Dan's Meditations

2007-05-18T07:30:00.000-04:00

Christoher Hitchens is an Evil Atheistic Jerk and Fox News is an Idolatrous Organization

Jerry Falwell has died - God rest his soul.

And Fox News invited the outspoken atheist Christopher Hitchens on Hannity and Colmes to express his hatred for Jerry Falwell.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273295,00.html

In response, I wrote this email to Sean Hannity:

Sean,

Why in the world was Christoher Hitchens invited on your show and given an arena to express his evil atheistic hatred of Jerry Falwell? You rebuked him on the air, but you could have just as well rebuked him in a private conversation or in a private letter. I'll tell you why he was invited on the air: Ratings. Frankly, sir, you disgust me.

The Bible says, "Do not rebuke a fool according to his folly or you will be like him yourself."
The Bible also says, "Rebuke a fool according to his folly or he will be wise in his own eyes."

This calls for wisdom - wisdom that you obviously do not have.

To rebuke Christopher Hitchens on the air was just foolishness. By doing so, you were being foolish. Not as foolish as Christopher Hitchens, but that's not saying much. You should have rebuked him in private.

But again, it is all coming down to ratings - isn't it? Disgusting.

Wise up!

Proverbs 1:7 - "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

The past couple years, I have spent some time (too much time) on atheist blogs. If Christians were half as intelligent and half as determined as the average atheist blogger, we would be making a lot of progress. That said, atheist bloggers are among the most smug, most arrogant, and most hateful people in our nation. Being convinced of the atheist case, they think that they are way above the average Joe - especially the average Joe evangelical. Besides the truth that atheism is false (which just makes them look silly), they are arrogant.

Now, to be fair, I have known atheists that I was friends with, and while they too were somewhat arrogant, they weren't nearly as arrogant or mean as these atheist bloggers.

What's so ironic is that they rail against "bigotry." Of course, if you believe in Jesus Christ, then you are a bigot. If you hold to the idea that truth is absolute, then you are a bigot. That is, if you are a Christian and you hold to the idea that truth is absolute, then you are a bigot. But, of course, if you are an atheist, and you hold to the idea that truth is absolute, then you are not bigot - you are reasonable.

It is amazing how atheists claim the intellectual high ground and boast of how "reasonable" they are. This, coupled with their arrogance, and it takes a lot of effort to show these people that deductive reasoning has nothing to say about presuppositions.

But besides their inability to distinguish between truth and validity, they are mean-spirited and arrogant bigots. They are self-righteous. They are totally depraved.

O atheists! Repent and believe the gospel!

And be nice!

2007-05-01T17:26:00.000-04:00

Dear Senator Obama,

I heard you speak for the first time when you spoke at the DNC during Kerry's campaign for the White House. I also just watched your speech about faith and politics on your website.

Let me be upfront: I am a believer in Jesus Christ, and I hold to the inerrancy of Scripture.
You strike me as a sincere idealist who truly believes in what he says and does. I appreciate this. However, you also appear to be completely blind to the fact that you are patronizing us who have a fundamental faith commitment to Jesus Christ.

Fundamentally, you are more committed to pluralism and democracy than you are committed to Jesus Christ. This is idolatry of which you need to repent.

I challenge you to read deeply and meditate on the Word of God. God's truth is total truth. There is no room for any form of "secularism" (philosophically or in practice) when you are dealing with the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is holy, set a part for His own purposes. And He has commanded us: "Be holy, for I am holy."

My faith commitment is not a flimsy emotional commitment; nor is it merely a matter of rhetoric. Rather, I am totally dependent on God to have a proper view of truth and reality. And, whether you realize it or not, so are you. Truth and reality are not subjective; they are objective.

The logical and practical conclusions of these assertions will lead you in a radically different life direction than the one you are taking, but allow me to skip through that and just discuss one important issue.

Abortion. The only question that needs to be asked here is this: Is the unborn baby a human person or not? Note that this is not a scientific question. This is a philosophical and theological question. If the unborn baby is a human person, then we must stand up for his fundamental right to life, just as we do for all other people. For the baby is created in the image of God with dignity and value.

In our history, there was a time when people did not recognize the personhood of African-Americans. Now - thanks be to God - we do. How is it that we hold to the axiom that those who are born deserve to be protected by law, but those who are not born, do not? The wrath of God is being provoked, for we are a nation with blood on her hands. And you, by your pro-choice stance, are approving of murder.

You are a role model for millions and millions of people. You have great rhetorical gifts, and you have the capacity to inspire millions of people. Particularly, in the African-American community, you are a role model and a leader. If you do not repent for your pro-choice stance and stand up for the lives of the unborn, not only do you condemn yourself by your words and deeds, but you will lead millions of others down the road of destruction and death. A culture that does not stand for life will be given over to death. This is the wrath of God. With all due respect, sir, come to the cross of Christ, and have a talk with the God of Scripture, and not with the God-construct that you have invented in your head. Repent.

2007-04-28T08:55:00.000-04:00

The Homosexuality Debate

The world is going nuts.

On the one side, we have millions and millions of Americans who have totally embraced homosexuality. On the other side, we have the Westboro Baptist Church declaring loudly (at the funerals of dead soldiers) that "God hates fags!"

Both sides are wrong. Both sides are in sin.

Firstly, to the ultra-tolerant gay-loving side: You are really not tolerant and loving. You are also not logical. Your "tolerance" is actually very dogmatic. If people don't agree with you, you are quick to hatefully label them a "bigot" and a "hater." In other words, you are completely tolerant and accepting of everyone that you already agree with.

Furthermore, you clearly don't have a moral compass. There is an absolute moral law. To break that moral law is to sin. Stealing, lying, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, homosexuality - these are all against God's law. The unrepentant sinner will be damned to hell if he doesn't repent and come to faith in Jesus Christ - who died on the cross to forgive us for our sins. God hates sin. God loves sinners. But if anyone refuses to be transformed by God's saving grace, then God will pour out His wrath on such people. The world is uniting against God's authority, but God is omnipotent. One day, you will stand before God. Repent and flee the coming wrath.

To the Westboro Baptist Church, what you are doing is wrong. The greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but you do. God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. You who preach against homosexuality; are you without sin? You who preach that "God hates fags" have you not read the Scriptures? God is Savior! God is in the business of showing people mercy, love, and grace. Yes, Christians need to become more bold and more aggressive in preaching the uncompromised gospel and in calling people to repentance, but we are told to do so in gentleness and with compassion. In fact, to fail to show people God's compassion is to fail to preach the real gospel. I am concerned that you have already had your hearts hardened so much, that you will not receive this word. You talk about how God has given people over to depravity. While this is true, the irony is that you don't recognize that you yourselves appear to have been given over to depravity - the depravity of hate, of arrogance, and of pride. Repent and flee the coming wrath.

Man is created in the image of God.
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
As sinners, we are by nature, objects of God's just wrath.
But God sent His son to die on the cross for sinners to provide atonement that sinners could never provide for themselves.
Those who have faith in Christ, confess their sins, repent, and experience the lifetransforming saving grace of God.

2007-04-27T08:25:00.000-04:00

Becoming CrossFit
An Unconventional (and perhaps more Biblical) View of Discipleship

What if Christian discipleship looked more like this mixed with intensive Bible reading, meditation, memorization, and various drills? Perhaps, the church has a thing or two to learn from the military.

http://www.crossfit.com/
http://www.crossfit.com/journal/library/27_04_monster_mash.pdf

I'm inspired.

Ephesians 6:10-18 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, and against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can estinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

Let's be disciplined soldiers of the cross today. Isn't that what discipleship is all about?

2007-04-13T09:32:00.000-04:00

Resisting the IRS?

As April 15th (or more appropriately this year April 17th) is right around the corner, I recently read an thought-provoking article about those against the war who are refusing to pay some or all of their income taxes.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/Advice/AgainstWarAndTaxesToPayForIt.aspx

Of course, the war is justified (although the manner in which we are fighting the war is not), but this leads me to the question: Is it ever morally justified to refuse to pay taxes to the state, when those tax revenues are being used for that which is unjust? And of course the follow up question (and perhaps the more important question) is this: Is resisting the IRS practically feasible? It seems to me that to resist the IRS is - in principle - an act of war. Although I suppose this is debatable, for there does seem to be a big difference between refusing to pay taxes and killing people. But, we might as well ask the question: Is it morally justified and/or practically feasible to declare war against the United States government? At this point, I don't think it is. For one, it is not at all practically feasible. But even if we (who are we anyway?), took over the US government, we're not ready to govern a nation.

Thus, my focus will remain on governing myself, preaching the gospel, and serving other people.

I don't have time to blog about this now, but there does seem to be some strong arguments on both sides, and I would like to hash this out.

Of course, for the time being at least, I am paying my taxes. I just pray that God would work things out so that that money would be used for just purposes.

This leads to another rant (for another time). Biblically minded authentic Christians (who are properly interpreting the Word of God) really ought to assert themselves more. We are to be good stewards of that which has been entrusted to us. We are to take care of the world. We need to repent of fear of man, selfishness, apathy, and living so completely myopically.

2007-04-13T09:28:00.000-04:00

Dear Mr. Giuliani,

For what reason do you desire to become the President of the United States? Do you truly believe that of all the hardworking, God-fearing, honest men of integrity in our country, that you are the best man for the job? Do you really believe that the best interests of America would be served well with you as President?

I’ll be honest, sir. You are morally confused and spiritually blind in a land filled with those who are morally confused and spiritually blind. I don’t say this to be mean; I say this because it is true, and it is important for you and for our nation that you come to understand and acknowledge this reality.

You seek to keep politics and religion completely separate. But you can not and should not completely separate politics and religion. Politics, by its very nature, is a moral science. The reality of the moral law exists because God – the great I AM – exists. If God is not real (or if God is irrelevant), then the moral law is not real (or the moral law is irrelevant). Therefore, while completely separating politics and religion might be the politically correct and politically expedient thing to do in this society of the morally confused and spiritually blind, it is the morally wrong thing to do. By doing this, you are not serving the best interests of America. Instead, you are leading America down a path of moral decline, horrific destruction, and ultimately spiritual and physical death. A culture that stands for death will not stand. For God has spoken. He has commanded us: “Be holy, for I am holy.” He has set before us blessings and cursings. If you do not lead in righteousness for the glory of God and in His Name, then you are in sin.

Question: Why are we to be holy, sir? Answer: We are to be holy because God is holy. This implies that we are to obey and imitate God.

Practically, this means that we are to be opposed to all murder, because man has been created in God’s image. That is why the unjust killing of human beings is murder, but the killing of animals is not murder.

An unborn human being is a human person – created in the image of God. That unborn child has been given the fundamental right to life by God. Abortion is America’s Holocaust, and if you don’t stand against abortion, then you are standing against God. There is no neutral ground. The antithesis is real. You will either be a servant of God, or God counts you as His enemy.

We call on you, sir, with all due respect, to repent of your wickedness. Come to Jesus Christ in authentic humility, faith, and repentance. Confess your wickedness to God, and He will forgive you. Jesus died on the cross to save sinners, that all who put their faith and trust in Him would be saved. Be a servant of God – not a politician. Live for the glory of God; not your own glory. Stand up for truth, righteousness, and justice - even if doing so leads to political suicide. Fear God alone; fear no man.

Proverbs 14:34 – “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

2007-04-07T09:44:00.000-04:00

The Cross and the Heart of the Father

My wife and I went to church last night for a Good Friday service. In a way to illustrate the pain that the Father experienced on that Friday, our pastor showed a video clip. In the Czech Republic, there was a man who operated a draw bridge. When boats would pass through, he would need to bring the drawbridge up. When trains came through, he would bring the drawbridge down.

Well, this one day, a boat was getting ready to pass through, and so he brought the bridge up. His son was fishing nearby. But as the boat was passing through, the son noticed a train - that wasn't supposed to come for another hour - was coming. The son tried to get the father's attention, but couldn't. So, the son went to manually bring down the drawbridge (by pulling a lever). By this time, the boat had come through and the father had noticed the train. And he also noticed that his son was missing. As the son was attempting to pull the lever, he fell - right into the gears of the drawbridge. If the drawbridge closes, he will be crushed.

And now the father sees that his son is stuck in the middle of the drawbridge, and the train is seconds away from a disastorous crash. He has a split second to make a decision. Hundreds of people are about to die if he doesn't kill his son.

And so, with anguish of heart, he closes the drawbridge - crushing his son in the gears - in order to save the hundreds of people on the train - who had absolutely no idea of what was happening.

The analogy breaks down because our Heavenly Father is never out of control. There was no accident. But it does serve well as an illustration of the love of the Father. Without Christ, we are by nature objects of wrath. In His holiness and justice, God was compelled to judge us and pour out wrath on us. But instead, He sent His Son to absorb the wrath for us - the just for the unjust - in order to redeem us. And just as that drawbridge operator experienced anguish of heart to kill his son in order to save the people on the train, so the Father of compassion experienced anguish of heart as His Son was killed.

Thank God for the cross of Christ.

2007-04-05T16:25:00.000-04:00

Public Nudity

So... in an effort to try to show the ridiculousness of the ideas that God should be treated as if He is not real and/or irrelevant when it comes to public schools and other "matters of state," I figured that I would play the devil's advocate and suggest that public nudity - even public sex - should not be discouraged - and certainly not made illegal.

I mean, who are you to tell me that I have to wear clothes!? How tyrannical! You are depriving me of my freedoms and my "right to choose" to walk around public naked!

What was that? Oh... You mean to say that insisting that I be clothed in public is not to deprive me of my civil liberties? But who are you to make that judgment?

Besides, if you feel compelled for whatever reason to wear clothes in public, by all means wear clothes. But I have my rights! I have the right to walk around naked if I want to! It's called freedom. The right to choose? Hello?

No? I don't have that right? Well, that's your opinion. You have your opinions, and I have mine. Why don't you try being a little more open-minded?

The only reason why public nudity and public sex is intolerable and unlawful in this country is because of the influence of all those bigoted Christians on the neofascist "Christian" right. Hello? Separation of church and state! If your religion teaches you some weird doctrine about being modest in public, then by all means, feel free to practice your weird religion. But who are you to tell me that I need to practice your religion?! I have my rights! I have the right to walk around naked. I have the right to have sex in public.

What? You still don't agree with me? That's because you want a theocracy. You are trying to make your religion the law of the land. If you don't like freedom, then why don't you go move to Iran! But this is America. The land of the free! Women don't have cover themselves up. Not at all! Let it all hang out!

It's cool to practice your religion, just keep your religious convictions separate from matters of state, okay?

Legalize public nudity or I'm coming after you with the ACLU.

The human body is nothing to be ashamed of.

2007-03-09T11:12:00.000-05:00

Why I'm Disgusted By the Republican Party

Seven of the nine current Supreme Court Justices have been appointed by Republicans, and Roe is still the law of the land. How is it that people think that Republicans are pro-life?

Justice John Paul Stevens - President Ford - 1975
Justice Antonin Scalia - President Reagan - 1986
Justice Anthony Kennedy - President Reagan - 1988
Justice David Souter - President George H.W. Bush - 1990
Justice Clarence Thomas - President George H.W. Bush - 1991
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg - President Clinton - 1993
Justice Stephen Breyer - President Clinton - 1994
Chief Justice John Roberts - President George W. Bush - 2005
Justice Samuel Alito - President George W. Bush - 2006

God save the all-too-often dishonorable Supreme Court!

If our generation consecrates ourselves to God and consistently engage our culture, we could turn this horrible trend around. As it is, we have essentially asked God to pour out His wrath on us, and He is doing it.

Psalm 58

2007-01-29T10:33:00.000-05:00

Israel Attacked Again

January 29, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16866610/

Retaliate, Israel. You are justified. Go forth in God's name and establish justice.

2006-12-01T17:23:00.000-05:00

Moving Beyond Pro-Life

This is Douglas Wilson's view of abortion: http://www.credenda.org/issues/8-5anvil.php

This was my response to him:

Dear Doug Wilson,

I have been a fan of yours for the past two and half years (having spent 2 of those years as school teacher at Summit Christian Academy in Yorktown, VA). I had several questions and comments about your essay, "Moving Beyond 'Pro-Life'".

First, how do you define the word "sacred"? I have often argued that "There is no room for secularism, when all of life is sacred." The way I have meant the word sacred, I do not believe I am in heresy for this statement. However, it all hinges on how the word sacred is defined, and depending on how it is defined, I may have to adjust my rhetoric. My point though is that human beings are created in the image of God with great value and therefore should not be murdered.

That doesn't mean that God did wrong when he poured out His wrath on sinners. He is holy, and His wrath is just. That killing is not murder, but abortion is.

On the "fanatics" that kill abortion doctors, in my mind, I put them in the same camp with the abolitionist, John Brown, and John Brown in the same camp with them. But I have not figured out what camp to put them in yet. Are they just vigilantes, or are they lawless murderers? I see clearly that you say they are lawless murderers, but I do not see clearly how you make that judgment.

You said, "When God judges America for her contempt for her children, the judgment will fall not only on the adults, but also on the children--children considered so contemptible that even their own parents slaughtered them."

Perhaps in some cases. However, in many cases, do you not suppose that the children are completely innocent, and are saved by God's grace? Aren't Christians often the victims of injustice? You seem to almost categorically state that all aborted children are contemptible. In truth, we are all contemptible, but who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? Is birth necessary in order to be "reborn" or do all who die within the womb go to hell?
You said, "God does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ez.18:23) and neither should we. But if they persist in loving death after hearing the truth over the course of decades, then we ought not force this emergent alien nation into external righteousness. Let them kill themselves, for 'God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting' (Rom. 1:28), even 'murder' (Rom. 1:29). This is the wrath of God."

There is the Scripture in Revelation that says to let people be as people will be (let those who are vile continue to be vile, etc). However, the vast council of Scripture tells us to hold back those staggering toward the slaughter, to speak out against it, to resist, to make disciples, to command the gospel, to forcefully advance the Kingdom of God. I think the last thing the present church needs to hear is "Let the ungodly kill themselves." Rather, should we not be preaching, "Contend for the faith" and "Boldly declare the gospel" and "Love your neighbor as you love yourself"? Love always protects. True, when God finally pours out his wrath, we ought to acknowledge the justice of His judgment, but until that point, should we not intercede as Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah? Will not our prayers move the heart of God (according to His Sovereign plan to have the prayers of his people move His heart)?

"Third, we must take up arms to defend God's covenant children (Neh. 4:14). But we may not use violence until they come after our children. We ought not take up arms to overthrow the established authorities or to defend the lives of Molech worshippers and their children. This is far more secular than biblical."

Is it responsible to take the situation in the Book of Nehemiah to justify violence in our own day? Is there a clear line in Scripture that enables us to discern when violent action is called for and when non-violent protest should be used instead? Is it "our" children that we must defend or "God's covenant" children? How do you know that the child of the Molech worshipper is not one of God's elect? Should not that child be so protected? And what about defending our wives, our sisters, and our mothers?

As we are talking about taking up arms, should we also be talking about how to acquire the weapons we will need when we have to go to battle? Should we be talking about training a Christian militia?

Proverbs says, "A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trusts." Certainly, we should always be doing this spiritually (through prayer, praise, and worship), intellectually (through preaching, teaching), example (through work with integrity and purity). But what about physically? Should we, like Gideon and Josiah, physically be tearing down the idols of the land?

In a time when many in the modern church have failed to love their neighbors as they love themselves, it seems too easy for people to read your rhetoric and embrace bigotry in the name of Christianity.

God bless.

2006-11-17T08:05:00.000-05:00

Confronting the Arab Propaganda Machine

I recently came across this in my blogging escapades:

Look Into My Eyes
Look into my eyes
Tell me what ya see
U don't see a damn thing
Cuz u can't relate to me
U blinded by our differences
My life makes no sense to u
I'm the persecuted one
U the red, white and blue

Each day u wake in tranquility
No fears to cross your eyes
Each day I wake in gratitude
Thankin' God He let me rise

Ya worry 'bout your education
And the bills u have to pay
I worry 'bout my vulnerable life
And if I'll survive another day

Ya biggest fear is getting a ticket
As ya cruise your Cadillac
My fear is that the tank that's just left
Will turn around and come back

Yet do u know the truth of where ya money goes
Do u let the media deceive your mind
Is this a truth that nobody knows
Has our world gone all blind

Yet do u know the truth of where ya money goes
Do u let the media deceive your mind
Is this a truth that nobody knows
Some one tell me
Oh let's not cry tonight
I promise you one day it's through

Ohohoh my brothers
Ohohoh my sisters
Oh shine a light for every soul
That ain't with us no more

Ohohoh my brothers
Ohohoh my sisters
See I've known terror for quite some times

57 years so cruel
Terror breathes the air I breathe
It's the check point on my way to school
Terror is the robbery of my land
And the torture of my mother
The imprisonment of my innocent father
The bullet in my baby brother
The bulldozers and the tanks
The gasses and the guns
The bombs that fall outside my door
All due to your funds

You blame me for defending myself
Against the ways of my enemies
I'm terrorized in my own land
And I'm the terrorist

Yet do u know the truth of where ya money goes
Do u let the media deceive your mind
Is this a truth that nobody knows
Has our world gone all blind

Yet do u know the truth of where ya money goes
Do u let the media deceive your mind
Is this a truth that nobody knows
Some one tell me
Oh let's not cry tonight
I promise you one day it's through

Ohohoh my brothers
Ohohoh my sisters
Oh shine a light for every soul
That ain't with us no more
Ohohoh my brothers
Ohohoh my sisters

American do ya realize
That the taxes that u pay
Feed the forces that traumatize
My every living day
So if I won't be here tomorrow
It's written in my fate
May the future bring a brighter day
The end of our wait

Oh let's not cry tonight
I promise you one day it's through
Ohohoh my brothers
Ohohoh my sisters
Oh shine a light for every soul
That ain't with us no more
Ohohoh my brothers
Ohohoh my sisters ...

To which I responded:

This is the product of the Arab Propaganda Machine.

Israel has the right to exist. Israel has the right to defend herself.

It is worth pointing out that there are already two Palestinian states: Israel and Jordan. The whole land of Palestine (that is Israel and Jordan) was set aside as the Jewish Homeland by the League of Nations in 1917.

And then upwards of 3/4 of that land (Jordan) was taken away from the Jews and given to the Arabs. This was the first "two state solution" (though I don't think you can call it a solution).

The idea of there being a separate and distinct people known as Palestinians is a construct that was invented by the Arab propaganda machine. For thousands of years, the who region was known as Palestine. Separating Palestine from Israel is just propaganda. And then separating Jordan from these other Arabs (so called Palestinians) is just more propaganda.

Hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of Muslims are committed to the complete annihilation and destruction of Israel. They have terrorized Israel. In fact, not knowing anything about you (and glossing over the title over the thread initially), it was not until late in the poem that I figured out that you were talking about the so-called Palestinians. In that first part, it looked like the poem of an Israeli who had friends killed by Palestinian terrorist homicide bombers.

Yet, prophecy is being fulfilled. Sad to say, I fear that a second holocaust is coming to the Jewish people. Virtually the whole world is turning their backs on Israel. They are the most persecuted and terrorized people in the world. Terrorist organizations like Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Hezbollah are committed to Israel's complete destruction, but the UN and the international community say, "Israel is not allowed to defend herself." Meanwhile, more and more land is taken away from Israel, and the terrorists grow more and more bold.

Of course, these so-called Palestinians are people, and my heart goes out to them. But they elected to be governed by a terrorist organization. If the so-called Palestinians were serious about living in peace, then there would be peace. But as long as the so-called Palestinians legitimize these Islamic terrorists keep preaching jihad against Israel and the United States, then there can be no peace. For Israel has the right to exist and the right to defend herself.
I see that "Comment moderation has been enabled." So, I am cutting and pasting and putting this on my blog. I have a strong suspicion that these comments will not be posted.

The real solution to the whole problem is Jesus Christ. In Christ, there is no Jew or Gentile, Israeli or Arab, male or female, but in Christ, we are all family. He loves us. He died on the cross for us. He came and preached peace to us. We must all turn to Him in humility, repentance, and faith - trusting in Him for salvation.

2006-11-09T12:08:00.000-05:00

The Religion of Secularism

In a recent debate I've been having with an atheist, we have sparred several rounds on the nature of morality and the definitions of words like secular, sacred, and religion.

This was my last post in that debate.

"You have made secularism – the very absence of religion – out to be a religion itself."
Look. Any clear thinking person can easily see that the lines are extremely blurred when you start talking about morality, philosophy, and religion. Take the concepts of justice and righteousness for example. Are these religious concepts? Certainly. Are they philosohical concepts? Absolutely. Are these moral concepts? Of course. Does science have anthing to say about justice? Not really. Science might cause us to observe that some species appear to practice some forms of altruism, but it says nothing about the inherent "goodness" or "righteousness" or "justice" of altruism. Questions of morality are not answered by science, but by theology and philosophy.

"Science is most certainly worthy of respect, but most importantly, science is worthy of veneration."

I happen to agree with that. But I would point out that you have reached such a conclusion because you have presupposed the exact same thing. The presupposition has nothing to do with science. You can't prove the presupposition via the scientific method. You merely presuppose the truth (in this case) and then assert it.

