Why Religious Freedom Protection Laws Are Under Attack

     Frankly, I'm getting tired of Big Business and the Entertainment Industry distorting the attempt by state legislatures to apply some common sense to the culture war over same-sex marriage, transgenderism, and other LGBT issues.  I know we now live in a world where God's commandments are no longer seen as the guide by which we should live our lives.  And I realize that there is no way to put this genie back in the bottle.  The Supreme Court (man's law) has supplanted God's laws.... at least in the public square.
     It is hard to ignore the battle that is creeping across our land, as states enact individual laws that some Americans argue protect our religious beliefs and rights, while others argue that these pieces of legislation are discriminatory against the LGBT community.

     Mississippi and North Carolina are in the public crosshairs for their recently passed legislation that proposes to protect the religious beliefs of their citizens; but the truth is that nearly 200 bills have been proposed in various state legislatures in 2016.  I can't help but feel it is in response to the citizenry's alarm over businesses, such as bakeries and florists, who have not been allowed to run their companies according to their consciences, along with the disconcerting transgender bathroom movement.
     But perhaps just as unsettling is the distortion and downright lies being engendered by corporations and entertainers, who misrepresent what the laws are designed to accomplish.  Gina Miller, has written a sharp and incisive article on Barbwire.com, pointing out the inconsistencies and the misrepresentations of the Mississippi law.  In her article, she writes, "It’s certainly distressing to see the large corporations and senseless celebrities and politicians babbling their nonsense about a law that only reiterates our fundamental, God-given rights of conscience that are already protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution... This is not about a homosexual being denied generic products or services, nor is this about denying “single mothers baby shower services,” because none of that is happening."
     She continues:  "Another of the big lies pushed by opponents of Mississippi’s law is that it’s no different than “Jim Crow” laws, that this is a “civil rights” issue.  That is a grotesquely sinister affront to the genuine civil rights struggle that black people engaged in."  I must agree!  Black people, white people, yellow people, brown people, and all people are equivalent in God's eyes.  He created us all!  But when we are rebellious to His natural order; when we do not recognize His sovereignty in determining marriage, the sex of a person, or how we are to respect Him and each other, then by what "right" can we demand that all must conform?
     In essence, what the opponents of both the Mississippi and North Carolina legislation are trying to do is to "rebrand" religious liberty (upon which this nation was founded) as nothing less than bigotry, intolerance, and hatred.  Not so!  What the new laws are attempting to do is to prevent discrimination by ensuring the government will not force people to violate their conscience in very specific contexts spelled out by the law.
     As Jennifer Marshall at Religious News Service points out, "For starters, Mississippi’s new law ensures that churches and other religious groups aren’t punished for declining to host or solemnize weddings that would violate their conscience. Remember the controversy over Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky? Mississippi won’t have that kind of a showdown because the new law ensures everyone eligible for a marriage license gets one without delay while also accommodating individual clerks who want to opt out of issuing marriage licenses altogether."  (While I'm pretty sure that this is still too accommodating for our Lord, how can anyone declare this is a hate law?)
     Ms. Marshall also points to the fact that "the law also ensures religious schools and ministries, [who are] serving those in need, can continue to set their personnel and housing policies in accord with their beliefs. (This provision covers only religious organizations, not businesses. The law has nothing to do with business hiring or landlord policies.) Faith-based adoption agencies will be free to continue placing every child they serve with a married mom and dad... While bakers, a photographer, and a florist in other states have faced massive fines, creative professionals in wedding-related businesses in Mississippi cannot be coerced to use their talents to celebrate same-sex weddings."
     Isn't it time that these business owners be protected, based on their faith?  And why should people of faith be forced to give in to the pressure for transgender bathrooms?  I applaud Mississippi's new law, which allows private businesses and schools to set their own policies for the use of bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms. But would it surprise you to know that PayPal announced plans to cancel an office expansion in North Carolina after that state passed a similar privacy protection measure?  Even though the law leaves them and other businesses free to make these policies however they see fit?
     Am I reading this wrong, but does it look as if Big Business and the Elite Corporations have no desire in compromising -- although I hate that word?  Doesn't it seem as if they want Christians and Christian businesses to bow down to the morally corrupt culture, and admit our defeat?  But here is the truth that they will never admit, and don't want the general public to know:  Most of the new law is about protecting religious groups and individuals who have a different perspective on marriage. It guarantees their religious freedom while not taking anything away from anyone else. What the new law is trying to express is that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of differences.  Big Business and the Entertainment Industry believe in that precept, too -- unless you are Christian, and wish to live your life (which includes how you conduct business) according to your moral conscience and faith.
     I just want you to be cognizant of this media and marketing blitz that is going to come against the religious community.  We are already seeing it on nearly every TV commercial and prime time show. They are targeting our children in school, and portraying the faithful as bigoted, hate-filled, insensitive and intolerant.  "Transgenderism" is the new cause célebré; children are encouraged to seek their "true" gender, which could be the opposite of that in which they were born, or any number of variations, according to their desires and what they would "like" to be.  Experimentation and imagination are invited and cultivated.
     The Bible tells us that immorality will increase in The Last Days, and even tells us what an immoral society looks like:  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.   I think men wanting to dress as women and using the womens' bathrooms pretty much hits the target of immorality, wouldn't you say?
     So, while we watch our society and culture grow further away from our Christian morals and values, we can expect the backlash and the distance between us to grow.  The discord between the faithful and the faithless will become rampant; and sadly, those weak in their faith will walk away from the hope that is Jesus, and distance themselves from us, too.  But I'm not telling you anything you didn't know.  It's just hard to watch it coming so fast, and almost without a fight.  At the same time, it is our privilege to stand for God in this battle, and to seek His Spirit for courage and endurance.  We know it's coming ... and we know what we must do!

Matthew 24:11-12    "Many false prophets will appear and mislead many.  Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold."

Beware A Boastful Tongue!

