SB 1062: Perception Trumps The Truth

      Initially, I didn't want to wade into the shark-infested waters that surround the veto of Arizona Senate Bill 1062.  But I became especially intrigued with a statement by Arizona State Senator Adam Driggs, a supporter of the bill, who said, "It’s really not about the content of the bill right now; it’s about the perception."  I wanted to understand more about this controversy, so I actually read the bill. 

     It didn't take long; both to read it and to realize that this Bill had been misrepresented.  Those groups and individuals who opposed the legislation claimed that it would have allowed businesses that asserted their religious beliefs the right to deny service to gay and lesbian customers.  Anyone who bothered to read the Bill would find no such language or intention.  

     It is my understanding after reading the "legalese", that the Bill's real intention was to protect a person's free exercise of religion whenever a State Action threatened to be a burden against that exercise.  And perhaps for that very reason, it was so important for the opposition to distort the intent of the Bill.  Why, we can't have the State upholding the free exercise of religious beliefs -- that interferes with our social re-engineering of the culture!  Those evil-minded Christians and their allegiance to their faith stand in the way of all we want to accomplish.  If we can make this Bill about discrimination, then we can start chipping away at their influence and weaken their moral argument.

     Remember my quote from Edward Bernays yesterday?  He talked about the conscious and intelligent manipulation of our minds, our tastes, our opinions, and our ideas.  The media no longer seems to care about the Truth; it's all about twisting facts, misstating intentions, and prejudicing the public towards a desired outcome.  

     And we mustn't forget Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals and the tactics of those who would like to change America.  The media and the social radicals have learned them well!  Just a few of Alinsky's directives were used exceptionally well in this campaign to defeat SB 1062.  Consider Rule #3:  “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.” Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty.  In the case of SB 1062, Christians and lawmakers who supported the Bill in the hopes that it would protect religious freedom found themselves under attack and blind-sided by seemingly irrelevant arguments that they were then forced to address.  Instead of defending the positive aspects of the Bill, they had to defend themselves against a false narrative that totally misrepresented what the Bill was trying to accomplish.

      Then there is Alinsky's Rule #6:  “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones.  The Media and the LGBT groups love to play the discrimination card, even when it doesn't exist and there is no intention to employ it.  All you have to do is provide a wrong perception, and they will jump on it; condemning without any proof.

     Let's look at Rule #9:  “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.” Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist. Perception is reality.  And boy, were there lots of threats.  ArizonaCentral.com reported that Apple, American Airlines, Marriott and American Express strongly opposed the legislation, saying it would be bad for business. The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee also called for Governor Jan Brewer to veto the bill amid reports the NFL was looking at other sites for its 2015 championship game.  Even John McCain and Mitt Romney urged her to use her veto power.  It's crazy when you realize that every one of these businesses and individuals were worried about how they would be perceived if they supported what was, in reality, a false perception, itself. See how manipulating the truth of a thing can have widespread consequences?

     Finally, there's Rule #12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.   In this case the targets where Governor Brewer herself, and faithful Christians.  On her part, Brewer didn't want to be seen as the instrument of division in her state.  “Religious liberty is a core American and Arizona value, so is non-discrimination.”  That was her argument for vetoing the Bill.  The problem is that if you read the bill, it is actually about protecting religious believers from discrimination by the State.  Once again, the distortion allowed for a false narrative against those who wish to follow the dictates of their faith.  So now, it is the bigoted, exclusive Christians who are discriminated against, but that's OK.  They deserve it for their narrow, intolerant views.

     I still don't get it.  It's not as if a gay couple cannot get a wedding cake baked by someone.  There is no ultimate denial.  Any number of non-Christian bakers will be happy to provide the service.  Yet Christians, who simply want to honor the conviction of their faith, are forced to lose their businesses because they would prefer that another bakery supply the wedding cake.  Not only is this reverse discrimination, but a subtle form of religious persecution.  Apparently, the First Amendment is for everyone but Christians.  And get ready, it's only the beginning!  Today it is your business you can lose.  What will it be tomorrow?  

Romans 1:18     For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 

     

