Wednesday
PRO-GOD vs ANTI-GOD;
AND PRO-CHRISTIAN
vs ANTI-CHRISTIAN!
The American News Commentary
"Pro-Christian, Pro-American, Pro-Conservative"
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Vol. 18, No. 19 May 16, 2012 © 2012
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A timely collection of thoughts for today and the days to come:
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord"
"I am the Lord, I change not"
"Choose you this day whom ye will serve"
"It is more important to know that we are on God's side"
Psalm 33:12; Malachi 3:6; Joshua 24:15; President Abraham Lincoln
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THE INITIAL SHOCK HAS WORN OFF; THE CONCLUSION IS
CLEAR -- THE DIVISION IN AMERICA IS NOT POLITICAL,
IT IS NOW RELIGIOUS: PRO-GOD vs ANTI-GOD; AND
PRO-CHRISTIAN vs ANTI-CHRISTIAN
In the week since his historic (or hysterical) pronouncement that he, the President
of the United States, claiming to be a Christian believer, has decided that he now
supports the concept of same-sex "marriage," just about everyone who cares to
share his or her opinion on that subject has done so.
There is little point in repeating them, pro or con, here. You have read them,
almost ad nausem. They range from the unarguable scholarly treatment by Dr.
Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary: "His call for
the legalization of same-sex marriage yesterday is an historic and tragic
milestone. An incumbent President of the United States has now called for
a transformation of civilization’s central institution...This is a sad day for
America...This is a sad day for marriage..." all the way to the view of one of
Obama's sycophants, one time Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi: "I think
that yesterday was a great day for America because the president in a very
personal, as well as presidential way, made history, and hopefully this will
bring people together on the issue."
Our often quoted Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel, provided the most
concise evaluation of the president's pronouncement, from a pragmatic viewpoint:
"For most voters, this election will now be an easy choice." And to Franklin
Graham's equally brief and succinct evaluation that Obama has "shaken his fist"
at God, might be added that he has, so to speak, stuck his finger in the eye of the
the American people. He is catering to the 3.8% of the population of America
that the LGBT community represents, and ignoring the viewpoints of the 78%
who are Christians.
But this action re-directs attention to the president's religion. He continues
to claim to be a Christian, once using the self-described term that he is a "devout
Christian." And last week he said that he and Mrs. Obama are "practicing
Christians." But after his earlier attempt to find in the teaching of Jesus' approval
for same-sex "marriage," and ridiculing the Bible's condemnation of homosexuality
as being found in "an obscure passage in Romans," he now says that Jesus'
mention of the "Golden Rule" justifies his support of same-sex "marriage." The man's
lack of understanding -- his ignorance -- of the Bible is appalling. In declaring his
support for same-sex "marriage," he defined his faith, "when we think about our
faith the thing at root that we think about is ... the golden rule: treat others
the way you’d want to be treated.” But what he doesn't grasp is that when Jesus
referred to the "Golden Rule," He said -- "This is the law and the prophets."
In other words, He said: "This is the Old Testament." But He was bringing to the
world a new teaching -- the New Testament.
And for those who might say that Jesus never spoke against homosexuality -- He
did not because He was living in Old Testament times, and homosexuality was
clearly forbidden in His time, because the prohibitions against it found in Leviticus
were still in effect. But the transition is so clear in the Scripture, "The law was
given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:17) And
for New Testament teaching on the subject, it is far more than Obama's "obscure
passage in Romans" -- it is Paul's teaching in Romans, I Corinthians and I Timothy.
And marriage is a sign of the mystery of Christ and His Church :"For the husband
is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church ... Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church." (Ephesians 5:23-25)
From the beginning of time, God instituted marriage as a covenant between one
man and one woman (Genesis 2:24) and God does not change.
And from an intellectual point of view, there also Obama's position is weak, even to
the point of being ludicrous, for he said he based his long evolving decision on some
conversations with his wife, and his 11 and 14 year old daughters. This is not the
type of reasoned thought we expect from our highest elected government official.
There are those overly charitable souls who say we should take him at his word,
and consider him to be a Christian. That is not a standard to be found in the Bible.
Jesus clearly said that there would be people who call him "Lord" and claim to do
good in His name, but He said He would say to them, "I never knew you." And
He gave us a far more accurate defining standard: "By their fruits ye shall know
them." (Matthew 7:20-23) With his support of same-sex "marriage" and abortion,
where is Obama by Jesus' standard?
Nor can he find justification for this position in the book which he labels as "the
Holy Quran." In Islamic terminology, homosexuality is alternatively called al-fahsha'
(an obscene act), shudhudh (abnormality), or 'amal qawm Lot (behavior of the
People of Lot). Islam teaches that believers should neither participate in nor support
homosexuality. Consider this verse from the Quran 7:80-81: "Do ye commit
lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye
practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people
transgressing beyond bounds." (Among other equally strong prohibitions are:
26:165, 15:73 and 27:55-58) And from the Hadith there are these examples:
"When a man mounts another man, the throne of God shakes" and "Kill the
one that is doing it, and kill the one that it is being done to."
So by the instructions of the Islamic holy book, the Quran, homosexuality and
same-sex "marriage" are as strongly condemned as in the Christian Bible. But
Mr. Obama dismisses the teachings of both religions with this self-serving
comment, "it is important for me personally to go ahead and affirm that
same-sex couples should be able to get married." And he added this very
demeaning assessment of Christian believers, saying that he was "sensitive to
the fact that for a lot of people the word 'marriage' was something that
invokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs and so forth."
It is not within the purview of ANC to decide or to even debate what Barack
Obama's religious faith is. If one is to follow the directive of Jesus Christ, we
are not to make such a decision on the basis of a person's words, but rather on
the basis of their fruit. From the non-Biblical moral standards held and espoused
by Mr. Obama, it would appear that he is not a Christian. Similarly, since he does
not hold to the teachings of the Islamic Quran, it would appear that he is not an
Islamic. And he is certainly not one of the other great world religions -- Judaism.
The one pervading element affecting his relationship with all of those religious
beliefs seems to be that he is anti-God. And so it might be concluded that in this
somewhat subtle manner he is expressing his evolvement into non-theistic belief,
but is not yet ready to announce that he is an atheist. That is not for us to decide.
We look back in agreement with Mat Staver's comment which we cited earlier,
"For most voters, this election will now be an easy choice."
Perhaps it is time for Mr. Obama to recall these words from our first
president, George Washington, in his first inaugural address in 1789:
"There exists in the economy and course of nature, an indissoluble union
between virtue and happiness; between duty and advantage; between the
genuine maxims of an honest and magnanimous policy, and the solid
rewards of public prosperity and felicity; since we ought to be no less
persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on
a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven
itself has ordained."
Some months ago we began telling our readers of a Prayer Countdown.
As of today, that time period to pray about the upcoming national election has
dropped to 174 days till Election Day, Nov. 6, 2012. That's less than 6 months
to pray for our nation . . . our leaders . . . and about how we should vote in
that election. The trends that we have discussed today should give guidance
in deciding on how our votes should be cast. And as we pray about America,
we must not forget to pray for the Christian cause all over the world. But we
must always remember that we are the true majority in our nation, and we can
affect the results of that election to restore America to being the nation it was
always intended to be.
Every week we lament the left-leaning slant of the "Main Stream Media,"
and offer, for your information, examples of "What Others Are Saying"
Michael A. Milton (CEO, Reformed Theol. Sem.): "The announcement
of a United States president (and vice president) publicly endorsing same-sex
marriage is to support that which God explicitly condemns. It is shameful
and a reproach to decency and honor and a sad commentary on the
regrettable departure of our national leaders from the biblical heritage that
has guided our country."
An Associated Press headline: "Around World: Obama's Presidency a
Disappointment" was followed by this summary: "In a world weary of war
and economic crises... the consensus is that Obama has not lived up to the
lofty expectations that surrounded his 2008 election and Nobel Peace Prize
a year later. Many in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America were
also taken aback by his support for gay marriage, a taboo subject among
religious conservatives."
From the Patriot Update: "What’s truly scary is that the Obama
Administration has become power hungry and is seeking to do exactly what
our Founding Fathers fought to prevent -- to dangerously expand the power
of the Executive Branch of government and make Obama an imperial
president. Obama has made his intentions to seize power clear, 'If Congress
refuses to act, I've said that I'll continue to do everything in my power to act
without them.'"
Tim Powers (writing in Expose Obama): "Just like a spoiled child who
doesn’t know the word “NO”, I believe that if Obama loses the upcoming
election, he and his communist regime will do everything in their lame-
duck power to destroy America to a point of no return for the incoming
President."
Jack Marshall (writing in Ethics Alarms): "Dishonest or tasteless?
Irresponsible or sensational? A lie or a crime? The nation’s two, sad,
archaic, useless, shameless, diminished news magazines, Time and
Newsweek, both reached new lows this week as both magazines
desperately brayed for readership with eye-catching covers... Neither
cover is responsible journalism. Both are graphic desperation, with
neither magazine showing respect for readers, their topics, or their own
distinguished pasts."
Former Senator Judd Gregg (in Vision to America): "The French have
now elected a socialist government... It has been a long time getting there,
but France now seems to be on the final leg of this journey of self-delusion
and self-destruction...They have dealt themselves a losing hand. We should
simply observe, note it and hopefully choose not to play the same cards."
And this week we found these informative "One Liners" . . .
Richard Vedder, Economics Prof, Ohio Univ: "A trillion dollars of student
loans: a crisis created by Washington?"
Nancy Pelosi (D, CA) on the Occupy movement: "God bless them for their
spontaneity. It’s young, it’s spontaneous, it’s focused and it’s going to be
effective," and said the movement “strengthened our democracy.”
Headline in One News Now on the NC vote: "Marriage wins, Obama sulks"
Franklin Graham: "President Obama has, in my view, shaken his fist at the
same God who created and defined marriage."
David Limbaugh, syndicated columnist: "Obama's record is as radical as
it gets...Shine the spotlight on Obama and his unacceptable extremism."
Robert Knight, Fellow, American Civil Rights Union: "President Obama has
come out of the closet, so to speak, in support of brideless or groomless
'marriage.' And he brought Jesus with him, citing Christ as his inspiration."
And here's one from Barack Obama, at his $15 million fundraiser in Hollywood:
"Obviously yesterday we made some news, but the truth is it was a logical
extension of what America is supposed to be.” [At least it's what he thinks
America is supposed to be -- and he's entitled to his opinion, but he shouldn't
try to force it on everyone else.]
And now, after this issue's major point, here are some "Afterthoughts:"
In case anyone is concerned: Geraldo Rivera is angry, or so news reports
claim. His problem: in an op-ed article for Fox News, he demands that his fellow
news reporters stop using the term "illegal aliens" for people who violated our
laws by sneaking into this country. He seems to prefer the term "undocumented
immigrants." The question has been raised: Would he refer to a car thief as an
"undocumented automobile possessor?" On this general theme, U.S. Supreme
Court Chief Justice Roberts commented on Arizona's new illegal immigration law,
currently under review by the Court: “It seems to me the federal government
just doesn’t want to know who’s here illegally.”
A sobering thought from Patriot Action Network: "If you think for one
second that we are being taken over by the Muslims or Islam, think again
because China poses a bigger threat then any other country and that is
because $0.57 of every dollar we earn is owed to China. Simple math tells
us that we cannot sustain our selves on this. So we are slowly going
bankrupt on these numbers and China will surely own us in the next 10
years if we don't make some changes in our Government."
And a sobering thought from Heritage Foundation on the European
crisis: "Last weekend, the people of France took a sharp turn to the left,
and the rest of Europe may be on the brink of rebuking its recent tack
toward fiscal responsibility. With Sunday's election of French Socialist
leader Francois Hollande, France has leapt backward toward the
policies that have helped sink the continent in a sovereign debt crisis... \
Endless spending has dire consequences, and if America is not careful,
it could follow Europe's path to economic ruin."
Week after week, we can always learn from America's Founding Fathers
"There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the
people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by
violent and sudden usurpations." -- James Madison, 1788
"In a general sense, all contributions imposed by the government upon
individuals for the service of the state, are called taxes, by whatever
name they may be known, whether by the name of tribute, tythe, tallage,
impost, duty, gabel, custom, subsidy, aid, supply, excise, or other name."
-- Joseph Story, 1833
And from a 20th century president: "The fundamental basis of this nation's
laws was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill
of Rights comes from the teachings of Isaiah and St Paul. I don't think
we emphasize that enough these days." -- Harry S. Truman, 1950
And as we so often say: "Another week . . . Another issue of ANC . . .
and as is so often the case, there are so many current events which merit our
commenting on them, but there is not time or space to deal with them all. But
ANC as always presents a pro-Christian, pro-American and pro-Conservative
viewpoint, and will continue to do so, just as long as it is possible to do so. It
is only as our readers feel inclined to help in this ministry of information by
their contributions that we can continue. Please click HERE for information
on how to send your contribution by check or credit card. We will be very
grateful for your help . . . together we can accomplish some good for America.
THE SOURCES OF THOSE PROBLEMS!
The American News Commentary
"Pro-Christian -- Pro-American -- Pro-Conservative"
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Vol. 18, No. 18 May 9, 2012 © 2012
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A challenge from the past, but applicable to us today:
"Each and everyone of us has a solemn obligation under God
to serve this nation in its most critical hour
-- to keep this nation great --
to make this nation greater in a better world."
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1944
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LAST WEEK WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT
WE FACE AS CHRISTIANS. NOW WE CONSIDER THE SIZE
OF SOME OF THE SOURCES OF THOSE PROBLEMS
A very applicable verse of Scripture comes to mind -- James 3:5: "The
tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a
matter a little fire kindleth."
It is very difficult to get an accurate, current update on the sizes of the various
religious groups in America. Probably as accurate as any is the recent survey
by the Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life. That survey records that 78.4%
of Americans profess to be Christian. That is, by any standard, in any country, a
very large percentage of the population. It doesn't track with Mr. Obama's often
repeated boast that America is no longer a Christian nation.
But equally significant are the percentages reported by Pew for other religious
and secular groups in American life. Consider them, one by one, mentioned in no
particular order: Mormons: 1.7%; Jewish: 1.7%; Muslims (Islam) 0.6%; atheists:
1.6%; and the largest, labeled by Pew "Nothing in particular:" 12.1%. Then the
secular groups whom Obama favors so highly, Gay & Lesbian: 1.7%, Bi-sexual:
1.8% and Trans-sexual: 0.3% (Making up the LGBT group).
It is strange -- even shocking -- that such small groups can wield such strong
influence on the traditional American way of life, founded as it was on Judeo-
Christian principles.
It is obvious that we, as Christians, are large enough and should be active enough
and powerful enough to restore America to being the nation it was founded to be.
But be warned: Michael Snyder, writing in the American Dream, points out that
Islam is the fastest growing religion in America, at 66.7%, followed by Mormons
at 45.5%, while Evangelical Protestants show only a 1.7% gain, with Catholics at
a 5% loss and Main Line Protestants at -12.8%. Let us urge: WAKE UP,
American Christians!
Echoes of the National Day of Prayer, from Cong. J. Randy Forbes (R, VA):
"The success of preserving prayer and freedom of faith belongs to
individuals from around the country, and I ask that they continue to stand
up for what is right. In 2005 Congressman Mike McIntyre of North Carolina
and I formed the Congressional Prayer Caucus to preserve the presence of
religion, faith, and morality in our country. The CPC meets regularly to pray
for America and to work on legislative policies that will protect religious
freedom in America. Today, the CPC has grown into a bipartisan group with
105 members."
And a reminder of ANC's ongoing Prayer Countdown leading to Election Day,
Nov. 6, 2012 -- as of today there are 181 days to pray about that important
election . . . and 181 days to pray also for our fellow Christian believers all over
the world who are daily facing persecution -- and often death -- from the Islam
jihadists in so many countries . . . and particularly for our staunch ally, Israel, which
faces the threat of extinction from its Muslim neighboring countries. Never forget
God's promise to Abraham: "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him
that curseth thee ..." (Gen. 12:3) And remember also His promise, "I am the
Lord, I change not." (Malachi 3:6)
By the way, if you read Obama's proclamation of the National Day of Prayer, as
required by the law signed by Presidents Truman and Reagan, not once did he
mention "God" -- but, of course, in all fairness it should be said that he didn't
mention "Allah," either.
An important voice on spiritual matters that we don't hear often enough,
from Billy Graham, just this past weekend: “Watching the moral decline of our
country causes me great concern. I believe the home and marriage is the
foundation of our society and must be protected... At 93, I never thought
we would have to debate the definition of marriage. The Bible is clear --
God’s definition of marriage is between a man and a woman." And we
rejoice in the results of yesterday's vote in Graham's North Carolina.
As we so often point out -- with the Main Stream Media leaning so heavily
toward the liberal viewpoint, it helps to know: What Others Are Saying.
Faith and Freedom Coalition: "It is difficult, as Christians to know exactly
how to react with what we see going on in our nation, both in the culture
and in politics. The verbal attacks on Christianity and the loss of religious
freedoms are at an all time high and seem to be escalating rather than
decreasing...In 2012, Americans will make the most important political
decision they've made in decades. We will decide whether to accept or
reject the principles upon which this country was founded."
Franklin Graham (in Decision Magazine): "There is no place for
compromise on straightforward moral issues such as abortion and same-
sex marriage. God has given us clear, Biblical direction that we must
follow and obey."
The Patriot Post: "The Obama campaign has announced its new slogan --
'Forward.' Despite the fact that his 'change' has nearly crushed 'hope,' he
arrogantly decided to double down and press forward, bitterly clinging to
failed policies. Sadly, too many voters remain under the delusion that
Obama is 'winning the future.'"
Khaled Abu Toameh (in Gatestone Institute): "The Palestinians want the
US to endorse all their demands and force Israel to give them everything...
US aid should be conditioned not only on transparency and accountability,
but also on an end to the campaign of hatred and incitement, as officially
agreed in the Oslo accords, but never implemented."
Adam Tragone (in Human Events Daily): on last week's report from the
Obama Labor Department: "This morning we learned that U.S. hiring
slowed in April to just 115,000 jobs, but the unemployment rate dropped
to 8.1 percent. And as the Wall Street Journal points out, the rate fell
because many of the people searching for employment, have dropped out
of the workforce. More great news from the Hope and Change folks at
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue..."
And just a few "One Liners" we came across in our research this week:
Jamie Weinstein (Sr. Editor, the Daily Caller):: "Holder is a great holder
of documents."
Brad Plumer (in the Washington Post): "The incredible shrinking labor force."
Mohamed A. El-Erian (in the Washington Post, Opinions): "America's fiscal
cliff cometh."
George Will (Nationally syndicated commentator): "If you strike first person,
pronouns from Obama's vocabulary, he would fall silent."
From Godfather Politics: "You can't multiply wealth by dividing it."
From Conservative byte: "Obama Has Succeeded At Delivering Change
For The Worse"
Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States: “I am absolutely comfortable
with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and
heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same
exact rights." [But the president's view is still "evolving."]
Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State: “I certainly think President Obama
has sent a very clear message of respect and appreciation of all religions,
and in particular of Islam.” [Yes, Hillary -- we've noticed.]
As always, there are a few "Afterthoughts" to share with you . . .
How good is your memory? How about this from Barack Obama's speech
on the floor of the Senate on Mar. 20, 2006, on increasing the debt limit (under
George W. Bush, of course): "The fact that we are here today to debate
raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. America has a
debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I,
therefore, intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt." [But it's
not a failure of leadership today -- not under Barack Hussein Obama.]
Some views on a nationally sponsored welfare state from some of our
Founding Fathers -- from Ben Franklin in 1766: "I am for doing good to the
poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing
good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or
driving them out of it "... and from James Madison in 1794: "Charity is no
part of the legislative duty of the government." [How things have changed!]
A few thoughts from random items in the current news: (1) From Mr.
Obama's 14,000 mile trip for a campaign speech in Afghanistan, where he
said: “This time of war began in Afghanistan, and this is where it will end.”
As William Kristol, Editor of the Weekly Standard pointed out, "Unfortunately,
the war in which we are engaged won’t end with peace in, or withdrawal
from, Afghanistan." And in that entire speech, he never once used the word that
could make his surges and all those sacrifices seem more worthwhile: "victory."
(2) From Osama bin Laden's letters which were found after he was killed, he had
written that he wanted to assassinate President Barack Obama, but directed the
al-Qaida fighters to leave Vice President Joe Biden alone, describing him as
"totally unprepared" to take over the U.S. government. (3) Mrs. Obama
demonstrated that she suffers from her husband's credibility problem, when she
told fellow Democrats at a fund raiser last week, “My family, we lived in a little
bitty apartment on the South Side of Chicago over my aunt’s house, and my
mom still lives in that house to this day.” However, her mother, Marian
Robinson, has lived in the White House since March, 2009. (4) And a morsel of
good news -- in their annual conference, the United Methodist church voted to
maintain their denomination's stance that homosexual acts are "incompatible with
Christian teaching."
And speaking of Mrs. Obama -- remember her lavish visit to Spain? The
White House assured American taxpayers that the Obamas would bear most of
the cost of the getaway. But now Judicial Watch has revealed that government
records indicate that her trip cost us $467,585, including the cost of flying her
there, car rental, food, the Secret Service, and lodging for one dog. Tom Fitton,
president of Judicial Watch commented, "The American people can ill afford
to keep sending the First Family on vacations around the globe... It is
hypocritical for President Obama to fire GSA officials for wasteful
conference spending, while his family went on a luxury vacation in the
Costa del Sol, Spain, that cost taxpayers nearly half a million dollars. No
wonder it took two years and a lawsuit to get these documents out of the
Obama administration."
Week after week, we can always learn from our Founding Fathers . . .
"He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of this country who
tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and
influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of
power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man."
-- Samuel Adams, 1750
"The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for, among old
parchments, or musty records. They are written, as with a sun beam,
in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself;
and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power."
-- Alexander Hamilton, 1775
And now just this brief closing comment: there is so much in the current
news which merits comment -- but the limitations of time and space make
total coverage impossible. If you value this pro-Christian, pro-American, pro-
Conservative view of current events, you may want to help make it possible
for it to continue. ANC will continue, only so long as readers make it possible
through their contributions. If you would like to help keep this publication
coming your way each week, please click HERE and learn how to send your
gift by check or credit card. And Thank You for your willingness to help!
Tuesday
It's Time For The Church To Stand Up!
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A thought for this week, and for the weeks to come:
A thought for this week, and for the weeks to come:
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting.
It has been found difficult and left untried."
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, English author and Christian apologist
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Vol. 18, No. 17 May 2, 2012 © 2012
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GREAT IDEA! WITH EVERYTHING IN SUCH BAD SHAPE (AND
GETTING WORSE), ISN'T IT TIME FOR THE CHRISTIAN
CHURCH TO STAND UP FOR GOD AND THE BIBLE?
To approach this discussion, it is necessary to recall -- however briefly -- the
founding and purpose of the Christian Church. For those who are familiar with
the Scriptures, this will be nothing new. For those who might have heard it before,
this will be a reminder. For those who have never heard this, it will probably be a
great surprise. The Gospel record recounts Jesus asking His disciples whom people
perceived Him to be. And when He focused His question on whom the disciples
believed Him to be, Peter answered in a statement of belief which has been called
the first known creed of the Christian Church, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God."
Jesus answered with this promise, "Upon this rock (that statement of belief) I
will build my church." And He went further, and described the nature of the
church he would build: "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
(Matt. 16:15-18) In other words, His Church would be so aggressive, so powerful,
that it could prevail against the very fortresses of hell and the devil.
That is the Church that Jesus said He would build. It is the only thing He promised
to build -- no government, no army, no educational institution, no business empire --
only His Church.
And He gave certain instructions as to what He wanted his Church to be and to do.
He said, "Ye are the salt of the earth," (Matt. 5: 13) And He warned that if salt
ever loses it savour, it is useless and men throw it out. He also said, "Ye are the
light of the world." (verse 14), and directed His followers to "Let your light so
shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven." (verse 16)
In His last moments on this earth before ascending into heaven, he gave certain
other instructions, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature ... go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them ... teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Mark 16:25,
Matt. 28:19-20)
More recently, in previous issues of ANC, we have pointed out that Christians
have failed in fulfilling those instructions, and the very purpose for which Jesus said
He was building His Church. For example, on February 15, we quoted Joel
Rosenberg asking this pointed question, "Will the Church step up and be the
shining city on the hill that Jesus called her to be?" And Kevin Theriot, writing
in the Speak Up Movement, "Many pastors rarely if ever address the morality
of homosexual behavior (or any other current controversial issues) from the
pulpit... The Bible has quite a bit to say on these issues and others like
abortion, family, and citizenship... But the failure of most churches to show
up for the battle is not just unfortunate, it’s disastrous for religious freedom
in America."
Similarly, Wayne Greeson writing in "Restoring new Testament Christianity,"
cited Edmund Burke's familiar, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of
evil is for good men to do nothing,” and added: "Too many Christians and
too many churches are doing nothing. They are standing idly by, they are
mere spectators. They sit on the sidelines instead of actively participating
and working for the good."
But few have spoken as sharply concerning the failures within the Church as
Wes Moore, Founder of Evidence America, who wrote: "We have no
strategy to recruit and train new evangelists within our congregations...
We don’t organize our people to effectively reach the lost ...Over 90% of
our people have absolutely no intention of sharing their faith. .. Our
leaders are often too apathetic...to make any worthwhile changes. All
the while, the numbers stare us in the face: 85% of our churches are
declining. When you measure church growth against population growth,
only about 4% of churches in America are actually growing (that means
96% of churches are actually declining)... And, according to the Barna
Group, of the more than 350,000 Protestant churches in America, over
60,000 don’t have a single convert each year."
From just this brief review, it is evident the church is not doing well.
But does this mean that Jesus' intent to build His Church has been thwarted,
and that His plan has failed? Not at all. In the words of Antonin Artaud, the
early 20th century French author, "The fault lies with you." It is we, the
present day members of His Church, who have failed... failed to fulfill His
plans, His intent, His instructions to us, as noted above. Perhaps one aspect
of the failure can be assigned to the misuse of names -- "Christian," for example,
which can mean true believers, or simply those who call themselves that out of
a process of elimination: they are not Jewish, Islamist or atheist -- ergo, they
must be "Christian." Or a more recently misinterpreted name: "Evangelical."
This once clear definition of a born-again Christian believer who is committed
to sharing his faith with others, has been diluted into meaninglessness. We hear
of "Liberal Evangelicals," or of the "Evangelical Left" -- but those terms make
no sense at all. So the Church is weakened by dissensions within, and the results
are clearly evident. And the answer?
Consider this word from the Faith and Freedom Coalition Prayer Team:
"It has become nearly impossible to keep up with the political issues and
the immorality that besiege our nation ... From the beginning of time,
man has turned from God and decided to go out on his own, only to reap
disaster. And from the beginning of time there has been one consistent
answer even in the worst of times, and that answer is found in Joel 2:
12-14, 'Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your
garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and
compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from
sending calamity'... While the media focuses on the negative, America is
still a Christian nation and the believers are responding with prayer..."
Tomorrow, May 3, is America's 61st National Day of Prayer. This is
no whim ... this is an official event, signed into law by President Truman in
1952, and with the first Thursday in May designated by President Reagan and
signed into law in 1988. Despite President Obama's ignoring the National Day
of Prayer in recent years, and instead hosting gala White House celebrations of
Islamic events, millions of Americans will gather as groups and as individuals to
pray for our nation, asking God to give guidance in government and bless this
nation once again.
In ANC's ongoing prayer countdown, there are as of today, 188 days until
Election Day, Nov. 6, 2012. Let us continue in prayer, not only tomorrow as
the National Day of Prayer, but every day, as we ask God's blessing on our
nation and our world.
And there is this important advance word: Roman Catholic leaders are
calling for two weeks of public protests against President Barack Obama's
policies, as they intensify their argument that the administration is engaged in a
war on religion. The days between June 21 and July 4 have been set aside by the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops with the title: "A Fortnight for Freedom."
There will be more about this important event in the weeks ahead.
Because of the continuing left-leaning interpretation of the day's news
by the Main Stream Media, we bring to you "What Others Are Saying"
Conservative byte: "There isn’t any economic growth. There’s government
growth, but there isn’t any private sector growth. There’s no growth in
jobs: 120,000 jobs were created last month, according to the news from
yesterday. It’s just pathetic."
Zionica News: "The modern era is over, assumptions that shaped
twentieth century thought and culture, the bridges we crossed to this
present moment, have blown up. The postmodern age has begun. Just
what is post modernism? The average person would be shocked by its
creed. Truth, meaning and individual identity do not exist... Human life
has no special significance, no more value than animal or plant life....
All moral values are expressions and masks of the primal will to power."
Cowboy Byte: "Remember when there was a sense of dignity in the office
of president of the United States? Even Bill Clinton could, as the phrase
goes, act like he'd been there before; yet after almost 3 1/2 years into his
presidency, Barack Obama could be the figurative love child of bumbling."
Fred Jackson (American Family News Network Dir.): "The Constitution
was not written in the name of our leaders, but by the authority of 'We the
People.' It was expected that the people would enforce the leaders' duty
to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. If our government no
longer faithfully adheres to the Constitution, ultimately the problem is
that we are not doing our part as enlightened citizens, and when we find
that the government's current actions are out of step with the Constitution,
it is our duty as citizens to act."
Expose Obama: "With his support rapidly drying up among almost every
group, Barack Obama has turned to the so- called “youth vote.” He has
personally visited or sent a representative to 130 college campuses across
the country since March 2011. His obvious plan is to use the same lies he
told in 2008 to appeal to people who have no life experience and don’t
know any better. 'They believed it then, maybe they’ll believe it now' is
the Obama campaign motto..."
