light of God’s truth.

Christians were never intended to live in this mode defeat.  The church has been misled, and even bullied, for years to stay out of the fray, stay in the pew or under it, to be content to remain in the shadows of ineffective unbelief rather than living in the shadow of the Almighty while not only declaring His truth, but demonstrating its effect being salt and light.

Our nation’s leaders, for decades and with far too few exceptions, have been leading us into a ditch of hopeless dependence upon a government power that our Founders told us at its best is in itself but a “necessary evil” because of the evil deeds of mankind, and their refusal to live under control.  The Founders understood that government, in order to function effectively, must be limited.  People must remain free to not only live, but to be productive and charitable so they can really find the peace and happiness that they sincerely pursue.  Government cannot provide it.  Only God can!

Right now we are seeing what could prove to be a tragic knee-jerk reaction to very real and serious problems.  Men are not seeking sane solutions.  They are continually engaged in fruitless discussions, like a loud, clanging noise that is not the fruit of love, but self-interest which will keep men under their thumb and the church hiding, as Jesus put it, “under a basket or a bowl.” (Luke 11:33)

I am not denying for one moment that we don’t have some very real problems that need to be addressed, but in this knee-jerk reaction, we are likely to replace what people are concerned about and frustrated over with something not only ineffective, but worse.  This has been the tendency and practice for many decades.  Some of the most serious problems began to rapidly grow when an inappropriate response to the Great Depression led the United States to begin a trend toward dependence upon the feeble, worthless promises of mere men rather than remaining free to become productive and prosperous with the church influencing people to avoid greed and unnecessary selfish indulgence while forgetting others.  The nation began to build systems in which we confiscate the success of others and dole it out at the whim of politicians who find it easy to tell people who have any need, “We’ll get what they have and give it to you!”

Alexis de Tocqueville stated: “A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse [money, bounty, assistance, gifts] from the public treasury.”

Alexander Frazer Tytler added to that later: “From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.”

Benjamin Franklin had also written: “Once the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the Republic.”

The excess of some corporations and the excess in the demands of unions spearheaded the foolish practices of some who prospered, which in turn led to a hatred for those who succeed because of the benefits offered by the free market.  Foolish solutions will never solve the real problems.

Our Founders understood that every able-bodied person should help bear the load, and that if we are going to love our neighbor and meet needs, that responsibility is not going to be assumed only by the upper end in society, but by every person who is able to help in any way, large or small.

We are intensifying class warfare that makes typical racism pale in comparison and people are finding it justifiable.  Let me declare emphatically, WE ARE DIGGING A DITCH!  We are not digging our way out!

This debt load is unbearable and many of the policies we are about to embrace, which foolish people have put forward as a solution to serious problems, are going to be passed on to our precious children and their children.  Many elected representatives are spreading the lie that it is beneficial to forcefully take from the rich and give to the poor.  The fact is, we’re going to disable their ability to continue producing opportunities and jobs, expanding opportunity for all and employment for many.  They are also now setting in place the confiscation of any potential productivity of our children and grandchildren.  This is happening because church and political leaders are blind leaders of the blind.

Greed and selfishness are problems clearly defined as sin.  These problems are not only to be addressed by the church and its leaders, but, as believers, we have the only solution to the problems and that is changing hearts and changing lives.  In the family of faith we have made people like us, rather than like Christ.  We have made disciples of men rather than Him.  God forgive us.

Isaiah said, “Who is so blind as my servant?” (Isaiah 42:19)  In a later chapter he said, “His watchmen are blind. They all lack knowledge.” (Knowledge of the truth that sets men free.)  “They are mute dogs, and they cannot bark.” (Isaiah 56:10)  I believe they are refusing to bark because of the fear of man and the fear of opposition.