In point of fact, you also presuppose the rules of logic before you use the rules of logic.
I would also argue that very often, the multiple related definitions of the same word can often be triangulated in a sense. By defining a word several different ways, you get a good sense of how the words are used in society. It is worth noting that the word sacred doesn't have multiple entirely different definitions (like the word "right" does), but multiple related definitions.

In other words, the dictionary people were smart when they decided to make a distinction between words with multiple entirely different definitions and words with various related definitions. There is all kinds of gray area here, and plenty of room for debate.
While we are defining words, why don't we go back to the word religion.
My personal definition of religion is "a set of beliefs, doctrines, creeds, and values that command a certain measure of allegiance and respect." Given that definition, secularism is most certainly a religion. But several people don't particularly care about my definition of religion. While I contend that my defition is a good one, I understand that people don't want me to redefine the English language. Fair enough.

So, let's see what dictionary.com says.

re‧li‧gion –noun 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. 2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion. 3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions. 4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion. 5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith. 6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice. 7. religions, Archaic. religious rites. 8. Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow. —Idiom9. get religion, Informal. a. to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices. b. to resolve to mend one's errant ways: The company got religion and stopped making dangerous products. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Origin: 1150–1200; ME religioun (< OF religion) < L religiōn- (s. of religiō) conscientiousness, piety, equiv. to relig(āre) to tie, fasten (re- re- + ligāre to bind, tie; cf. ligament) + -iōn- -ion; cf. rely]

Now, is secularism a religion?

Look again at definition 1. Secularism certainly has ideas about the cause and nature of the universe (some accurate, some inaccurate), and many secular philosophers have ideas about the purpose of the universe. Furthermore, secularists rely on these secular ideas in order to determine a moral code that ought to be used to govern people. It is worth noting that a belief in superhuman agencies is not required - according to this definition of religion - in order for the belief system to qualify as a religion.

So, my definition of religion aside, if we accept the first definition of dictionary.com, then it is clear that secularism is a religion - one that is no doubt full of absurdities and contradictions.
And so, according to definition 1, the government certainly is sponsoring religion.

A similar analysis of definition 2 leads to the same conclusion.

Clearly, according to defintion 6, secularism is a religion.

If we look at definition 8, then it is reasonable to say that people are religiously devoted to the religious ideas of the Constitution and the 1st Amendment.

Depending on how you define "faith," secularism may or may not be a religion according to definition 5.

Definition 7 - Depending on how you define "rites" secularism may or may not be considered a religion. I can see how things like being promoted to the next grade in school is kinda like going through a "rite" as is graduating high school, graduating college, getting married (legally), receiving certain awards on the job, retiring, dying and being given a funeral. Secularism certainly seems to have its gammit of rites. So, once again, we see the religious nature of secularism.

And when we triangulate all of these related definitions together and observe the nature of secularism, it would appear that secularism qualifies as a religion.

Have a good day.

2006-11-08T10:37:00.000-05:00

Post-Election Analysis 2006

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." - Jesus of Nazareth (John 3:16-21)

This is a day of mourning, a day of hope, and a day of resolve.

I do not have time at the moment to provide my complete election analysis, but suffice it to say that the American people have shown themselves to disregard the counsel of Scripture.

Colossians 2:8 says, "See to it, that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human traditions and the basic principles of this world, rather than on Christ."

And now, the day after the Democrats take control of the House and even up the Senate, Hamas has effectively declared war on America and Israel - calling on Muslims throughout the world to commit themselves to jihad - the destruction of Israel and America. God help us.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,228086,00.html

And I blame the broader evangelical community who has bought into the lie that preaching the gospel while on the job is somehow inappropriate and unprofessional - thus giving up their integrity and living lives of duplicity. It is time for judgment to begin with the house of God. It is time to repent. It is time to start thinking the way the Bible commands us to think.

It is time to tear down the idols of the land. (2 Kings)

It is time to contend for the faith. (Jude)

It is time to confront sin and injustice - as Christ has commanded us. (Matthew 18:15-20, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, 2 Timothy 4:1-8)

It is time to be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:6-9)

It is time to get wisdom. (Proverbs)

It is time to fight the spiritual war that God has commanded us to fight. (Ephesians 6:10-20)

If you are reading this and you are not a Christian, repent and believe, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

If you are reading this and you are a Christian, then contend for the faith. Be bold. Tell other people about Jesus. Don't give in to secularism. Fear God alone. Fear no man. Live for the glory of God. Consecrate yourselves completely to His purposes. Make disciples.

We have a cultural mandate. We are to contend for the Shalom of God.

Proverbs 21:22 - "A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust."

2006-11-07T08:47:00.000-05:00

Money

It is amazing to me how liberals are pro-choice on issues like gay marriage and abortion, yet anti-choice on how people choose to spend their hard earned dollars. Well, maybe they are pro-choice: pro-I'll-decide-how-to-spend-your-hard-earned-money. Liberals apparently think that the government needs to take on a parental role when it comes to the citizens handling money, yet they are so adament about keeping the government out of the personal lives of the citizens on other issues.

Of course, there is some reason (however skewed) behind the madness of liberals. The cold hard truth is that people do not handle their money very well, and very rarely do they choose to give sacrificially to the poor. At this point, I need to humble myself and start looking inwardly.

I'm excited about the series we have just started up in the Sunday morning Bible study about money. The truth is that all the money in the world belongs to God; we are merely stewards. And so, it is necessary to become excellent stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. God help us as we do.

And let us remember the poor and oppressed.

2006-09-22T10:05:00.000-04:00

Jewish Holidays

This would be an interesting and thought provoking and controversial debate. It would also be a chance to learn a lot. For the believer, this could prove to be an adventure of discovery of all the beautiful double-meanings of all the Jewish Holidays.

Should Christians celebrate the Jewish Holidays and the Christianized pagan holidays (like Christmas and Easter)?

Or...

Should Christians only celebrate the Christianized pagan holidays?

Or...

Should Christians forsake the Christianized pagan holidays and only celebrate the Jewish holidays and feasts the Jesus celebrated?

On this one, due to the world in which we live, I lean towards the first option. However, if I could reinvent the world and imagine a world where there was no Christmas and Easter, then I think it would be really neat to celebrate the Jewish Holidays with the kind of enthusiasm with which I celebrate Christmas now.

Like so many others, my emotions have been manipulated by the world. I'm not necessarily saying that this is a bad thing. But the idea of it certainly sounds bad. For all the talk that Americans espouse about freedom and independence, we have really fell in line with the world program - with the Christmas trees and Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and all. If people think they are really free, then it might be worth noting how incredibly difficult it would be to refrain from celebrating Christmas. Again, not that celebrating Christmas is a bad thing ... its just that we all tend to act like sheep - following the program that was set for us centuries ago by people who decided that the best strategy for reaching the pagan is to celebrate our most important holidays on the days of their most important pagan celebrations. (I won't call the pagan celebrations holidays, because I know about the etymology of the word holiday).

Anyway, I start this post today because Rosh Hashana begins this evening. And it is exciting. The Jewish New Year. I don't know much else about Rosh Hashana (because I haven't celebrated it every year the way I have the 4th of July and Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter). But I'm excited to learn about it and to discover the rich double meanings of the holiday. I'm pretty certain that every Jewish Holiday has a double meaning for those of us who believe that Jesus is the Messiah. So, this is an exciting day!

2006-09-15T09:32:00.000-04:00

Respecting Islam?

Pope Benedict XVI recently made this remark quoting a 14th century Byzantine Emperor:

"He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.'"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14846353/
http://www.foxnews.com/
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,213930,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,213930,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,213779,00.html

Of course, the Islamic community is enraged - as expected. Unfortunately, if appears that the pope is backing down somewhat from his statement.

I can't help but to note the incredible differences between Islam and Christianity. Jesus said, "Turn the other cheek" and "Love your enemies." Jesus washed Judas' feet knowing that Judas was going to betray him. Jesus gave His life for the people who nailed Him to the cross, and prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Jesus taught us to be patient and kind. The Bible teaches us, "Be angry, but do not sin."

I don't see any of this in the Muslim response to the Pope's comments. Even if the Pope is wrong (which I don't think he is), any religious idea that would encourage this kind of response from the Muslim world is not worthy of respect. In fact, the response of the Muslim world seems to prove the Pope's point. Now, theoretically, it is possible that Mohammed was really a peaceful loving guy, and all these offended Muslims are simply in sin for responding to the Pope with such arrogance and anger and hatred, but from everything I have heard and read about Mohammed, he did spread his cult religion by the sword.

If we are going to establish a better world for our future, then we will have to examine closely the history of Islam, Islamic theology, and the life and message of Mohammed. If we are to have a better world, then Muslims are going to have to own up to the facts.

It seems to me - from my limited knowledge, that bin Laden and his terrorist network are most closely in line with the teachings of Mohammed than the modern secularized Muslim world is. Yet that doesn't stop the modern secularist Muslims (along with the rest of the secular world) from making such ignorant statements like, "Bin Laden is not a 'true Muslim'" and "True Islam is a good and tolerant religion." Essentially, modern secularists are trying to project modern secuarlist ideas onto Islam and then calling that true Islam. They are doing the same thing to Christianity. Projecting modern secular ideas onto Christian theology, calling it 'true Christianity' and then condemning orthodox Christians as "extremist fundamentalists." In other words, any Christian who believes that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God and who also knows how to use syllogisms in debate, these are not true Christians.

The difference of course between Christian fundamentalism and Islamic fundamentalism is that Christian fundamentalists believe and practice the truth, and the truth is good and right. Islamic fundamentalists stay true to Mohammed, but Mohammed was a false prophet.

To be fair, much evil has been done in the name of Christianity. This is wrong. You'll be happy to know that Jesus was the most harsh with the prideful religious people - not the humble sinners.

Moderate Muslims need not to project modernity on to Islam; they need to renounce Islam. They need not embrace modernity or postmodernity either. They need to embrace Jesus Christ - the Son of God.

And they need to be able to have a conversation with those who think that Mohammed is a false prophet without becoming angry at those who proclaim truth.

I hear people disrespect Jesus Christ all the time. There is a place for holy anger; don't misunderstand me. But we should be quick to listen and slow to anger. And in our anger, we must not sin. So, when I hear people disrespect Jesus Christ, I calmly, proactively, patiently, and forcefully urge that person to repent. Meanwhile, I treat them with love and respect and kindness, trusting that the kindness of God leads toward repentance.

By the way... the doctrines of Islam that are in agreement with Christian theology are to be respected, revered, and obeyed. But the doctrines of Islam that disagree with Christian theology are damnable doctrines, and by believing them and practicing them, people practice evil in the name of religion.

Exalting God necessarily means disrespecting all doctrines that oppose Christianity.

I would love to have a Jesus vs Mohammed public debate with a Muslim.

Lay down the pride, people. You are really screwing up the world by holding on to your arrogant pride. "God abhors the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

2006-09-11T15:13:00.000-04:00

Defining Freedom

Unless we understand and love real freedom, we will not have the courage, the will, the resolve, or the wisdom to win the war on terrorism.

I have been reading Father Jonathon's blog recently on Fox News. While I definately have some doctrinal and philosophical differences with him, he does make many points with which I agree.

This was a very interesting essay. Check it out:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,213349,00.html
So, what is freedom?

First of all, I would suggest that Thomas Jefferson knew nothing about freedom. Neither did many of our Founding Fathers. Many of them were deceived by the Enlightenment (which really ought to be called the Endarkenment). They bought into the deceitful religion of secularism, and so became slaves.

No doubt, many people disagree with me and are thinking about the horrific religious wars of Europe, the injustice that Thomas More suffered, or any number of other incidents from history when the "religious" state oppressed the people and denied the people their fundamental rights.

And your objection is valid, and deserves a response - one which I will not give today for lack of time.

What I wish to discuss is the nature of freedom and the relationship between freedom and law.

I think that many Americans think that security must be compromised in order to be free. Or freedom must be comprised in order to maintain law and order and security. But I would suggest that neither is the case.

Anyone whose soul is not well ordered is not free. Anyone who is overwhelmed by anxiety or fear is a slave to anxiety or fear is a slave to that anxiety or fear. Anyone who casts off all restraint becomes a slave of vice - a slave to sin. Those who covet either become enslaved to bitterness or to selfish ambition.

But the man who has peace in God is free. He may at times be tempted by anxiety, but he finds peace in the LORD. He may be afraid, but is not mastered by fear. He may be tempted by all kinds of vice - and fall into sin - but he is not mastered by sin, for He has faith in God. He is under grace. He is a son of God; not a lost orphan.

2 Peter 2:19 warns us against the influence of wicked and deceitful men. "They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity - for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." America would do well to meditate on this blessed verse of Scripture.

We must be on our guard against wicked despots who would injure, oppress, or kill innocent people. There are evil people in the world. More than that, many of they are ambitious.

But my big concern is similar to Father Jonathon's concern. Denying moral absolutes is a recipe for disaster. We can not have justice if we deny the reality of moral absolutes. If we separate morality from politics, then we will not establish justice. Where justice is not established, there can be no freedom. But we can not understand and appreciate morality and justice if we refuse to submit to God.

Nature abhors a vacuum. Wherever the blessed wisdom and truth of the Bible is not being exalted, some other worldly philosophy will be exalted. And then people, in their foolishness and idolatry and in their love of darkness and contempt for freedom, will put their faith and trust in that idea.

And then they become slaves.

Why do you think the Middle East is such a mess? Why do you think so many in the Islamic world hate us? They don't see themselves as slaves; that's for sure.

As I was watching "That Path to 9/11" miniseries last night, I did some thinking about the nature of radical Islam.

This is what I have come up with: Radical Islam is a world-wide, fraternity gang.

These terrorists are not stupid people. They are very intelligent - probably more intelligent than most Americans. They have found in their twisted religion camraderie and purpose. Being united with intelligent charismatic brethren, they are excited about this war. They are making history, and they love it. They hate the West, and they hate Israel. They are racist thugs, and they use religion to justify their hatred. They (rightly) point out a lot of the hypocrisy and sinfulness of the West. So, they see themselves as agents of God's justice. And in all their zeal, they don't hear the voice of God that testifies to the wonderful dignity of man.

But the horrible thing is that the west, in their secular zeal, also have treated God with contempt by denying the wonderful dignity of man. They have fueled the fire of radical Islam by living lifestyles of decadence and self-service. They have treated God with contempt by killing the unborn and neglecting social justice. They have treated God with contempt by embracing postmodernism and neopaganism.

WE HAVE BEEN CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE!

Until we understand this and appreciate this, we will never understand and appreciate real freedom. And if we don't understand and love freedom, we will lose this war.

This is not as much a fight against radical Islam as much as it is a fight for the Shalom of God. There are creation norms, aka, moral absolutes - on which our laws and our policies must be based. We must be united in laboring for the cause of a beautiful and free and just society.

Secularists think that they are the champions of freedom. But radical secularism will not secure a free and just society. Rather, we will become enslaved by ungodly philosophies and tyrannical governments.

We reap what we sow. Freedom is not free. Freedom can only be secured when we joyfully submit to just laws.

We must not be fooled by the advocates of tolerance and diversity. We must maintain godly convictions and work for the establishment of justice. Don't depend on the government to do it. You have to do it. I have to do it. The government doesn't care about you. We need to care about each other. Serving one another, we shall become free.

May God give us the wisdom to see the right; the will to choose it; and the strength to make it endure.

2006-08-24T16:15:00.000-04:00

Tom Cruise on Psychiatry

This is a happy day. Finally, someone in Hollywood spoke up with some sense on a serious problem facing this generation and the next generation. Go, Tom Cruise.

Check this out:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8344309/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-peter-breggin/thanks-tom-cruise_b_4284.html

I don't have much time to talk about this now. But this is very close to my heart. Secular pshychiatry is quasi-scientific, secular, and the religion of the day. Shrinks are high priests. And if you speak out against them, people will treat you as if you have blasphemed. Ritalin is causing a lot of harm to millions of people, and yet people are turning to the drug more and more.

I heard about this on "The Savage Nation" last night. An x-psychiatrist called in testifying to his decision to quit his job and change careers, because his conscience bothered him so much. He knew that the meds he was prescribing were harmful, but he said that he was pressured to keep on giving the meds "like a good little Nazi." He finally quit.

I read up on this stuff a few months ago. Peter Breggin certainly seems to be an expert in this field, and he has some tough words about psychiatry and the meds that are being used.

More later....

2006-08-10T21:23:00.000-04:00

Mormonism

I had a pretty lively discussion with a couple Mormon guys today. It is amazing to me how a religion that is so bizarre can be so "successful." Once you suspend disbelief, people can be brainwashed to believe anything.

Hold on there, Marco... I know you are laughing at me right now. But there is a major difference between the truth of God (which does make a lot of philosophical common sense) and the bizarre fairy tales that Mormonism asserts.

The thing about the Mormons is that they are really not educated about the Bible. They say they believe in the Bible - that the original manuscripts are inspired, infallible, and authoritative, and that what we have today is a very good translation. We agree there.

But here is one of the many big inconsistencies that Mormonism has. In fact, this one issue that i will address is really the Achilles' heal of Mormonism.

Mormons deny the doctrine of the Trinity. They (rightfully) point out that the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. They insist that Jesus is another God. That Jesus is a lesser God than "Heavenly Father." They deny the "3 in 1" idea of God.

I knew that going into this debate, so I figured, that all I would have to do is prove that Jesus is Jehovah, and I've got them.

Not quite. They readily agree with me that Jesus is Jehovah (which can be Biblically proven from John 8, where Jesus asserted, "Before Abraham, I am!" This is when the Jews picked up stones to stone Christ for blasphemy, but Jesus slipped away. The Jews understood, that when Jesus said this, He was identifying Himself as Jehovah, the God who appeared to Moses at the burning bush.

And on this point, the Mormons and I are in agreement.

But they are saying that Heavenly Father is not Jehovah. That Heavenly Father is a higher God than Jehovah. These guys did not even know that Jehovah and YHWH are the same (that the Y was changed to J and some vowels were added). They had no idea that YHWH was is such a sacred name that the ancient Jews of old would not dare utter the name, lest they take the name of the LORD in vain. On the contrary, they assert that Heavenly Father is a higher God. He is the one with the mysterious name that no one may utter. According to Mormons, Heavenly Father is "higher" than YHWH (Jesus).

So, follow me here. Mormons (wrongfully) say that Jehovah is a sub-God. That Heavenly Father is above Jehovah. Futhermore, they (rightly) say that Jesus is Jehovah. So, if it can be proven biblically, that Heavenly Father is Jehovah, then their entire doctrine falls apart. If this can be proven, the Mormon with integrity will admit his faulty doctrine, recognize the authority of Scripture, and repent for believing and preaching a heretical doctrine.

But the Mormons without integrity will then throw out logic, ignore what Scripture plainly teaches, and probably start blabbing on about some Joe Smith dude.

In Psalm 110:1, David says (under the inspiration of God), "The LORD says to my Lord; 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'"

I am fairly certain that in all cases when you see the word "LORD" (in all caps) in the Bible, we are talking about YHWH (Jehovah). If not in all cases, then certainly in most. On this fine point, I am not enough of a scholar to tell for sure.

But I am pretty certain that in this case, the word "LORD" is referring to YHWH.

"Lord" refers to "Master." Jesus quotes this Psalm in Matthew 22:41-46. It is clear that the "Lord" to whom the "LORD" was talking was Jesus - the Messiah - the Christ. And thus, Mormonism falls a part. Because Mormons assert that Christ is YHWH and that YHWH is a separate God from Heavenly Father. Yet, here we see LORD (YHWH) addressing David's Lord (Christ and therefore also YHWH). It is clear then that YHWH was talking to YHWH.

This is a strong case for the Trinity nature of God - 3 persons, 1 God. Mormons try to use verses like this to show that there are multiple gods. But they also say that Jesus is Jehovah. And so, in Pslam 110, Jehovah is talking to Jehovah.

I invite and challenge all Mormons to analyze, pray about, and consider this argument. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

I also challenge everyone - especially Mormons - to do a study of the names of God in the Old Testament - particularly the book of Genesis.

We Protestants have ministers who actually go to seminary and study this stuff. They learn Hebrew and Greek and they read the Bible in the original language. I have heard it said that to read the Bible in Hebrew is like seeing the movie in color. But you need not be a Hebrew scholar to do a study on the Names of God in the Old Testament. The Names of God are extremely significant, and it is important that you aren't haphazard about it. It is important not to make stuff up as you go along, so you can win a debate, and further cement yourself into your heretical doctrines. Read the book of Genesis very slowly and carefully and prayerfully. Everytime you get to a name of God, think about the significance of the Name. Learn some basic Hebrew. I promise you, you will learn a lot.

Mormons must have a horrible track record with Jews. We Christians are not doing a lot better, but there are a good many Messianic Jews who believe that Yahshua is the Messiah. Mormons could learn a thing or two from them. I would like to see a Mormon try to tell a Messianic Jew that YHWH is not the Supreme God - that there is a Heavenly Father above Jehovah.

C'mon. Joe Smith made up some bizarre fairy tale back in the 1800's, claimed prophetic authority, and really failed to train his followers how to answer questions about Jehovah, and now millions of well-dressed bicycle riders propagate their heretical doctrines on unsuspecting and ignorant people, who buy into it hook, line, and sinker. And all the while, with all the millions of Mormons who have studied the Bible, has it ever occurred to you, that you've really screwed up the identity of YHWH?

Now be courageous. Don't go back to your Mormon circle to get the answers there. Do some praying for yourself. Some thinking for yourself. Study the Bible outside of the Mormon camp. Read this blog. Quit simply parroting the talking points that you've been trained to spout. Study philosophy. Get involved in politics. Consider God holistically. Take a balanced approach to life.

I have nothing but compassion for Mormons. They have been severely and systematically brainwashed. I pity them. I pray for them.

Mormons, precious Mormons, the truth is right in front of your face in the precious words of the Bible. Read it well. Study it well. And do that study on the Names of God in Genesis. Ask YHWH to reveal Himself to you. It is not about a burning bosom experience. It is not about psychological manipulation. It is about faith in YHWH, the Creator and sustainer of life.

And remember, I've got nothing but love for ya'll.

2006-07-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

WWIII

It is here. I don't like it. I wish that everyone would play nice. I wish that we didn't have crazy Islamo-fascists in the world who were committed to the destruction of Israel and America. I wish we could have world "Peace in our Time." But that's not reality. Reality is that WWIII has begun. This is going to be a long war. A war of ideology. Millions of people hate us and want us dead and are committed to our destruction. They believe that if they die killing Israelis or killing Americans, they will get 72 virgins in heaven. Heaven is, of course, a place where the orgasms never stop. And where, if you are a man, then you get to be worshipped by more beautiful women then you can handle.

Check out these links: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,207606,00.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan_Nasrallah.

To all who are calling for a cease-fire in Israel, I would emphasize this statement made by Nasrallah:

"I am against any reconciliation with Israel. I do not even recognize the presence of a state that is called 'Israel.' I consider its presence both unjust and unlawful. That is why if Lebanon concludes a peace agreement with Israel and brings that accord to the Parliament our deputies will reject it; Hezbollah refuses any conciliation with Israel in principle."

Given this kind of stance towards Israel by Hezbollah, it necessarily follows that everyone who is calling for a ceasefire are siding with the terrorists. To call for a ceasefire is to deny Israel her right to defend herself, and it gives terrorists the opportunity to regroup, reorganize, rearm, and spread their propaganda of hate and Islamo-fascism. These people are not going to quit. They are committed to the destruction of Israel.

Either Israel does not have the right to exist, or Israel has the right to exist. As with all moral issues (abortion, death penalty, God in schools), there is no neutral ground on this. If Israel has the right to exist, then she certainly has the right to defend herself from those who have committed their lives to Israel's destruction. If you deny Israel's right to exist, then you have set yourself against the chosen people of God - arguably the most persecuted people in all of history.

Hezbollah has got to go. The whole world ought to be coming to Israel's aid right now. The United States ought to help Israel out by providing intelligence support, economic aid, weapons, and troops.

But we have to recognize that this is not just about taking out Hezbollah. It is time to go after Iran. Ahmadinejad is a clearly a terrorist. He and his thugs are fueling the fire in Iraq, in Lebanon, and in Israel. He should be given an ultimatum: Stop supporting Hezbollah terrorists and the terrorist efforts in Iraq, or the United States is coming after you.

See, here is the big problem. It is a real mess.

We have the religion of Islam. Millions of Muslims hate Jews and Christians. Millions of Muslims (rightly) recognize that faith and politics can not be separated. But they wrongly presuppose many creeds that are heretical and wicked. They deny the deity of Christ. They deny the doctrine of grace. Thus, they are a self-righteous and arrogant people. On top of all this, their false prophet, Mohammed declared that it was Ishmael and not Isaac on Mount Moriah. So, after 2200 years, the Arabs all of a sudden invent a creed by which they get all the land and the blessings promised to Israel. Thus, the existence of Israel is an intolerable evil, in their view. And America's support of Israel is equally intolerable. Thus, many millions of Muslims are zealously committed to the annihilation of Israel.