And as usual, just a few enjoyable "One Liners" . . .
Barry Rubin in a headline in The Lid: "Obama's Nonsensical Foreign
Policy: Al-Qaida Bad, Islamists Good "
Charles Ramsey, Philadelphia Police Commissioner: "Our streets are
bleeding, and they're bleeding profusely."
Jay Carney, Obama's press spokesperson: "I never lie."
Charles Hugh Smith, writing in Family Security Matters: "Issuing debt and
printing money do not create wealth. All they can create is a temporary
illusion of wealth. We wish someone would tell our politicians that."
As with every issue of ANC, there are just a few "Afterthoughts" . . .
Strange things go on in Washington after hours, as Ed Morrissey noted
in HotAir last weekend: "Isn’t it funny what you can find out on Friday
evening about what our executive branch does? For instance, Agence
France-Presse reported last night that Barack Obama bypassed Congress
to send $192 million to the Palestinian Authority, claiming that national
security required the US to put money into Mahmoud Abbas’ pocket." A
$192 million aid package was frozen by the US Congress ... but in a memo sent
to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, published by the White House, the president
said it was appropriate to release funds to the authority, which administers the
West Bank and Gaza Strip. In signing the waiver, Obama instructed Clinton to
inform Congress of the move, on the grounds that “waiving such prohibition is
important to the national security interests of the United States” ... and it
means we’re putting almost $200 million into the hands of a terrorist organization.
The language of the Palestinian Accountability Act could not be clearer: “No funds
available to any United States Government department or agency … may be
obligated or expended with respect to providing funds to the Palestinian
Authority.” Obama literally ignored that statutory language in this late-day action.
Pamela Geller expressed it well in Atlas Shrugs: "Obama's contempt for the
American people knows no bounds. His islamophilia is putting us all at risk.
There is no better way to jeopardize the security interests of the United Sates
than by funding jihad."
There is always something we can learn from the news; like this item from
Patriot Newswire, advising us that a video posted at the liberal MoveOn.org
site says that calling illegal immigrants "illegal" comes under the definition of a
"hate crime," and insists that the word "illegal" be banned from being used in the
context of immigration. So be careful -- in this "politically correct" nation that
America seems to be changing into, you may be creating a criminal offense.
And here's an interesting twist or slant on the news: The Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) expanded at a 2.2% annual rate in the first quarter of this year .
The Obama White House called the report "encouraging." But the other side of
that "encouraging" report was that the GDP actually dropped from the previous
quarter, when it showed a 3.0% annual growth. That works out to a decline of
about 26% in one fiscal quarter. By what twist does that become "encouraging?"
Just by way of a mention: Have you noticed the plethora of name changes by
some Christian organizations? Some have been accomplished, others are being
considered ... for example, Campus Crusade for Christ has become "Cru." The
YMCA has become simply "The Y." Philadelphia Biblical University (formerly
Philadelphia College of the Bible) is considering becoming "Cairn University."
The Worldwide Church of God has become "Grace Communion International."
The Christian Reformed Church's relief function, Christian Reformed World
Relief Committee (CRWRC) has become "World Renew." Even the Southern
Baptist Convention considered a change to "Great Commission Baptists," but
decided against it, although individual churches can use that name. As is so
often the case, Shakespeare had a word for it: "What's in a name?" (Romeo
and Juliet, Act II)
We can always learn something from our Founding Fathers, and from
our earlier presidents, often from their inaugural speeches.
"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the
majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable;
that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect,
and to violate would be oppression."
--Thomas Jefferson, Third President, First Inaugural Address, 1801
"I enter on the trust to which I have been called by the suffrages of my
fellow-citizens with my fervent prayers to the Almighty that He will be
graciously pleased to continue to us that protection which He has already
so conspicuously displayed."
-- James Monroe, Fifth President, Inaugural Address, 1817
And now those familiar words: "Another week ... another issue of ANC.
As always, so much to comment upon, but not enough time or space to do so in
any adequate manner. But in these critical times, here at least are comments you
can depend upon to be pro-Christian, pro-American and pro-Conservative. ANC
remains solidly "anti" individuals and movements which are "anti" any of those
convictions. If you agree, and would like to help keep this publication to continue,
please click HERE and send your contribution by check or credit card. Thank you!
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