I, for one, will not remain silent.  The horror and coming despair is too great to bear.  Hear me loudly and clearly! I say this as emphatically as I can: Unless the church allows the glory of God to rise and shine, and stands together to rebuild the walls and restore the foundations, freedom hope and prosperity as we have known it, will vanish from the earth.  I know God does not have to use America or the nations that have enjoyed some semblance of freedom to turn the tide.  He can raise sons from stone, and He can speak through any available source.  The tide will not turn without the influence of believers who have been blessed to see what a nation can do when it is established on Biblical principles and a foundation of faith by the founders of this nation. They came here seeking the freedom that only God can give, protect, and preserve. It will only be protected and preserved by those bold enough to take off the blinders, refuse to follow the blind, and ask God to open our eyes so that we may see clearly His will and walk in His ways.

May God give us all eyes to see clearly the way out of every ditch that blindness has led us into.

The “remaking” of America continues at breakneck speed. The man who occupies the Oval Office has made an appeal to the American people that the time for discussion is over and that socialized medicine in the form of so-called healthcare reform must be passed now. He said, “This is a problem we can no longer wait to fix. Deferring reform is nothing more than defending the status quo – and those who would oppose our efforts should take a hard look at just what it is they’re defending.” Of course, there have been several news stories that the 1,018 page healthcare legislation has not even been read by the Congressmen who will vote on it.


If people would read the healthcare bills before Congress they would be astonished. The legislation mandates the use of taxpayer money to fund abortions. The legislation calls for a government tribunal of political appointees – not even elected officials – to determine who receives healthcare and under what conditions. This healthcare reform is tantamount to euthanasia for senior citizens. Obama told ABC News on June 24th that older people who didn’t have much longer to live were maybe “better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller.” Meaning that if you are no longer productive to society – translated, paying taxes – the government will decide you cannot receive life-prolonging treatment.


However that’s not all the government will control with this brand of healthcare reform. Page 16 of the healthcare bill specifically outlaws individual private coverage. In other words, you will not be able to buy insurance apart from a government-approved plan. Indeed, if you do not want to participate in socialized medicine, you have no choice … no matter what Obama and others say with their mouths! The IRS will have authority to fine you thousands of dollars a year if you cannot prove you are insured by a government approved plan. Small businesses will be required to provide the government health insurance at a tremendous cost, resulting in price increases on goods or closing the doors at unprecedented job losses.


Killing the pre-born; euthanizing the elderly; government appointed tribunals determining healthcare (referred to as the death panels); forcing government healthcare upon reluctant citizens; destroying jobs and causing inflation – these are just a few of the results of HR 3200 – America’s Affordable Health Choice Act of 2009. Ironically the American people, and those in health care professions, will have no choice … the American people in their health choices, and the health care providers in their moral and ethical choices.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” This healthcare bill is immoral and Christians have a directive to stand for righteousness and morality. Let us speak boldly to all who will lend an ear, and after having done that … stand!

Senators on Capitol Hill may be forced tomorrow to make a choice between approving an important defense spending bill and voting down “hate crimes” legislation. Senate Democrats are once again trying to pass a hate crimes bill by attaching it as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill.

The hate crimes legislation, known as the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 909), would add gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability to the list of protected categories under federal hate crimes law. A vote is expected Thursday on the Defense Authorization bill and its accompanying hate crimes amendment.

Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, warns the hate crimes measure will lead to more than just the prosecution of violent crimes that are deemed bias-related.

“The problem is that the way that they define violence has to do with name-calling, but has to do with an array of different things,” he explains. “And the ultimate issue is going to be that it only takes one or two lawsuits, or the threat of a lawsuit, for there to be a chilling effect on pastors from preaching these passages of the Bible like Leviticus and Romans 1, and many, many other passages as our culture slips more into darkness.”

Those scriptural passages address homosexual acts, which the Bible says God considers to be an abomination.

Jackson and other conservative activists are hoping to persuade a group of about 14 moderate senators to oppose the bill. They include Arkansas Democrats Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu, and Republicans John McCain (Arizona) Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) and Judd Gregg (New Hampshire).