Secondly, we have the Israel - the chosen people of God. Israel has been chosen by God. They have been promised land and blessings. Those who curse Israel will be cursed; those who bless Israel will be blessed. And all nations on Earth will be blessed through Israel. This says nothing about Israel being any "better" than anyone else. This is simply due to the Sovereign choice and Sovereign plan of God. Through Jesus, the Messiah, many of these prophecies have come to pass.

Unfortunately, many millions of Jews (but not all Jews) have rejected the deity of Jesus. They think he was a heretic. This is wicked and unfortunate. As far as the gospel is concerned, they are blind and lost, but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs. The Jews have been persecuted, raped, murdered, mistreated, partially annihilated, etc throughout history.

In 1917, they were granted a "small notch of land" by the League of Nations - a notch of land that included all of present day Israel and the disputed land (so-called Palestinian territories) as well as all modern day Jordan. The whole region (which had been known for thousands of years as Palestine) was set aside as the Jewish homeland. Then, in the early 1920's, Britain unilaterally trumped the League of Nations mandate, taking over 70% of the small notch of land, and granting that land east of the Jordan to the Arab Palestinians (present day Jordanians). The rest of the land (west of the Jordan) was to be the Jewish homeland (for all the Jewish Palestinians, aka Israelis).

If this rhetoric is causing any of you to be confused, it is probably due to the fact that you have been brainwashed by the Arab Propaganda machine, and because you known next to nothing about the history of the region. I admonish you to do some reading and get the facts.

Check this out:
http://www.mideastweb.org/briefhistory.htm

Then there are the secularists. They religiously deny that God has any authority or right to get involved in politics. The word of the Lord is great for your private life; just keep it out of the public arena. Of course, the secularists don't understand, believe, or accept that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. They are full of contradictions and foolishness. They are not philsophically sound. They act as though they have authority in the world, but all they have to back up their supposed authority (to make moral, social, cultural, and political judgments) is their gut feeling. Some secularists don't realize that justice is essentially a moral and religious issue. Other secularists do realize this, but still contend that God's word has no authority in the public sphere.

Secularists come in a variety of shapes and sizes. On one hand you have "traditionalists," who acknowledge many of the fundamental assumptions that have shaped Western civilizations for the past two thousand years. Many of those assumptions are Christian in nature. This makes sense considering that you can not study the history of western civilization without seeing the influence of the Christian church throughout the said history. Many "traditionalists" are all for "God," in the public sphere, but they want to somehow tame God. They kinda are missing the point that Jesus is the Lion of Judah. He's not a tame lion. When He gets involved, He takes over. He has power and authority. He is Sovereign over all creation. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.

So, while I often find myself in agreement with the traditionalists on many issues, there arguments are usually always secular in nature. This demonstrates a lack of wisdom, faith, and integrity. Either these people are not really Christian (and so they don't know better), or they are Christian, but are in compromise. They need to be "transformed by the renewing of their minds." (Romans 12:2).

But then there are the crazy radical socialist secularists (isn't it interesting that very, very few radical non-tradiational, pro-feminist, secularists make a lot of noise about the "greatness" of capitalism... just an interesting tangent idea). Here you have the ACLU, most of the media (aside from Fox News and most of Talk Radio), most of the Democratic party, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Ted Kennedy, Bill and Hillary, Nancy Pelosi, Ned Lamont, Chuck Schumer, etc. They hate the West, the 10 Commandments, and anything that remotely smells "Christian." They are religiously committed to a secular society. Postmodern secularism is their contradictory religion. Essentially, they are committed first and foremost to do whatever they think and whatever they want. They have exalted "self" in the place of God. On their own supposed authority they say that women should have the right to kill their unborn, women and minorities deserve "extra equal" opportunity, the death penalty is bad - but killing those on feeding tubes is cool, God is the real problem with everything - keep God out, negotiate with Islamic terrorism, and do not let Israel fight to defend hereself. In fact, many secularists have sided with the Islamo-fascists. They want Israel to be destroyed. They want to negotiate with the terrorists (after all, Muslims are not Christian, and anything that is not Christian is definately cooler than Christianity).

So, you can see why World War III is such a mess.

This calls for wisdom. The stakes are high in this war. What are we fighting for? What are we fighting against? What do we really value? What is justice? What would Jesus do?

I do not have all of this figured out yet. But I do know a few things.

God loves us all. He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins - the just for the unjust - that those who believe could be saved.

The greatest commands of the Bible are to love God and to love our neighbor.

The Bible commands us to do justly. "The just shall live by faith." It was "by faith" that heroes of old "established justice." "Everything that does not come from faith is sin."

Israel has the right to exist. Anyone who tries to deny Israel that right needs to be brought to justice - quickly and decisively.

Islam is erroneous. Christians need to reach out to Muslims in love - to share the gospel with them, and to gently show them the errors of their doctrines. We need to introduce them to the person of Jesus Christ.

Muslims who live peacefully should be respected for their commitment to peace.

Muslims need to repent for their idolatry.

Everyone needs to repent for their idolatry.

Israel needs to humble themselves under God's mighty hand, and acnkowledge Yehshua - the Messiah.

Politicians need to recognize that they are God's servants - that they must fear the Lord and study His word - so as to understand and carry out justice.

We Christians need to repent for our plethora of sins. We need to model for the world authentic Christian community. We need to do justly and love mercy. We need to stop looking to the world for answers, and we need to look to the Bible for answers.

We must fight the good fight of faith. We must confront evil wherever it arises (and we ought to first look into our own hearts and confront the sinner within).

Dear God, Give us grace.

2006-07-25T00:16:00.000-04:00

Johnny Cash

I just saw Walk the Line this weekend with my wife and a friend. What a great movie! Johnny Cash. What a life! What a story of God's beautiful redemption! I'm listening to his music right now. I just love his voice, and the sense that his music comes from the deepest core of himself. There seems to be so much compassion in his music - as if he is speaking the love of God over the lives of broken people. He seems to have so much empathy for his fellow man - for poor, lost sinners like himself.

He was certainly a gifted and talented musician, and I'm so glad that he shared his gift with the world.

What could happen if we all creatively used our talents to help one another? What could happen if we authentically loved one another - humbly sharing one another's burdens?

How often have I looked down my nose at my brothers and sisters - pointing fingers - judging. How often have I been frustrated that I have such a difficult time connecting with people on a deep level. How often have my friends put up with my crap with God's patience and grace and love. God forgive me, and help me to walk in love.

I feel like listening to Johnny Cash is helping me to receive God's love for me. Not that I base my faith on feelings - and not that I base my faith on Johnny Cash's music. But the Scripture does say, "Behold! What manner of love the Father has given unto us. That we should be called the sons of God!"

2006-07-16T13:37:00.000-04:00

What's so important about faith?

Many people look at the Christian gospel, and are completely incredulous. Romans 3:22 says, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:18 says, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

Why is faith so important? What is so special about faith? Why is it that faith is the dividing factor on which everything hinges - that those who believe are saved and those who do not believed are condemned? How does a just God make everything hinge on faith?

There are many people who, on the world's standards, are very good. Yet they will spend eternity in hell unless they repent and believe. The Christian gospel asserts this. Not having faith is apparently a major offense to God. But many ask, why would it be? What is it about faith that makes it so important?

And sadly, most Christians have done a pretty lousy job at providing answers for these questions. Many times they will respond with, "You just have to believe, brother!" That's true, but 1 Peter 3:15 says, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." Faith is not blind. Real Christianity is not blind faith. In fact, I would guess that many have bought into some pernicious perversion of Christianity - a form that requires blind faith - and by doing so, they have quit thinking and thus have been given over to a depraved mind. So, now, in their minds, they're saved, but in reality, they are depraved and are no better off than unbelievers. Meanwhile, they drive away honest intellectual seekers by their blind faith, anti-intellectual attitudes.

Let's go way back ... all the way back to the beginning.

In Genesis 2, we see the story of the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, and all was good. Sin had not yet happened. The Garden of Eden was a place of perfect peace. The Hebrew word is "Shalom." Shalom - the peace of God. To get an understanding of the word Shalom, I encourage you to check out this website: http://www.therefinersfire.org/meaning_of_shalom.htm. Shalom is an awesome word. Peace, completeness, health, blessing. None of these adequately defines shalom, but all of them describe shalom.

So, Adam and Eve sinned and screwed up the Shalom of God. And after them, so have we all. But check out the second generation. Genesis 4:1-12 describes the account of Cain and Abel. Here are verses three through seven:

"In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.'"

You know the story. Cain did not respond well to God's rebuke. Cain murdered his brother Abel.

In Hebrews 11:4 it says, "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith, he still speaks, even though he is dead."

So apparently the difference between Cain's sacrifice and Abel's sacrifice is that Abel's sacrifice was done in faith.

But why would that matter? Why would God care about faith? So what if Cain didn't have much faith or any? Why didn't God give both Abel and Cain participation ribbons? Why wasn't Cain's sacrifice accepted as it was?

Faith matters to God. Here is the reason.

God is real.

God is our Heavenly Father - our Creator. He loves us with an everlasting love. He holds the whole universe together by His powerful word. He is transcendant. He is highly exalted - holy and awesome and magnificent. He is also immanent. He is close - as close as your next breath. In fact, He is so real, that His breath gives life. In fact, Genesis 2:7 says "the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." He is real, and He is the authority on "real." He is the great "I AM." He is Yahweh.

Perhaps some of you haven't gotten it yet. Perhaps some of you haven't gotten it, but you're buying into it. Don't do that! Be intellectually honest. Don't embrace blind faith; that is very dangerous. Think this through, but "trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding."

Since God is real, and He is the kind of God that He is, it is fitting and proper to acknowledge Him, to honor Him, to worship Him. Failing to do this would be like failing to acknowledge and honor a person who deserves acknowledgement and honor. It is a sin of omission.

When I am at a social gathering with my wife, and I meet someone new, I shake hands and introduce myself, and then I introduce my wife. Truthfully, there have been times that I have not introduced my wife, and she has let me know that failing to acknowledge her presence is not right. Likewise, failing to acknowledge and honor our Creator by not having faith is sin. It wouldn't be a sin, if He really didn't exist. But He does, and so it is. That's why, "everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23b) That's why "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) That's why God is just to give His righteousness to sinners who have faith, and why He is just to condemn sinners who do not have faith.

So God did not look with favor upon Cain's sacrfice, and as a result, Cain became angry, and his countenance became downcast. He was mad! He didn't approach God properly, and He became angry that God stood up to him, and told him to do what is right. Cain was big on his rights. He wanted that participation ribbon. We can speculate that he was a radical egalitarian. If God was going to look with favor on Abel, he better darn well look with favor on himself too! He may have even convinced himself, while he was plotting Abel's murder, of God's injustice. "How dare He treat Cain with such special treatment! How unjust!" Whatever the reasons, we know that Cain was angry, that his face was downcast, and that he killed his brother.

When God confronted him, he said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Typical attitude of modern capitalistic Christians. Typical attitude of ... well ... me. We, like Cain, care about Numero Uno. I look at those in the ghetto, and I rant, "Parents should be doing their jobs!" As true as that is, what am I really doing to cultivate Shalom in the ghetto? What am I doing to cultivate Shalom with my neighbors? It is easy to sit on the Shalom that others work for in my safe, nice, little church group. But there is a world out there - full of strife and sin. How am I, as an ambassador of Christ, cultivating Shalom out there? It is easy to rant. It is not easy to be socially competent and effective, while maintaining the integrity of the Scriptures.

Shalom. God's peace. A peace that passes all understanding. Completeness. Wholeness.

Cain cared more about himself than he did about Shalom.

Many people think, "Sure! I'm all for peace. Shalom! Shalom!" These people should consider the fact that they're going to have to ante-up. Many people prefer peace, but are unwilling to fight for it and defend it. They want justice, but they will cave in under pressure to be "politically correct," rather than to really step out in faith - putting themselves out there - taking risks - being vulnerable - even being willing to sacrifice their lives in order to defend God's Shalom. This is a big sin in the postmodern world. And sadly, it is a big sin in the postmodern church - a church that mimics the surrounding postmodern world in practice - but with Christianese rhetoric sprinkled on top. And like I said previously, this is my big sin. How often have I hardened my heart, when I clearly heard the voice of God encouraging me to step out in faith and to be vulnerable with my heart. Sadly, most of us simply do not love God with all our hearts. For this, I pray that God would give me grace to repent.

At the same time, what a vision! We don't have to be like Peter Gibbons (from "Office Space") - living out "trite meaningless lives" - selling our souls to the vanity of postmodern political correctness. We have been given a cultural mandate to labor for the Shalom of society. Teachers, engineers, scientists, historians, news reporters, politicians, soldiers, firemen, policemen, architects, artists, landscapers, musicians, coaches, social workers, judges - whatever the vocation is ... how cool it would and can be if we dedicated it all to the glory of God - to the cultivation and defense of God's Shalom - to the establishment of justice, peace, tranquility, and love. A society where God's praises are sung, God's Presence is enjoyed, God's Word is studied, God's principles are honored, God's justice is established, God's family enjoys sweet fellowship with God and with one another. A city set on a hill. The light of the world. The salt of the earth.

The alternative option is murder, rape, pillage, slavery, depravity, injustice, postmodernism, ignorance, stupidity, rage, anger, hostility, unforgiveness, perversion, and faithlessness. What I hope we see is this: By failing to be assertive in the cultivation and defense of Shalom, we are by default contributing to the antithesis of Shalom.

That's why we need a Savior.

2006-06-25T12:50:00.000-04:00

3000-12

Two Weeks. 3000 Push-ups or Sit-ups. 12 Verses Memorized.

The Passage: Romans 8:28-39

I am so excited about all the people who signed on to the challenge. I intend to post some reflections on the verse of each day, as we go through this, as well as reflections about the physical difficulties and soreness that we will be experiencing. I am believing that God will show us some great things over this next couple weeks. Spiritually, intellectually, and physically, we will be challenged. As we meditate on this passage, I am confident that God will speak to each of us in powerful ways - that we will be greatly encouraged. I pray that this next two weeks will prove to be just the start of a consistent lifestyle. I pray that as we recognize who we are in Christ, that we will live that out and experience supernatural growth.

For those of you who are taking part in this challenge, I encourage you to come back to this blog regularly to read some reflections. Also, feel free to comment. Part of this passage is pretty difficult to understand, so I hope and pray that we will do some real intellectual wrestling with the text, and that through this God will give us wisdom.

Let us encourage one another and hold one another accountable - spurring each other on. I believe as we grow together that we will become more deeply united in love and faith - that God will bless our fellowship as we continue to seek His face.

2006-06-07T11:28:00.000-04:00

Good Old Fashioned Biblical Confession and Forgiveness

1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to purify us of all unrighteousness.

James 5:16 - Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Matthew 6:14-15 - For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

We had an incident at our school last week. A 10th grade kid, who is a little bit different and who struggles academically and socially, lost his temper. There was yelling, cursing, and fighting. He attacked a girl - trying to choke her. He would not submit to his teacher (who is an ex-marine) and tried to attack him. He was finally arrested by the police and escorted away from the premises. He has been dismissed from the school.

Today, in chapel, he came and gave a sincere heart felt apology. He humbly asked forgiveness from everyone. He has repented. A crowd of kids huddled around him to pray for him for a few minutes. Afterwards, he left.

Then, the director of the board challenged the kids about being sensitive and discerning when they tease each other. He encouraged them to be encouraging and supportive. He encouraged the kids to repent if they have been teasing or mean to other people. All over the chapel, kids were asking each other for forgiveness. I had a student ask me for forgiveness.

And then, we worshipped. As we worshipped, my heart just welled up with joy. There is nothing like God's people humbly confessing sins, asking forgiveness, and granting forgiveness toward each other. The body of Christ is beautiful. Restoration, redemption, reconciliation. We experienced it this morning. It is wonderful.

I am so thankful that our God is a forgiving God - that He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and quick to love. I am so thankful for the example Jesus set for us - washing his disciples feet and dying on the cross so that we can be forgiven.

2006-05-14T06:44:00.000-04:00

On Evolution and Intelligent Design

I am in the middle of reading a great book, Total Truth, by Nancy Pearcey. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I challenge all you evolutionists and anti-ID people to make your case. Explain to me how it is more reasonable to believe that non-living matter naturally morphed into living matter, and that living matter evolved into all the species.

I have several scientific objections to this.

1. The Second Law of Thermodynamics - Natural processes tend to cause an increase of entropy (or disorder for the lay person). In fact, the entropy of the entire universe is forever increasing.

2. My sources tell me that there are all kinds of gaps in the fossil record. Apparently, this was true during Darwin's time, but he optimistically guessed that over time, archaeological discoveries would fill in the gaps. It has been over a century, and it appears that the gaps will never be filled in. While there have been some adaptive changes within species (microevolution), the fossils do not show a gradual process of one species evolving into another species (macroevolution). Also, if macroevolution was true, then it would seem that there would be hundreds of millions of animals that were somewhere half way (or quarter way or three-quarters way) between our supposed ancestors and human beings. As it is, the species all seem to be very unique. Sure there are similarities between apes, chimpanzees, and humans. But there are still very distinctive differences between those species. Where are the ape-men?

3. The principle of irreducible complexity. Apparently, Darwin believed that cells were fairly simple - little blobs of goo. Since then, the field of celluar microbiology has taken off. Today we know that each living cell is like a factory. There are thousands of functions going on all the time. Enzymes are utilized to time everything. Cells are incredibly complex. So, the principle of irreducible complexity says this: A mousetrap does not work without all of its key components assembled together in the proper way. Merely having most of the key components will not enable you to catch mice. You need all the key components, and they all have to be assembled in place. Then the mousetrap will work. So it must be with cells. The functions of a cell can not be performed, unless all the key chemicals are present and assembled in the proper way. Remember, cells are like factories; much more complex than mousetraps.

4. DNA - No one denies that there is all kinds of information stored in the DNA of living cells. DNA is as complicated, if not more complicated, as computers.

Now, evolutionists would have us believe that all of this came about by chance. But common sense seems to say something different.

If you go to the beach and you see complex sand castles, you don't infer, "Wow. The wind and the waves made that?!" No. You infer that a person was there who put those sand castles together.

If you have the game of Scrabble, a pet dog, and a few children, and you discover the Scrabble board with all kinds of legitimate words assembled on the board in a way that was obviously according to the rules of a Scrabble game, you don't infer that the dog must have got into the Scrabble game. You infer that the kids were playing Scrabble.

If you are a detective, and you discover that someone died because of poison rather than natural causes, you infer that he was murdered or perhaps committed suicide (design).

If you are an archaeologist, and you discover writing on cave walls, you don't infer that the weather must have been pretty peculiar in that place, but that people were there.

So, then, common sense seems to say, given the incredible ordered complexity of life, that we didn't happen (by chance), but that we were designed by an Intelligence.

However, millions of evolutionists find this ridiculous and even abhorrent. This has nothing to do with science, but everything to do with philosophical commitments. These evolutionists have determined that there must be a natural explanation for all of life. The universe must be a closed-system. The supernatural is impossible. Indeed, science has been defined to marginalize the supernatural. But these ideas (there must be a natural explanation / the supernatural is impossible / the universe is a closed system), are not scientific. They are expressions of philosophical and, dare I say religious, beliefs. Science has been defined by some as applied naturalism. They have presupposed philosophically that there must be a natural explanation for everything. They are so committed to this, that they will disregard the common sense of honest inductive science. We see ordered complexity; we see life in all of its wonder and beauty, and we come to the inductive conclusion that we are the result of Intelligent Design.

But this is not permitted to be taught in public school biology classes, because the secular fundamentalists fear theocracy. This is utterly crazy, but they actually do have some rational fears. ID suggests that there is a God. If there is a God, and we have been designed by God, then the rest of the Christian gospel and theology might follow. Simply put, many people hate the gospel. So, even without substantial scientific evidence to support the hypothesis of evolution, and even with substantial scientific evidence that seems to support the hypothesis of ID, due to secular humanistic naturalistic philosophical commitments and presuppositions, evolution continues to be taught as truth in public schools, and ID is not. This is not objective scientific inquiry. This is politics at its worst.

2006-05-02T16:01:00.000-04:00

Why College?

I thought (and continue to think) that I am pretty counter-cultural and radical. I am realizing how much, I tend to just go with the flow of society, without questioning for a moment some of the most fundamental and basic trends of typical American lifestyles.

This is not to say that what is popular is necessarily wrong all the time. But they very often are wrong. It is worth thinking things through.

For example, why go to college? I was just browsing the internet today, and I saw an article: Five Reasons to Skip College. Check it out: http://www.forbes.com/technology/2006/04/15/dont-go-college_cx_lh_06slate_0418skipcollege.html

That sparked my curiosity and my mind. So, then I did a google search. What alternatives are there to college? I came across this: http://www.patriarch.com/college@home.html

This is radical. It also is mostly all (if not completely) Biblical. And there seems to be a lot of wisdom here. It is also a hard calling, which is, of course, why most people don't do things this way. But one of the big reasons why our nation is so plagued with problems is due to the rejection of anything and everything that is hard.

We live our lives obedient to the socialist state, and for so many of us, we never give this more than a passing thought.

Of course, most of us go to college and send our children to college, because we lack the confidence and the means to adequately prepare ourselves or our children for life in the world. So, we write a check, and place our trust in the hands of the leftist controlled educational elite.

Is this wise?

If we have the means to spend tens of thousands of dollars on education, then do we have the means to provide a great education without spending that kind of money? Do we really need to spend so much money in order to learn? Can't we get on the internet and/or go to a library, and learn things that way?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not against all college all the time. But I do think that this is an issue that we ought to think through.

2006-04-26T12:49:00.000-04:00

The Boundary of Logic

It can be shown logically that logic will only go so far. You can not arrive at ultimate truth by logic alone. Logic itself shows this to be true.

I have recently discovered Godel's Incompleteness Theory.

Proposition: This statement is false.

For those who are not mathematicians or philosophical geeks like myself, you will think about this for a few minutes, shrug your shoulders, and then go about your business. But for me, as a mathematician, an engineer, and a quasi-philosopher/theologian, I want to get to the bottom of this. I want to understand. What are the full mathematical implications of Godel's Incompleteness Theory? I know that in any mathematical system, there are some postulates that are true that can not be proven.

Let G say, "The above Proposition is true."

In a computer program, would G return 0 or 1 (or would the program go into an infinite loop and evenutally crash)? In a digital circuit, if G activated an LED when it was true, and turned it off when it is false, would the LED be on or off?

It seems like, at this point, you have to leave the world of mathematics and enter the world of philosophy or theology or something meta-mathematical. The problem for me, when I leave the world of mathematics, and try to reason everything through, I am actually bringing with me everything I have learned about mathematics. Thus, I never leave that world. Thus, I am trying to force the meta-mathematical world into the mathematical world.

Some might use this to say, "See! Postmodernism is true." But that would not be an intelligent and reasonable conclusion. Godel didn't believe that. He was a Platonist. He believed that mathematics is describing some kind of reality, and not empirical reality, but something more concrete than that.

http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/goldstein05/goldstein05_index.html

2006-04-25T15:09:00.000-04:00

Healing America

An Analysis of the Problems Plagueing This Great Country and an Outline for the Roadmap to Healing

I recently wrote this in an email to some friends and relatives (including my beloved liberal father and my beloved conservative uncle - both of which are people for whom I continually pray.

God honors families when families do things God's way.

God honors the church when the church does things God's way.

God honors the state when the state does things God's way.

The Scriptures have specific instructions and commands for families, the church, and the state. It is great for us to think all these things through. But it is even greater that we don't have to rely on our own wisdom, but that we can rely on God's eternal wisdom. Romans 13 speaks about the authority and the purpose of governing authorities, and why we pay taxes. Check it out. When the state starts assuming the responsibilities and the authority of the church, then things fall apart. When the church does not rise up to its high calling and surrenders her authority to the state, things fall apart. When everyone demonstrates a lack of wisdom and faith by coming up with a "plan B" (just in case God's word isn't reliable), then we have problems.

We need Jesus.

Dan

p.s. Did you know that the word "vocation" used to bea word that was set a part for the clergy. MartinLuther was so fed up with the idea that the clergymenwere the real servants of God, and that everyone elsewere somehow "inferior" to the clergy. He insistedthat all work by God's people is sacred, and that itought to be done for God's glory. Therefore, heintentionally used the word vocation to show us thatwe are all called to fulfill the Cultural Mandate to"subdue the earth" and to "be fruitful." What do youall think? Is work secular or sacred? ShouldChristians live double parallel lives? Should Christians put their faith up on the shelf when they clock-in?

This was in response to an email my uncle had written about the benefits of equipping the police of our country to do their job. I totally agree with this. He had statistics comparing Jersey City, NJ to Camden, NJ - making the argument that enforcing the law works. I agree, but it was not a comprehensive approach to fixing the problem.