     Have you seriously considered why in the world all the young girls across this nation seem to be enthralled with sharing photos of themselves sticking out their tongues?  Is your spirit pricked with an uneasiness that tells you there is more to this than just frivolity?  Well, I'm here to tell you there is.
     I, like adults of every generation, have looked upon the entertainment industry as a possible instrument of the devil; a tool of temptation that will lead our youth astray.  When I was young, I laughed at my own parents' concerns, considering them to be out-of-touch and too old-fashioned.  Yet I can see where those suggestive lyrics and the loosening of sexual standards only served to encourage much of the debauchery in evidence today.  And I'm pretty sure that this generation feels the same way about our warnings as we did our parents.
     But what they don't know is this … they didn't invent this viral social media rage of sticking out your tongue in every photo you post online.  Actually, it can be traced to the Hindu goddess, Kali.  Furthermore, they don't know that her identity can be traced back to the Queen of Heaven/Mother Goddess worship.  One of the foremost promoters of this worship, which honored Baal's consort, was the wicked Phoenician princess, Jezebel, who married the evil king of Israel, Ahab.
     As I wrote in an earlier post, Jezebel influenced Ahab to fully establish Baal worship in his realm. In Phoenicia, Baalism included the worship of Molech with fiery sacrifices of children and the worship of Astarte, the Phoenician Ishtar, Queen of Heaven.  Jezebel caused altars to be erected to this idol in every part of Israel; and at one time four hundred priests attended the worship of Ishtar/Ashteroth.  She had such a powerful control over Ahab, that he built a temple to Baal, and the Bible records that he sinned against God more than any other king.  But here's the result of that idolatrous relationship:  The nation of Israel became so entangled with the Queen of Heaven/Mother Goddess worship that YHWH judged them by sending them into captivity by the hand of the Assyrians, and the nation of Israel was scattered to the ends of the earth.
      And how did this Queen of Heaven/Mother Goddess express her immorality and debauchery?  By sticking out her tongue!  And today, our young girls and women mimic her, without even knowing what they are doing!  It seems that everywhere you look now on television and the Internet, the craze of sticking out the tongue is rampant.  And the media stars of this generation are leading the way.
     It seems that with every performance, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, and their peers can be seen posing for the camera with their tongues sticking out.  How in the world did this become something worthy of imitating?  Well, I don't have to tell you that there is a war on for the hearts and minds of our children, and we are losing this battle with each passing day. As a 2013 article in Before Its News reported, the Devil is so sure of victory that he no longer feels the need to hide what he is doing. He knows that we – even born again Christians – have gotten so cold, so lazy, we don’t pray, we don’t read our Bibles – that we offer little to no resistance.
     The essence of the tongue pose is sexual perversion, indecency, lewdness and promiscuity; and it has great spiritual value to the dark side.  Entertainment moguls such as Jay-Z boldly sport famed occultist Alistair Crowley's immoral motto, "Do What Thou Wilt" emblazoned on his clothing line.  And he parades his stable of willing young female entertainers (who seem to have sold their souls for fame and stardom), showcasing them flashing Illuminati signs and occult symbolism.  And our youth blindly follow, not even knowing that they are paying homage to wickedness in the spiritual realm.
     Furthermore, the erection of a replica of the Temple of Baal in New York City this next weekend, is openly inviting the spirit of that false god into our heartland.  What you might not know is this ... worship at the Temple of Baal involved public orgies and displays of unrestricted sex among all participants.  If, unfortunately, a pregnancy occurred, then the unwanted offspring of those liaisons were offered in fiery sacrifices to the god Molech.  Jezebel would be proud to know that once again the Temple of Baal will be bringing its ungodly influence to the world. Will God judge us as He did ancient Israel for our idolatry?  Will He hand us over to captivity and the fruits of our rebellion?  It remains to be seen, but I cannot imagine that He will delay His anger much longer.
     But, here is what saddens me, and to be honest, frightens me, as well.  I decided to ask a question of several young women whom I admire and respect; moral young ladies whom I know love the Lord -- yet, they too, have succumbed to the popularity of this viral pose.  I asked them, "What is the meaning of this pose?  Does it have a particular significance to your generation?"  Here are their answers:
     "That's a great question, actually!  Some think it looks cute and they probably do it to attract guys. They usually do it when they think they're hot stuff and think it makes them out to look even hotter, and more out there; like they want something from a guy.  And then there are some people who do it just because that's what everyone else is doing in pics.  So it kind of seems to become the norm for girls to do it in pictures they post, whether a girl is meaning for it to have a message behind it, or it is just an innocent pose to fit in [with the crowd.]"
      Another young friend said, " I wish I had a better answer, but as far as I know, it doesn't really mean anything more than just being a silly thing to do.  It's like when you're a kid, it's kind of a mocking thing to do, and as an adult, it seems almost self-mocking.  That's how I feel about it, but I could be wrong."
     And my third young friend told me, "I don't think it means anything specific.  I think it's more of trying to look cute or maybe just an "I don't care what you think" pose.  Occasionally, when it's done it means something sexual (when fingers are involved with the pose)."
     As you can see, all three have no clear meaning of what the tongue pose tells the viewer; although they all instinctively know there is something negative about it, even sexually suggestive.  But it was the last comment that made me do a little more research.  Obviously, there is an intentioned meaning when fingers are involved.  If young girls are imitating this pose -- and some innocently -- I wanted to know what message they were sending.
     I apologize if what I found out is offensive, but we cannot and should not ignore what is being perpetrated among our youth.  Let's just say that the Urban Dictionary's definition was too graphic, and let it suffice to mean the simulation of oral sex.
     Once again, I feel I'm screaming from the rafters, but technology and phones have become the tool of the devil!  I know that sounds like I am an uptight, straight-laced prude -- and believe me, I am morally incensed because I know how easy it was for me to be misled and misguided in my youth!  I am not pointing fingers, without having looked in the mirror of my own past.
     It just grieves me to see the beauty and innocence of our young women being distorted into something that is perverse, immodest, and defiling.  They are unwittingly paying homage to false gods and diminishing their own self-worth in the eyes of the True God.  And I cannot ignore the warning of Isaiah 57:3-5:  "But come here, you sons of a sorceress [raised in deception and superstition], Offspring of an adulterer and a loose woman [prostitute].  Of whom do you mock [make fun]? Against whom do you open wide your mouth and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of rebellion (sin), Offspring of deceit, Who inflame yourselves [with lust in pagan rites] among the oaks, Under every green and leafy tree, Who slaughter the children [in sacrifice] in the ravines under the clefts of the rocks?"
     After reading back over this, I realize that I will look and sound like a religious fanatic.  I do not consider myself either "religious" or filled with single-minded zeal over this topic.  Rather, I feel I am able to look beyond this world's interpretation of such actions, and see the consequences in the spiritual realm.  And whether they know it or not, our young girls and young women are in rebellion against the God that many profess to love.  They are being led astray by a culture that enshrines the immoral and the occult.  Pray for our youth!  Pray that they will be unblinded and detach themselves from the temptation that technology offers them.  And pray that it happens before they are completely enslaved to its alluring and enticing whispers of deception and debauchery.

Psalm 12:3-4     "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, 'With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?' "

A Reason To Weep

     Around the world yesterday, millions of Christians celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  That is the point of this blog post ... not to engage in a conversation whether "Easter" is named after a pagan goddess; or the relevance of Passover to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord --- although both are topics I am passionate about.  No, today I am reminded that if not for the hope that lies in Jesus's Resurrection, I would feel despair and defeat.
     Once again, the Adversary of Christ influenced a suicide bomber in Pakistan.  At least 65 people were killed, and over 300 were wounded.  Most of the victims were Christian women and children who had gone to a park to celebrate Easter weekend.  And that was the point ... they were deliberately targeted because they were Christian ... and because it was Easter.
     You see, there is a very real antichrist spirit that is preparing the way for the Man of Lawlessness, which will make it easier for him to control the entire world in that short 7-year period called the Tribulation.  And the Enemy knows how it all turns out.  So it is in his best interest to engender hate among as many of the world's population as he can before his time runs out.  Those whom he can capture in his web of deception and lies will not inherit the eternal salvation that lies in faith in Jesus. So he celebrates victories like those in Pakistan; when he can convince a man that killing innocent children is justified and commanded by his god.  Each person he can convince to hate is one more that he can keep from running to Jesus.