It is immoral for these kinds of antics and coercion to have to be endured. Each bill should be going though by itself, not piggybacked, and rise or fall on its own merit or lack thereof!

In the coming two weeks, we likely see a major turning point in American society – the first time in history that biblically orthodox Christian beliefs could officially be placed on the wrong side of the law – with the pending vote on the anti-faith “hate crimes” bill that is expected in the Senate within the next few weeks.

Christians and pastors will be jailed just for teaching the Bible and the truth about sin … what God says is sin.

But that’s not the only congressional threat to people of faith. The latest shocker is that some in Congress want to use the Department of Defense Authorization bill in such as way that it could discriminate against pro-life servicemen and women or military recruits!

The Obama White House and the Reid/Pelosi Congress have created a flood of bills and initiatives that dramatically impact our faith and families – more than we could have planned or budgeted for. We need to defend our faith and families while exposing how the rapid overreach of government power is undermining our values.

Take a stand and tell the Senate to reject this bill.

When Adolph Hitler took power in Germany, he recognized immediately that the major threat to his tyrannical designs would come from the church. He reasoned if he could neutralize the voice of the church there would be no one else to stand in his way.

Consequently, he immediately cranked up the Nazi propaganda machine to develop slogans designed to silence the voice of the church, slogans which were then relentlessly hammered into the minds of the people who meekly complied.

Hitler crafted two slogans in particular that became the bulldozers he used to push the church to the margins of the culture and silence its freedom to speak truth. This caused the truth, that could have powered the liberty of the entire world, to be threatened. Now, liberty was only preserved at the cost of millions of lives, including hundreds of thousands of America’s finest young men.

These slogans, mind you, do not come from the United States Constitution or from Thomas Jefferson or from the mind of the Founding Fathers. These slogans come straight from the mind of Adolph Hitler, and bear a sobering similarity to the mantras of the ACLU, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

Here are those slogans straight from the mind of Adolph Hitler:

“Politics do not belong in the Church.”

“The Church must be separate from the State.”

If they sound eerily familiar, it will only be because you instinctively recognize in these words the voice of tyranny and repression. Hitler himself drove the pilings even deeper when he said, in December of 1934, “The Nazi State will however not tolerate under any circumstances any new or any continued political activity of the denominations.”

In the same speech, he added these ominous words: “But we will ensure the purging from our public life of all those priests who have mistaken their profession and who ought to have been politicians and not pastors.”

The objective of the Nazi regime was virtually identical to the agenda of today’s ACLU: Contain the voice of the church within the four walls of its buildings, turning them into nothing more than echo chambers, and punish any effort of church leaders to make their voices heard in the public square.

Further, in a manner that is strikingly reminiscent of efforts to purge any references to God from our public systems of education, Josef Goebbels said the following in August, 1935: “To educate the young people into religious ways may perhaps be the task of the Church, but to educate the young in politics is very much our affair … The youth belongs to us and we will yield them to no one.”

All church youth groups were banned in favor of the Hitler Youth, which became the only legal youth organization in the country. Churches were no longer permitted to hold any meetings in public venues. They were instead locked up inside their sanctuaries, forbidden to speak their message outside the four walls of their church buildings.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

The current restraint on the freedom of the church in America to speak truth to political power was imposed in 1954 through the efforts of then Sen. Lyndon Johnson. Johnson, incensed at some non-profit organizations for opposing his most recent run for office, suspended the sword of the IRS over the necks of any religious leader who would dare to stand for justice and truth in the nation’s political life. And so today’s church is still paying the price for this small-minded politician’s petty and vengeful ability to use the power of the federal government to punish his adversaries.

Prior to 1954, churches had the freedom to be as engaged in matters of public policy as they chose. They were free to be actively engaged without fear of punishment, and free to be completely uninvolved in political matters if they so chose. That, my friends, is liberty, both of the religious and political kind.

While churches may still today distribute non-partisan voter guides, and pastors are free to speak to the moral issues of the day, watchdogs from the ACLU and other leftist groups are lurking around every corner, looking to pounce on any religious leader who would dare use his influence to help shape the direction of America’s public policy.

Judicial activism has turned the First Amendment on its head, and the very provision intended by the Framers to protect religious liberty is now being used to repress it.

The remedy? First, Congress should repeal LBJ’s onerous 1954 IRS restriction. Second, we must elect a president who will appoint justices to the Supreme Court who understand the original intent of the First Amendment and will restore constitutional freedoms of religion and speech in full to America’s churches.

Then, and only then, can we be assured that true American liberty will be preserved for us, for our children, and for their children after them.

(Source: “The Nazi Persecution of The Churches, 1933-45,” by J.S. Conway, Basic Books, 1968)

AMERICA’S CYCLE OF DEMOCRACY … WILL IT END ?

Posted by straight shooter on April 20, 2009 under General, Political, Theological Concerns

In reading Hosea 4:6-10 substitute the word leaders for priests: “6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. 7 The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. 8 They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness. 9 And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. 10 “They will eat but not have enough; they will engage in prostitution but not increase, because they have deserted the LORD to give themselves.”

The following quote can be traced back to Alexander Fraser Tyler. It is worthy of repeating and expounding in relation to present day America and the state of our union. Where are we really headed?

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over a louse fiscal responsibility, always followed by a dictatorship. The average of the world’s great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These nations have progressed in this sequence:”

“from bondage to spiritual faith;”The Great Awakening of the 1730’s in the American Colonies was a time of revival and spiritual longing. Jonathon Edwards, considered by many to be America’s greatest mind, led the revival with Biblical sermons and a fire for truth. Edwards taught the unvarnished truth about sinful man and our accountability to an Almighty God. Not surprisingly, he is mocked and laughed at today, but that is more of an indictment of our society than Edwards preaching. Pastor Edward’s great composition, Freedom of the Will has never been refuted by any scholar. This was a critical step in developing the conviction to fear God and not man. Even if man, at that time, happened to be the largest empire in the world – the British Empire.

“from spiritual faith to great courage;”Spiritual faith leads to great courage based upon convictions worth sacrificing for. A person who does not stand for something, will fall for anything. Think of the true heroes throughout history. One of the uniting principles that all heroes have is a willingness to stand for truth and convictions in a world of untruth and apathy. The Founding Families had great courage to stand for the truth of against tyranny and oppression. They did this because they knew the Bible said, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.” The British were moving in the direction of excessive taxation and the Colonist would not sit back and allow an offsite government to tax the local colonists.

“from courage to liberty;” The Colonist’s defeat of the British Empire was not a defeat of British military forces as much as a victory over British will. The Colonists were fighting for their deeply held principles of liberty that they were willing to give their life, wealth and sacred honor for. The British were fighting for some extra taxation in one of their many colonies. The American will defeated the British will because of the convictions involved. With the defeat of Cornwallis and the genius of our American Constitution, liberty reigned in the United States.

“from liberty to abundance;” The abundance generated by free enterprise and limited government was one of America’s biggest blessings, but also one of our biggest challenges. One of the few standing economies after WWII was America’s. Our products flowed to nearly all foreign markets creating the wealthiest society in the world’s history. It takes incredible discipline to remember where our blessings come from with abundance heaped upon further abundance. Over time, people forget the principles that created the liberty and the fruit of that liberty. Seeing the inequalities in the blessing of individual citizens, an envy of our fellow Americans germinates. The fruit of this unholy thinking is a desire to take our brothers and sisters abundance and give to those less abounding. This can only be accomplished by governmental intervention for the envious.