My Dad wrote in response to my email:

Dan,

To a certain extent, I think John is making some good points. However, he implies that "the federal government and higher income taxes" are somehow mutually exclusive with stopping the decay of inner cities. Yes, stopping crime is a good thing. No argument there. But what does that have to do with"the federal government and higher income taxes?" John is trying to connect these things in some obscure way that I can't figure out. Despite his confusion on that point, I understand his major thrust. Stop crime and everyone benefits. Of course I agree. However, it will take more than arresting pimps, punks, and dope dealers to stop crime in American inner cities. The core problems of poverty, poor education, and dismal/negative family life are the real roots of crime and urban decay in America. Arresting some druggies, while necessary, will not cure the problem. The problems, (and solutions), are more complex than John, (and other like minded neocons), bombastically, ignorantly and incessantly portray. What I can't figure out from your email is whether you agree or disagree with John's point. You almost seem to be saying that the state should not be in the business of stopping crime; that having the state arrest criminals is "Plan B" which you strongly oppose. But I am not really sure what you are trying to state. Do you agree with the basis of John's argument that the state stopping crime is beneficial?

Hope all is going well in Virgina. Can't wait to see you and Nancy this summer!

Love,

Pops

To which I replied with two emails - one of which was lost. This was the second of the two:

Family,

The left seems to champion social programs. At least, they champion throwing money at social programs. But here is the problem with the left: The left says, "If its not working, throw more money at it." Or if it is working, "It is working! Throw more money at it." Either way, the left wants our money, and will always vote to take our money.

If social programs are not working, the answer is not to throw more money at it; the answer is to change.

As the public education system is in a crisis now, politicians will promise us "programs" (funded by ourselves) to "fix" the problem. Of course, some of us thought that public education was the program to solve the education problems. Government funded social programs are very effective in some areas: Training kids to embrace homosexuality, training kids to devalue the unborn, training kids to basically vote Democrat. But in other ways they are very ineffective. Their solution to any difficult child who has a lot of energy is to label them with ADHD or a learning disability and then start spending tax dollars to get kids hooked on drugs. Nevermind the facts that Ritalin is known to have similar effects to cocaine. The usage of Ritalin has shot up dramatically in the past 10-15 years. This can't be a good thing.

The major problems with society is that people have an "entitlement mentality." People tend to be narcisists, and every time a teacher affirms the "goodness" of a sinful child, they are helping that child become even more narcisist. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." People need to mourn over their sins. Then, they shall receive comfort, and they shall see the reality that they are not the center of the universe.

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a high school graduation. He gave the graduates 11 life rules in the hope that some of the hearers would put the rules into practice and do something positive with their lives. Here they are:

1. Life is not fair; get used to it.

2. The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world expects you to accomplish
something before you feel good about yourself.

3. You will not make $60k a year right out of high school.

4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss.

5. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Gradparents had a word for flipping burgers;
they called it "opportunity."

6. If you mess up, it is not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes; learn from them.

7. Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how cool you think
you are.

8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in reality.

9. Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

10. TV is NOT real life. In real life, people have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

11. Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Maybe, these lessons should be taught in schools. Of course, that might screw up the Democrats voting base. The left elite depends on people depending on them. Once people realize that they don't have to depend on the handouts of the left, then we will prosper as a nation. But, of course, that takes hard work and faith.

This may seem cold and heartless. But my point is that it is unhealthy and unfair to put extra burdens on the government to "understand" people with all their problems. That is the job of the church and the family. The government's job is to reward good behavior and punish bad behavior. That is why we pay taxes. That's what Romans 13 says. The left too often gets this all backwards in the name of compassion. But they are not compassionate. The far left is vicious against the Religious Right and anything and anyone that bears the slightest resemblance of the conservative type or the Christian type.

So, Dad... what solutions do you offer? All I hear, I think, is that we ought to cut money from the war effort, and throw it at social programs. And/or you are in favor of paying higher taxes to fund these programs. A basic economics class shows us that there is no such thing as a free lunch. If we pay higher taxes, then we are all losing in an effort to help those who are losing to start winning. Are you going to reward what doesn't work, or are you going to give people the opportunity to take control of their lives by the grace of God and do something productive?

I heard on talk radio that most millionaires in this country drive Ford trucks. The point that the talk show host was making is that these millionaires are grunts. They go after the brass ring. They take risks and work hard and are careful with their money. They are courageous and they are fueling the economy. But the left gives us the impression that if you are millionaire, you must be "evil." So, the poor (many of whom spend countless hours watching daytime television) are seduced by the elite left to vote for handouts.

I am saying this as a poor person - who is overworked and underpaid. But I'm not crying.

For the church side, the twenty-somethings group that I am involved with at church is regularly going down to the Boys & Girls club in downtown Newport News to hang out with some inner city kids and share the gospel with them. We have only just started doing this, but it is amazing how hungry these kids are for attention and love. Whenever we have gone down (just a few hours on a Saturday - every month), they love it. They ask us when we plan on coming back. We are hoping to do a camping weekend with them sometime in the summer - to take them out of Newport News - off the Peninsula - and out into the wilderness for a weekend.

Unfortunately, I just don't have time to do a whole lot more than that. That's why parents have to step up. People are busy with their lives. Parents can not pass the buck on to the government. The government can not give proper attention to all the millions of underpriveleged kids in the world. It is not the government's responsibility.

This is real. The Teacher exhorts us in Ecclesiastes: "Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie. Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well."

In other words, we ought to be active and investing wisely and generously in things that matter. We ought to take risks and not wait for perfect conditions to do something good. We do not and can not know all things, but we should be active. We should sow in the morning. We should sow in the evening. As we sow, so we shall reap.

When people sit around and point fingers and blame the government for everything that is wrong, nothing gets accomplished. So, on that note, I will end these thoughts. I have productive things to do this evening, and a beautiful wife with whom to share the time.

Love,

Dan

I received one compliment from a relative who never involves himself in these debates. Beyond that, no one has had anything more to say.

I will go ahead and add that we need to pray. The problems confronting our society are too deep for us to handle. We can't expect the government to fix these problems, and without Christ, we are totally incapable and unwilling to fix these problems, because these problems are coming from the deepest recesses of our hearts - which are wicked and deceitful. We will not and can not do anything good in our own strength. We are utterly dependent on God to change us and to turn our hearts and to restore us.

Let us pray with faith according to God's will as revealed by His Scriptures and His Holy Spirit.

God is Sovereign over all. He can do it. Worship Him. Fear Him alone.

America! America! God shed thy grace on thee! And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea! Amen. So be it.

2006-04-17T22:30:00.000-04:00

Mission Katrina Relief

He is risen! I am forgiven, loved, set free.

But I don't feel it.

I'm on a mission trip (left on Good Friday) in Louisianna - taking in part in an effort to help muck houses. The work is absolutely exhausting. Today was the first day, and I am bone weary.

I am also feeling a little lonely and, I suppose, homesick. I also am struggling in another area. With certain people in my life, I joke around quite a bit with them, and they joke around with me and give me a hard time. There is a lot of sarcasm and playful put downs.

I don't like it. I seem to have a knack at getting people to take these pot shots at me. Usually, it is not so bad, but on this trip, on the road, there are a couple of my students in the same car as me (if you know who they are, do not talk about this with anyone please), who have kind of playfully been putting me down. These are some great Christian kids, and I'd like to have a serious conversation about the greatness of Christ with them, and I have done so. But too often, I feel like, due to the way that I carry myself, they keep giving me a hard time.

It is not as if they are the only people who do this. Like I said, I seem to have a knack at bringing out sarcasm in people. I tend to be very sarcastic. It is fun most of the time. But there is a limit.

And for whatever reason, on this trip, the line has been crossed, but I don't know how to deal with it. I could pull the whole Jack Nicholson line from "As Good As It Gets" - "Maybe we can go without all the wisecracks," but I think that might just invite another wisecrack.

This is a real working trip. It is a mission trip, but I don't get the same sense of team on this trip, largely due to the fact, I think, that the leadership has designed this trip not to entertain or to build real team unity, but to just muck as many houses as possible. I feel like I connected fine with my "subteam" that I went out with today. But overall, I feel disconnected - and almost insignificant - on this trip. There are about 60 of us - about 40 students and twenty adults (many of them parents). Then, there is my wife and me. We are in our twenties - so obviously we don't fit in with the kids (not that I did when I was a kid either). We are having neat conversations with kids and with the adults. I'm not having a pity party, and its not all bad. But I am feeling down.

I guess I just want to go home and sleep in my bed. I'm not in my comfort zone now. But Jesus left his comfort zone when he left the right hand of His Father to be born in crap-filled barn. He lived a sinless life in a sin-sick world. He suffered. He was tempted. His soul experienced sorrow and grief. He went through the garden of Gethsamane. He was arrested, given an unfair trial, and condemned to die a criminal's death. He had the crown of thorns imbedded into his skull. He endured 40 lashings minus 1. And He was crucified. Worse than all that, he actually took on the sin of the world, and so His Father turned His back on Him, and He received for me and for all of us, the fullness of God's wrath - the just for the unjust - that He migth reconcile us to God.

Surely, by God's grace, I can endure a few days of hard work without sleeping in my comfortable bed.

God be praised.

2006-02-22T19:44:00.000-05:00

Juvenile Crime

Our high school debate team will be debating on April 8th about juvenile crime. The resolution is as follows:

Resolved: Juveniles convicted of violent crimes should be punished as adults.

What do you all think? It seems that a lot depends on how you define juvenile and violent crime. However, I tend to agree with the resolution.

Check out these websites: http://www.emergency.com/juvycrim.htm, http://www.cjcj.org/pubs/runaway/runaway.html, http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20010320juvrecidivismreg2.asp, http://www.abanet.org/crimjust/juvjus/juvdp.html, http://www.abanet.org/crimjust/juvjus/roper.pdf, http://www.sedgwickcounty.org/da/legal_terms.html, http://www.justia.us/constitution/amendment-14/66-juvenile-offender.html

Some things to think about: What is punishment? What is the purpose of punishment? Should the purpose of punishment be different for adults than for juveniles? What is special about 18? Should people be allowed to vote before they can be punished as adults? Are kids who are too young to be drafted also too young to be punished like adults?

2006-02-07T16:05:00.000-05:00

If You Think You Are Not Brainwashed, Think Again

1984. I have never read the book, but I have heard about it. It is on my mental "to read" list. But from what I gather, the gist of the book is this. Written in 1948 about the future year of 1984. The author envisioned a time when the government "big brother" was basically watching your every move and constantly feeding you propaganda so as to control your mind. Every where you go, through the news, the radio, and all other modes of communication, everyone is constantly being subjected to whichever doctrines the powers that be see fit to use to indoctrinate the masses. The people are essentially made to be intellectual slaves of the government. Bucking the system is to invite quick and decisive punishment. From the cradle to the grave, the government institutionalizes everything about your life - sucking you dry of your very personhood and exploiting you for whatever profits they can get. Essentially, every citizen is a slave of the state. And there is no guarantee whatsoever that the state will look out for your best interests.

The current year is not 1984, but the current situation is remarkably similar to the book. Wait, I already here the objections of those who have been institutionalized. "I'm not a slave of the state. I'm free. I'm an American."

Hmmm...

Have you ever noticed that CNN is being aired everywhere all the time? Go into a bank - there is CNN. Go into a hotel lobby, there is a good chance that CNN is on. Constant Negative News. Or the Communist News Network. CNN is aggressively and systematically holding millions of people bondage in psychological slavery.

"But wait," you say. You don't have to watch CNN, you can watch Fox News or MSNBC. Well, for those who buy cable, you might be able to watch Fox News. It is very interesting that CNN is available to whoever, but Fox News is available (in my neck of the woods) only to those who are willing to pay for cable.

But this isn't even the point. The goal is not to give equal time to all viewpoints. Hitler's viewpoint that Jews are somehow subhuman should not be given any time. Networks that might portray Osama bin Laden in a positive light should not get any time.

What matters is justice. There are facts in ancient history and modern history that can and should be reported. There are facts in the recent news that can and should be reported. But we are utterly dependent on God to understand which of the facts should be reported. Also, we are dependent on God to keep from being deceived and brainwashed. Everything that is not of faith is sin.

Now facts are not neutral. Facts lead to the acquittal of the innocent and the condemnation of the guilty. For this reason, those who are caught up in postmodernism hate facts and truth - unless they are facts that lead to a conclusion that they would prefer. But we were never expecting them to be consistent, were we?

Furthermore, there are so many billions upon billions of facts. How do you teach history justly? How do you report the news justly? Neglecting to emphasize certain facts would not be just. Overemphasizing other facts also would not be just. So, how do we establish justice?

We need wisdom and faith. And in all of this, we should return to orthodoxy. The facts (and lies) taught in the public school system are all being used to advance the American Civil Religion of Postmodern Secular Humanism - whose grip on society is very tight. Big brother is forcefully advancing his doctrines and dogmas. If you speak out against it, expect persecution, because big brother is watching! Blasphemy laws (hate crime legislation) are in place and they will become more and more aggressive about this. The Civil Religion must not be blasphemed!

We must courageously and persistently fight the powers that be. But not in reactionary mode. We must recognize God for who He is. When the glory of God is revealed to us, we will have a story that is greater than any other story ever told. The gospel will then go forth, and justice will be established. Gospel, after all, means good news! It is imperative that the good news is advanced.

"The just shall live by faith." - Romans 1:17

2006-01-27T08:53:00.000-05:00

An Analysis of "Christian Activism"

Check this out: http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/amr/cact2.htm

I think this guy is partly wise and partly backwards in his thinking. I do think we need to think this through thoughtfully and prayefully. More to come later....

2006-01-27T06:38:00.000-05:00

The Land of Tolerance

I have been exploring my "hidden biases." Check this out: http://tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=1352

The ignorance and elitist attitude of these "tolerance" activists causes me to shake my head. It is true that there are arrogant bigots in this country. But I don't see it too often. What I see more often is a witchhunt (which seems to be motivated by anti-Christian bigotry when you think about it). The "tolerance" activists have a very specific and narrow worldview. If you don't buy into their worldview, they accuse you of hate.

Let me make this clear. I hate injustice. I hate sin. However, I love sinners.

Tolerance activists say that religious diversity is a good thing. In fact, religious diversity is really polytheism. They don't mind that we worship Jesus, provided that we bow down to the other idols of the land as well (in the name of respecting religious diversity of course). But by celebrating these anti-Christian religions, people are actually in idolatry. Such people talk extensively about respecting all religions, but they really don't respect any religion. For it is impossible to give real respect to two contradicting creeds.

But, of course, to understand what I am saying, people have to think. More importantly, they need an encounter with Jesus. When they see His glory, they will have a glimpse as to what I am talking about. One glimpse of His glory - that is all it will take to cure people of foolish depraved thinking. Check out Isaiah 6. Of course, sometimes God reveals a little of His glory at a time. For those people, this will no doubt be a process. If you are a tolerance activist, I will walk with you through that process. Let us be friends, and I will teach you true tolerance.

If you are a tolerance activist, I request this from you: HUMILITY. Don't be so elitist.

When you encounter God, you will recognize real tolerance. For the patience, kindness, and tolerance of God leads to repentance. See Romans 1-2.

Christians have got to quit being intimidated of the tolerance witchhunters. We need to be able to contend for the faith and show these people real love and compassion - which comes from an undying faith and love for Jesus Christ.

2006-01-17T16:46:00.000-05:00

Education and Intelligent Design

Check this out: http://kevxml2a.verizon.net/_1_2Y29TO1043TOM3Y__vzn.isp/apnws/story.htm?kcfg=apart&feed=ap&sin=D8F6L1V81&qcat=usnews&passqi=&top=1&ran=31347

I recently read The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel. Good book. I did not agree with everything he said all the time. Unfortunately, I don't know where the book is now, so I can't quote from it. But the chapter about evolution and the origin of life was fantastic. It is really sad how people cling to the "evolution" hypothesis in the name of "science" without actually knowing anything about evolution. Yet, so many are totally closed off to the idea that the order and complexity and beauty of the universe might possibly suggest that an Intelligence has caused it.

This issue isn't about science; if it was, then people would be at least as open to the idea that God created the universe and life as they are to the idea that we have somehow morphed from non-living matter to living matter. From a purely scientific perspective, neither theory can be soundly "proven" (certainly not deductively). On the other hand, good scientists would use the principle of induction to investigate both hypotheses and to develop conclusions that are "strong" or "weak."

For those of you who might not know the difference, deductive reasoning is valid or invalid. In deductive reasoning, the conclusion is contained within the premises and is as certain as the premises are certain - if the argument is valid. But inductive reasoning is not valid or invalid; it is strong or weak. Inductive reasoning takes "facts" as observed empirically and extrapolates from the facts. The conclusions are only probable. The more examples you have supporting your stance, the stronger your arugment. The fewer examples you have, the weaker your arugment. But one counter-example, can kill your conclusion. For one counter-example can put you back into deductive reasoning, which, as I said before, is valid or invalid.

And so you see, for the fair minded scientist, the idea of evolution came from a series of "facts." There are similarities between the species, and there is all kinds of scientific data confirming this. So, Darwin induced from this data that we came from common ancestors. It is a hypothesis. As a scientist, it is a fair hypothesis. But, as the case is made in The Case for Faith, the abundance of evidence that has come up (and more notably, that has not come up) does very little to confirm this hypothesis. Indeed, from a scientific perspective, many have argued that the evidence tends to point to the idea that the hypothesis of evolution is false.

And so why not present a hypothesis that says that we may have been created? When all the evidence is gathered, it seems reasonable to induce that ordered-complexity, beauty, and life do not spontaneously appear from nothing or from a chaotic explosion. On the contrary, when you see a painting (and I mean a real painting, not this modern art crap), you induce that a painter put some real effort into that painting. When you see a sculpture, you do not induce, "Wow, what are the chances of this happening to happen by chance?" No, you induce, "Wow, some talented craftsman must have worked really hard on this." And when you see beauty, ordered-complexity, and life, it seems reasonable to induce that some Intelligence designed us.

But, like I said, this debate is not about fair-minded science. It is about politics. There are people in power who hate the notion that we have been created by a God to whom we obviously must be held accountable. So, if science suggests that for a moment, then it is a political necessity to suggest that those scientific ideas are not real science. Of course, they fear what God is going to do. They fear that God is going to disrupt the whole public educational structure - which is rooted in the idoltarous religion of secular humanism - and that a whole generation will see and be taught the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They have dedicated their lives against the propagation of the gospel. Oh, they don't mind if we Christians have our little "religion." Can you hear them? "Just keep 'religion' in that 'religion' compartment of your lives. Don't you dare bring that into the public domain. There is no room for God in the public domain. It is fine that you worship. But you must respect our ideas of separation of church and state." In other words, "Secular humanism is the 'real' religion. That is what we base our lives on. You can have your religion, as long as you observe the foundational tenets of our religion - which is that religion has no place in the public sphere. Our religion demands that, and that is the religion we insist on. And don't tell me that I'm contradicting myself either. "

See, there is no middle ground. All things exist for the glory of God. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. There is a reason why the enemies of God are scared. Just as there was a reason why the enemies of God in Gideon's day were scared. Check out Judges 6-7. The enemies of God recognize that they are in trouble, and if they do not take desperate measures, then this Christian gospel might take root in the next generation! And what would that do for their voting base on whom they depend?

So, praise the LORD. God is on the move. There will be terrible times in the last days, but in the church, there will be an increase of glory. Little by little, we will take ground. We are taking the land. We will not compromise. We are not looking to be respected as "another" group. We are out to destroy our competitors - that is with spiritual and intellecutal weapons. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood." (Eph 6:12)

Christians should reject any notion of a defeatist mentality. Rather, we must stand on the promises of God. Do not compromise with the world. Rather, search the Scriptures, and prayerfully and thoughtfully form a theology for education. God cares deeply about education. And He insists very loudly that education is not to be based on agnosticism. See Exodus, Deuteronomy, Nehemiah, Psalms, Proverbs, Luke, Ephesians, and the rest of the Bible.

For more, check out my other blog: debatingeducation.blogspot.com.

2006-01-13T17:49:00.001-05:00

God Is Not A Pessimist!

John 16:33 - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

I dropped a real spiritual/intellectual bomb on my Debate class today. It was not planned. We were talking about Judge Alito and the Supreme Court and the division between Republicans (cheerleading Alito) and the Democrats (opposing Alito for all the wrong reasons). When asked about my view, I said that if it was not for Jesus, I would be a discouraged pessimist - or something along those lines. But since I have Jesus, I reject all notions of pessimism. Somewhere in there, I implied (either directly or indirectly) that pessimism is a sin.

And did that ever provoke a response! Several of my students proceeded to debate with me for the next half an hour about pessimism. I thought it was a great teaching opportunity, so I let the debate go. They were trying to say that pessimism is not a sin, that it is a personality, that God created us with different dispositions - some to be optimistic, some to be pessimistic, etc. They were not really accepting the truth that pessimism is sin.

And this was coming from the "more studious" kids in the class. Not that I have favorites. I don't. But it is a fact that some of my students work harder and do better than others. It was the "better" students who were engaged in this discussion contending that pessimism is not wrong. The "less studious" students did not say much.

Obviously (at least to me), despite the fact that these kids are being raised in "Christian" homes and going to a "Christian" school, they are missing a whole lot. I think this has something to do with the fact that you can't merely go to church and go to Christian school and attach a Christian label to your church, your school, and your family and think that that makes everything cool. My students need to seriously encounter my God. I mean, the way Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, and Paul encountered God, I pray that my students will encounter God. They have "religion." They have all the right answers (well, not all of them, as was all too obvious today). They have the "lingo." And many of them, no doubt, have a real and vibrant relationship with Jesus - even with screwed up worldviews that need to be exposed and dealt with.

I think that many of these kids naively think that by honest open-minded thinking, they will come up with good conclusions. The assumption here is that they are fundamentally good. Oh, they know well that they have sinful natures (at least in their heads), but they are certainly influenced more by "American thought" than they are by Bible truth.

American thought says, "Think for yourself. Trust your own opinions and have the courage to state your own opinion right in the face of authority figures who think you are wrong. It is your right, yea, even your duty to do so!"

Americans would do well to consider this: 2 Peter 2:19-20 - "They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity - for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning."

So, maybe Americans would do well to humbly confess that their own minds and their own opinions are not always trustworthy, and so maybe putting our trust in the Lord and in His word is the wise course of action. Hmmm... Of course, this means that you can't think it through all the way before making a decision, because then you are still trusting in yourself and in your own ability to think. You should think it through and love God with all your mind, but in the end, you should trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not in your own understanding.

And once you do that, then you have to beging to obey God in how He has commanded us to view ourselves. If says that hopelessness is wrong, then it is wrong. We must repent of hopelessness. If God says despair is wrong, then it is wrong. We must repent of despair. If God says, "Take heart!" then we must take heart! If God says, "Be joyful always." We must be joyful always.

And God has said all those things.

In Philippians 4:4-8, we are encouraged and commanded to do certain things: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

So, we are always to be rejoicing n the Lord. We are to be gentle - and that gentleness is to be evident (something which I must do more and more - and please everyone forgive me and be patient with me in this area). God is near! That means that we have a constant companion and friend - a God who will encourage us and comfort us. It also means that we must walk in reverence at all times. God is holy and worthy of worship. He punishes wickedness, and He is near, so we need to be reverent. We do not need to - indeed, we need to not be anxious about anything. As we pray and give thanks, God will take care of us. He will give us peace. Our hearts and minds will be guarded. Finally, we are to think about those things which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. We should regularly be thinking about these things, It is our privelege, right, and duty to do so. We have the freedom to think about these things. We also should do this as a discipline.

Let us then think about that which is lovely.

What is lovely? My wife is lovely! It is lovely to come home everyday to a lovely lady who respects me and cares for me and loves me. It is lovely to live with such a wonderful woman of God - a woman of noble character.

I just looked up lovely. Here is what Webster says lovely is.

lovely - charmingly or gracefully beautiful; very pleasing; delightful.

It is lovely for students to be eager to learn. Imagine: A classroom of students thinking, participating, longing for knowledge, understanding, an wisdom. Rejoicing over a new nugget of knowledge. Applying that knowledge to something useful. Seeking to use that knowledge to help justice be established in the world.

Imagine - A team going to New Orleans to share with people in need. Helping to rebuild that which has been broken down. Bringing order, peace, and hope to those who have been devestated. Lovely.

Imagine - Family with relatives. Gathering around the table for Thanksgiving dinner. Giving thanks. Eating some good turkey. Being loved and loving other people.

Imagine - Broken marriages being healed as each person seeks to serve their mate in humility. Imagine someone listening to you, understanding you, having compassion on you, empathizing with you, encouraging you, supporting you, rejoicing with you in your success, mourning with you in your losses.

Lovely.

See, when you start thinking about that which is lovely, your thinking changes. This is not rocket science. If you think about that which is lovely, then you will not be focusing on that which is depressing. You will not be despairing, because you will be too busy thinking about that which is lovely.

Now, for some people, to think about that which is lovely is a real stretch. Perhaps they have been so hurt, so devestated, so broken, that they just can not bring themselves to think about that which is lovely. Their lives have been too messed up. They have always received the short end of the stick. As Marco put it, for them, life is like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football. And falling and being humiliated time after time after time. Negative thinking begins to control this person.