     But he doesn't win them all!  Asad Shah was a 40-year-old Muslim shopkeeper in Glasgow Scotland.  Known for his compassionate nature and hope for tolerance among the world's religions, Shah was killed by a fellow Muslim for wishing Christians a "Happy Easter" on his Facebook page.  Last Thursday evening, he posted "Upcoming Special Event:  GOOD FRIDAY AND VERY HAPPY EASTER; ESPECIALLY TO MY BELOVED CHRISTIAN NATION (in the name of Allah) ... Let's follow the real footstep of Beloved Holy JESUS CHRIST (Peace Be Upon Him) and get the real success in both worlds."  Hours later he was stabbed in the head, and he was stomped to death.  While it might be easy to view this as a win for the bad guys, the spiritual realm cannot deny that Hate was jealous of the Love that Shah showed his fellow man.
     Yes, Asad Shah was a Muslim and he does not worship the One True God.  But it is unmistakable that his life has glorified Jesus and the Love that sacrificed Himself for the world's sins.  While the officials are willing to call his death a "religiously prejudiced" attack, we know it is more than that.  It is part of the cosmic battle for the souls and spirits of men.  The battle is coming into sharper focus, and the sides are being clearly drawn.  What better day than Easter to strike a blow against the Hope of mankind?
     But the attacks and strikes against Jesus aren't always so blatantly violent and savage.  Sometimes they are subtle and involve distraction and diversion; minimizing and diminishing God's Truth.  That was apparent when, as The Blaze wrote, a Fox News reporter took to the streets of New York to ask pedestrians about the holiday on Sunday, and its significance.   Answers ranged from Memorial Day to Passover to Father's Day.  One woman said Easter celebrated when Jesus Christ was born. Another said she’s “honestly not really sure.” And yet another responded with “the beginning of a new mom opening the womb.” Not really sure what that last comment was all about.
     Sadly, many people did not know that Easter celebrated Jesus's resurrection, nor where that event took place.  And the report did not elaborate, but I would not be surprised if many did not know the significance or implications of His death on the cross.  And that is reason to weep.  It is tragic that people are dying in the streets because they want to celebrate the resurrection of the risen Lord.  But I think it is even more devastating when the world is dying from a lack of knowledge of Him.  And that is becoming as effective a tool for the Enemy as a suicide bomber.
     When the world no longer knows that there is a God who loved them so much that He sacrificed His Son, or that a Savior came to sanctify and justify them before the God of the Universe, then all Hope will be lost and Death will rule the day.   There is far too much evidence that the Enemy is making his final moves.  While I weep for his temporary victories, I know my tears will soon be dried and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain; for the the devil's order of things will have passed away.  And that's reason to celebrate, indeed!

Romans 5:8    "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" 
 

Coming Soon To NYC: The Temple of Baal!

   

Ancient god, Baal

     In July of last year, I wrote a blog post about an ISIS video showing the horrific executions taking place in the ancient city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert.  I wrote that the choice of this site by the barbarians was no accident.  Palmyra was an ancient Roman city cited as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and noted for its prolific Baal worship throughout ancient history.
    The website GotQuestions.org has done a terrific job of telling us who Baal was... Baal was the name of the supreme god worshipped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. The word baal means “lord”; the plural is baalim. In general, Baal was a fertility god who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. Different regions worshiped Baal in different ways, and Baal proved to be a highly adaptable god.
     According to Canaan mythology, Baal was the son of El, the chief god, and Asherah (also known as Astarte and Ashtaroth), the goddess of the sea, and Baal was considered the most powerful of all gods.  We Christians are familiar with the land of Canaan as being "the promised land"; where YHWH had promised the Israelites under Moses that they would live in peace in a “land flowing with milk and honey.”  Today, the land of Canaan corresponds roughly to present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel.
     But, if you are familiar with the Bible, you will recall that even before the Hebrews entered the Promised Land, the Lord God warned against worshiping Canaan’s gods, but Israel turned to idolatry anyway.  The Books of Kings, Chronicles and Judges are full of stories of Baal worship in Israel; at the Temples of Baal and around Asherah poles; involving child sacrifice, rooted in sensuality, and involving ritualistic prostitution in the temples.
     About now, you might be thinking that this is all ancient history.  What does it have to do with today, and why should we be concerned about the worship of false gods in ancient temples?  Well, next month has been deemed World Heritage Month by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  And because of the bombings of the ancient temple ruins by ISIS in Palmyra, reproductions of the nearly 50-foot arch that stood at the Temple of Baal in Palmyra, Syria will be erected in New York City and London next month.  And they are just the first of many to be erected around the world!  

     You will hear the deceptive rationale that these monuments are intended “as a gesture of defiance“ towards ISIS (rebuilding what has been destroyed), but ultimately the plan is to share this “cultural treasure” with as many cities around the planet as possible.  In fact, the Institute for Digital Archaeology ultimately hopes to put 1,000 of these arches in cities all over the globe.
      Why is this so disturbing to me?  I'll let Scott Brown of the National Center for Family-Integrated Churches (NCFIC -- an organization that proclaims the sufficiency of scripture for church and family life) explain it:

We know that there were usually lots of people gathered, often on a high hill (like a theatre or stadium) to observe public sex, just like we see in movies and television and on the internet. We think that our watching these things is different than the idolatry of old, but this is not so.

The whole community came out and all of the best pagan ideas for success in crops and fertility were promoted, just like a business seminar that promotes unbiblical ideas that justify the worldliness of its origin.

The wicked personalities (promoters and performers) were respected and given the platform (like rock stars and Hollywood’s “People’.) Some of them were great dancers (like Brittany Spears and Madonna) while others were great musicians (like Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney). In our day, people who go to our churches celebrate celebrities when they should be doing the opposite. Psalm 101:1, 3 says “I will walk in my house… I will set no wicked thing before my eyes…”

People danced around the Asherah pole, which was nothing more than a phallic symbol. It is quite possible that these poles functioned somewhat like the poles in what are called, “gentlemen’s clubs.” The people also acted out lustful, licentious, bawdy scenes for the enjoyment of all who came.  They had all the different kinds of sexual experiences on display including men with women, men with men and all of the combinations that are popular today in sit-coms, movies and news reports. On top of that, they invited the crowd to participate.

     And sadly, we are no different than the ancient Baal worshippers.  We have become a society that is addicted to watching other people have sex.  In fact, it has been estimated that 68 percent of all Christian men watch pornography on a regular basis.  How are we any different than the ancient kings of Israel and Judah who forsake God to follow after the flesh in Baal worship?  And now we want to bring a giant production of Baal's Temple into Times Square.

     I'm sure you have heard America called the modern day Babylon.  I have to admit that it is difficult to deny that charge when we are putting up a monument of worship to the false god Baal.  Soon, in the heart of one of our most important cities, there will sit a temple, that in ancient times, gave witness to child sacrifices and bisexual orgies at the altar of Baal.
     We can deny that's what we're doing all we want.  But our modern day practices of child sacrifice  (abortion) and sexual immorality (everything from pornography to transgenderism, and everything in-between) give testimony to the fact that our core actions and social philosophies remain eerily similar to ancient Babylon and the worship of Baal. The question now becomes this ... are we able to be restored to a righteous nation, and reject this idol worship, and destroy all the altars we've erected to selfishness and sexuality?  Ancient Israel had moments of clarity and humbleness, but most of the time they only partially destroyed their idols; preferring to think they could appease God with a half-hearted act of humility and submissiveness.   But make no mistake --- just as He warned over 33 centuries ago, when the Israelites were tempted by Baal worship, He will not accept our feeble and cursory offers of obedience.  He wants us all in ... or we will pay the consequences.
     So, when you see the life-size model of the original 2,000-year-old structure, known as the Arch of the Temple of Bel, which will stand approximately 48 feet high and 23 feet wide, know that this nation may very well have committed our greatest offense to the Sovereign Lord.  And if you want to know what to expect from this profane act, just read a few chapters in 2 Kings ... you'll get the idea of what's in our future.

Judges 2:13-15     "They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.  So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies.  Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them for harm, as the Lord had warned, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were in terrible distress."
   

Rules For Radicals Still In Play

     If you have taken any amount of time to stay informed about American politics, then you are most likely familiar with Saul Alinksy and his Rules for Radicals.  The book is a primer for "the have-nots" in order to empower them to gain social, political, legal and economic equality by challenging the current agencies that promoted their inequality. In short, Alinsky was a believer in the classic Marxist theory which states that Communism is the final stage of the evolution of human socioeconomic relations. In the Marxist model, the feudal state is overthrown by the rise of the bourgeoisie, ushering in the capitalist epoch. Capitalism is then overthrown by the rise of the proletariat, which ushers in not communism, but the Socialist state. Each previous step is the necessary precondition for the next.  And we now have a Presidential candidate, in Bernie Sanders, who is a professed Socialist, and the younger generation is eating it up!
     So, can you see Alinsky's theory being set in motion in our recent history?  Think back to the 1960s and specifically, the 1968 Democratic Convention for President.  Also, it has been effectively argued that the political statesmen of this era have, throughout their careers, drawn inspiration from Alinsky and his call for "fundamental change".  John Fund of the National Review presents an informed argument that both President Obama and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were avid students of Alinsky and his methods.
     His siren call, so to speak, to idealistic and impressionable students was "social justice".  And his approach to obtaining that goal, in the words of the Washington Post, would come to rely on   “generating conflict to mobilize the dispossessed.”  All you have to do is convince any useful group of followers that they are somehow dispossessed or deprived or cheated.  That's where outside agitators and community organizers become valuable tools of the Alinsky method of disruption.
     Alinsky also argued for moral relativism in fighting the establishment: “In war the end justifies almost any means. . . . The practical revolutionary will understand [that] in action, one does not always enjoy the luxury of a decision that is consistent both with one’s individual conscience and the good of mankind.” You can see that the absence of any universal moral truths will lead to whatever action is necessary to gain a personally desired outcome.
     Alinsky liked to boast that those who have the knowledge of his tactics can often achieve preemptive surrender of local officials, businesses, and political power bases.  He also touted the success of his tactics of intimidation.  His most oft-quoted rule is “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. . . . One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.”
      We have seen that tactic used most effectively by this Administrative, in creating racial and social division; and in the ongoing political and legal battles that former Secretary of State Clinton is now undergoing.  MoveOn.org has been a model student of Alinsky tactics, and we have seen them administered in the recent riots and protests in Ferguson, Cleveland, St. Louis and Chicago.

     And now the rules for radicals are evident in the protests beginning to surround the current political season.  Just this past weekend, a rally for Donald Trump was cancelled, due to the threat of violent protestors.  But the sad fact of the matter is that I'm not sure how many of the protestors actually know the specifics of why they are protesting.  This generation of Facebook and SnapChat aficionados have become useful tools of agitators who will feed into this generation's desire to participate in drama of any sort.  So when the status quo, or their entitlement, is threatened in any way by a Donald Trump, they are easily convinced they are being deprived of what is rightfully theirs.  That's where the "pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it" tactic becomes most beneficial.   And when a young person doesn't really know what they stand for, or can't articulate it, they become manageable tools for suggestion and manipulation.
     Nothing has changed in the Alinsky methods in the 45 years since he wrote his influential Rules and dedicated it to "Lucifer".  His followers have stuck to his proven tactics ... to incite constant struggle and agitation so that the oppressive “system” would eventually be brought to its knees.  The sad fact, as D.L. Adams articulates in his excellent article, Saul Alinsky and the Rise of Amorality in American Politics, is that Alinsky was a nihilist.  That characteristic is defined as "the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless; there is found nothing to approve of in the established social order", therefore it is best to destroy it.  No wonder he dedicated his book to Lucifer; he's the perfect model of "the Destroyer".
     But perhaps the saddest element of all this chaos is that in the midst of the promises "to take back", to "fundamentally change", and the "virtue of the struggle", there are no real solutions proffered.  It's all about the perceived righteousness of the struggle.  In fact, as Adams suggests,  “Struggle” itself is the purpose and goal of the Alinsky way.

"All life is warfare, and it's the continuing fight against the status quo that revitalizes society, stimulates new values and gives man renewed hope of eventual progress. The struggle itself is the victory." (Alinsky interview)

     And what is left lying in the ashes of that victory?  Society is further divided; there are severe cracks in our moral foundation; and Alinskyites have to keep coming up with a new "struggle" to keep themselves relevant and maintain their power.  Saul Alinsky promised his followers Utopia, and all we've reaped is continued disillusionment and disparagement.  But isn't that exactly what Lucifer has been offering us since the Garden?  It's time we quit listening to the promises of a long-dead radical and turn to the hope that individual responsibility and accountability offer.  Morality and ethics may have no value for the "radical" who wants to overturn the institutions of society and save the world, but they are gifts to us from a God who truly desires the best for us.  Isn't it time we start following His rules?  
   
Galatians 5:10    "I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty."

The Loss Of Critical Thinking and What It Is Costing Us

     I recently read an excellent article by Daniel Juster, an author and Jewish religious leader.  His topic explored the state of our higher education and this generation's loss of real critical thinking skills.  Like him, I have often heard that college students of today are among the most educated in history.  But what are they educated in?  If it is how to navigate the latest in electronic devices, or complex technologies, then I would have to agree.  But are those the skills that will make them good citizens of the world, or productive and moral leaders of tomorrow?
     It seems to me that there has been a "dumbing down" of our cultural history.  The cultural knowledge has suffered from a lack of teaching on how, as a nation, we have arrived at who we are.  And the history part of that knowledge is appallingly deficient.  Juster points out that students cannot even find China on a globe. They cannot grasp many important aspects of World War II, and know barely anything about literature. One young graduate was asked if she knew about Martin Luther. She responded by asking, "You mean the civil rights leader?" He opines that the cultural deposit of the West is simply being squandered. Why?
     To begin with, educators like to discuss the differences between Objectivism and Relativism, and throw words like egocentric and sociocentric tendencies around -- highfalutin words that, to me, just mask the failure of our education system to teach old-fashioned critical thinking.

     And what exactly is Critical Thinking, and why would the lack of it harm our kids and the future of our nation?  The definition of critical thinking is as follows ... the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.  There's that word objective, which is often disparaged in the halls of our universities.   To be objective is to believe that certain things (such as moral truths), exist independently of human knowledge or perception of them.  In other words, there are truths and values that are definite, unconditional, and unquestionable.
     But in this age of relativism, educators are more likely to teach a doctrine or philosophy that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute.  What that means is that our kids are convinced that they should not judge any religion, culture, art or philosophy as superior to another.  They are taught a whole new set of values that have a sliding scale of relevance, depending on an individual's experience.  And depending on the religious, political, and social experience of a university professor, students may be taught a personally biased view of everything from the Founding Fathers as white male oppressors, to the nation of Israel as a colonial power who is oppressing Palestinians.  What is so hypocritical about these positions is that they will be defended as absolute truths, all in the name of relativism.  That reasoning is so contradictory as to be laughable! Do you see the lack of critical thinking?  The lack of any strict analysis or evaluation?
     As an example, feminist leaders of American universities will vote to boycott Israel, when Israel is the only country in the Middle East with full women's rights! Why? Their anti-colonialism simply blinds them to the women who are so oppressed in the Muslim world.  Furthermore, Christianity is despised as judgmental and restrictive, but Islam is to be embraced and respected!
     There is no effort made to study our cultural history and to discover that, yes, the Founding Fathers were slave owners.  But their writings disclose their desire to eliminate the abusive system.  Further study would reveal that they transcended the limits of their time and moved history toward greater human rights and freedom. It was a long historical process, and one that established this nation and its moral foundation.  Yes, at times it was rocky and ugly, but when carefully analyzed and studied, the bigger picture emerges and one sees a more balanced perspective.  But without the practice of critical thinking, and an established and accepted set of moral values, where does one find the real truth?  Isn't it then subject to one person's self-directed and self-monitored thinking?  Do you see that society could soon descend into a morass of confusing standards?
     But perhaps the saddest aspect of it all is that our kids are in danger of being unable to think for themselves and determine a distinction between good and evil.  They are being taught to submit to the herd; that they should not have an opinion that might offend someone else.  What is evil to one person, may be accepted by another, simply because he chooses to see it that way. After all, it's whatever is relevant to each individual, correct?  But here's the thing ... there IS a definite right and wrong in the world!  Not everything can be relegated to someone's self-determined set of moral codes (or lack thereof).  We must regain the ability to think for ourselves and to examine and compare our own decisions, and those of our leaders, to a high and uncompromising standard of righteous living.  I know just the place to start ....

Proverbs 1:7           “ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. ”

Confusion, Compromise, and Chaos

     We are in the midst of an aggressive and strife-filled political season.  I think we all agree that there are many issues that will effect the future of not only this nation, but the world.  And the varying views by candidates of both parties deserve careful consideration.
     We have received an earful on the subjects of immigration, the Supreme Court, our economy, national security, etc.  An underlying, yet no less significant topic is the conflict between Christianity and the Islamic faith, as evidenced in the angry and bitter disagreement over fundamental issues of faith.  Whether we realize it or not, these differences foretell a national struggle that is becoming increasingly inevitable.
     It is also starting to become an issue between leading candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and could very well become a focal point of this Presidential election.  At the heart of this issue is the question, Can a faithful Muslim be expected to be a good American citizen?  

      There are those who will point out that this question has been asked of every new ethnic group who gained a foothold in the American experience ... from the Irish, to the freed slaves, to the Japanese, to Mexicans; the Muslims are just the latest minority to be assimilated into the melting pot that is America.  But is it really that simple?  Because I don't recall a radicalized faith among those other diverse groups that called for the annihilation of Christians, or "infidels".
     I guess you could argue that it depends on how fundamental any particular citizen is in his Islamic faith.  I know that there are many Muslims who will say, "I believe in Jesus (Isa). The Koran says he was a true teacher, a great prophet, and a good man."  In fact, there are many non-Christians who would say the same thing.  But I would like to ask them all (both Muslim and secularists), "How can you say He was a true teacher, yet deny what He taught when He said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  And how can you believe that He was a great prophet, yet deny the prophecy He gave about His own death and resurrection?  And I imagine that it might be a tad difficult to believe that He was a good man, and the Son of God, both at the same time.  So, how would a faithful Muslim be able to follow the laws of a nation that are based on the principles taught by Jesus -- a teacher, prophet, and man with whom you disagree on His identity as the One True God; on his resurrection; and on His Deity.  Isn't their a fundamental conflict according to the tenets of your faith?
     In that vein, I would sincerely like someone of the Islamic faith to explain how they reconcile the principles and directives of their faith with compliance to the laws and culture of this nation.  Because I know that the First Pillar of Islam is to sincerely recite the Muslim profession of faith ... "There is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is his prophet." This is the basis for a Muslim's allegiance to Islam, which has social, political, intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual ramifications -- just as it does for Christians.
     Can you be a faithful Muslim and a good American if the mullah at your mosque preaches against allegiance to this country; or calls for destruction and devastation against this nation?  Can you be a faithful Muslim and a good American if you believe the Bible is corrupt, and the Constitution is based on its principles?  Can you be a faithful Muslim and a good American if spiritually, you bow down to a different god?  Can you be a faithful Muslim and a good American if you follow the Hadith, a collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad that, with accounts of his daily practice (the Sunna), constitute the major source of guidance for Muslims apart from the Koran?  What do you do when the Hadith is in conflict with American laws?  Which takes priority in your life, and is there really room for compromise?
     Ah, that word compromise .... It seems that the Enemy has found a way to work that into something as incompatible as Islam and Christianity.  And I will let the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding, who graduated from Brown University, earned master's degrees from two seminaries, and received her Ph.D. in New Testament from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, tell you how she believes you can have it all.
     "In the fall of 2005, a Muslim leader gave a talk at St. Mark's Cathedral where I worked. I was moved by his prayer. During the spring of 2006, another Muslim leader taught a chanted prayer to God at a cathedral's inter-faith class."  She began reciting the prayer daily. She began to study Islam intensely and in March of 2006, she became a Muslim by reciting the shahada -- "There is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is his prophet." [The First Pillar of Islam].

     She said, "Coming to Islam was like coming into a family with whom I'd been estranged. We have not only the same God, but the same ancestor with Abraham... I am both Muslim and Christian, just like I'm both an American of African descent and a woman. I'm 100 percent both."
     And here we encounter another of the Enemy's lies .... inclusion.  But why should we be surprised by this tactic?  Even the Vatican's Catechism states, "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."  If you have picked yourself up off the floor, then consider how the Vatican justifies this position.  They write, "...  Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church... This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church [my emphasis]: Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation."
     Do you see inclusion here?  According to the Catholic Catechism, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc. will be saved despite their rejection of Jesus Christ as the Savior!  Is it any wonder that there is so much confusion and compromise?  Sadly, there are a number of theologians who find no error in the Rev. Redding's position.  They say it is all "a matter of interpretation" ... she just has a somewhat different definition of what it means to be a Christian.  Really?!?  So, the natural conclusion to that supposition is that a home-grown radical Islamist just has a different interpretation of what it means to be an American, right?
     Other theologians see Rev. Redding as "a bridge" between the faiths, something they say is desperately needed.  But I would ask you to recall the fate of the Old Testament nation of Israel every time it tried to build a bridge with nations who followed after other gods.  One of the most pronounced examples in the Bible is the reign of King Jehoshaphat.  He was certainly a godly man. He sought the Lord and walked in His commandments. He took great pride in the ways of the Lord and removed idols from the land. He sent out teachers to instruct the people in God’s law. When a prophet rebuked him for his wrongful alliance with Ahab, unlike his father, Jehoshaphat accepted it and went on to institute further religious reforms. In chapter 20 we see his heart as the nation is threatened by a vast army, and he calls the people to prayer and fasting. Jehoshaphat’s prayer before the assembly reveals his humble trust in the Lord.
     But King Jehoshaphat was not exempt from the temptation to compromise with the world.  As Bible.org points out, during his alliance with Ahab, he allowed Ahab to finagle getting his daughter married to Jehoshaphat’s son. The next thing we hear is Jehoshaphat promising the godless Ahab, “I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle”! Incredible! It’s as if a boxer has trained for the big fight and his opponent invites him out for dinner and slips poison into his coffee.
     As Christians, we must be on guard against becoming entangled in wrong relationships -- wrong political relationships, wrong social/cultural relationships, and wrong spiritual relationships.  Yes, we are to love our fellow man, but "love" that compromises Biblical truth will lead to unhealthy alliances.  We can have mutual respect and treat others with humility and kindness, but never abandon God's Truth, as we know it and practice it.  And seeking "politically correctness" in a spirit of compromise will only result in concessions to our Biblical principles and a lowering of God's standards of obedience.
     I began this blog post talking about the divisive issues that face this nation on the eve of a very important election, and what I discern is a growing conflict between faiths that is prophesied in the Bible.  We are living in a time of great confusion, compromise, and chaos.  I believe it is important, now more than ever, to fix our attention on God; to come into submission to Him -- in our personal lives, in our public lives, and in the ways we relate to this godless culture, without being conformed to it, or transformed by it.  God wants unity among the peoples of the world, but that unity must be centered on faith in Christ.  If unity comes at the sake of His Truth, then destruction will be inescapable.

Ephesians 2:2   "In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—"


   

Our Youth, The Socialist Message, and The Bible

     I have wanted to write about this topic for some time now, but I wanted to make sure that I would be Biblically sound in my assertions.  If you are paying attention to the platforms of the political candidates for President, then you are aware that Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders is an unlikely favorite of the young voters, especially those who will be voting for the first time in 2016.
     I say "unlikely", because unlike the last couple of elections in which "young" and "hip" were the enticements to vote, Mr. Sanders is 74 years old, and doesn't appear to be technologically savvy, fashionable, possess exciting energy, or any of the other things that would draw young voters like moths to a flame.  Yet, he appears to have become the Millennial Generation's new champion.  Why?
     I would assert that these young, emerging voters are in love with an idea they think is tailor-made for their generation ... Socialism.  Sadly, they do not know the historical significance of what that system has done in the world, nor do they realize how it will actually impact them.  They only know that it promises to unburden them from an alarming financial future.
     It is actually a good thing that college students and young voters are getting engaged in the political process.  We need the next generation to care about how our country is governed.  I know that there are many of my fellow Christians who believe that the political process will not save us from the rightful judgment that is coming upon this nation -- and I totally agree with that premise -- but until the moment that I see Jesus coming on the clouds, we have to continue to live within this world system, and to abandon all efforts to try and make it as pleasing to God as we can, goes against what I believe God wants from us.
     But all that aside, what is it that Bernie offers the Millennials that has them so excited?  First, of course, there is his promise of a free public college education.  But there other issues that has them flocking to his side:  promises of a $15 minimum wage; equal pay for equal work; health care as a right; promises that he will fix America's roads and bridges; reverse climate change; expand social security; and eliminate the "too big to fail" boondoggles that have affected the American economy.  All these issues are important to the future of these young voters.  And they all lead to Socialism, which is a word that has no relevance to these Millennials.
     They equate Socialism with compassion and fairness and equality.  As Robert Knight on Barbwire.com writes, "For the past several decades, government public schools and nearly all colleges have touted socialism’s principles of redistribution, racialism and class envy, while declining to connect the dots between socialism and tyranny, examples of which abound."  Bernie Sanders presents a sort of "moral prestige" to Socialism that appeals to the emotions of young voters, who just want to correct the injustices of the generation before them.  We can all identify with that, if we are honest with ourselves.
     But what Bernie does not disclose to these voters is the symbiosis between Socialism and Communism, and the historical facts that cannot be denied ... that there has been the extermination of tens of millions of people under socialist regimes such as Stalin in Russia, Mao Zedong in China, and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.  It always starts the same way ... a promise of redistribution of wealth and resources from the "haves" to the "have nots", and quickly spirals into loss of personal property, massive taxation, and ultimately coercion, tyranny, and death to millions to support "the State".  Because, we all know, that there is no way that the State can afford to provide for all those people, and so they must be eliminated.
     Sadly, Socialism even perverts the Biblical notion of charity.  It takes the Scripture presented in Acts, Chapters 2-5, and turns it into a twisted rationale for empowering the State.   It distorts the teaching of Acts to suggest that early Believers sold all their property and possessions and shared it with everyone, especially those in need.  There are those Socialists who will insist that this is a clear indication that the Bible advocates for redistribution of wealth.  It does not!
     A more careful examination of Scripture (and in context of the entire passage) notes that the believers continued to live and meet in their own homes, while engaging in periodic acts of charity as the needs arose.  So they clearly did not sell all their property or possessions.   In fact, Acts 4:34-35 says, From time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, which implies to me that the charity was voluntary, and they were generous with what they owned, donating when they could, out of the largesse of their households.
     I found an interesting article on a website called Institute For Faith Works & Economics, which pointed out that " this early sharing was voluntary, without state coercion, and did not necessitate that believers give up their rights to private property ... While this type of generous giving is a permanent norm, the particular situation in Acts 2-4 seems to have been a temporary response to a particular need [or situation]."
     I can understand the temptation that Socialism presents to this younger generation.  They are facing a dismal economic future.  Let's face it, the world is facing a dismal economic future.  And the danger is that Socialism is an old idea being touted as a new solution.  These young voters will not look to the distant past to see how Socialism leads to Communism, nor will they see the implications that are outlined by Robert Knight in his excellent article:  "In recent years, soft totalitarianism (confiscatory taxation and effective seizure of the media and private companies) has characterized socialist-led regimes in South America such as Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil, where once-vibrant economies are floundering. In Europe, “democratic socialism” has weakened many nations, leaving them open to an invasion by millions of Muslim immigrants, some of whom openly advocate turning the former center of Christendom into a trophy of the Caliphate."
     Our youth is blinded by a natural, and very real, fear for their future.  And they are attracted to the empty promises of hope, financial aid, and a fair and equitable "system".  But it is the same old temptation of the Enemy, and I'm afraid that this time it will usher in the Biblical End Times "Beast System".  We must pray for the wisdom to impart to our children and grandchildren; to speak God's Truth into their lives.  It is the only thing that will overcome the world's lies and deception.

2 Corinthians 8:13-14    "For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness."




     

Our Complicity With Evil

     I often work alongside my husband in his studio, taking care of our business needs and tying up loose ends that come with being self-employed.  He has the luxury of being able to listen to podcasts while he works, and I am amazed at the God-fearing men and women who commit their time and talent to bringing new revelations from our Lord to "those who have ears to hear".
     Just the other day I heard Russ Dizdar of SHATTER THE DARKNESS.net referring to a popular radio host and author of a few years back, Stan Monteith.  A retired orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Monteith was kind of a precursor to those of us who speak out against the popular consensus of the day.  Many of the issues that Monteith addressed had to do with globalization and the New World Order.  He was also highly active in warning people about the dangers of fluoride.
     But the significance of Dizdar's mention of Monteith had to do with a statement that the late radio host quoted from an unknown author ... "We become accomplices to those evils we fail to expose."  Now, normally, I am usually in my own little world as I work in the studio, and the podcasts that my husband listens to are often background noise; I drift in and out of awareness of what is being said.  But I heard that quote loud and clear, and it was like the Holy Spirit used a loud speaker to shout it into my brain ...  "We become accomplices to those evils we fail to expose."
     My spirit was struck as if I had been physically knocked down.  It was all so clear.  We have been accomplices in all the sins of our culture and society!  How many of us inherently know that human trafficking is rampant in our country?  How many times have we watched the nightly news (especially here in Texas and the other border states) and viewed reports of the young women and children who are smuggled into this country to be unwilling participants in the sex trade?  We drive along our freeways and see the neon signs for sleazy strip clubs, but we look away, or we avoid thinking about who is forced to work there, and who is supporting such immoral behavior.

     We watch the suggestive advertising on TV which uses young girls and boys to sell merchandise, and we ignore the fact that there is an ugly underbelly that sells them to the highest bidder, or that there are tens of thousands (or more) of children who are exploited by child pornography rings.
     We turn our heads whenever our leaders are involved in sex scandals, unscrupulous business dealings, or cover-ups of illegal activities.  Our Christian brethren are forced out of business because they stand for Biblical principals.  Our military veterans are refused benefits or care because of misappropriation of funds or downright neglect.  We see the bruises and silent screams of the abused, yet we turn a blind eye and don't want to get involved.  Votes come before our legislatures to stop the funding of abortion factories, and we sit quietly on the sidelines, hoping they will do the right thing.  We remain tight-lipped when we know that our neighbors are cheating on their spouses ... that is their business.  We send our kids off to college with permission to take birth control, and we hope for the best.  And when they come home spouting anti-God rhetoric, we have no answers for them.  It just all seems so overwhelming ... and need I say more?
     But why do we stay quiet?  Most likely because we feel that nothing we do will change anything.  Or it will just end up in an argument, and that gets you nowhere.  But can we see that by doing nothing ... by saying nothing ... and by taking no action, that we are actually accomplices in allowing these sins to continue?  If we fail to expose them; if we fail to shine His Light into the Darkness, then whose side are we on?  Who are we allied with?  I guess we really do need to ask the question, "Will it make any difference"?  At the stage that the world is in now, and with the power that the Prince of this world now enjoys, the answer is "Maybe not."
      But I recognize this ... I do not want to stand before my Lord and tell Him I was aware of all this and I never asked, in His Name, for His power to come against this evil; or that I never spoke up for someone, in His Name; or I never stood in defiance against the darkness of this world.  If we refuse to condemn Evil, then by our very silence, we are accepting and allowing sinful behavior to continue.  And one day we will be held accountable for our complicity.  No more excuses ....

Habakkuk 1:13   "You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?"
   

Where Is Our Common Sense?

     First of all, what is common sense?  We hear it talked about from the political stage quite often ... "common sense gun control", for instance.  How do those two terms even exist in the same sentence?
     And where is the common sense in the claim that Dalia Mogahed, formerly Barack Obama’s adviser on Muslim affairs, made on The Daily Show, that wearing the hijab represented nothing more or less than the “privatization of women’s sexuality”.  She insinuated that anyone who objected to this external symbolism of the Islamic faith are "those who want to objectify women as sexual commodities".
     And where is the common sense in Planned Parenthood's lawsuit against the Center for Medical Progress's (CMP) videos exposing their selling aborted baby body parts for profit?  If the allegations are false, why not sue for slander or libel?  Why is the lawsuit based on claiming that the recordings were obtained in violation of applicable State and Federal privacy laws?  Does that sound like common sense to you?

     But, again, I need to define what "common sense" means to me.  On a simple basis, I suppose I would define it as "a good or obvious cause to do something"; a logical, or practical reason to believe something or to act on something.  But perhaps the best definition comes from Harriett Beecher Stowe, the American abolitionist and author:  "Common sense is seeing things as they are; and doing things as they ought to be."  Easier said than done in this society, where there appears to be no absolute truth -- we just manipulate and control matters to fit our own personal prejudices, and that's "our truth".
     Take for instance, the gun control issue.  Does it make sense to call for more background checks or a ban on large magazines and the politically counterfeit term "assault" weapons ... when none of those laws have, or ever will, keep the bad guys from committing crimes or acts of terror?  And there is no sense in the argument that “How can you say you’re pro-life and then own guns or join the NRA?” As Timothy Buchanan, wrote on Barbwire.com, "It’s quite simple. Because Christians realize that God makes a clear distinction between the spilling of innocent blood and killing in defense of one’s own life. Therefore, it is precisely because we value life that we are willing to take lawful and responsible steps to defend it."
     And here is where Buchanan, a former member of the U.S. Navy, applied his common sense ... While working for the Virginia State Police, he saw that campus police and troopers were powerless to stop the Virginia Tech murders because the shooter had chained and locked the doors to the building he was in from the inside. Even if they could have gotten the doors open a few inches, most police officers do not carry bolt-cutters with them, and the hinges of the doors are also on the inside. But what shocked him was that when the shooter was reloading one of his guns, the students simply cowered in a corner waiting to die. Unlike the heroic men on the plane that was heading toward Washington on September 11, 2001, no one stood up and said, “Let’s roll,” and tried to rush the shooter.  They just cowered in a corner and waited to be killed.  
     So, I ask, is there any good, or logical, or practical reason to limit the ability for any one of those victims to defend themselves in that scenario?  Does more gun control make common sense now?  And the same scrutiny can be applied to the common sense arguments for the wearing of the hijab and the Planned Parenthood lawsuit.  There can be no basis to the argument that Westerners are insensitive to the Islamic tradition of the hijab because of their overt sexualization of women, while there is a refusal to shine a light on the persecution and death to women in the Middle East who refuse to wear the headscarf.  Jihad Watch reports that as far back as 2007, jihadists killed 40 women in Iraq for “un-Islamic behavior" (translation: they were not wearing the hijab).  And there are more cases of such murder and mistreatment of women that are never talked about.  And yet we are expected to agree that it makes sense that Westerners just want to "objectify" women?
     And it's supposed to seem logical and make sense to us that Planned Parenthood should sue CMP not because they deny that they sold (and continue to sell) baby parts, but because PP just objects to how CMP went about proving that fact.  So, therefore, they have a right to sue for damages.  Never mind the fact that they are scared to death they will be defunded by Congress, and their donations are drying up, and they need to win this lawsuit to refill their coffers.  Never mind all that --- this is just the logical next step and makes perfect sense.
     Bottom line... I'm afraid that we might have lost our ability to reason and see through the false arguments and the subterfuge and the distractions in order to clearly see the truth of any matter.  Do we really spend time doing our own critical thinking?  Or do we simply embrace whatever persuasive argument that appeals to our emotions, or is represented by a cultural icon or celebrity?  Whose standard do we apply to determine our position on any given topic?  Are there incontrovertible principles by which we judge another's argument or reasoning?   Have you developed your own standards; or do you follow whatever is popular in the culture that day?
     Let's face it.  As we have abandoned God's principles to listen to the lies of Satan, we have suffered a decline in every aspect of our lives.  Our moral base has disintegrated; and we have lost our common sense.  Our ability to reason according to God's guidelines has been replaced with whatever furthers our personal agenda... whether it be gun control, sharia law, or abortion.  So what is your common sense telling you right now?  Mine says there is no safe haven but God.  He is the only standard by which I want to live my life, and I must abide in Him to stand against the threats headed my way.  Anything else is false and destructive.

1 John 5:20    "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life."
   

"Freedom From The Dark Side"

     There are times we have great reason to celebrate that Freedom still resonates within the crumbling facade of America; that people can still champion righteous causes in the Name of God and Freedom.  Today, I want to introduce you to some of those champions.   
     But first, let me give you a little background ... There has been a faithful remnant within our nation that recognizes that our culture has changed, and not for the better.
     We recognize that over the past several decades, that our foundational Constitutional roots and freedoms have been unraveling and disappearing.  We recognize that there needs to be a new dawning of those rights; a re-establishment of God at the center of this nation and its government.  

     When the Constitutional Convention came to an impasse in Philadelphia in June of 1787, Benjamin Franklin proclaimed, “We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it’”. The impasse was broken by prayer, and the Constitution was completed.
     On that basis, a group of faithful women met in Washington, D.C., in 2012, to strategize a way to change the culture, which resulted in the American Prayer Initiative, designed to help draw "we the people" of this nation back to the One upon whom she was founded ~ asking for His aid in the re-building of our land on the Biblically-based principles established by our Founders.  
     The first of our champions is the organization that resulted from those strategy sessions, The American Prayer Initiative, a call for this nation to join together to pray, specifically, each day for the needs of this nation.  The second of our champions, is the publication, The Washington Times, for printing a special feature in their newspaper on the power of prayer.  The following article was  written by David Kupelian, managing editor of World Net Daily, and it appeared in that Washington Times section, and I would like to share it with you, in its entirety:

     There’s no greater or more famous prayer than the Lord’s Prayer. Ironically, theaters throughout Britain recently banned an “advert” featuring the Lord’s Prayer, intended to run just before the new “Star Wars” movie. Apparently it’s politically correct for a fantasy “force” to be “with us” – but not the Real One.
     In any event, even though most readers have probably recited it thousands of times, let’s look at the “Lord’s Prayer” with fresh eyes.
     Jesus, when he taught this prayer 2,000 years ago, first laid down a couple of ground rules: “Use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Besides, he added, “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” That said, Jesus gifted to mankind this short (only 66 words) -- but perfect -- way to commune with the Creator of the universe:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)
     So let’s look at it: First, Jesus exhorts us to honor God and humble our will before His, and to seek His continued sustenance. (No problem, we think.)
     Later we’re told to ask for God’s protection as we acknowledge His supremacy in all things. (Great, that makes perfect sense too, we think.)
     But in between those two parts comes one line that delivers an essential, life-changing commandment, the beating heart of the Lord’s Prayer, and the fulcrum of change in our lives, the place where miraculous things happen to us – or don’t, if we don’t heed it:  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
     So crucial is this line that, immediately following the prayer, Jesus reinforces the forgiveness requirement in the starkest terms imaginable, to make sure nobody misses it:  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their tres- passes, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV).  Now that gets my attention.
     Forgiveness requires that we let go of resentment and bitterness at injustices, disappointments and betrayals, and even, as Christ said, that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. The big problem we have with this is that anger – whether subtle irritation or full-blown, out-of-control rage – is what sustains our prideful, sinful nature, which literally feeds on resentment and hostility while providing us an illusion of righteousness. Thus, fasting from the “meal” of resentment and truly forgiving those who have “trespassed against us” requires repentance on our part.
     And where is repentance to be found? I love this short but transcendently meaningful explanation by John the Apostle: “Here is the message we heard from him [Jesus] and pass on to you: that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to be sharing in His life while we walk in the dark, our words and our lives are a lie; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, then we share together a common life, and we are being cleansed from every sin by the blood of Jesus his Son.” (1 John 1:5-7 NEB)
     John mentions here no complicated dogma, no required religious observances, rituals, pilgrimages, or special diet. Just a sincere appreciation of God’s forgiveness and this glistening instruction: If we “walk in the light, as He Himself is in the light” – that is, if we calmly and humbly welcome God’s light of understanding to shine in our minds and souls, by which light we will observe our dark, angry, sinful nature – He will grace us with repentance. And “then,” assures John, “we share together a common life, and we are being cleansed from every sin by the blood of Jesus, His Son.”
     Again, living “in the light” – not losing ourselves in worry over the past, or anxiety and fear over the future, but staying faithful in the present moment, in the presence of God – involves facing our own vexing imperfections and faults, without condemning ourselves, or covering up the sin, or struggling with it to fix it, but just patiently waiting on God for help. When we do that, we are, in that very moment, being transformed, redeemed, graced to “share together a common life” with God.
 
     As you can see, Freedom comes in more than one package... there is the freedom guaranteed by our Constitution, and the freedom we receive from forgiveness.  The legal and moral freedoms of this nation just happen to be intertwined with the freedoms provided by our God.  If we would live out the Lord's Prayer, we could change the culture in this country; we could truly live "in the land of the free", and enjoy the nation that God built.  Until then we "labor in vain".  

Acts 17:30    "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,"

Our Nation Is In Danger

     It seems that most of the people I know sense that 2016 is going to be a watershed year; a turning point towards massive change.  The question is... will it be a change that will better our lives, or changes that finally drive us over the cliff?

Graham on his "Decision America 2016" tour

     I must say that I have to agree with the sentiments that I am hearing from Franklin Graham, the 63-year-old son of Billy Graham, the most renowned Christian evangelical preacher of the last seven decades.  As Graham says, we all instinctively know that our country is "in big-time trouble".  He says, "We’re in trouble spiritually. We’re in trouble economically. We’re in trouble racially."  Who can deny that?  Even if you are an American who agrees with our cultural swing towards abortion, same-sex marriage, and transgenderism, you cannot deny that the racial divide in this country is snowballing and the job prospects for the next generation(s) are not looking good.  As a nation, we are becoming fractured and are in danger of splitting beyond repair.
     Unfortunately, the answer to our troubles will not be found in politics, and specifically in neither major political party.  We have a spiritual problem, whether anyone wants to admit it or not.  In fact, just as Graham expressed at a recent rally, "The moral and political walls of our country are crumbling... Our educators and our politicians and our churches seem, many times, to be more concerned about political correctness than God’s Truth and Righteousness."
     Graham points to Godlessness as the culprit.  He points out that our nation was built on Biblical principles, and we have strayed from them -- and he especially identifies the time period after WW II and the successful battle to defeat the threat of Communism.  But I believe the spirit of Godlessness began far earlier than that.  And if you ask my husband, he will tell you that he believes that from the beginning, the Founders didn't do enough to establish this as a God-fearing nation; allowing Freemasonry to co-exist alongside Christian values in shaping the foundation and direction of our country.
     This is a different topic for a different day -- actually tomorrow, I will attempt to examine this paradox further.  But let me just wrap up this point by saying my personal view is that God intended for this nation to be dedicated to Him; and those who first settled here believed that they were doing so as part of a covenantal relationship with God, and with clear intentions to glorify Him in the advancement of the Christian faith.  The fact that it quickly got off track does not negate the original plan.  But more on that tomorrow... back to the appropriateness of Franklin Graham's call to action.
     He asserts that it is time Christians get in the game; to run for office, to vote, to pray for our country, and to get involved in our education system, and every avenue of society.  “Our job as Christians is to make the impact of Christ felt in every phase of life—religious, social, economic, and political,” Graham continued.  I agree!  Where are the Christians who are willing to declare and live their faith as mayors, city council members, county commissioners, judges, school board presidents?
     In fact, in an attempt to overcome the growing secular mindset of this nation, Graham has gone so far as to prevail upon all Americans to take a pledge honoring God at home (by living biblical principles through marriage), in public (by standing for biblical principles and serving those in need), and with their vote (by supporting candidates who uphold biblical principles).  He also asks Christian Americans to pray fervently and faithfully for America, agreeing to register to vote and to prayerfully consider running for office.
     While I agree that if every Christian in America was faithful to fulfill all the aspects of this pledge, we would begin to see a difference in the cultural and political spheres of our nation, I believe that our commission from the Lord goes beyond these measures.
     At a recent discussion in the awesome Ladies Bible Study that I attend, the subject came up of discipling Christians; that, as the Church, we Christians don't do enough to guide and counsel new members of the faith in the way of Godly living --- which, I think we would all agree, would greatly strengthen the Church.  But I would to add to that my fervent belief that we need to not only educate, encourage, and strengthen the Church; but we need to introduce those outside the Church  -- those "of the world" -- about Godly living and their need for a Savior.  THAT is how we change and revive our nation!  I contend that it is precisely because we Christians have tended to concentrate our efforts inside the four walls of the Church that our nation and the world has gotten into such a big mess.
     My husband and I have been meeting and talking with several people in our home who are like-minded about the state of the world, and have expressed their innate sense that they need to get right with God in the midst of this chaos.  But they would never have been comfortable in approaching a church; nor would the church have had any viable way of coming into contact with them... the two groups were on isolated and parallel paths, and were never going to intersect.
     If we are going to truly avert the dangerous course this nation is set upon, we Christians must engage with the world.  We must leave our comfort zones and "church bubbles", as a good friend of mine describes it, and be bold in sharing our faith in every circumstance and to every person, in order to attract those who "sitting the fence" and who are capable of making a decision for God.  We all know that there are those who have committed their lives to evil or whose spirit is just dead within them; they have no desire for God.
     But I promise you there are millions who long for Him, but just don't know how to go about it, or who feel they might be embarrassed in a "formal" Church setting, so they never pursue it on their own.  It is up to us to pursue them!  We are all spirit beings, and as we grow closer in our spirits to the Lord, we will be able to discern those whose spirits are in need of Him, and we will be drawn to them.  Just think ... if every Christian made it his pledge to God to seek after one lost sheep to bring them into the fold ... can you envision how that would begin to change this nation?
     So, I applaud Franklin Graham for his efforts to wake up America to our shared plight.  Our fall cannot be fixed politically or by political correctness.  BUT, we can begin to turn towards God and blaze a new trail of American commitment to our Creator.  It's time we take that path ... we MUST take that path... before it is too late!  C'mon, Christians ... get in the fight, because we are in a battle for our nation and the eternal lives of millions!

Isaiah 6:8      And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”