“from abundance to selfishness;”The 1960’s were a decade of self masquerading as caring for those less fortunate. Free love, destruction of society’s norms, and a drug culture prevailed in the youth. The 1960’s were a rebellion against the society of abundance without the belief in the principles that created that abundance. The Church, having lost conviction of the truths of the Bible, became hardened and withdrawn. The youth were left on their own to search for answers to the hypocrisy that engulfed them. Instead of returning to the Biblical principles and the God that created the blessings, society entered into the worship of self and self-actualization. The youth of the 60’s saw the hypocrisy, but in their endless faith in their own self-righteousness marched America even further from its Biblical roots.

“from selfishness to complacency;”Without a Biblical foundation, the rebellion was bound to produce worse fruits than the culture it attempted to replace. With no firm convictions to stand upon, the rebellion dissolved into peace and personal affluence. The loss of Biblical absolutes is bound to lead from convictions to surrender to complacency as no one is sure what the truth is. What is the use of standing for anything, if we are not sure that what we are standing for is truth? The 1970’s saw this complacency as the youth joined the “system” and pursued peace and affluence with little understanding of original principles that America was founded upon.

“from complacency to apathy;” 1980’s were a brief respite in the cycle. Thanks to the leadership and convictions of Ronald Reagan, America stood its ground against Communism and found that Communism was a paper tiger. The interval was short lived because the President, even with his influence, cannot consistently educate Americans on Biblical truths. Teaching these truths must be a function of the church, which had abdicated their responsibility in an effort to be relative to a lost generation.

The 1990’s saw a near complete surrender to apathy and personal fulfillment. With a near complete rejection of absolute values, people defined their own values and pursued fulfillment in the myriad of choices available to them. People did not care who was running the government as long as they were left alone to pursue the own personal agenda. Government performed by doing focus groups to ascertain what the people wanted and giving it to them, surrendering all leadership responsibilities to the dissimilar wishes of the people. Government, instead of playing the role of umpire and defender of our freedoms began to play the role of a benevolent dictator. This dictator studied to learn what we wanted and offered that to us with only a presumed token price of submission to the almighty sovereignty of government in the affairs of the citizens.

“from apathy to dependency;”The 2000’s will be remembered as the decade of complete submission to the government’s charity … the American citizen’s dependence upon government for their welfare, health care, social security, etc. It would be unthinkable now for most Americans to live without the direct involvement of Big Brother government. The baby-boomers have wanted for little and have not required their own kids to learn the value of hard work. People don’t appreciate what they don’t earn. They just expect more. The price of dependency is submission of our freedoms to the dictates of the government to pay the way for those who don’t or won’t. The old saying that you boil a frog one degree at a time aptly fits here. If you take a frog and throw him into boiling water, the frog will have enough sense to jump out. But if you turn up the temperature slowly, the frog will open up its pores and will literally be boiled without an attempted escape. Americans are now boiling in our dependency on our government unbelievably unaware.

When the voter discovers they can vote themselves entitlements because the corrupt politicians are more concerned with the power and perks of the office, they will. This will continue until the country bleeds to death.

“from dependency back again to bondage.”Eventually in our dependence, we see our status falling in the free world as slaves can never perform the functions of free men and women. Although the government still mouths the words of our founding fathers, the words have new meanings. The citizens cannot put a finger on the malady, but they know something is not right. In their desperation, they look for a messiah to save them. Because the Churches are not sharing the message of the true Messiah and the true way to liberty, the citizens look for a worldly messiah … a perceptive leader, with words that tickle the ears. Powerful words and promises of deliverance speak directly to the masses with the promise of salvation.

A shocking truth often learned too late that man cannot save man and only Jesus Christ can liberate the soul in bondage. A people held in bondage to sin can never be responsible to run a free government. The people in bondage will look to the government the way Christians look to their Savior. Government cannot be the savior to the people and was never intended to be so when created by our Founding Families.

America’s spending spree national debt will bankrupt our children’s inheritance on the altar of self indulgence! Ben Franklin said after the creation of our Constitution when asked what type of government was created, “A republic, if you can keep it.” A republic was formed to keep the masses from directly running the government and voting the government into bankruptcy. How far have we traveled from our founding principles and roots?

Our consciences need to be awakened. We do not have to complete this cycle and just as Ronald Reagan interrupted the cycle, we can too! Will it take convictions and guts? Yes, but a Godly people that have studied the truth of our founding principles will not be swayed by the promises of an almighty government.

Our government views all opponents of abortion, illegal immigration, and policy disagreement as terrorist threats. This DHS report was sent to our law enforcement to “watch us!”

The Department of Homeland Security officials have issued a report which links people with pro-life, anti-illegal immigration views, teachers of end-time prophecies, and veterans of war with “right-wing extremist” groups.

In an intelligence assessment issued to law enforcement last week, Homeland Security officials said there was no specific information about an attack in the works by right-wing extremists. But, watch how anyone who agrees with biblical teaching will be included! DHS warns that an extended economic downturn with real estate foreclosures, unemployment, and an inability to obtain credit could foster an environment for extremists to recruit members who may not have been supportive of these causes in the past. In other words, anyone who disagrees with the new government policies have to be watched.

The latest assessment started making its way into the mainstream press after conservative blogs got wind of the analysis. In the unclassified report – “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” – the agency warns that by not imposing new restrictions on firearms and the return of military veterans who have difficulties assimilating back into their communities could lead to terror groups or individuals attempting to carry out attacks. The returning war veterans have skills and experience that are appealing to right-wing groups looking to carry out an attack, according to the report. Well, that’s a slap in the face to our military heroes … and those who have died for this county!

The report says right-wing extremism in the United states can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily “hate-oriented” and those that are mainly anti-government, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority or rejecting government authority entirely. Again, anti-government being anyone who is not in agreement with the present leadership and policies.

According to the Homeland Security document, right-wing extremism “may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as abortion or immigration.” So Christians and churches are once again in the crosshairs due to a stand on the sanctity of life – now anyone against abortion is a potential threat … terrorist.

The report goes on to say that “many right-wing extremists are antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of social programs to minorities, and restrictions on firearms ownership and use.”

The Homeland Security report also makes reference to the rise of right-wing extremism in the 1990s and says factors which enhanced the movement were opposition to things such as abortion and same-sex “marriage.” Anyone on the right by the DHS description is beginning to look like an extremist. I am thinking that if you utilize your freedom of speech and it does not fit the government criteria the you become an extremist … soon to be terrorist. What baloney!

It also says “antigovernment conspiracy theories and ‘end times’ prophecies could motivate extremist individuals and groups to stockpile food, ammunition, and weapons.”

The message I seem to be getting here is … forget the real terrorists … watch law abiding Americans who just disagree. Sounds like the denied socialistic tendencies are being ratcheted up to communistic ones! These are Marxist thoughts.

Does the release of this report cause the image of the DHS to begin to look a bit Gestapo-like … or is it just the imagination of a Christian seeing potential persecution … from history?

DISGRACED BAPTIST LEADER VIES TO LEAD AGAIN

Posted by straight shooter on April 9, 2009 under General, Theological Concerns

Why is it that these guys who are “Rehabilitated” always feel led to lead. Doesn’t humility and shame enter into the rehabilitation process?

Ten years after he sentenced to 5 1/2 years in state prison for racketeering and grand theft, the former president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., is vying to lead the denomination once again and insists that he’s a changed man.

“We all, at one time in our lives, have fallen short of the Glory of God,” in a statement to supporters. “My re-election to the Presidency will witness to the world just what a mighty and loving God we serve. It will be the foundation of understanding true forgiveness from Christ Jesus who is faithful to forgive all of our sins.”

More than a decade ago, Lyons was accused of spending church money on expensive jewelry, a Mercedes-Benz and a $700,000 home bought with a woman who is not his wife.

The charismatic preacher was also accused of diverting money intended for the restoration of Southern churches damaged by arson to other church expenses and swindling more than $4 million from companies that wanted to market life insurance, credit cards and cemetery plots to his convention members.

Despite the allegations and even after he was convicted of racketeering and grand theft, Lyons continued to serve as the head of the National Baptist Convention and did not resign until March of 1999 – the month he was handed his 5 1/2-year prison sentence.

The highly publicized scandal dealt a devastating blow to the denomination – one of the largest religious organizations among African Americans and the second largest Baptist denomination in the world, after the Southern Baptist Convention. It also cost Lyons his marriage, his reputation and almost all he had.

Even when there has been forgiveness, reconciliation, retribution, and personal restoration there is also responsibility a fallen spiritual leader needs to realize. There is a difference between personal restoration and positional restoration. With great power and authority comes great responsibility and accountability. Part of that responsibility is understanding what was done to the family, the church, the denomination, and the position.

The total trust will never be there again. The leader will remain a stumbling block to many. The stigma will always be there and the character and integrity will always be questioned. The authority and integrity of the organizational position will be always be affected.

Lyons should have thought, first, about what he would really lose, and let that help motivate him, instead of his worldly greed. Once you betray it will never be the same … and shouldn’t be.

Lyons should be denied this leadership post and any other positional posts … possibly even continuing to pastor.

WARREN BLAZES DOWN THE WIDE ROAD !

Posted by straight shooter on April 9, 2009 under General, Political, Social Concerns, Theological Concerns

Rick Warren disavows support for Proposition 8

Monday night on CNN’s Larry King Live, Rick Warren apologized for his support of Prop. 8, California’s voter-approved marriage protection amendment, saying he has “never been and never will be” an “anti-gay or anti-gay marriage activist.” “During the whole Proposition 8 thing, I never once went to a meeting, never once issued a statement, never — never once even gave an endorsement in the two years Prop. 8 was going,” Warren claimed.

California mega-church pastor and author of The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren says he apologized to his homosexual friends for making comments in support of California’s Proposition 8, and now claims he “never once even gave an endorsement” of the marriage amendment.

His words now make him a liar considering just two weeks before the November 4 Prop. 8 vote, Warren issued a clear endorsement of the marriage amendment while speaking to church members. “We support Proposition 8 – and if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8,” he said.

The following is a complete transcript of Warren’s comments just weeks before the Prop. 8 election:

“The election’s coming just in a couple of weeks, and I hope you’re praying about your vote. One of the propositions, of course, that I want to mention is Proposition 8, which is the proposition that had to be instituted because the courts threw out the will of the people. And a court of four guys actually voted to change a definition of marriage that has been going for 5,000 years.


“Now let me say this really clearly: we support Proposition 8 — and if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8. I never support a candidate, but on moral issues I come out very clear.


“This is one thing, friends, that all politicians tend to agree on. Both Barack Obama and John McCain, I flat-out asked both of them: what is your definition of marriage? And they both said the same thing – it is the traditional, historic, universal definition of marriage: one man and one woman, for life. And every culture for 5,000 years, and every religion for 5,000 years, has said the definition of marriage is between one man and a woman.


“Now here’s an interesting thing. There are about two percent of Americans [who] are homosexual or gay/lesbian people. We should not let two percent of the population determine to change a definition of marriage that has been supported by every single culture and every single religion for 5,000 years.


“This is not even just a Christian issue — it’s a humanitarian and human issue that God created marriage for the purpose of family, love, and procreation.


“So I urge you to support Proposition 8, and pass that word on. I’m going to be sending out a note to pastors on what I believe about this. But everybody knows what I believe about it. They heard me at the Civil Forum when I asked both Obama and McCain on their views.”

During a CNN interview on Monday, Warren expressed regret for backing Prop. 8. “There were a number of things that were put out. I wrote to all my gay friends – the leaders that I knew – and actually apologized to them. That never got out,” he admitted.

Additionally, Pastor Warren said he did not want to comment on or criticize the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision last week to legalize same-sex “marriage” because it was “not his agenda.”

Bryan Fischer with the Idaho Values Alliance says Warren is abdicating his biblical role as a pastor. “For Pastor Warren to say that shoring up marriage is not something that’s on his agenda is just something that’s hard to believe for somebody who believes the Bible is our rule for faith and practice,” Fischer notes.

Dr. Jim Garlow, the senior pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in the San Diego suburb of La Mesa, helped spearhead the Prop. 8 effort in California. Garlow admits he is confused and troubled by Pastor Warren’s decision to apologize for supporting Prop. 8.

“Historically when institutions and individuals back away from convictional biblical truth, it is driven primarily by one single factor — and that is the respectability of other people. In other words, much more caring about what other people think about them than what God thinks about them,” he concludes.

Which is it really most important Warren … becoming more Christ-like or angering the gay community? Calling them and apologizing for standing up for God’s truths and principles seems to have won. You have lost all credibility as you revealed what is most important to you … what the gay community thinks rather than what the Bible says? Stick with the word of God … you can still love homosexuals in a biblical context without approving of their lifestyle.

By the way, drop your “Pastor” title … you have lost the privilege to be called “Pastor.”

We are not yet even three months into the new Obama administration and here is his record on abortion.

Pro-Abortion Presidential Record – 2009

  • January 5, 2009 – Obama picks pro-abortion Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as the chairman of the Democratic Party.
  • January 6, 2009 – Obama chooses Thomas Perrelli, the lawyer who represented Terri Schiavo’s husband Michael in his efforts to kill his disabled wife, as the third highest attorney in the Justice Department.
  • January 22, 2009 – Releases statement restating support for Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions and has resulted in at least 50 million abortions since 1973.
  • January 23, 2009 – Forces taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. Decison to overturn Mexico City Policy sends part of $457 million to pro-abortion organizations.
  • January 26, 2009 – Obama nominee for Deputy Secretary of State, James B. Steinberg, tells members of the Senate that taxpayers should be forced to fund abortions. Nominee erroneously says limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional.
  • January 29, 2009 – President Obama nominates pro-abortion David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General.
  • February 12, 2009 – Obama nominates pro-abortion Elena Kagan to serve as Solicitor General.
  • February 27, 2009 – Starts the process of overturning pro-life conscience protections President Bush put in place to make sure medical staff and centers are not forced to do abortions.
  • February 28, 2009 – Barack Obama nominates pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius to become Secretary of Health and Human Services.
  • March 5, 2009 – The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion business, made the invitation list as did other pro-abortion groups.
  • March 9, 2009 – President Barack Obama signed an executive order forcing taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research.
  • March 10, 2009 – Obama announces the creation of a new foreign policy position to focus on women’s issues. He names Melanne Verveer, an abortion advocate, to occupy the post.
  • March 10, 2009 – Reverses an executive order to press for more research into ways of obtaining embryonic stem cells without harming human life. The order Obama scrapped would have promoted new forms of stem cell research.
  • March 11, 2009 – Obama signed an executive order establishing a new agency within his administration known as the White House Council on Women and Girls. Obama’s director of public liaison at the White House, Tina Tchen, an abortion advocate, became director of it.
  • March 11, 2009 – Obama administration promotes an unlimited right to abortion at a United Nations meeting.
  • March 11, 2009 – Obama administration officials deny negative effects of abortion at United Nation’s meeting.
  • March 17, 2009 – President Barack Obama makes his first judicial appointment and names pro-abortion federal Judge David Hamilton to serve on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

This is not a man who has any concern for the sanctity of life. He has done this in less than 3 months!! I hope those “Christians”? who voted for him wake up before the 2012 election and will not vote for him again. This is just one of the ways President Obama is working to destroy our country which he calls arrogant and that he thinks needs to apologize to the rest of the world.

If you want fight back against President Obama’s attack on the sanctity of life … only support pro-life candidates to combat this all out assault on our values!