That's where Jesus comes in with His mercy, love, and grace. God gives faith. For those who have seen hell on this earth, I encourage you. If you will just reach out to God by faith, even just a mustard seed of faith, and ask God to help you and to change you, God will do it. Let His love set you free of your mental prison of despair. Begin to praise God for His greatness, His holiness, His compassion, and for coming to this earth to redeem all who would put their hope in Him.

Isaiah 61:1-3 says, "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has annointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestown on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

Jesus is the annointed one. The gospel is GOOD NEWS! Those who walk by faith are set free of the "spirit of despair." For Jesus has overcome the world.

It is vital for people to get this. Romans 1 warns us of the consequences of rejecting the truth of God.

Romans 1:21 - "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles... They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen.... Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

It is my conviction that in those words we see the cause of many of the modern day psychological and psychiatric problems. People who have continually rejected God and who have continually insisted on being negative and pessimistic and without faith have been given over to a depraved mind. They have been made prisoners of their own depraved minds. They need a Savior. Meds will work for a while for some. I am not against all meds all the time. I myself had a seizure disorder as a child. I was put on low doses tegretol (a very mild medicine for my mild seizure disorder). So, I am not against meds in all cases. But I do think that many mental disorders are misdiagnosed and overly dianosed. Worse, I think that believing a false diagnosis can lead into negative self-fulfilling prophecy. The false diagnosis might cause the disorder. Also, there are probably legitimate mental disorders that are happening, because that is the natural thing that happens when people continually reject God. For example, if I go years not doing exercise and eating fast food, my abs will probably experience atrophy. Those, who refuse to use their God-given minds to think about those things which are "true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy" may experience a kind of atrophy of the mind. Of course, there are things going on in the spiritual realm that are way beyond my understanding - even for me to begin to speculate about.

We need a complete cultural transformation. Doug Wilson says that it must begin and end in worship of God. We have been created to worship God. As we worship God, God sets our lives right. If God is not our central focus, then our lives are "out of joint."

On this point, it is worth quoting Doug Wilson extensively:

"A Christian worldview is not a matter of having an opinion about everything, with all those opinions being interconnected or, as some might say, entangled. Our lives are supposed to go together a certain way. Parents who have labored over assembling a child's Christmas present, one with multiple parts, know that it is not sufficient to throw all the parts together into a box and call it a tricycle. Neither is it adequate to throw all our opinions into a box and call it a worldview.

But in order for our lives to cohere rightly, in order for the parts to go together in that certain way, the point of integration cannot be down here "under the sun." Solomon taught us that under that sun everything is vanity. He taught us that only way for the fragments of this vain world to come together. Only God can draw straight with crooked lines....

The posture of the worshiper in Scripture is to kneel or lie prostrate. For many moderns a worship service should be a cozy place. But for sinners, even justified sinners, true worship is anthing but comfortable....

And worship is not a retreat from the world. Rather, worship opens heaven to us in such a way that the earth comes into focus. And this is why worship is relevant to education in the classroom.

True worship is incarnational. If we want to understand how transcendence and immanence intersect, we have to come to understand these things in Christ. And we cannot understand the incarnation of Christ by sitting in neat rows in a classroom, doing push-ups with the brain. We have to have water applied to us in the triune name; we have to heart the Gospel preached and learn practical obedience to the Word declared; and we ahve to take and eat. In short, we have to learn how to worship. And then, having worshipped, we are sent out into the world to study it, subdue it, replenish it. But education and learning follow worship and proceed from it." (Wilson 64)

Psalm 100 is a good psalm to begin to learn how to worship.

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

In short, begin to worship God in the manner that Scripture commands us to worship God, and He will order our lives according to His Sovereign will. But reject God, and He, in His Sovereign will, will give you over to a depraved mind.

Jesus Christ came and died so that we might have life - abundant and eternal. That life is a gift. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Source:
Wilson, Doug. The Case for Classical Christian Education. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. 2003.

2006-01-10T19:35:00.000-05:00

Judge Alito

This is why I have divorced myself from the Republican Party. Instead of standing up tall and unashamed with a backbone of steel and resolve on the issue of abortion, pro-life Republicans are trying to "sneak in" a Supreme Court Justice who will overturn Roe v. Wade. It is deceptive, and it is a horrible strategy that could very well backfire.

For those of you who do not know, Alito made a strong pro-life statement in 1985 as an attorney representing a pro-life client. Well, among the other problems in our legal system, lawyers do not exist to ascertain truth and to see to it that justice is done, but they exist to make a case that their client would find favorable. So, if their client does not value justice, then the lawyer's job is to make an attempt to help their client evade justice. It is a fundamental flaw in our judicial system that should be corrected. But the point is this: Now Alito is saying, "Those were my remarks as an atorney." (Who of course has no real opinion, since lawyers seem to almost categorically sell out to "the system"). Anyhow, now he won't distance himself nor confirm the strong pro-life stance.

So, I am actually finding myself in agreement with the left (whose policies I abhor - especially on abortion). But, like the left, I'm asking, "WHERE DO YOU STAND?!" Alito will not say whether or not he thinks that the Constitution protects the supposed "women's right to choose."

I want a Christian on the court who won't be ashamed of Jesus, and who won't be ashamed to say, "The just shall live by faith" (as the Book of Romans declares authoritatively) and who won't be afraid to say, "Abortion is America's holocaust."

Tragically, many Christians just don't care. Many "Christians" have a defeatist mentality. They just won't fight for justice. God have mercy on us.

2006-01-05T15:54:00.000-05:00

Psychology vs Theology

For quite some time, but in particular, for the past couple years, I have been concerned about psychology mixing in and undermining Christian theology. Already, my statement reveals quite a bit about what I think about psychology.

Check out this article: http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/journals/v1n9.htm

There just is no substitution for the laws of God, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the preaching of the word of God, Biblical prayer, Biblical meditation, faith, and obedience. Sadly, these have been replaced in our culture (even our "Christian" culture) with self-esteem, self-actualization, taking off the "mask," being "real," New Age meditation, postmodernism, worship of gooey feeling experiences, tolerance, mixing Scripture with secular ideas, etc.

I just watched the movie Pollyanna yesterday. For those of you who haven't seen it, this daughter of a minister (Pollyanna) is orphaned, and her rich, religious aunt takes her in to her home. Everyone in this town is "negative" about something. People are grouchy, mean-spirited, gossips, and religious in the worst sense of the word.

An interesting part of the movie is the dreaded Sunday church service. Everyone goes to church and hears a fiery hell-fire and brimstone preacher shout about the wrath of God. Actually, listening closely to the sermon, his doctrine is totally sound (which for me is a fresh of breath air in this modern "make me feel like I'm a good person" society).

Well, Pollyanna is always finding something about which to be glad. Some people get to not liking her because she is such a "goody-two-shoes." Old people and younger people, Pollyanna wins the hearts of the people of the town: from the grouchy old Mrs. Snow (who had always previously imagined that she was dying) to the negative housemaid to the hell-fire preacher himself.

The preacher's transformation is very interesting. Pollyanna caught the hell-fire minister off guard by asking, "Do you like being a minister?" Pollyanna really empathizes with him about his frustrations with his congregation "not getting it." After all, her father was a minister, so she was familiar with the struggle of ministers. She went on to share with him how her father had decided a long time before to look for the good in people, instead of the bad. Then, she went on to share with the minister the fact that the Bible has over 800 "happy passages" that talk about the joy of the Lord, rejoicing, etc. Well, after a short conversation, Pollyanna "runs along" and the minister, left alone, gets on his knees in humility and repentance.

The next Sunday, the minister confessed his sin to the congregation - the sin of neglecting all the "happy passages" and not taking the time and making the effort to get to know the people in his congregation. The minister's humility and transformed the congregation. People left church with joy and gladness; and the joy was contagious.

So ...

There is certainly a number of good biblical points that the movie makes. We should not be negative people. We should choose to sow attitudes of joy and gladness and thanksgiving and appreciation of the blessings that Almighty God bestows upon us. Ministers should love their congregations and should encourage them and model Christ's love and compassion and kindness and humility to them. And when that happens, God can and does do great and wonderful things in peoples' lives. This is the main point that the movie drives home.

However, Christianity is not merely a psychological "glad game." There are a number of concerns that I have. Pollyanna "won" the heart of Nancy by lying. Also, the minister had been telling the truth in his hell-fire sermons. But he totally swings the other way and commits to his congregation to preach about the "happy passages" for 16 years! This is not balanced. The Bible says that the "fear of the LORD" is the beginning of wisdom - not the joy of the LORD. The joy of the LORD is our strength - to be sure - but it is so very important to give God the appropriate reverence, awe, and FEAR that is due. He is GOD! He is awesome and holy and Jealous! He hates sin and punishes wickedness. His wrath is real, and everyone who has ever preached about the wrath of God for any extended period of time has surely been persecuted.

In our modern churches, so many fear preaching about hell and sin and Biblical righteousness. People hate these doctrines of Christianity (i.e. they hate Christianity). So, instead of dealing with these doctrines with humility, and reflecting on their own sinfulness, many moderns twist the gospel into a "feel good" psychobabble with some "happy scriptures" mixed into it.

It is time to come to God on God's terms or not at all.

2005-12-31T10:19:00.000-05:00

Dealing With Evil

Last night was interesting. The blood was certainly pumping.

My Italian relatives, my family, and my uncle and aunt from New York all went out to eat. During the meal, (and I was at the kiddy table, so I had nothing to do with this), my dad and my Italian uncle started talking about the war in Iraq. They are both against the war. When we left the restaraunt, they were still talking about the war. I did not actually witness any of this. (By the way, I am in New York state right now). Then, in the parking lot, a couple guys who heard the conversation, started cussing out my dad and my uncle expressing their views about Iraq: "We just need to f-ing kill them all!"

Now, I didn't see or hear any of this, but in the ride home in the van, my Italian uncle and aunt were talking about a mile and minute in Italian at each other. They were really pissed off.

The thing is this: My Italian relatives are already brainwashed. They already hate Bush, and they actually think that the way to deal with terrorism (at least in Iraq) is to not do anything. They think that our actions in Iraq is fueling terrorism, not dettering terrorism. They think that the attacks in Spain and the attacks in London are "punishment" by the terrorists for being involved in Iraq. They fear, and predict, that Italy will be hit right before the next election. And they blame America for it, because we have apparently pissed off the terrorists and have created terrorists.

I think that my description of their views is accurate, based on the discussion we had last night. But it might not be. Liberals contradict themselves so much that I have a hard time understanding what they are saying sometimes.

But the point is, this experience caused them to cement themselves in EVEN MORE. They said, "What?! So, if you are against the war in America, people think that you are a communist, and you might be verbally assaulted?" We spent a good deal of time last night trying (unsuccessfully, I think) to let them know that the views of the two people in the parking lot are not the views of most Americans.

Now, my Uncle John (american uncle) is conservative and for the war in Iraq. Furthermore, he thinks (and I agree) that the US should give Iran and Syria six months to demonstrate that they do not in any way support or harbor terrorism. We think they need to be given an ultimatum. And, if Iran and Syria don't satisfy our demands, then we should go to war and take out those despotic regimes, and establish new governments that respect human life and basic fundamental rights.

But what strikes me as interesting and disconcerting is the mindset of Europeans (and the left in America) versus the mindset of the "religious right."

On September 11th, 2001, as I saw the twin towers come down on national television, I was infuriated with a holy fury. My response: We need to aggressively take these people out. I'll be praying for their salvations, because their lives in this world are quickly coming to an end. This is about protecting the innocent and doing justice. Evil must be confronted and defeated.

On March 11th a few years ago, Spain got attacked right before the election. When I saw their response, I was incredulous. They were waving peace signs and expressing their desire to be pacifist. "Violence begets violence." The attacks actually caused the election to swing - in favor of leaders who would seek to appease the terrorists! I was thinking, "What's wrong with these people?!" They just don't understand the nature of terrorism.

You would think that these people would learn from history. Appeasing evil makes evil people more bold! Appeasement does not work. The language these people understand is force.

Just look at Europe in the late 1930's. Hitler came to power and took over Czeckoslovakia. Chamberlain's response: Go have a meeting with Hitler and ask him to play nice. Then come home saying, "Peace in our time!" Sleep peacefully Great Britain. Everything is ok. Churchill, on the other hand, spoke up and spoke out decarling that Hitler needed to be confronted and stopped. He was mocked and ridiculed. He was also right.

Had Hitler been confronted early and decisively, millions of lives would have been saved. But, people had their heads stuck in the sand, and they actually believed that the way to deal with Hitler was to negotiate and have meetings and do basically nothing.

In the US, we are divided. About half of us think the war in Iraq is the right thing to do, and half of us don't. In Europe, virtually all think that the war in Iraq is crazy, and that Bush is evil. Why the difference?

I think it is interesting to note that Europe is essentially a post-Christian society. Very few people in Europe believe that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God. Very few people read the Bible on a regular basis. They deny moral absolutes. They are "progressive" and basically leftists. They think that we need to appease the terrorists (although my Italian relatives denied that when I said that).

Why do I think so differently? I think it is due to my faith. First of all, I recognize evil as evil - absolutely. Secondly, I say it needs to be confronted. As we dedicate ourselves to doing justly and confronting evil, I am convinced that God Almighty has our back.

I perceive this to be the difference between America and Europe. The Bible-believing, Bible-practicing church is alive and well in America. Europe is in desperate need of missionaries. Europe would do well to read the Bible and to put their faith and trust in Christ, and to stand up and fight for justice.

2005-12-27T15:10:00.000-05:00

To Speak Or Not To Speak

So, this morning during breakfast, my Italian relatives, my family, and I got into a discussion about morality, faith, and politics. It started out with my father musing (although this particular question is so elementary that it wasn't really musing): "Might is right or Might for right?" The truth is my father is a fairly intelligent guy... and the Italians were here... and like most Europeans, the Italians hate Bush and are against the war, and think that Bush-loving America are arrogant, ignorant, and brainwashed. Furthermore, my Dad also doesn't like Bush and was against the war.

So, Cira (my aunt) said, as any person who is halfway reasonable and decent would, "Might for right." After all, this was an opportunity to make a statement against arrogant, big, powerful America and all Bush-lovers.

So, then I quipped, "Of course, might for right. But what is right? Is it absolute?"

And this launched the discussion.

Cira quickly said, "No. It is subjective. There are no absolute truths." Well, within a few minutes I got her to admit that there are some absolute truths. But the thing is, she was all over the place. First, each individual decides for themselves what is right, then it was the law of the land, then it was society in general. Then, yea, there are some absolutes. But she kept trying to go too fast. For example, when she said that the laws of the land are the standard, I asked, "What if a law is unjust?" Well, she used this to launch into a statement against capital punishment.

I was trying to apply the principle of James - to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. I certainly did this well. But, I wonder if I should have been more aggressive in my approach. See, as far as I could discern, Cira wasn't really listening. She was hearing me, and being polite, but she was really just trying to make a statement. She is a pretty good debater and good at rhetoric. Logic - not so much. Debate skills - excellent. She made her statements loud and clear, and didn't give me much opportunity to make my statements. In the midst of all this, my brother (who is in the Navy) was loudly and persistently making his statements. He wasn't listening to anyone whatsoever. He just wanted to hear himself speak. (He was defending America's involvement in Iraq).

So, my brother and my aunt did most of the talking in this conversation. I said a few things here and there, and I was certainly calm, cool, and collected about it. But the thing is that I am an ambassador of Christ - who is speaking the word of God. I'm not just another guy. My opinion therefore, is the truth - since my opinion is in line with God's word. My brother and my aunt certainly would have done well to stop speaking and to listen to what I had to say because what I had to say was good and true and right, while much of what they had to say (not everything they had to say) was just foolish secular humanism expressed with blind arrogant smugness. I say blind, because they are so sure of the reasonableness of their position, and it hasn't even entered into my Aunt's imagination that she is totally in "left" field. (Get it? pun intended)

So, I am wondering, what I could have done better to handle the situation and where do I go from here?

Perhaps the best thing to do is to simply pray and to look for more opportunities to gently and firmly contend for the truth in love, and let my aunt read Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis). (Nancy and I gave it to her for Christmas, and she said she would read it).

By the way, to give you more of an idea about the kind of person my aunt is, she gave my sister a book by Michael Moore a couple years ago - apparently expecting that after my sister read the book she would "see the light." Such seems to be the mindset of most of Europe. I wonder what percentage of Europeans even know what a syllogism is, and how to tell a valid argument from an invalid argument. What percentage of Europeans know the difference between validity and truth?

Of course, that wouldn't get them any closer to God. Plenty of philosophers know that stuff well, but still, they are blind to their need for Jesus Christ.

So, I am wondering what to do.

Proverbs 26:4 - Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.

Proverbs 26:5 - Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.

It seems to me that modern evangelical Christians (myself included) really get this screwed up. We talk and argue when we should be silent, calm, cool, and collected. We are quick to anger, and we want to hear ourselves speak. But our hearts are far from God. Our thoughts are not God's thoughts. But then, when we should boldly stand up for the truth and speak out with some passion and conviction and courage, we shrink back in fear, complacency, and unbelief. We justify it by pointing to Proverbs 26:4 and the verses in James about being slow to speak and quick to listen. But really, we were just being cowards, or we gave in to some other idolatry - perhaps a love of worldliness - which always seeks to keep the truth from really breaking people. We love the world; we don't really want to see people repent because we hate God. Repentance is no fun. We don't want other people to go through the horrible feelings of brokenness that is repentance. So, we let fools think they are wise in their own eyes. Meanwhile, God's word commands us to hold back those being led away to the slaughter, and to speak out against disobedience, ignorance, and unbelief.

I believe that the anti-Christ will be using these verses to establish his unholy kingdom on the earth. He will whisper the verse that basically says to shut up into the ears of those who should be speaking up. He will whisper the verse that says to speak into the ears of those who should sit down, shut up, and listen. Obviously, he will use this in the churches to propagate false demonic doctrines in the name of Christ himself. Many will buy into the lie, thinking that they are gaining wisdom and growing closer to God - but being totally blinded to the fact that they are really giving worship to Satan.

So, how do we keep from being deceived? We must hold fast to the Word of God. We must be teachable, and we must be attentive to His voice. We must be radical in obedience to God. When the Spirit of God prompts us to speak up, we must. When he tells us to shut up, we must.

Those who know really know Christ won't be confused. But those who are deceived will also be confident in what they affirm - not realizing their own deception.

Let us pray.
Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Let your kingdom come; let your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us for our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

2005-12-21T10:58:00.000-05:00

Boys and Girls Club

Last Saturday, our 20-Somethings Sunday School class spent the day at the Boys and Girls Club downtown Newport News. This is primarily an African-American community, and last Saturday, the Boys and Girls Club was having their family Christmas party. So, we went to help serve food, tear down, and meet some people. We went in Jesus' name, and we were well received.

Before everything started, James taught a bunch of kids the "uh-UH!" game. I'm not even going to try to explain this game over a blog, but this game is a great party game/youth group game. It involves grunting, pointing, intimidation, cadence, attention, and coordination. You pretty much have to check your pride at the door if you are going to play.

Before the meal was served, the director, Mr. Johnson, gave a short introduction, during which he asserted that this was a Christmas Party (and not merely a holiday party). He said that if anyone had a problem with him calling it a Christmas Party, then he could take their ticket (and so then they couldn't eat). No one had any problem with it. Then he introduced our group, and James talked briefly about who we are and why we were there. James came right out and said that we were there because we care and because we believe in Jesus Christ. He got a big applause for this. Then James prayed in Jesus' name to bless the food.

I'm pretty bad at guessing crowds, but there were probably over 200 people there that we served. We met this one guy, Corey, who is in his 20's. He is from Hampton and he earned a full scholarship at Columbia University. He has graduated, and now he is back in the area and trying to help kids find their way. I don't know if he is a Christian, but it was great to meet him. I got to talk with him a little bit, and let him know that our group prays every Saturday. He and James talked more. This is just the beginning. We will be doing more at the Boys and Girls Club. Those kids were hungry for love; we've got love to give.

2005-12-21T08:07:00.000-05:00

Intellectualism

“I freely confess all the idiotic ambitions of the end of the nineteenth century. I did, like all other solemn little boys, try to be in advance of the age. Like them I tried to be some ten minutes in advance of the truth. And I found that I was eighteen hundred years behind it … I did try to be original but I only succeeded in inventing all by myself an inferior copy of the existing traditions of civilized religion … and when I had put the last touches to it, I discovered that it was orthodoxy.” - G.K. Chesterton, famous author and scholar

As I first read this quote, I thought of my own intellectual journey the past 12 years or so. Early on in my Christian walk, when I saw how the early church lived, I actually considered embracing communism/socialism. Then I found out that we have a very big problem: People are selfish.

So, then I went to the other extreme and became an ardent capitalist. But here, you have the problem of monopolies. Again, the problem is that people are selfish.

As I have thought through social/political issues, I keep coming to the same conclusions. Sin keeps screwing up all systems. Regardless of the system, a sinner can always find a loophole to work the system to his own advantage.

And so, through logic, it is made obvious that to put your trust in government or in a secular political idea or in anything other than God Himself, is to trust in an idol that will disappoint you. So, as I have wrestled and wrestled with church/social/political issues, I come to this conclusion: We need Jesus. More and more, the cry of my heart is the Lord's prayer:

"Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name. Let your kingdom come; let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us for our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Having thought through all kinds of issues from all kinds of angles, I join in with Chesterton. I have discovered orthodoxy. My soul delights in the Lord and in His Word. His word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. In Him there is peace, joy, love, and life - abundant and eternal. All His promises are "Yes" and "Amen."

Let us delight ourselves in God's Word. He is good. His love endures forever. "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass whithers and the flowers fade away, but the word of the Lord stands forever." - 1 Peter 1:24-25

Worship God. Celebrate orthodoxy.

2005-11-25T08:06:00.000-05:00

Postmodernism and Thanksgiving

What are postmodernists thankful for anyway?

"The lack of grounds for any approach, centering, or categories has provided a valuable opening for critiques of the dominant approaches by feminism, anti-colonialism, and other liberating movements. But implicitly these movement go beyond critique, and beyond post-modernism which holds that liberation is impossible because some categories, distinctions and social controls will always again re-surround any liberating attempt, and also that liberation is not a ground for deciding anything. Going beyond these two tenets of post-modernism, can we articulate the assumption that we will and should use the demise of all categories to free people, rather than to justify Dostoyevsky's Ivan, or one's own "superior" culture, class, or "free" market economics?"
-http://www.focusing.org/apm.htm

I spent Thanksgiving with Nancy's relatives at her grandparents' place in New Jersey. Since there was no room at the "big table," Nancy and I ate at the "kids" table, which actually was just a seperate table with Bill, Claudia, Will, and Scott.

Bill - Nancy's uncle, in his 40's, teaches business grad students - including ethics
Claudia - Bill's fiancee, in her 40's (I think), teaches business grad students, liberal, pro-abortion, anti-war, pro-Kerry/Edwards, outspoken
Will - Bill's 19 year old son, genius, speaks authoritatively, laughs a lot and loudly
Scott - Bill's 17 year old son, smart, quiet, looks up to Will
Nancy - my beautiful wife, smart, believer
me - I'll let you decide.

So, early into our Thanksgiving dinner, Claudia starts letting us know her liberal, pro-choice views. Well, may God deal with me severely if ever I let that go unchallenged. So, I called her to task. We got into a polite but intense conversation about abortion which led to a conversation about ethics, faith, God. I certainly let my views be known, and I did so with kindness - which was probably the best that I could do, but I did not and do not feel real good about the situation. I would imagine that Jesus would have expressed more indignation. The Apostle Paul would have probably acted with more authority than I did. Isaiah probably would have preached about God's wrath. John the Baptist would have probably said, "Repent." I said, among other things, "Death is the wrong time to get a lesson in theology." Maybe I did handle the situation well. But usually, when it comes to abortion, I get more indignant. I did not this time, partially out of fear and partially out of a desire to keep peace during Thanksgiving dinner. This is probably idolatry for which I need to repent - even though 99 out of 100 "Christians" would probably say that keeping peace during Thanksgiving dinner is the winsome and wise thing to do.

Anyway, for better or for worse, we stopped the conversation. But thanks to Will, later we got back on a similar discussion. Will was talking about postmodernism. Will's intellect is amazing. He was analyzing in depth postmodern thought. I forget one of the precise statements that Will made, but he said, "Postmodernism rejects .... (something)." This, of course, is an absolute statement. So, I started bantering with him - essentially saying, "What about logic?" If postmodernism rejects absolutes, then asserting an absolute statement is a contradiction. When I pointed this out, the response was, "That's ok because postmodernism accepts contradictions."

Well, I was somewhat flabbergasted by this, but not surprised, and I expressed my thought that to accept contradictions is ridiculous. This led everyone into a deep conversation about postmodernism which in turn led to a conversation about Christian dogma. That these intelligent and educated people were seriously giving postmodernism authentic consideration is totally ridiculous, yet not surprising in this culture. But what was more troublesome was the pressure they were putting on people to give postmodernism that same consideration. How many times Will said, "We must..." or "You have to..." was humorous to me. If there are no ethical absolutes, then I do not have to do anything. There is no "must." But, we were not expercting postmodernism to be consistent.

To be fair, Will made it clear that he does not categorize himself as a postmodernist. He is too smart for that.

What was disconcerting was the political implications of postmodernism. If there are no absolutes, and postmodernism accepts contradictions, then how do you have an intelligent conversation about rights, law, ethics, and politics. True to contradictory postmodernism, the conversation about policy forming from the postmodern point of view was completely inconsistent with some of the theoretical abstractions and metaphors that had been previously discussed during dinner. That this worldview is as popular as it is, is really disconcerting because these people vote. How do you have courts without having a standard of right and wrong? How do you write law, if words hold no meaning? How do you presume to have rights at all, if this world is not real in the first place? How do you speak of the "greater good" of society, if goodness is subjective?

At one point of the conversation (and I think this bridged the conversation to a discussion of Christian dogma), I asked if people at that table believed that being open-minded was a good thing? I think Will was well aware with where I was going with this, and he did not immediately say, "Yes." But his dad did. So then I asked, "Are you openminded to the idea that a lot of your ideas are nothing but foolishness?" Bill said, "No." So, I said, "Then, you are a closed-minded person." Will responded to this with a big word that I did not know, but basically he said that my assessment was unfair and not true. (Of course, this implies that fairness and truth have absolute standards that both he and I know very well). He also began to suggest that I was being hypocritical because I am not openminded to the idea that Christianity is false. But then I made it clear that I never claimed that I was openminded, nor that being openminded was necessarily always a good thing.

Then, we got into a conversation about Chrisitianity. Bill expressed his problem with the dogmatic claims of Christianity and every other dogmatic religion. I explained to him that inasmuch as the doctrines, creeds, and assertions of other religions, philosophies, and worldviews are not all bad and wrong. Inasmuch as they are in agreement with Christian dogma, then they are right. But inasmuch as they contradict Christian dogma, they are wrong and damnable.

Nancy had some good things to say throughout the conversation, especially at this point. Nancy, with her wonderful sweetness showed Bill and the others that, as a professing Christian, I have to reject all doctrines that are in conflict with Christianity. I had pretty much said the same thing, but people were all the more eager to listen to Nancy. We balance each other out pretty well. Nancy is sweet and winsome. I am adament about sticking to sound doctrine.

This led to a discussion of divine revelation, and I, of course, asserted that I have had divine revelation, and that without divine revelation, you can't know the truth.

Ryan, Nancy's brother, also got involved in this conversation. I was glad to have the opportunity to witness to him. He seemed very open, and he seems to have a desire to read the Bible and learn more.

Scott also had some real interesting questions for me. We had a good conversation too.

Eventually, the conversation was brought to a close without any real awkwardness. We proceeded on to a friendly game of scrabble.

Father in Heaven, let your kingdom come, and let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Reveal yourself to Nancy's relatives. Draw them to yourself. Show them the depth of your love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

2005-11-01T05:59:00.000-05:00

Concerning Camden

My Dad sent me this email the other day:

We lived near Camden for a couple of years and drove through it whenever we went to Philadelphia. I know we got the war in Iraq now, but what ever happened to the war on poverty? The USA is the richest country in the world, surely we can do something to improve places like Camden. Sermon over.

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Camden, N.J. Copes as Most Crime-Ridden U.S. CityCAMDEN, N.J. (Reuters) - Yahnajeah Kirkland slumps in her child-sized wheelchair, with her head propped up, her arms flailing and a bright hair ribbon tied near a still-pink bullet scar behind her ear.

Shot while sitting in her mother's car last fall, the severely brain-damaged 3-year-old nicknamed Yaya is a heart-piercing picture of life in Camden, New Jersey, where some 80,000 people try to cope with living in America's most crime-ridden city.

The southern New Jersey city of just nine square miles, which neighbors Philadelphia, is ranked worst in six categories of crimes. With 41 murders -- 10 times the national average -- 56 rapes and 974 aggravated assaults, according to the latest statistics from 2003, it is America's most dangerous city.
Hearing stories like Yaya's, Maria Rivera won't let her small children play outside. She points to a sidewalk where a man was killed and a spot on the street where two others died.

''It makes you want to run, want to leave here. But sometimes you can't find a way out and you stuck,'' said the single mother. ''And when you on welfare, you stuck.''

Not surprisingly, Camden is one of the nation's poorest cities. Per capita income is a third of the U.S. average, a third of students drop out of Camden High School and half the city's children live in poverty.
Houses are boarded up and vacant lots are filled with garbage. Instead of supermarkets and playgrounds, there are corner liquor stores and dingy fast-food restaurants.

On Rivera's block, only one house is standing and not a street light works.

DRUGS IN, JOBS OUT. The cycle of crime and poverty spins endlessly. Since the 1960s, big factories like New York Shipbuilding Co. and Campbell Soup Co.'s have closed, while the scourge of drugs arrived. Little tax base remains to fund infrastructure or job-training, leaving a city ill-equipped to lure employers.

''There's a dark shadow cast over here,'' said local activist Margaret David. ''It's like we have the plague or something.''

Private and government aid is too easily lost in the mire of mismanagement, and development tends to fill the pockets of out-of-towners, leaders say.

What jobs there are won't feed a family, and youth are drawn to the lucrative drug trade, they say. ''They can make $500 on the corner at night, so why get out of bed for $5 an hour?'' said businessman Laverne Hicks. The fear of crime is palpable. Those who can afford it enclose their porches with metal bars they call birdcages. The fire department calls them firetraps.

Children learn early the reality of their neighborhood. One recent day in a city park, a woman playfully taught a 6-year-old boy to put his hands up and drop to the ground when police come around. ''You gotta practice,'' she told the wide-eyed youngster.

REMOVE MASK BEFORE ENTERING. Merchants work behind panes of bullet-proof glass. ''Please remove faces masks and hoods before entering store,'' reads one shop sign.

Yaya Kirkland was sitting in her mother's car when bullets came through the window. She's undergone numerous surgeries but will never be the same, said her great-grandmother, Ernestine Drisdom, who must
navigate a series of buses to visit the toddler.

The little girl who once loved to race her tricycle now can do little more than roll her eyes when she sees her great-grandmother. The toddler hasn't smiled since the Oct. 28 shooting, her great-grandmother said.

Police last year made nearly 11,000 arrests -- one in seven residents -- in a city with some 170 active drug corners. Yet the murder rate rose in 2004 to more than 50.

''We can't arrest our way out of this,'' said one officer. Given the city's small size, residents say, the danger is magnified because there are no affluent, low-crime areas to offset the numbers.

''It didn't put any more fear in me,'' said Camden Police Officer Darrell Henderson. ''I came to work the day after that ranking came out the same as the day before it came out.''

Despite Camden's unfortunate claim to fame, residents are quick to defend each other and their down-at-its-heels city. ''We live in the baddest city, but everybody is not a criminal,'' said street corner denizen Shif McBride, 16. ''It's a couple spoiled apples.''

Residents make their own effort to keep the corners clean. ''My neighbors bring some gin, and I get my Coors Light, and we sit out here and tell them to get off our block,'' said one resident. ''We stick together.''
Camden is dotted with small shrines of plastic flowers, stuffed animals and bottles of liquor that mark where a crime victim fell. A local nun blesses the sites with holy water.

Local engineer Stacy Johnson is trying to organize a group, called Men United for a Better Camden, to convince the city's aimless youth there are alternatives to crime.

''It depends who you talk to, whether we're winning or losing,'' he said. ''But we can't do nothing here but get better. There's nothing else.

I responded with this:

Dad,

The government certainly has a certain role to play in solving this problem.

The church also has a role to play in solving this problem.

Arguably, most importantly, parents have a role to play in solving this problem.

The Bible is not silent on the duties that the government, the church, and parents have in lifting Camden up from the depravity that it is in.

I encourage you to check out this website: www.angelfire.com/ca4/cor/politics.html

It is vitally important that each of the three (government, church, and parents) must fulfill their respective roles fully, without overstepping their respective bounds. The laws of nature and nature's God do not permit the government to assume the responsibilities of the church. The church can not assume the responsibilities that God has ordained for the government to handle. And neither the church nor the state can or may assume the responsibilities that fall on parents.

We need wisdom to discern what each of our responsibilities are, while we dedicate ourselves zealously and with discipline to fulfilling those responsibilities. Most importantly, we all need to be in submission to God. The church, the state, and the family all must be under God. Otherwise, there is no hope, for God will not bless us if we refuse to do things His way. If we do not have the blessing of God, then all our labor is in vain.
Psalm 127:1 - "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."

So, what are the responsibilities of the government, the church, and the parents?

The Government

The government is responsible to establishing justice. The government has a job to do; their job is to inflict terror on evil doers. The government does not bear the sword in vain. They must be tough and disciplined in their fight on crime, and they must reward citizens who model good behavior. They must protect the innocent.

Romans 13:1-7 says, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

Here we see the God-ordained purpose of government. This purpose follows very reasonably in the thoughts of the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Romans. For Paul, had previously explained the nature of man - that man is wicked and sinful by nature and by practice. Therefore, it is necessary to restrain man with strict governing officials who reward good behavior and punish evil behavior. Also, the government has authority to inflict capital punishment. This is clearly implied by the clause stating, "he does not bear the sword for nothing."

The previous website I pointed you to articulated my point like this:
5. "We affirm that man is depraved as a result of original sin (Romans 5); that man’s fallen nature, essentially exploitative and self-centered, requires restraining by God’s Law (Romans 7); and that Law must be either written internally and enforced by the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:14-15), or written externally and enforced by legitimate authority (Romans 13:1-7). We deny that man’s essential nature is inherently good; that environmental influences – poverty, discrimination, or lack of education – in and of themselves, are the source of evil; and that civil governments were formed by God to alleviate environmental causes of evil rather than to restrain man’s inherent evil nature."

This is the Biblical worldview. There are tons of other worldviews rooted in ideas that man, and not God, is the center of the universe; that man is basically good and needs to be understood; and that the government has a duty to give out handouts to the "less fortunate." The big fallacy here is an inappropriate and anti-Biblical appeal to pity. The government does not exist to show people pity. The government exists to inflict terror on evil doers and to reward those who model good behavior; that is, to those who do something useful with their own hands and produce fruit.

The government has not been given the mandate, or the permission, or any promise of blessing to be charitable to the poor. In fact, the laws of nature and nature’s God dictate that the government is lousy at operating in this capacity. The reason is simple. They are not supposed to operate in that capacity. By giving out handouts, the government is not doing anyone a favor. They should be focusing on law enforcement. By starting all of these social programs, the government is attempting to operate outside of the bounds of their sphere of authority. They begin assuming the responsibilities of the church. When governments do this, God withholds His blessing.

The Church

The church exists in society as "salt and light" in a dark and evil world. The church is the body of Christ – the fellowship of believers united by God’s spirit and holy purpose. We exist to worship God, love our neighbor, declare the gospel to all creation, to give to the poor, help educate people about God’s truths (without assuming the responsibilities of the parents), and to serve people’s deepest needs – whether those be spiritual, emotional, or physical. There is no authority above the local church body except for God. The government does not have authority to in any way "mess" with the local church body – except to fulfill its role of establishing Biblical justice. (i.e. If crimes are being committed in the church, the government has authority to make arrests and do their thing).

Paul writes in Ephesians 3:14-21, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

By God’s grace, the church must rise up and will rise up to start and sustain crisis pregnancy centers, homeless shelters, orphanages, and other kinds of social programs which are based fundamentally on the Word of God. Physical needs can and will be met; meanwhile, spiritual and emotional needs will be met as God’s word is proclaimed and taught. As the brethren build relationships with one another and with the lost, Christians will lead and teach society. The faithful are taught and disciplined and held accountable by the authorities of the local church. This is why it is key to willfully involve yourself with the local church and to submit yourself to authorities in that local body. Friendships, accountability, fellowship, worship of God, learning, laughter, joy, peace, encouragement, rebuke, correction are all part of the abundant life of local church involvement. If you are not involved, get involved!

The Family

Family is a God-idea. In Genesis 2, we see the first marriage – between a man and a woman, incidentally. Genesis 2:24 says, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Marriage is a God-ordained institution, and it is good! Husbands are to love, honor, and cherish their wives. Wives are to respect and submit to their husbands. Both are to love and respect and submit to one another. Both are to serve one another lovingly. No marriage is truly complete without Christ being the center of it, for He holds all things together by His powerful word.

Children are to be subject to their parents. Parents – fathers in particular – are to raise their children in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Parents, not the state and not the church, are responsible for the education of their children (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). The church may help (indeed, must help) parents educate their children, and the state should encourage Biblical education by rewarding good behavior. But the responsibility, in the beginning and in the end, falls to parents. When those in a family worship together, work together, read the Bible together, pray together, stick together, love one another, and encourage one another, societies flourish. Parents should be tender and tough on their kids. Parents should spank their children. (Proverbs 22:15, 20:30, 13:24) The state should not ever stop a parent from spanking his children – unless the parent crosses the line and begins to abuse his children. Extreme care and discernment should be taken here.

Following this counsel is the hope for Camden and for the whole world. Rejecting this counsel is to reject God’s word, and to invite his wrath. Amen. So be it.

2005-10-12T22:22:00.000-04:00

Rights

For those of you who do not know, I teach Debate (and Bible, Rhetoric, Math, and Physics) at Summit Christian Academy in Yorktown, VA. Our school will be participating in a Debate Tournament with several other classical, Christian schools on November 5th. Here is the resolution of the first debate.

Resolved: Restricting civil liberties for the sake of national security is justified.

In preparation for this debate, I challenged the students (9th and 10th graders) with a few questions today. Perhaps, we could all benefit from really examining these questions.

What is the source and nature of our rights?
Do we have the right to speak our minds?
Do we have the right to yell "Fire!" in the middle of a crowded building as a prank?
Do people have the right to preach jihad against the United States government?
Do we have the right to be racist?
Do public school teachers have the right to teach that racism is wrong? If so, on what authority?
Do public school teachers have the right to preach the gospel in the classroom? If so, on what authority?
Do judges have the right to base their judicial decisions on the wisdom and authority of the Bible?
How does law fit in to this discussion?

Well, we never made it past the first question. The kids did acknowledge that our rights are from God, but they had this idea that we have the right to do whatever we want, even the right to choose to murder. (This is probably due to the fact that the ACLU and their disciples are probably the most effective teachers of "theology" in America - certainly more effective than most parents, pastors, and Christian school teachers. God help us.) What was interesting is that they differentiated between "the right to choose to murder" and "the right to murder." But they basically were really big into the whole of idea of free will and choice. They are confused about the nature of our rights. So, we spent most of the class discussing the definition of the word "right," and then discussing the implications of that definition.

Webster's Dictionary defines "right" like this:

right - something to which someone has a just claim

But even after establishing this definition, students were still holding on to this whole idea of choice and free will and doing what we want. They admit that there are consequences for their choices and God will punish us for our sins. But they basically said that people have the right to choose to go to hell. So, I pointed them to Galatians 4:4-5 and John 1.

Galatians 4:4-5 - "But when the time had fully come, God sent His son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons."

John 1:12 - "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...."

So, I was trying to explain to them (unsuccessfully so far) that God gives his children rights that are fit for children of God. One of the students pointed to a Scripture (I forget where) that talked about the freedom we have in Christ. But she was using it (I think) to make an argument that we have the right to do whatever we want. So, I pointed the class to 2 peter 2:19. I made the comment that this should be America's national motto; although, in fact, this is probably the most un-American verse in the Bible.

2 Peter 2:19 - "They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity - for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him."

We have a long way to go, but I think I fired up some students today. I basically blasphemed the "gods" being exalted by the ACLU, and that riled up the students. The word of God went forth, and students were challenged to truly love God with all their minds. I am excited about where this will lead.

2005-10-11T21:01:00.000-04:00

The Tower of Babel vs The United States
Genesis 11

In Genesis 11, the whole world was united in a common language against God. They wanted to make a name for themselves, so they tried to build a tower to the heavens. God confused their languages and spread them out over the face of the entire earth.

Genesis 11:4 – Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

Analysis – When the people were united against God, God said that there would be nothing that the people could not accomplish. But the problem was that the people were seeking their own glory. They wanted to make a name for themselves, rather than to praise the Name that is above all names. They were proud and godless. I think God divided them and confused them for the purpose of humbling them, so that they might cry out to Him. I think that the United States could learn a huge lesson from this story. People are so patriotic and committed to making a name for themselves. We are proud to be American. We are proud to bear that name. But, ultimately, our citizenship is in Heaven. God is not an American. Jesus did not come to establish the idea of the United States. People look at this country and think, "What a great country!" Probably, people looked at the Tower of Babel and thought, "What a great tower! Look at what we have done!" But since it was not done for the glory of God, God was against it all. If, as a nation, we do not make it our primary and central focus to glorify the Name of God, then sooner or later, God will pour out His wrath. We should commit ourselves completely to the Kingdom of God. Nations rise and nations fall; but the word of the Lord will last forever.

2005-10-10T18:34:00.000-04:00

Analyzing Pat Robertson

"When the perfect government is established during the Millennium, Jesus Christ will combine in Himself the offices of prophet, priest, and king. This will be a perfect theocracy, made possible because the perfect law of God will be universally accepted by all mankind, and "the earth shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). Perfect government comes from God and is controlled by God. Short of that, the next best government is a limited democracy in which the people acknowledge rights given by God but voluntarily grant government limited power to do those things the people cannot do individually. Contrast these forms of government with Communism, which maintains that the dictatorship of the proletariat is supreme and an essential evolution of history; that God does not exist; and that citizens have only those privileges granted by the state." -Pat Robertson (http://www.cbnindia.org/200Questions/article.php?topic=15)

Hmmm... I will have to think on this for a while. It seems to me the whole "Short of that..." statement is a defeatist compromising attitude that requires no faith in Christ. Since the perfect government "comes from God and is controlled by God," then we ought to demand for that government. The Bible does not give us the freedom to settle for the lesser of multiple evils. We must fight for the ideal - trusting in God to fulfill His promises.

The problem is this. A government whose central focus is not to give glory to God is a government that is based fundamentally in philosophy that is idolatrous, shallow, hollow and deceptive - sinking sand. The logical conclusion then becomes a government that then forms policy based on the will (and anxieties) of the people. Making big decisions based on the anxiety of the masses is a very foolhardy thing to do. That is why I am against democracy. Statesmen should make decisions based on faith in God - considering all decisions in light of God's promises.

It seems to me that Pat is trying to win politically by taking practical steps in our sin-sick world. Since he is so obsessed with winning, he criticizes people like Roy Moore, but calls a person like Rudy Giuliani (who is fundamentally a secularist and pro-choice and pro-homosexuality) a good man. (http://www.issues2000.org/Celeb/Rudy_Giuliani_Abortion.htm, http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-5_3_05_JA.html)

This would seem like wisdom. But making decisions based on electability or the current, cultural, political climate of America is not wise. Frienship with the world is hatred toward God. (James 4) The wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the strongholds in which they trust. (Proverbs)

We must be principled in our stance, and we must not waiver. Don't tell me that by doing so we can not win. That is slander! (Numbers 13, 14). Don't spread a bad report. Meditate on the promises of God. Seek the counsel of Scripture. Make decisions based on faith and wisdom. Be courageous. God will give us victory as we continue to do things God's way. Pat needs to repent for endorsing a man who is pro-abortion. And the Christian community needs to wake up and stop following Pat Robertson as if he was the Lord Himself. Pat is nothing but a sinner. God have mercy on him. God have mercy on us.

I think Pat is doing more harm than good by taking the stances that he does. We need leaders with faith, wisdom, and commitment. Good intentions are not good enough.

Incidentally, that is also why Sean Hannity is wrong. He has some pretty good intentions; but he is not making his decisions based on the promises of God. Rather, he is making decisions based on beating Hillary Clinton. Again, it seems wise. I myself am tempted to rally behind the "Stop Hillary" movement. But that is reactionary politics. Reactionary politics is not wise. We need pro-active faith politics.

We all would do well to meditate on the promises of God as we engage our culture. Look not to the surrounding storm. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Against all hope, in hope, hang on to faith.

It is time to break from the secular-ness of the Republican party and all their secular arguments. Secular arguments are based on sinking sand. Even if you make a secular argument for a tenet of the faith (for example standing up for the unborn based on the presuppositions of democracy the way Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter say we should), you are on sinking sand. That strategy can very easily backfire. The tide of public opinion can turn - and then endorsing democracy would mean that abortion remains legal. Besides, a trained logician will be able to expose your logical fallacies, contradicting statements, and contradicting presuppositions. Do not use secular arguments to fight for God's purposes. That is complete foolishness. Use logic, rather, to expose the false presuppositions of the opposition, and then take off the gloves and speak the truth in love - contending for the faith. When you identify the stasis of an opponent's argument, the argument doesn't end; that's where it really begins. That's when we start tearing down those idolatrous strongholds.

The issue is really a matter of the heart. We must not be half-hearted in our commitment to establish justice.

2005-09-05T16:17:00.000-04:00

ALLEGHENY COUNTY v. GREATER PITTSBURGH ACLU, 492 U.S. 573 (1989)

Below is part of the opinion of the Supreme Court in its decision to not allow displays honoring Jesus Christ on public property during the Christmas Season.

C
Although JUSTICE KENNEDY repeatedly accuses the Court of harboring a "latent hostility" or "callous indifference" toward religion, post, at 657, 664, nothing could be further from the truth, and the accusations could be said to be as offensive as they are absurd. JUSTICE KENNEDY apparently has misperceived a respect for religious pluralism, a respect commanded by the Constitution, as hostility or indifference to religion. No misperception could be more antithetical to the values embodied in the Establishment Clause.
JUSTICE KENNEDY'S accusations are shot from a weapon triggered by the following proposition: if government may celebrate the secular aspects of Christmas, then it must be allowed to celebrate the religious aspects as well because, otherwise, the government would be discriminating against citizens who celebrate Christmas as a religious, and not just a secular, holiday. Post, at 663-664. This proposition, however, is flawed at its foundation. The government does not discriminate against any citizen on the basis of the citizen's religious faith if the government is secular in its functions and operations. On the contrary, the Constitution mandates that the government remain secular, rather than affiliate itself with religious beliefs or institutions, precisely in order to avoid discriminating among citizens on the basis of their religious faiths.
A secular state, it must be remembered, is not the same as an atheistic or antireligious state. A secular state establishes neither atheism nor religion as its official creed. JUSTICE KENNEDY thus has it exactly backwards when he says that enforcing the Constitution's requirement that government [492 U.S. 573, 611] remain secular is a prescription of orthodoxy. Post, at 678. It follows directly from the Constitution's proscription against government affiliation with religious beliefs or institutions that there is no orthodoxy on religious matters in the secular state. Although JUSTICE KENNEDY accuses the Court of "an Orwellian rewriting of history," ibid., perhaps it is JUSTICE KENNEDY himself who has slipped into a form of Orwellian newspeak when he equates the constitutional command of secular government with a prescribed orthodoxy.
To be sure, in a pluralistic society there may be some would-be theocrats, who wish that their religion were an established creed, and some of them perhaps may be even audacious enough to claim that the lack of established religion discriminates against their preferences. But this claim gets no relief, for it contradicts the fundamental premise of the Establishment Clause itself. The antidiscrimination principle inherent in the Establishment Clause necessarily means that would-be discriminators on the basis of religion cannot prevail.
For this reason, the claim that prohibiting government from celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday discriminates against Christians in favor of nonadherents must fail. Celebrating Christmas as a religious, as opposed to a secular, holiday, necessarily entails professing, proclaiming, or believing that Jesus of Nazareth, born in a manager in Bethlehem, is the Christ, the Messiah. If the government celebrates Christmas as a religious holiday (for example, by issuing an official proclamation saying: "We rejoice in the glory of Christ's birth!"), it means that the government really is declaring Jesus to be the Messiah, a specifically Christian belief. In contrast, confining the government's own celebration of Christmas to the holiday's secular aspects does not favor the religious beliefs of non-Christians over those of Christians. Rather, it simply permits the government to acknowledge the holiday without expressing an allegiance to [492 U.S. 573, 612] Christian beliefs, an allegiance that would truly favor Christians over non-Christians. To be sure, some Christians may wish to see the government proclaim its allegiance to Christianity in a religious celebration of Christmas, but the Constitution does not permit the gratification of that desire, which would contradict the "`the logic of secular liberty'" it is the purpose of the Establishment Clause to protect. See Larson v. Valente, 456 U.S., at 244 , quoting B. Bailyn, The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution 265 (1967).
Of course, not all religious celebrations of Christmas located on government property violate the Establishment Clause. It obviously is not unconstitutional, for example, for a group of parishioners from a local church to go caroling through a city park on any Sunday in Advent or for a Christian club at a public university to sing carols during their Christmas meeting. Cf. Widmar v. Vincent, 454 U.S. 263 (1981). 58 The reason is that activities of this nature do not demonstrate the government's allegiance to, or endorsement of, the Christian faith.
Equally obvious, however, is the proposition that not all proclamations of Christian faith located on government property are permitted by the Establishment Clause just because they occur during the Christmas holiday season, as the example of a Mass in the courthouse surely illustrates. And once the judgment has been made that a particular proclamation of Christian belief, when disseminated from a particular location on government property, has the effect of demonstrating the government's endorsement of Christian faith, then it necessarily follows that the practice must be enjoined to protect the constitutional rights of those citizens who follow some creed other than Christianity. It is thus incontrovertible that the Court's decision today, premised on the determination that the creche display on the Grand Staircase demonstrates [492 U.S. 573, 613] the county's endorsement of Christianity, does not represent a hostility or indifference to religion but, instead, the respect for religious diversity that the Constitution requires. 59

...