The Hope Of The World

     This morning, many Americans of faith are awaking across our land to celebrate the birth of our Lord.  Others are crowding around beautifully decorated Christmas trees with family and friends, exchanging gifts, eating too much, and enjoying all the festivities that go with a secular holiday.
     As you have gathered from the last four Sunday posts, I am viewing this Christmas season through a much different lens.  So today, I am seeing a larger picture than the familiar image of an American holiday.  While the events of a certain bearded family and a successful cable channel have thrown a spotlight on the image of Christianity in this country and its ability to transform and influence our culture, let me give you a bigger concept to reflect upon.
     Breitbart.com reports that while Christianity is under attack in the West, the religion is rapidly building strongholds in lands as foreign to Christian churches as Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.  To bolster that claim is the assertion that Christianity in the UK is diminishing at a 50% faster pace than believed; and in the United States, the fastest growing religion is Wicca.
    Also alarming are the reports that our faith is under severe attack in the very place of its birth -- the Middle East -- as we hear of assaults against Christians across Egypt, Syria, Iraq and other parts of the region.  While there are those that would love to claim that Christianity is on the decline; nothing could be further from the truth -- especially among non-Europeans in what is often labeled the Global South.  Here the Gospel message is oftentimes just beginning, and the future of the religion lies with reaching the furthest corners of the world from its cradle.
     In fact, the Good News is that the so-called decline of modern Christianity is more of a relocation than a decline, with Christianity consuming a broader percentage of the globe every decade.  According to a June 2013 report by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, the countries with the largest increase in Christian populations are currently Nepal, China, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. The list also includes some of Africa's poorest nations: Benin, Burika Faso, South Sudan, and Mali. No European countries made the list.
     But isn't this what Christ called us to do?  To "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation?"  And didn't He command us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations?"  At last, this goal looks as if it could be accomplished!  Christianity has spread from its birthplace in the Middle East, across Europe, and after prevailing in the West for several centuries, it is now expanding exponentially to every corner of the world.
     Naturally, this expansion is resulting in growing conflict among the native religions and the burgeoning Christian faith.  Just read my post of December 5th, and you can read about the persecution among Hindus who have turned from their indigenous religion and found the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  The same oppression can be said of new Christians in Sri Lanka, China and North Korea!

     What is so amazing about this phenomenon is that the spread of Christianity among these non-European countries has become so dangerous, that conversion is literally a life-and-death situation.  Which makes following Jesus an extremely courageous step; and yet millions are willing to lose their lives to gain eternity.  Can those who call themselves Christians in the West say the same?
     So while Christians in this country are still comfortable in their worship, and many take the observance of Christ's birth for granted, there are millions of new Believers across Asia and Africa for whom this day has much broader meaning.  Their faith is recent and exciting, and every day is a celebration of the source of Living Water in their lives.
     But we must pray for our new Brothers and Sisters in Christ; this expansion and growth of Christianity comes at a high price.  In Matthew 24:9, our Lord told us, "Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers."  The rapes, instances of torture, kidnappings, and the slaughter of Christians across the Middle East, Africa and Asia attest to the veracity of this prophecy.  Still, they are coming in droves to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
     So, let this day be about more than a date on the calendar; let us look beyond both the temporal and the outwardly religious manifestations of this holiday.  Let us contemplate the state of our faith beyond our narrow borders and celebrate that Jesus Christ is still the enduring and only hope of the entire world.  And let us rejoice that God's purpose of spreading the gospel throughout the world is about to be fulfilled.  May all the world know the hope to which He has called us, and the riches of His glorious inheritance!

I would like to acknowledge that today is the second anniversary of our friend Ben Breedlove receiving his inheritance.  We loved Ben as a child of our own, and his story is a great inspiration for all of us.  Ben was a true disciple of Jesus, and with his death, was able to spread the Good News throughout the world.  We love you, Ben, and miss you so much!

2 Corinthians 2:14     "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere."

   

A Personal Story of Persecution

     It is one of the remarkable blessings of writing this blog --- I hear from a fellow Christian half-way around the world!  This time it came in the form of an email asking for prayer and a word of encouragement in the face of persecution by radical Muslims.  As always, I am humbled that God is using this blog to connect His faithful among the world.  I will let this faithful minister tell you his story in his own words:

Dear Belle in Christ,

     Greetings to you in the most precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ from India!

     We are very glad to share with you that God has given us a burden and vision in our lives to reach specifically to The MUSLIMS by The Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have dedicated our lives into His hands to be used according to His will and plan in our lives. 

      Our Lord Jesus is using us to fulfill His plan and will, in and through our lives. Already several Muslim men and women surrendered their lives to Jesus and they are following His teachings. They are witnessing about Jesus and their testimonies to their relatives and neighbors. God is adding more men & women to our worship services almost every week for His own glory.

     Militant Muslims are often torturing physically, and trying to kill us and the believers from Muslim background for their new faith in Jesus. Even though we are facing heavy persecutions and threats by the Militant Muslims, our Lord Jesus is using our lives for the extension of His Kingdom and He has protected us for His own glory. Militant Muslims are constantly trying to murder us. Our lives are in danger at this moment.

      We are in great need of your kind prayers in our own lives and for the persecuted believers. Humbly, we request you kindly pray for God’s protection from the hands of  Militant Muslims. Please also pray that we might be always faithful to His call in our lives and grow in Him.

     

     This man asked that I not share his name or the name of his ministry, for fear of reprisal, so I will refer to him as Ravi.  In subsequent emails he has revealed more personal details about God's call on his life.  Ravi learned about Jesus by reading The New Testament after receiving a free copy from a Christian organization. His wife, Priya, had learned about Jesus through a Bible correspondence course before their marriage.

     Priya is a registered nurse and she used to work at a hospital.  Ravi says, "One day, God's Spirit asked her to pray for a Muslim lady patient who was admitted at the hospital.  She obeyed His whispers into her heart and prayed for the Muslim lady for the first time in her life. Later on, God had asked her to resign from her work at the hospital and go to the Muslim villages and minister to them through health care ministries. She obeyed His call in her life and she resigned from her work at the hospital. At present, she is reaching the Muslim women and children through the very informal way of health care ministries. God is using her for His own glory and we were able to establish a few house Churches through our health care ministries by His grace."