Here is the thing. As far as I can tell, those on the Supreme Court who voted in favor for not allowing displays honoring Jesus Christ on public property were the ones who accurately interpreted the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. There are many evangelical Christians who can not or will not see this fact for what it is. So, what do they do? Some try to figure out a way to display these decorations that honor Jesus on public property without violating the establishment clause. Or, if honoring Jesus on public property is not important to them, they simply compromise. But very few Christians see what the secularists see plainly: The only way it may be lawful and logically consistent to allow displays that honor Jesus on public property is to overturn the Establishment Clause and establish a theocracy.

So be it. The Establishment Clause is preventing the full glorious praise of God from being expressed. Therefore, it is evil. It ought to be overturned. As a nation, we should submit to Jesus Christ, and give Him the glory that is due His Name. If we do not do this, justice will never be established. For justice demands that Christ is worshipped.

Let us take a closer look at one particular part of the majority's opinion:

"To be sure, in a pluralistic society there may be some would-be theocrats, who wish that their religion were an established creed, and some of them perhaps may be even audacious enough to claim that the lack of established religion discriminates against their preferences. But this claim gets no relief, for it contradicts the fundamental premise of the Establishment Clause itself. The antidiscrimination principle inherent in the Establishment Clause necessarily means that would-be discriminators on the basis of religion cannot prevail."

Yes, I am a theocrat who wishes that Christianity was the established creed, and I do suggest audaciously that by refusing to establish Christianity, the government is discriminating against my preferences. Worse, since the government refuses to render unto Christ the worship due his name, the government is not neutral; rather, it is fighting against Christ - who has demanded total obedience. If the government does not fully submit to Christ, then the members of the government are not neutral; they are in rebellion. Christ's demands are total.

The idea that by refusing to acknowledge Jesus Christ, our Founding Fathers found a way to prevent discriminators from prevailing is ridiculous. Because we are created in the image of God, life (and all that life entails - including governing the affairs of men) is essentially a religious experience - so to speak. All laws are set up to establish peoples' ideas of justice. So, today, you have Christianity - which asserts very clearly many essential doctrines about life. The government will not establish laws respecting the establishment of Christianity. However, the government is established. And it is established on idolatry of all different kinds and names. Call it postmodernism or secular humanism or whatever, there is a religion (or perhaps several competing religions) on which our laws are based. But since those who follow these anti-Christian religions are not organized and named and easily identifiable, they are the ones who dominate government.

What I am saying is that the members of the ACLU are religious. They are religiously committed to stopping the adament worship of Christ. They may say that they are not, that they are merely opposed to the worship of Christ in public. But again, Christ's claims are total. If He is not being given the honor and praise due His name in public, then He is really not being worshipped on His own terms. The members of the ACLU have an anti-Christian religion - that they believe in very deeply. They believe - so they speak. They believe - so they fight. They are very religious - even though their religion is filled with logical fallacies and they haven't named their religion or even organized it under the banner "religion." But, in spite of the lack of "religious" semantics, the plain truth is obvious.

Religious plurality = polytheism. We are a nation with many gods (idols). The idolatry must be torn down.

Lift high the cross of Jesus Christ.

2005-09-05T09:14:00.000-04:00

Justice and Politics

Christopher Hitchens thinks he is pretty smart. He also thinks that he understands justice. It is his opinion that obeying God is the big problem that leads to injustice in politics. God obviously gets in the way of justice - so men of faith in the God of the Bible must deny their faith for the sake of justice. (See article: http://slate.msn.com/id/2123780/)

What drives me absolutely crazy is that most evangelical Christians agree! Actually, most evangelical Christians don't have the intellect, faith, or courage to stand up and answer these godless and stupid arguments. Too many Christians actually think that in order to have justice, we must not let Supreme Court Justices be influenced by the wisdom of the Bible as they make their decisions. Rather, Supreme Court Justices must simply see to it that our Founding Father's contradicting philosophy of government (i.e. the Constitution) be upheld. Certainly, there is no higher authority above the Constitution and those men who wrote it.

I would opine that Supreme Court Justices have a duty to do justly. The Bible speaks authoritatively about justice. It says that a righteousness from heaven is revealed by faith and that the just shall live by faith. God's law is just. God is just. Basing every decision on God's word is the only way to achieve justice. To set aside the Bible is to throw out justice. To prevent Supreme Court Justices from operating in faith (with fidelity / fide) is to trample on justice. Those without faith (infidels / infide) can not do justly.

Sadly, too many Christian do not love God with all of their minds. Too many Christians do not know how to reason well. Too many Christians do not value justice. And too many Christians are intimidated by the intellect of secular heretics like Christopher Hitchens.

Christopher wants Supreme Court justices to be committed to the law and the constitution. What about justice!?!?!?! What if the law is not just? What if the Constitution is not just?

There is a higher law than the Constitution. There is God's law. There is God's Holy and Righteous Word. Those who sell their souls out to our postmodern culture will surely be judged by the Ultimate Supreme Judge.

I already hear the objections from both the liberal leftist secularist heretics and the conservative right religious heretics. "Dan, you are calling for a theocracy."

That's right. Our government should submit to God's laws. God's laws ought to be the basis for our system of government. Without God, there is not justice. If we do not base our laws on His laws, then our entire government is rooted in idolatry. A government rooted in idolatry will in one way or another put pressure on God's people to embrace idolatry. And that is just what is happening. See the public educational brainwashing scheme.

This is not just. Now, I am fully aware that persecution will simply expose who the real believers are from the non-believers. But that does not mean that those who do the persecuting are doing right, and furthermore, we Christians should not celebrate persecution. We should celebrate God when we are persecuted - but we shouldn't celebrate the evil injustice that persecution is. Inasmuch as we can do something to stop it, we should.

Conclusions: God created us all in His image and with certain rights. The reason why we have laws against murder and rape and theft and all kinds of other wickedness is for the sake of fulfilling justice. Justice is the act of rendering honor to whom honor is due. Thus, in order to be just, we must worship and praise God with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, and all our strength. If any man speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If we are to have a government at all, it ought to be for the purpose of glorifying God. Everything we do and say ought to be for God's glory and in accordance with the Holy Scriptures.

So, to answer Christopher's question on whether or not it would be heresy to allow a secularist (heretic) sit on the Supreme Court of the United States. The answer is: Most Definately.

May God's Kingdom come and God's will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. May God arise and His enemies be scattered.

Justice, justice, you shall pursue. You must. Or you shall burn in hell.

2005-08-23T20:30:00.000-04:00

Email Debate With Dr. Marcus Newsome
Concerning Education in Newport News Public Schools

Preface: After meeting with Dr. Newsome, I took some time to reflect on our meeting, and emailed him my reflections. As you will see, he sent me back a short reply, in which he did not really speak to the debate that I was addressing. I replied in turn and am now eagerly awaiting his response. I have prayed over all of this and would ask all believers who read this to join me in prayer for God's Kingdom to come and God's will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven according to the Scriptures. (Please pray in agreement with the Scriptures. Please do not try to manipulate the will of the Lord. Find out what pleases the Lord - and pray accordingly.)

-----Original Message-----

From: Dan Hillman [mailto:danhillman1978@hotmail.com]

Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 9:08 AM

To: Marcus J. Newsome

Cc: danhillman1978@hotmail.com

Subject: Reflections of our meeting

Dear Dr. Newsome,

I appreciate the time we had to meet yesterday. I noticed that your intern, Anne, was taking notes the whole time. I was wondering if you might have her email me a copy of those notes - or if she would rather - she could make copies and I could come pick them up.

I will be spending some time today and tomorrow - reflecting over our meeting - and will be posting my reflections on my blog: meditationsofdan.blogspot.com - which, again I invite you to read and comment on.

It seems to me that you are a man with a certain measure of genuine faith in Christ, but due to the deceitfulness of your heart and the pressures of this culture in which we have been raised, you have a very modern mind. The modern mind isn't all bad. As I said yesterday, most moderns abhor and do not tolerate racism. That is a "good" thing. But that is just a start - and all our "good deeds" are nothing but filthy rags - next to the holiness of God. The modern mind has a knack for triviliazing the complex when it suits them, and making extremely complex the simple when it suits them. The modern mind takes a fairly straitforward passage of Scripture like Proverbs 1:7 ("The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and discipline.") and then somehow, by jumping through a ton of intellectual hoops, justifies why teaching kids to fear the Lord in the public school system can not be done - but its ok because the state isn't really mandating anything that goes directly against God (Oh, really), and somehow kids are still learning true knowledge. This is of course an argument that either has false premises or an invalid form or both. The simple truth remains that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge - so if a student is to learn any real valuable knowledge, it must be in the context of the fear of the Lord. It is that simple.

The "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" argument for enforcing the ungodly law of the land (teachers not being permitted to vocally acknowledge God) is a classic case of simplifying the complex. I will not at this moment do a hermaneutical study of that passage of Scripture. But I think that it is complex and great care needs to be taken so that the Scripture is not taken out of context. Using your logic (which oversimplified the passage), Peter and Paul would have stopped preaching immediately when the authorities told them to stop! And then, where would we be?! But, thanks be to God, Peter replied to the authorities, "We must obey God, not men!" The modern mind of the "Enlightenment" is one which is not based on faith, but rather reason. Now, I do believe we need to be able to reason well, but anything that is not of faith is sin. So, the modern mind is depraved and needs to be renewed by the Word of God (Romans 12:2).

Here is reality: Teachers can do nothing of value without Christ. Indeed, teachers can not even take their next breath, much less provide valuable knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to children, but for the grace of God. Therefore, in appreciation to God and out of obedience to His commands, teachers ought to acknowledge God in word, thought, and deed. The psalmist said (under the inspiration of God Almighty), "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." And in other places, "Praise the Lord." Notice, "praise the Lord" is a command, not just a good idea. Indeed, God inhabits the praises of His people. In other places in the Psalms, it says to let the praise of God be heard and the praiseworthy deeds of God must be taught to the next generation. To neglect this duty is to treat God with contempt. Just as it would be wrong to neglect to teach kids how evil racism and the Holocaust were - it would be wrong to neglect to teach kids the law of God and the praiseworthy deeds of God - of how God has worked on man's behalf, and on how He has promised deliverance to those who put their faith and trust in Him today. God, on His own authority, has mandated this. I am a witness to this truth (that is I have heard from Almighty God on this and so testify to you). More importantly, the Holy Spirit testifies to this truth. He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

More reality: The Supreme Court has decided that teaching children to pray and to revere and obey the Word of God is unconstitutional. The ACLU has effectively declared war on the church. Sadly, many in the church are apathetic to this, as you have pointed out yourself. Sadly, many more in the church have decided to compromise: that is to play by the rules of the Supreme Court and the ACLU, so that they would not lose their "influential" positions (as if God needs you to begin with). The catch is, the Supreme Court and the ACLU will only allow you to retain your position as long as you are not too influential for the cause of Christ. The cultural mandates of the ACLU and the Supreme Court have gone directly against the cultural mandates of the Bible. To fail to recognize this is to deceive yourself. And how many times does the Bible warn against being deceived?!

A moral wrong can never ever be a civil right regardless of what the ACLU says, the Supreme Court says, or anyone else says. The Laws of Nature and of Nature's God do not permit it.

Proverbs 21:22 declares, "A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust."

Many modern evangelical American Christians agree with me 100% on all of this - but most of these people also are living with a defeatist attitude. Every once in a while, someone like Roy Moore stands up for righteousness, and then the ACLU and the rest of the secularists who have a vision for godless America, go to war against him - supposedly in the name of justice (which is really ironic, because without God there is no justice). So, most evangelical Christian Americans just shake their head, and comment that "its just too bad" and then go about their business - without doing anything about it.

Newsflash: The power of darkness is crumbling! See, here comes your God! He comes in power to save! By the power of God, as we lift high the cross of Christ with faith in God Almighty, He will accomplish His purposes. But if we shrink back in fear and in unbelief, and if we deceive ourselves into believing that by shrinking back and compromising we are actually being wise, then God will be most displeased. May God bless you as you seek to do His will on His terms without compromising. May God bless you as you seek to obey the cultural, social, and educational mandates outlined by God in His word - regardless of what any man has mandated. But may God frustrate you, discipline you, and reprove you if you do not live in submission to Him.

May we resolve to remember above all the cross - where Christ died for us.

I am praying for you.

In Christ's Love,

Dan Hillman

p.s. Quick question: Where do you attend church?

Note: In my meeting with Dr. Newsome, he defended his compliance with the Supreme Court and the ACLU by appealing to the Scriptures, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." In my mind, this argument is either invalid or has false premises or both. I do not believe that we can blindly follow whatever the government tells us to do when it conflicts with God's Word.

From: "Marcus J. Newsome"

danhillman1978@hotmail.com

CC: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (not disclosing this person's email address)

Subject: RE: Reflections of our meeting

Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 13:41:00 -0400

Dan,

I appreciate the opportunity to meet and talk to you in person. I hope our discussion provoked both of us to continue our search for truth, knowledge, and understanding, which is revealed only through the Spirit of God. Thank you for the courteous and respectful manner in which you conducted yourself.

Even though you have questioned my faith, motives, actions, and stamped me with labels, I have chosen to make no such judgments about you or your faith.

To your credit, you are the most focused and determined young Christian I have met during my two year stay in Newport News. As I stated yesterday, I desire to know nothing about you except, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

I pray that you continue to grow in wisdom and maturity.

Respectfully,

Marcus Newsome

P.S. I will pass your request on to Ann regarding her notes.

From: Dan Hillman

Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 6:24 PM

To: marcus.newsome@nn.k12.va.us

CC: danhillman1978@hotmail.com

Subject: Response

Dear Dr. Newsome,

Heeding my wife’s wise advice and the restraint that I believe the Holy Spirit has required of me, I have taken these past several days to think through and pray about your response before responding once again. I think you would agree that my wife was wise to encourage me to "sleep on it" for a few days. And now, by God’s grace, having patiently restrained myself and having had the opportunity to think and pray and rest (and I hope that you have had similar opportunity), I am ready to engage in this discussion, which, as you well know, I believe is of the utmost importance. May God Almighty give us both confessed hearts and ears to hear what it is that He would have us to do.

And now, to respond to you directly.

Among other things in your reply to me, you said, "Even though you have questioned my faith, motives, actions, and stamped me with labels, I have chosen to make no such judgments about you or your faith."

Sir, with all due respect, there are two contradictory statements in this sentence.

In the first statement, you made a certain judgment about me (that I have questioned your faith, motives, actions, etc).

In the second statement, you deny having made any judgments about me.

I believe that, as Christians, we ought to be logical. Educators especially have a duty to model for children how to form arguments based on logic. Ideally, as part of the educational process, children would learn – among other things – how to detect and expose fallacies in arguments and how to construct valid syllogisms. I would say that our society’s future depends on it. (Incidentally, this would be accomplished in the Dialectic stage of a student's classical education).

Secondly, while I freely admit that I have questioned your faith, motives, and actions, I would challenge the notion that I have "stamped you with labels." I have made observations about you, analyzed those observations, and have used words to describe that which I have observed. If you want, you can call such word usage "stamping with labels," but I would call it an analysis and a description. To which "labels" do you object? I would guess that you are objecting to the "modern" label. Is this accurate or did you have something else in mind that I am simply not seeing?

But more importantly, why the defensiveness?

When Jesus taught us, "Judge not, lest ye be judged," he was talking about a particular dark and evil attitude. He was confronting self-righteousness and meanness. Some people say, "The wrath of God is coming, and I’m glad, because you are going to pay the price for your sins." Jesus taught us not to have that attitude.

And I do not.

Jesus was not telling us to be unobservant and naïve. When we consider the whole counsel of Scripture, we see that Christ gives us commands on how to handle conflict. He does not teach us to assume the best about people. On the contrary, he teaches us that people are all sinners. He does not teach us to be passive or to close our eyes to sin.

In Matthew 18:15, Jesus said, "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you."

In order to do this, we obviously have to use good judgment. That means that we can and should recognize sin – whether it be flagrant or subtle. In 1 Corinthians 5:12, the Apostle Paul says, under the inspiration of God Almighty, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?"

God has called us together as brothers in Christ and as friends. God has called us to be ambassadors for Him. I want to reaffirm to you that in Christ’s name, I extend to you my friendship, kindness, and charity. My desire for you is that you would be empowered as you do God’s will. It is also my desire that all the children of Newport News would come to the saving knowledge of Christ, and as His disciples to grow in true knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. I want the Holy Spirit to be acknowledged and made welcome in the Newport News Public Schools. This is surely God’s will.

Up until now, you have not really answered my arguments properly. Had a trained logician been present at our meeting or read our correspondence, he would have surely noticed several red herrings in your replies to me. I would ask you to discipline yourself to reply to my argument point by point. If my reasoning is invalid, expose it directly, as I exposed your invalid reasoning (when you made a judgment about me and then claimed that you hadn’t made a judgement about me). If I have a false premise, expose it.

My three big questions to you that I would very much like you to answer clearly and directly are these:

1. Is it your goal to have the Holy Spirit welcome in the Newport News Public Schools? This is a "Yes" or "No" question.

2. Assuming that your answer to the first question is yes, what is your strategy to arrange for the school to be ready to welcome the ministry of the Holy Spirit? I’d like a clear response with Scriptural support, valid deductive reasoning, and strong inductive reasoning.

3. This goes with question 2 somewhat: Do you agree with me that the only three possible options that you have are either to quit, to not quit and begin to declare the gospel, or to embrace the "trojan horse" idea? Why or why not?

As a citizen of Newport News and more importantly as a fellow disciple of Christ, I am calling you to account. God is actively working in our community, redeeming sinners to Himself! Everything we do ought to be for His glory. There are spiritual authorities and powers that I believe are made manifest through politics and economics. These authorities have declared war on the church. There is no neutral ground. And while we debate all of this, children are being raised in an institution that does not nourish authentic Christian discipleship and wisdom. Indeed, it is illegal for a Christian teacher to encourage a student to follow Jesus Christ. If we do not humbly submit to God and dogmatically declare the gospel in love, we will end up fighting against God. In order to justify ourselves, we will probably abandon logic altogether and deny the truth that there is no neutral ground. Indeed, millions in America have already done this.

And children will suffer for it.

If I am wrong, then show me how I am wrong using Scripture.

Just this past week, at Peninsula Community Chapel, Pastor Tom Kenney preached on the need for God’s presence to go with us. In Exodus 33, Moses declared to God, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here." "Here" was in the desert. "Here" was the place that they would die. So, Moses was effectively saying, "Unless your Presence goes with us, we might as well die." And God was pleased with Moses.

It is impossible to please God without faith and courage. It is time for Christians to quit going with the flow and blending in with our culture. It is time to establish a distinctively Christian community and to call unbelievers to repentance and faith. I want to support you. But I need to know for what you are fighting. In this nation, we are in a battle over ideas. Sadly, too many Christians seek to please people and will not engage in this battle. When Christians are silent and ungodly people are aggressive, we get societies like Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. We will surely reap what we sow.

Galatians 6:14 – "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." I am continuing to lift you up in prayer. My prayer for you is that God's Kingdom would come and the God's will would be done in your heart, in your mind, in your life, and in your speech on Earth as it is in Heaven. My prayer is that you may lead courageously and in humble submission to our Lord Jesus Christ according to the social, cultural, and educational mandates that He has specifically outlined and commanded in His Word, and that many people will be redeemed by the Lord due to the influence of God's work in you and through you. Amen. Let it be so.

Lift high the Name of Jesus!

In Christ’s Love,

Dan

p.s. An essay that you may find worth reading that might help you make the Newport News Public Schools a world class educational facility is "The Lost Tools of Learning" by Dorothy Sayers. But I believe that what I have addressed is of greater importance. Anyhow, the essay could be found at this link: http://www.brccs.org/sayers_tools.html

2005-08-23T19:41:00.000-04:00

Redeeming Education
Notes and Concerns from Dan Hillman to Dr. Marcus Newsome

Preface: These were the notes that I used as a guide when I met with Dr. Marcus Newsome on August 17, 2005 to discuss the need for the proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Newport News Public Schools. I gave Dr. Newsome a copy of these notes and a copy of The Paideia of God by Douglas Wilson. Dr. Newsome confesses to believe in Christ. I believe there is definately a certain degree of genuine faith in his heart. However, as we are all aware, he obviously does not openly and outspokenly declare the gospel in the public schools. The ACLU and the Supreme Court would not allow it. I, on the other hand, demand it. And I believe that I have God's authority.

First: Respect needs to be established. I intend to be direct in this meeting. Due to my overwhelming concern for children, I do not intend to mince words. Let it be established from the start that my tough words are being spoken with the children in mind. Let it not be forgotten that I am committed, man to man, to treating you with Christian kindness and charity, as God Himself gives me grace and strength to do so. I offer you my friendship – even though I may or may not offer support to that which you are trying to accomplish.

Aristotle has said, "The fate of empires depends on the education of youth." Abraham Lincoln has said, "The philosophy of the classroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next."

As a teacher, these truths cause me to tremble. Before going further, are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Also, do you believe that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative word of God? After being convicted and sentenced to death for corrupting the youth of Athens, Socrates spoke these words to those who voted for his acquittal:

When my sons are grown up, I would ask you, O my friends, to punish them; and I would have you trouble them, as I have troubled you, if they seem to care about riches, or anything, more than about virtue; or if they pretend to be something when they are really nothing, - then reprove them, as I have reproved you, for not caring about that for which they ought to care, and thinking they are something when they are really nothing. And if you do this, both I and my sons will have received justice at your hands. (Apology)

Recognizing how powerful the medium of education is in molding our society, I define classical Christian education (which I am arguing is the only education worth obtaining): The cultivation of wisdom and virtue, nourishing the soul on truth, goodness, and beauty, by means of the Liberal Arts, so that, in Christ, the students are equipped with the tools of learning and are better able to glorify God. If education is to have any value whatsoever, it can only have value if teachers are teaching that which God would have them teach, in the manner in which God would have them teach it, with the grace God gives to teach it, and with the authority that God gives to teach it – in humble submission to Christ. Indeed, anything of value that is ever taught and/or learned is done so by the grace of God. Learning to appreciate God should be the central mission of education.

Let us discuss the above definition and claim. What do you think?

Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

Common sense (which is given to us by God since we have been created in His image – so we could call it "God-sense") says that one of the ideals of education is to cultivate wisdom.

In the 2nd chapter of Proverbs, we are told how to acquire wisdom:

Accepting Solomon’s words (i.e. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and surely all the other teachings of the Torah that Solomon certainly would have taught)
Storing up commands (i.e. 10 Commandments, Proverbs)
Applying heart to understanding
Calling out for insight
Crying aloud for understanding
Looking for it as for silver
Searching for it as for hidden treasure

To those who do this, it is promised that they gain the following:

Knowledge, understanding, and wisdom
Victory
Protection
A sort of salvation from wicked men
A sort of salvation from the adulteress
Life in the land

(Note that this sort of salvation is not necessarily eternal salvation.)

There are many problems and obstacles preventing this from happening in the public school systems - including Supreme Court rulings, the ACLU, the ideology of the power players on the far left, traditionalists (who are trying to compromise with the left - but refusing to assert God's Word), parents who do not care, Eminem encouraging kids to rebel, adults who defend Eminem, ideas that morals are relative, ideas the homosexuality is to be accepted and celebrated, etc. We must understand the situation for what it is. Education (and, indeed, every aspect of our lives) is fundamentally a religious experience.

First of all, we are created in the image of God in a universe that has been created by God. That God of Nature has ordered that things be done according to a certain order – which of course reflects the nature and character of himself. We see beauty, order, and creativity in Creation, and the thinking person who has had knowledge revealed to him concludes that God is a God of beauty, order, and creativity. But education is a religious experience. As in everything else in life, someone or something is being worshipped. There are spiritual strongholds in high places that are insisting on being worshipped. Creeds are being taught to kids. The question is, "Which ones?" Kids are being taught to dedicate their lives to some ideas. The question is, "Which ideas?" The notion that a school is neutral when it comes to morality, religion, politics, and ideas is absolutely ludicrous.

The good news is that more and more, the everyday people are beginning to see that. I am convinced that those in control already know that. But they keep on spreading the lie of neutrality – so that they can remain in control. There is no neutral ground. A spiritual war is waging. God has given cultural mandates throughout the Bible for which believers must contend. Either Christian dogma will be proclaimed and we will live in submission to Christ and education will be brought under His rule and authority, or we will live in rebellion against Christ, and by doing so, we will teach children in word and deed, to live in rebellion against Christ. People will not call it "rebellion against Christ." They will deceive themselves and others with the lie of neutrality.

Hebrews 1:1-3 declares, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." The emphasis is my own. But this is the Word of God. Christ is heir of all things and sustains all things by his powerful word. There is authority and power in the word of God. God spoke the creation into existence. God’s powerful word sustains all things. His word keeps families together – even through the hard times of life. There is life in His word. His word never returns void but accomplishes what it is set out to do.

Plato once said (and I paraphrase), "Let us find the sayings of the most wise, most intelligent people so that we could have guidance through life. But if ever in history, God has spoken, then all the wisdom of men falls silent."

The Enlightenment project is failing. It is time to humbly submit to the Word of God.

Consider this argument:

All people who teach or learn real knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, are people who fear the Lord. Contrapositive: People who do not fear the Lord do not teach nor learn real knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
A true education is one in which students learn real knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. i.e. true education = acquisition of real knowledge, understanding, and wisdom
Those who do not fear the Lord can not offer nor receive a true education.

I am assuming that you know the difference between validity and truth, but maybe I should not assume that. I did not understand the difference until last year – and I am a degreed engineer and an analytical Christian who has spent considerable time thinking about philosophy. All this to say that my above argument is valid – absolutely. (I even drew a Venn Diagram to make sure of its validity). If my conclusion is false, then it is due to a false premise. If this is the case, then I challenge you to expose my supposed false premise. I am fully aware that non-Christians can and do teach other non-Christians facts and calculus, etc. But, so what? Proverbs is telling us that there is a certain kind of knowledge that we can acquire if we fear the Lord. This is what I call real knowledge. Anything that is not taught in the context of the fear of the Lord is meaningless at best.

So, what does this mean in real life? In my mind, God might lead you into one of two directions:

1. He will lead you to quit.
2. He will lead you to begin buck the powers that be and contend for the faith (as you are commanded to do so in the Book of Jude). You will proclaim God’s Word and cast the vision for the Christian enculturation of youth.

This will stir up a hornet’s nest. And I am not quite sure what would happen if you truly followed the Lord on this. One, you might get fired, but not before stirring things up – Roy Moore style. Two, an entire people might repent and turn to Christ – and you will have the favor of God as you do the will of God.

But regardless of what happens, God’s will for your life is to be found in Colossians 3:17 – "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." This is a command of God, not merely a nice idea. God has commanded that we do justly. No where does God ever say to surrender justice to the will of the masses. I know this is fundamentally un-American to say, but it is certainly the Christian thing to say. Can we really pray, "Let your will be done" if we are not willing to submit all of our labor to the Lord? Can we pray this with integrity if we are not willing to educate youth for the purposes of Christ and in the name of the Lord?

Bottom Line – There is a spiritual battle waging for the hearts and souls of children. There are strongholds of idolatry exalted in high places in our culture. We must not lift up our souls to any idol. Our faith and trust must be in Christ – and we must partner together with fellow Christian believers, especially parents, to labor for the cultivation of truly Christian culture and together to proclaim God’s Word to a lost generation – cultivating growth in Christians and providing the knowledge of salvation for unbelievers. (Matthew 28:18-20)

To these ends we must be vigilant, but we must understand that this must be done in the strength of the Lord as we rest in Him. (Hebrews 4:9-11) As we abide in Him, we will produce much fruit. Apart from Him we can do nothing. (John 15)

"Everything that is not of faith is sin." -Romans 14:23b

Suggested Reading List
The Holy Bible – especially Exodus, Deuteronomy, Proverbs, Luke, Romans, Ephesians, and Hebrews to start. The Bible is the authoritative word of God on all matters of life. Everything that we do ought to be for a distinctively Biblical purpose and cause. We need to form a theology on education then, and these are great books to study as we begin that process.
The Case for Classical Christian Education – by Douglas Wilson
The Paideia of God – by Douglas Wilson
Mere Christianity – by C.S. Lewis (by the way, I don’t totally agree with all Lewis has to say. Still he was a great Christian thinker, and has made great contributions to the world.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – by C.S. Lewis This is a great children’s book, and a great analogy of the gospel. I recommend it precisely because it is a children’s book. We need to have child-like faith if we are going to truly please God.
"Enlightenment Anxieties and the Classical Christian Task" – an essay by Andrew Kern
"The Fingerprint of God" – an essay by Andrew Kern
Anything else by Andrew Kern – check out the Monthly Meditation at http://www.classicalteachertraining.org/newsletter.html

2005-08-13T14:08:00.000-04:00

Getting Ready to Meet With Dr. Newsome

Well, I have been thinking about it, talking about it, praying about it, and writing about it. Now, I have an opportunity to do it.

As most of you know, God has burdened me for quite some time to dedicate myself to redeeming education for the glory of God. Abraham Lincoln once said, "The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next." And Aristotle has said, "The fate of empires depends on the education of youth."

As a teacher, the magnitude of such statements causes me to tremble as I attempt to educate young people. I am absolutely in love with the philosophy of classical, Christian education, that is, the cultivation of wisdom and virtue, nourishing the soul on truth, goodness, and beauty, by means of the Liberal Arts (the Trivium and the Quadrivium), so that, in Christ, the students are equipped with the tools of learning and better able to glorify God. These are great ideas, but living up to them is another story. It is easy to change jargon. But merely changing jargon does not make a teacher great. I need God.

But as much as I enjoy pouring out my heart and my life for kids at Summit, my heart is burdened for the kids in public schools. They do not have the opportunity to have truth taught to them on a daily basis. In fact, much of what they learn in their experience in public schools is anti-Biblical. Certainly, kids are not being taught to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. They are not being taught the Law of Moses. They are not being taught about the history of God's intervention with man. They are not being taught wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and they are not being taught to fear the Lord.

This is not just. With this burden on my heart, I wrote an email to the superintendent of the Newport News public school system a couple weeks ago - telling him about my concerns and challenging him to really dedicate all that he does to God's glory. This man has attended seminary. He has replied, asking me to set up a meeting so that we could meet face to face.

So, I see this as a great opportunity to make my voice (and really the voice of the church) heard concerning education. I intend to cast a vision of what education could be. I also intend to expose the invalid reasoning and false assumptions that govern the preaching of the gospel of tolerance, and to expose the injustices going on in the leftist-controlled government schools.

Fellow believers, pray for me as I set up this meeting. I want this to be a positive meeting. I am full of faith. I intend to be positive. I also am not looking to make any sort of compromise. I'm not trying to pull education toward a more "traditional, conservative" route. Rather, I intend to respectfully demand that all teachers would teach that which God would have them teach, in the manner that God would have them teach it, in the authority which God gives to teach in humble submission to Almighty God. This, of course, must include the faithful proclamation of God's Word and a commitment to prayer. There must not be any compromise. For the time is coming when men will no longer put up with sound doctrine, but will find teachers to tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. To not be lovingly dogmatic on the important central issues is to sin. If teachers do not teach that which God would have them teach, then the teachers are teaching nothing of value. If the public schools are not going to teach anything of value, then they should not receive any funding.

If any of you disagree with me about what I am trying to do, then let us debate. But let us all be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we read God's Holy Word and apply it to our lives, giving God glory with every breath. Finally, for some of you, maybe God would have you write letters to principals, superintendents, congressmen, parents, etc. Maybe God would have some of you attend school board meetings, where you can proclaim the gospel and God's vision for education, while pointing out all the problems in the public schools.

Honestly, I feel a little nervous about all of this. In no way am I trying to boast, but I think that I know a little bit what Martin Luther must have been feeling as he readied himself to nail the 95 Theses to that church door. Its kind of similar to the feeling you get when you are anticipating a race or a big game. But I know this is more important than that, and frankly, I am concerned that too many Christians are not engaged in this crucially important cultural war.

To God be all glory.

2005-08-11T10:08:00.000-04:00

Values Education - The State vs The Family

Check this out.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,165253,00.html

Is this not abundantly obvious evidence that the left-wing establishment is systematically brainwashing kids with anti-biblical values without regard or "tolerance" for the wishes of parents who disagree with them?

All clear thinking people have realized that values are being taught in the public school arena. However, many of these people have not yet acknowledged - to themselves even - that this is not consistent with the idea which asserts that schools should teach "reading, writing, and arithmetic" and avoid teaching values altogether. Clear thinking people recognize that it is impossible and undesirable to avoid teaching values. By not teaching values, the teacher ends up teaching that values are not important. So, we can not get out of teaching values. Therefore, the values we teach ought to be just, noble, righteous, and good. I would say that the Gospel ought to be preached, for in Christ the whole universe is being held together through His powerful Word. We have been created to bring Him glory, so the entire purpose of education ought to be dedicated to His purposes.

But for those who say that the Gospel of Jesus Christ should not be preached in the school system, my question to you is this: Should the values that are being taught be in harmony with the Bible or against the Bible? Should tax dollars promote "values" that go against the teachings of Scripture? I would suspect that at very least, a fair and honest person would say that the values taught should not go against Scripture (I would hope). But then, how can so many people continue to support the left-wing establishment that is committed to the systematic anti-biblical brainwashing of kids.

Throughout the entire history of western civilization, the 10 Commandments and the values of the Bible have shaped our culture, our values, our laws, and our families. Never before in history has there been a significant push to accept gay marriage and a radical new family structure composed of mulitple dads and/or multiple moms. This is new. It goes against the Bible. It goes against the Laws of Nature. And it obviously does not have a proven track record. On the other hand, traditional marriage between one man and one woman based on the cultural mandate ordained by God Almighty in the Book of Genesis is a wonderful, blessed institution that has been enjoyed and celebrated for centuries. And now, in defiance of the Word of God; in defiance of the Laws of Nature; in defiance of the facts of history; our nation is being pressured to accept and support something totally insane. And my tax dollars are being used to promote this stupid, idiotic, godless agenda.

And a father who objects to his kindergarten kid being so indoctrinated is arrested and spends the night in jail. What's next? Shall we next set up tri-marriages, so that perverts who want to have a threesome their whole life should be allowed to marry each other. Three parents might after all be better than two. Next, we should brainwash kids with the idea that "family" is an archaic concept. Who needs a family? What we really need is a village! A village where everyone is having sex with everyone else and we have multiple dads and moms - none of whom really need to be committed. After all, they all have the right as Americans to walk out any time they want; that's obviously what our Founding Fathers were fighting for. And who am I to judge that this isn't right or good or just? How can I be so closed-minded and archaic? The village is responsible for raising children - not the family. And if a family objects to that, well, then the village will make life especially hard for that family. And if the village decides that a kid is ADD or ADHD, then no problem. Just give kids drugs! Get them hooked on Ritalin and Prozac. (Incidentally, some studies have shown that these prescribed drugs are just as dangerous if not more dangerous than cocaine). That will keep them in line. Never mind the fact that what the kid really needs is a Biblical family - one father, one mother. The kid really needs the 10 Commandments. Worship God. Work hard. Balance your life with appropriate rest. Do not kill, steal, lie, or cheat. Do not covet. Do not misuse the name of God. Put your trust in God. Accept responsibility. What the kid really needs is personal attention, discipline, and love.

I know; I know. I'm archaic and old-fashioned and closed-minded and dogmatic. I should really be more tolerant (i.e. I ought to passively accept Hillary Clinton's vision of America). I shouldn't fight for that for which Christ died. I should not impose Christ on people. I should let those who are against Christ impose their crap on a distracted, unsuspecting, conflicted, and all too often ignorant public. I should let those who have no regard for Christ control education and indoctrinate the children of the next generation with their anti-Biblical values without objection. I should be open-minded to the most inane and outrageous ideas.

John 14:6 - In reply, Jesus declared, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by me."

His truth will continue to march on - as long as I have breath. Glory! Hallelujah!

2005-07-24T11:02:00.000-04:00

On Tolerance

Does any word disarm an evangelical Christian more effectively? Scene: As a Christian who takes seriously the Great Commission, you might be looking for an opportunity to share the gospel with someone. The subject of faith comes up, and you might be thinking, "Here is an opportunity." Then someone makes the comment, "I think it is important to be tolerant of all religions and creeds." At which point, the evangelical is tongue tied. O, to find the right tactful words of truth to communicate in love!

Well friends, getting caught off guard by that line (or a similar line) once or twice is somewhat understandable (but not excusable). However, to continuously be caught by that line without finding a way to contend for the faith is to bow our knees to the idols of postmodernism.

We need to have a proper understanding of the word tolerance. We need to understand that there are two types of tolerance: one which is holy and patient and loving and kind - which leads a person to repentance, and the other which is dead set against all Christian creeds.

First of all, all readers need to understand that I promote the intrinsic value of all people. All people have been created by God in His image, and are therefore valuable, regardless of anything and everything they ever do and say. Therefore, we all ought to love one another. We ought to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We ought to love our neighbors. We ought to love each other, even though at times, we are all unlovely. In this sense, we ought to be patient and tolerant with each other, trusting that as we show each other the kindness and tolerance of God, then God will lead us to repentance, faith, and salvation.

However, we need wisdom as we exercise this tolerance. It would be intolerable to tolerate any and all wickedness. Indeed, the whole point of having law and order in society is to resist (not tolerate) those who are bent on doing evil. We ought to stand up forcefully for righteousness, truth, and justice. If someone has skewed ideas about these, then we ought to contend for that which is noble, true, just, beautiful, and right. We should patiently and forcibly make our case, and preach the message of the cross with faith that God will honor the preaching of His Holy Word. Anyone who does this will encounter plenty of resistance and persecution. Jesus said we would. He also said that we are blessed when we are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.

In America, we have a really screwed up idea of freedom. Many would agree with me on one hand, but then on the other hand, they would argue that in America, everyone has the right to believe whatever he wants, and no one should interfere with that. The idea here is that a person has freedom in choosing to believe whatever he wants.

My friends, this is not so! Anyone who sins is a slave of sin. Anyone who believes a creed or an ideology that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures is not free; he is deceived and in bondage. Christ grants freedom to His disciples - that is those who embrace the discipline of following Christ. Freedom goes hand in hand with discipline. Without discipline, there is no freedom. Without law and order, there is no liberty. The idea that one needs to be sacrificed for the sake of the other is bogus. On the contrary, they go hand in hand.

Our rights are given to us by the one true Holy Creator God. To think that God would give us the right to sin, and to think that God wants us to defend the supposed right to sin, is to impune the Name and character of God. God is ready and willing to forgive all such foolishness and evil, but anyone who is holding to such ideas had better repent. A moral wrong can never be a civil right.

Proverbs 10:17 summarizes these ideas nicely: "He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray."

2005-07-23T00:57:00.000-04:00

Engaging Our Culture

I have been thinking a lot recently (and actually for quite some time) about God, our situation here in the world, our spiritual battle, and our effectiveness (or noneffectiveness) in engaging our culture. If not for Christ, I would say that its time to eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

Thank God for the sacrifice Christ made for us at the cross.

It seems to me that our depravity is exposed by our inability to engage with our unbelieving culture effectively. Many evangelicals seem to simply lack the wherewithal to stand up against postmodernism. In every generation, it seems there has been some cultural evil that Christians were called to stand against. Sometimes Christians did this effectively – sometimes not. In the 19th century, Christians seemed to lead the fight for abolitionism (although nonbelievers by common grace were also involved significantly in that fight). In the 50's and 60's (and to a point up to today), Christians played a significant role in the fight against racism. And due to the courage and perseverance of men of God who lived 40 to 50 years ago, today our nation, as a whole, does not tolerate racism.

But I am not telling you all anything that most of you do not already know.

Today, we need to fight against postmodernism and a culture that is getting more and more ungodly everyday. Two reasons come to my mind right away when I consider how ineffective we seem to be in this fight. One reason is that many Christians do not have the ability to reason things out well. Many Christians struggle to point out the gross inconsistencies and fallacious claims of postmodernism. Another reason is that many Christians simply lack the courage to stand against our culture. As Doug Wilson describes it, we see ourselves as the croutons in a great big tossed salad. We supplement their views with our views - their jargon with our jargon - their perspective with our perspective. But too many Christians do not seek to teach people to obey that which God has commanded. We are deathly afraid of confrontation. We are defeated in our minds and attitudes and our hearts. And we do not want to hurt anyone's feelings.

We seem to suffer from the same mental disorder that many in the postmodern camp suffer. Merely changing our jargon does not fix the problem. We can say words like "worldview," "Christian," "trivium," and "Bible-centered" all we want. But merely changing our vocabulary does not accomplish much.

Please understand that when I say "we," I am talking about many American evangelicals, not necessarily you or me. However, if the shoe fits, wear it – or for that matter, take it off and get a new pair! I do think that we need to learn how to think logically and how to take a stand for truth courageously. I think that there should be a strong emphasis on these things in our ministries.

However, a third thing has come to my mind. We need to learn how to celebrate our God. It has seemed to me through much of my Christian walk that celebration is somehow less important than the important things like not committing adultery and not stealing and preaching the gospel. It has also seemed to me that celebration is easy. After all, it is a celebration. What is so hard about that?

But the more I think about it, the more I realize how wrong-headed that line of thinking is. Celebration is very important, and our inability to celebrate that which God would have us celebrate in the manner that God would have us celebrate also exposes the depth of our depravity. I believe that you can see what people believe in, what they value, and what/who they are worshipping by watching what they celebrate and how they celebrate and why they celebrate.

Wouldn’t you know it? God addresses all three of these issues in his Word! Once again, after thinking things through, I reach the same conclusions: God is awesome. God is true. God is just. God is wise. God is loving and merciful and excellent. We need to read the Bible and submit our hearts and minds and souls to Him. For the battle belongs to the Lord.

We need to learn to reason. In Isaiah 1:18, God says, "Come now, let us reason together…." The book of Proverbs exhorts us time and time again to gain knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Proverbs 1:2-6 speaks of the purpose of the proverbs: "for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance – for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise." And in Proverbs 24:3-4, it says, "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." We also see in the Book of Acts, chapter 6, verse 10 that when certain Jews opposed Stephen, "they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke." Finally, in 1 Peter 3:15, Peter, by the inspiration of God, exhorts us. "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…." Clearly, Christians ought to gain knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Christians need to be able to reason.

One of the reasons why we need to be able to reason well is that we might be able to recognize how unreasonable and futile and downright idolatrous it is to trust in reason itself rather than in God. O, that Christians might learn this lesson well! How many Christians have unwittingly sold themselves out by refusing to declare God’s word on God’s authority, for fear that they would be accused of not being reasonable people! Christians have actually bought into the argument that many use which uses as its fundamental axiom the notion that no reasonable person asserts that his personal beliefs ought to be advanced by people on God’s authority. Ashamed to declare the gospel on God’s authority, Christians dance. "Well, I don’t want to seem like I’m on the radical fringe, but this is what I believe. But it’s cool if you have other [contradicting] beliefs." At this point, most evangelicals would walk away from confrontation. But some might engage further, but surely not on God’s authority! No, no, no. To argue a point on God’s authority is to throw out logic. So then, I must use logic to show that the gospel is the truth.

The fallacy here is in the notion that reason saves. Reason does not save. We are saved by grace through faith, which is a gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Reason complements faith. Reason does not ever substitute faith. It is not illogical or unreasonable to speak God’s Word on His authority. Indeed, that is how the Bible begins and ends – on authority. (Genesis 1:1, Revelation 22:18-21) And over 4000 times throughout Scripture, the student of the Bible is confronted with the notion that what he is reading is not merely a good, wise idea, but that it is the very Word of God. We are told that this Word is living and active and powerful. (Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) We are told that by His Word, all things are held together. (Hebrews 1:1-3) We are told that God spoke and the heavens and the Earth came into being. (Genesis 1) We are told that Jesus Himself was the Incarnate Word. (John 1:1-14) And we are told that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ. (Romans 10:17) The Word is near us, it is in our mouths and in our hearts, that Word of faith which the apostle’s proclaimed on God’s authority, that if we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts, we shall be saved. (Romans 10:8-10) And now, those who believe speak, in accordance with the word: "I believe, therefore, I speak." (2 Corinthians 4:13-18)

How dare we substitute the Word of God for some clever argument! What the heck are we thinking! Do we actually think that our clever arguments are better than God’s eternal Word? Why then do we act like they are?! Due to our lack of faith, embarrassed and ashamed of God, afraid that we might look stupid and fall on our face, we attempt to replace God’s Holy Word with some clever argument. We justify this by pointing at the rest of evangelical America. "Everyone else is doing it!" So, instead of preaching the pure Gospel truth on God’s authority with faith that God will honor the preaching of His Holy Word, we offer a watered down "gospel" that has some religious language in it, but does not seem "over the top." This gospel is not as confrontational which suits most of us just fine, because we are not interested in dealing with confrontation. Besides, we think that this empowers our message, since by mincing our words, we seem to have "won" the political conservative right. In reality, I fear that what we have done is confessed our dependence and our need for the conservative right to affirm us. We seem to lack the wherewithal to find a way to make our voice heard. We have deceived ourselves. One, we do not see the reason why reason is not enough to save. We do not see the reason why it is not okay to offer slightly different gospel than the true gospel. Two, we really do not have the courage to believe (or is it that we don’t have the faith to be courageous). This brings me right into my second point.

We seem to have forgotten what it means to be courageous. Or, more truthfully, we avoid situations that require courage like the plague. The pro-abortion, pro-homosexual, ani-Christian movement in America is aggressively attempting to stamp out the expression of faith of the true church. Oh, most people in America are fine with people believing in Jesus, provided that Jesus is only one of their gods. But people will fight you tooth and nail if you declare that there is only one God who is to be praised. Actually, people are pretty much okay with you saying that line, as long as you do not mean it, and as long as you do not state that in the public arena. "Faith is a private matter." "Don’t mix faith and politics." "Work is not the place to bring up matters of faith." "To each his own." "Respect all beliefs." "What we need to do is tolerate all ideas." All of these statements are attempts by God’s enemies to silence God’s people. By remaining silent, we have caved in to the pressures of our idolatrous culture. We sell out.

And then, instead of being contrite about it, we justify ourselves. Often we justify ourselves with the same fallacious arguments that God’s enemies were using to silence us. This works out well for us – especially those of us who do not know how to reason well. After all, we do not see the difference between proclaiming God’s truth on God’s authority and offering our "Christian perspective" on the shaky authority of reason. So, that’s nice. We are comfortable in our ignorance of our wicked idolatry, and we think we have just reason to be comfortable.

But if we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit and knowledgeable of God’s Word and able to reason arguments out well, then the truth is made bare. Put simply, we chicken out. We live in fear and unbelief. We are not courageous. We have not dared to dream and to fight for God’s ideal because we are just too afraid to do it. For this, we need to repent. We need to come clean before God, confess our cowardliness, acknowledge our need for Christ, and receive God’s grace. And then, we must turn. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, we must go forth declaring His Word on His authority, trusting in God to fulfill His purposes as we do.

But this has to be done on God’s strength, and not our own. We do not have what it takes to fight this fight. We are up against an enemy that is too strong for us. If we go forth in our strength, we will fizzle out very quickly. And by doing so, we probably would end up doing more harm than good.

So, how do we overcome?

Our trust has to be in God alone. We must recognize that in Him we live and move and have our being. We must ask Him to reveal His glory to us. We must diligently seek Him, trusting that God rewards those who do. And in all of this, we must learn to celebrate the goodness of God in our lives. For if we are to be attractive to the world, while maintaining our integrity and refusing to water down the gospel, then we are going to have to live life completely God’s way. And God has mandated celebrations.

The Old Testament believers had all kinds of celebrations that they observed every year. Take the Passover for example. Every year, by God’s command, faithful Jews celebrated before God the Passover. They celebrated God’s mighty deliverance out of Egypt. They remembered the blood of lambs that was sprinkled over the doorways of their homes, so that the angel of death who administered the last of the 10 plagues, passed over them. It was altogether fitting and proper that the Old Testament believers ought to celebrate the Passover.

But the Passover was more than God delivering Israel out of Egypt! The Passover was a picture pointing to the future Messiah, the Lamb of God, who would be slain for the sins of the whole world. Now, for us who believe, when God looks at us, He pronounces us righteous because the blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all of our sins!

So, then, why is it that most Christians do not even know when Passover is? Why don’t we know more about all the other Jewish Holidays? I think the answer to this is simply that we have just blended into our culture, which is one that, for the most part, does not celebrate the Old Testament Feasts. But celebration is in order. We know about the Pilgrims because we celebrate Thanksgiving every year. We celebrate "holidays" like Independence Day, Veteran’s Day, and Memorial Day because we value American ideas. What we value is exposed by what we celebrate.

As Christians, we have a ton of things to be celebrating! God loves us. If we are in Christ, we are in a covenant relationship with Him. We are a "chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that [we] may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9) We belong to Christ. So, we need to give God praise. Celebration is in order. By celebrating God’s goodness and love to us, we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.

Now is the time. Who knows that we are here in this culture at this point in history for such a time as this? It is time to gain knowledge, understanding, and wisdom and to be able to reason things out well. We need to be courageous and strong and bold as we stand up for truth, justice, righteousness, and the good news of Christ. And we need to celebrate all of our blessings.

We are in a war for the battle of souls, and the enemy is active and aggressive in the fight. We must not accept the status quo. It is time to engage our culture.