     But Ravi's story is no less inspirational.  While reading His Word, Ravi felt Jesus calling him to do His ministry, although there was no one to explain the Gospel to him, because he had no contact with Christian people in his area.  However, he felt that God had given him a vision about reaching out to Muslims with The Gospel of Christ.  A ministry was born and Ravi states, "I have surrendered my life into His hands to work among the Muslims according to His will and guidance in my life."  

     But that comes at a very high price!  As people of Hindu and Muslim faith come to know the Lord, their very lives are in danger.  Ravi shared some links with me that will give you a terrifying picture of what it means to be a Christian in this part of the world.  Please go to this link and read their story:  http://www.persecution.org/2012/04/13/islamic-extremists-beat-mock-christians-in-india/.  This is just one of many!

     Then there is the latest email I received, in which he related that he said he was "very sad to inform you that one of our believer's daughter has been raped because of her parents strong decision to follow Christ. The radical Muslims have given threats and asked her parents to return to Islam. But, they didn't listen. Then, forcefully, their daughter was raped and they brought shame on the family. But, still her parents are regularly following Christ and witnessing to their neighbors and relatives. Praise The Lord!"

     As a Christian, I cannot imagine being faced with these kinds of trials.  But, as fellow Christians, I ask you to pray for God's protection and encouragement for these brave souls.  We do not need to know their real names or their precise location ... God knows who they are, and He knows the sacrifice they are willing to make on behalf of His kingdom!  

     Are we prepared to do the same?  Do we have the courage and the conviction of our faith as do our brothers and sisters in India?  If you have ever doubted that the persecution is real or growing, here is your proof.  And if you ever needed a prompting to be about God's business and win souls for Christ, then here is your example to follow.  America is fallow ground and ripe for the planting of God's Word.  We have much work before us!

Philippians 2:17    "Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all."

 

Don't Turn a Blind Eye!

     I don't know how any believing Christian could ignore the headlines:  Islamic Jihadists Murder Sleeping Students in Nigeria .... Jihad Displaces More Than 60,000 in Philippines .... Afghanistan:  Execute Converts to Christianity .... Egypt:  Churches, Schools Razed To Erase Any Christian Presence.  If these news stories don't send a chill down your spine, then your normalcy bias is running in over-drive.
     Yet, even mentioning that Christians are being persecuted and killed by Islamic Jihadist Muslims is either ignored -- or worse -- censured in our national dialogue.  We are told that we are exaggerating, or we are racist, or we are simply deceived.  There are those that would have you believe that this is not actually happening, or at the very least, they are isolated incidents.  Then there are others who tell us that it is happening, but "over there".  This is America!  There are no jihadists in our country!

     But I would venture that the Kenyan mall atrocity should awaken every citizen across the globe to the possibility that they could become targets.  Especially Christians!  That's why I want to point out this fact:  While the above headlines cite jihadist Muslims as the perpetrators of this persecution, they are not alone.  Last month a large mob of Hindus destroyed a Christian church in northern India and then beat the pastor and his congregation.  Four previous pastors were driven away because of this kind of ongoing violence by Hindus against Indian Christians.  But Asia and the Middle East are not the only places.
      Protestant church leaders in Bolivia are bucking a new law that they claim imposes religious beliefs contrary to their own and denies them the right to be a church.  Law 351 stipulates a standardized administrative structure for all religious organizations that would force churches to betray their true ecclesiastical traditions.  Protestant leaders claim that the new law gives the Bolivian government regulatory power over the internal affairs of their denominations to the point of defining what is and isn't a church.  I'm sure you can see that this could become a stepping stone to the government controlling actual church teachings and doctrine.
     Meanwhile, at the Pakistan Consulate in New York City, protesters carried banners stating: "Pakistan is a Living Hell for Hindus, Sikhs and Christians".  Kidnappings and forced conversions are becoming a hallmark in this radicalized Islamic state.  Religious minorities have no voting rights, and Christians in Pakistan face a new period of uncertainty amid news of increased violence against believers and the adoption of what human rights groups call "a move towards a Taliban-style government" in a key region.
     I point all this out to you to make you aware that persecution against Christians has long been the goal of many radical groups.  The increasing number of headlines touting such violence should give you serious pause.  And what nation is seen as being primarily Christian?  If you think that the kind of violence that the rest of the world has been experiencing of late will not infiltrate our shores, then you probably think the Boston Marathon bombing was a random act by two misguided brothers, right?
     Pay attention!  The increased frequency of news reports, along with the increased number of victims should tell you something.  We are living in dangerous times, and my Biblical worldview has informed me of what is on the horizon.  Our Lord warned us that because the world hated Him, it would hate us, also.  So now is the time to prepare ourselves and fortify our spirits.  Know what you believe and in whom you put your faith.  Christians around the world are being tested and our time is soon coming.  Prepare so that you might stand!

2 Timothy 3:12-13    "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived."