Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Three Groups of People In the News This Week

1000 Somalian Muslims packed a stadium to watch a 13 year old rape victim be stoned to death by a couple dozen Muslim Militia members, last Monday. I noticed that Dr Hussain, my neighbor, recently wrote in the Blade that any anti-Islamic sentiment was shameful. He was disappointed that McCain said to the woman who thought Obama was Arab, "No, he's not Arab, not a Muslim" therefore, the implication was, "don't worry." I saw the flaw in McCain's response, too. He was supposed to say, "There is nothing wrong with being ARabic, Ma'am, or Muslim, but Obama is neither."

History: In addition to 9/11 and Palestinians dancing in the streets afterward, we have heard the Iranian president threaten death to Israel. We saw how Palestianians lobbed bombs over the new border after Israelis vacated Gaza in Palestine's favor. We witnessed the horrific beheadings by Islamic extremists and Al Quaeda as they shouted their praises to Allah. And now we have this nice little story about Somalian Muslims, not to mention what they are doing in Darfur. We hear of the chronic civil wars to the death among Middle-eastern Muslims, Shia and Sunni. There are the Taliban, the Iranian extremists, the Wahabi school grads who feed Al Quaeda(Saudi Arabia), the Wahabi school racist curricula even in Wash. D.C. school for Muslims --and we're supposed to understand that this religion doesn't really spawn all these crazy, blood-thirsty groups! True Islam is peace-loving. Really???!!! Then why are SO MANY DEVOUT worshippers so violent in the name of Allah??

We had our Ku Klux Klan, our ignorant bigots who never read the Christian Bible, but any such groups can't point to Jesus and find any justification for hatred and murder. I understand that the Muslims can cite Mohammad's instructions to be violent, to be deceitful, to befriend someone before you stab him in the back.

I'd recommend that people read the Caner brothers' books. They were raised to be Muslims and converted to Christianity. They tell it like it is. Both are American professors now.

Now another group of 1000 people met together in prayer support, called together by the COUNTY COMMISSIONERS! in a southern suburb of Nashville, to defend a school with a small band of praying parents accused by one parent of wrongfully praying in a public school. These accused parents joined the lawsuit when the ACLU sued the school. The Alliance Defense Fund defended the parents and the school and won on all 5 points.

The ACLU wanted the school to: 1. stop the National Day of Prayer observance before school on school property one day in the spring; 2. stop the See You at the Pole prayer observance in the fall; 3. stop any mention of gratitude to God when teaching about Thanksgiving; 4. remove all sacred music from Christmas concerts in schools, and 5. stop the monthly prayer meeting of The Praying Parents, who prayed for school requests in the school cafeteria, not in front of students --but quietly in a corner during class time. This school and the County Commissioners supported the parents; the ADF defended them and beat the ACLU on every count. It's all about Religious Freedom --free exercise of one's faith on public property without being coercive or denying religious liberty to others.

The 3rd group in the news this week: homosexuals stormed a Lansing church a few hours from here--lesbians started kissing in the pulpit--they tried to hang a banner --they were obscene, disruptive, yelling "Jesus was gay." http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2008/11/10/13335

The pastor concluded the service, after the police intervened, with a prayer that these disrupters would come to know the peace of God.

I think there is good and evil in the world and the news stories illustrate clearly the contrast between the two.



"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

46 comments:

mud_rake said...
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Antipelagian said...

John14:15 If you love me, you will obey what I command -Jesus

Matthew 5:15-18
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. -Jesus

Barb said...

Yes, even the demands of the prophets that we refrain from killing our children and cease from sexual immorality --these laws will be fulfilled if we really love God and neighbor.

Because if we love God, we will not commit abominations --we will either fulfill His design plan for our bodies or be celibate. If we love man, we will not want any of them trapped in the bondage of forbidden lusts. We will want a society that helps children avoid abnormal sexual identity, that discourages unwholesome, high risk, counter-productive activities which the Bible calls abominations.

Barb said...

Good to see you studying the Word, Mudly. It's so old and yet so timely and relevant, don't you think? I think so.

mud_rake said...
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Antipelagian said...

Mudthink-

Jesus "new command" was an alteration of the Pharisees...the Pharisees were great at castrating the spirit of the Law and elevating themselves above the Word of God.

The grandchildren of the Pharisees are prospering in Liberalism...I guess they don't realize their great-grandfather, the devil, has been defeated.

Barb said...

Food for thought:

New International Version (NIV)
Acts 13:10

10"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?

1 John 3:10

10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

Jesus said to love the neighbor and the enemy, also.

Ephesians 5:8 (New International Version)

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

There is a conversion experience that gives light --and joy.

Barb said...

Where is that verse, Antipelagian, that says something about one's father being Satan --something Jesus said. I couldn't find it.

mud_rake said...
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Barb said...

John 8: 23But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be,[a] you will indeed die in your sins."

25"Who are you?" they asked.

"Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. 26"I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."

27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." 30Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.

31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants[b] and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.[c]"

39"Abraham is our father," they answered.

"If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would[d] do the things Abraham did. 40As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41You are doing the things your own father does."
"We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."

42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.

When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? 47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."


Yes, radical and liberal --in the good sense of the words. And Bold. And the Way, the Truth and the Life --through whom we come to the Father.

Antipelagian said...
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mud_rake said...
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Barb said...

Antipelgian--I found the passage just before you did --thank you --I deleted the duplicate.

Mudrake, are you feeling it yet?? the love?? I'm sendin' the vibes! You betcha! (wink! ; )

mud_rake said...
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Antipelagian said...

Mudrake...you're failing to see what we have been trying to tell you...Jesus defined love...we love God by obeying Him.

His Law stands, and we love Christ when we obey Him. You are needlessly pitting love against law when the Bible defines love in terms of obedience to law.

Barb said...

I think you have a horrible misconception, Mudly, that loving homosexuals means approval of sodomy and gay marriage. Would it be loving to let them think these were not sins to be repented of --such that they were bound for Hell because they would not repent of something God calls an abomination in the Bible?

sodomy is not inevitable behavior or irresistable temptation. It is not an inborn desire. It is a temptation that comes to a few in our society (more and more today as it is promoted) and it is temptation to resist.

It is forgiveable when we repent. We are not to call evil good. Sodomy is abnormal, against nature, and terribly plagued with disease, emotional distress, and shortened lives.

steve said...

My neighbors an idiot and I heard they are having a sale at the Christian bookstore this comming Sabbath day!

steve said...

And geez oh pete does my neighbor have a nice Donkey! I wish that Donkey was mine. Oh man the things I could do if I had a donkey like his. but alas, I'm donkey-less.

I'm going to take that dumb donkey, he'll never miss it, he has 2, what's one man need with 2 dumb donkeys?

steve said...

I'm not even going to go into the idiot's hot wife!

Barb said...

Steve, Is there a message here in your recollection of the Ten C's?

mud_rake said...
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Barb said...

Keep wishful thinking, Mudly!

Jesus came to save us from sin--and that included homosexuality. You can't celebrate and excuse and justify sin and please the Savior --who died to liberate us from sin-- and death which is the penalty for sin.

why do you seem to think the OT is the only place where homosexuality is prohibited? NT says the same --Jesus affirms only the male-female union. Paul is explicit --and He had a miraculous encounter with Christ Himself. The Romans were into gay sex; Paul addressed it in clear terms.

Homosexuality is a violation of the Creator's Creation design --inconsistent with the male/female image of God --and their one flesh union. We are meant to pair only with the opposite sex.

This is the only sin that asks society to condone, celebrate, legitimate it with religious or civil ceremonies --putting it on an equal level with the unions that are proven best for rearing children.

Barb said...

Actually, abortion also has its champions, sad to say.

And that's why these social issues are a targeted concern for the church -- they are sins being approved and promoted as rights --unlike other sins.

Antipelagian said...

Homosexuality is a violation of the Creator's Creation design --inconsistent with the male/female image of God --and their one flesh union. We are meant to pair only with the opposite sex.

I also wonder how it is that homosexuality is not a violation of one of the most righteous of all PC standards: The warm embrace of *diversity*

The sodomite lifestyle is a perpetual rejection of sexual diversity.

Barb said...

Now that's an original thought, Antipelagian! I never thought of that. They think we are to embrace their couplings in the name of diversity--but same sex lovers are open only to relationship with people exactly like themselves sexually --thus,no diversity.

and there's nothing more celebratory of diversity than making children and bringing them home with you! Usually, no 2 alike!

Antipelagian said...

Now that's an original thought, Antipelagian!

I wish I could claim it was my own...I forget specifically where I read/heard it. Probably from Tim or David Bayly, or Greg Bahnsen, or R.J. Rushdoony...I'm leaning toward Tim Bayly if my memory isn't failing.

matthew said...

Mudrake,

I don't know where to begin to address your misunderstanding of Scripture.

Well, I guess I could begin by pointing out that the last quote you attributed to Jesus should actually be attributed to St. Paul.

mud_rake said...
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matthew said...

OK, you lost me Mudrake.

Skeptics may dispute the authenticity of the New Testament all they want. Those with eyes to see know the truth.

The quote is from a book called The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

One thing I know for sure is that nobody with any credibility attributes that quote to Jesus. It was written years after He ascended to the right hand of His Father. He's still there, by the way, and will remain there until He comes back to judge the living and the dead.

Barb said...

Mudrake, historically, there were no Christians at Corinth until Paul evangelized them (I assume he was the first?) --and the letter was written afterwards to the Church of Jesus Christ established by Paul & others at Corinth.

Paul, of course, did not become a missionary until after Christ's death and resurrection and Paul's Damascus Road Encounter with the resurrected Jesus. Jesus spoke to Paul (then going by Saul) from a blinding light. That story is in Acts 9 and is quite remarkable --because Paul, a persecutor of Christians, was told where to go to receive his sight back. Then, a stranger to Paul, named Ananias, was told by God where to find Paul and how to restore his sight.

Barb said...

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%209&version=31

This is one of the best of Bible stories --Saul's conversion.

Interesting --ananias was told he would find Saul at a house on the street called STRAIGHT!

mud_rake said...
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Antipelagian said...

Mudrake-
Suffice it to note that there is much dispute as to who said what. You probably know that.

Are you suggesting that Jesus wrote the book of 1 Corinthians prophetically?

That's some faith you have there!

Barb said...

Mudly, Your comment is trying to make what point?? what theory would we refute here?

I can't even THINK of a response for this pointless contribution you've made.

Perhaps you got this from me: I've always said Paul had not seen or met Jesus in the flesh--but I don't really know that. The Bible doesn't say anything about it at all. He was not one of Jesus' followers, obviously. He may have even seen the crucifixion, for all we know --He may have heard Him speak. We just know he was not a believer, that He considered Chrsitians a threat to Judaism and delivered Christians for persecution and worse

--until Christ appeared to him and spoke to him in the light, blinding him --and later healing him. and he becomes one of the two main leaders of the church --with Peter --and a missionary --and his letters were deemed inspired and included in the Canon.

so what's your point --about Paul not meeting Jesus before His death and in the flesh? Does it make a difference?

Evangelicals haven't been afraid to wonder if all the books of the Bible were properly attributed.

Hebrews does not start out like the letters of Paul and I believe it does not name an author. Does this bother you?? Why? The content is obviously inspired --consistent with the rest of the New Testament, but aimed at the Jewish Christians.

You need to re-read the story --Jesus identified himself as "Jesus" from the light on the Road to Damascus. Paul would not be referencing any other Deity --nor mixing up the academic details about Jesus with those of other gods. He knew the difference. As a Jew, he believed that "the Lord is one God." He isn't the one who tells us about Jesus' life --so he's not going to be attributing folklore from other "gods" in mythology to Jesus.

If I missed YOUR point, just what WAS it???

matthew said...

Mudrake,

I have no interest at all in how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

You dodged admission of your mistake in a most unusual way. I was just pointing out that you know nothing about Scripture and your attributing the words of Paul to Jesus proves it. I'm not going to dive into your philosophical mumbo jumbo. Again, eyes to see and ears to hear...

mud_rake said...
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kateb said...

Matthew - it's a common tactic of a dishonest party to a debate to merely shift their position when they can't substantiate their position.

And you can't have an honest debate with a dishonest person.

My opinion only.

Barb - I am sorry that people are so rude to you on your own site. For what that's worth - it's really bad behavior. But for some people it's like the way they behave in their cars when they feel anonymous and empowered. Nothing really you can do but I'm sorry you're such a focus of this one. (Obsession one might say).

Barb said...

Hi Kate --yes, he's obsessed. And he thinks that if he tells me not to comment that I should obey him --even though he needs rebuttal, deserves rebuttal --and baits me and other Christians on his own blog while pretending he doesn't want us to post there. If we don't post there, he's only got 3 people.

He tries to obfuscate the facts with insults--in this case, the fact that he doesn't know the Bible --and has a lot of misconceptions as a result of ignorance.

matthew said...

Matthew- not at all; i just moved the discussion to a deeper level and you seemingly can't go there.

Mudrake,

Seems strange to move deeper when you're drowning in the shallow end.

Just admit you made a simple mistake and we'll move on. It's not my goal to make you look foolish.

mud_rake said...
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Barb said...

Mudrake, your language has gotten you deleted 2 comments in a row.

Your views will be printed, but not your foul mouth.

Nor will I entertain your bossing me around like the mysogynist you prove yourself to be. I'll comment if, IMHO, I have something to say. Who does ANYONE think he is --Christian bloggers included --to think they can tell people to stay out of a discussion?

No manners. If you don't like people's comments routinely, don't read them. If it's your blog, you CAN delete them --but that's not showing all this new democratic party love and tolerance, is it?

Barb said...

I'm the only one who made a substantive answer to your long post here, Mudrake --and it is worth your attention--if you were seriously curious --but I guess you are not --or you wouldn't care who resonded.

About Paul. You seemed to think Paul was flawed for saying nothing about Christ's life --and then you suggest he applied greek mythical characteristics to Christ. He is not Christ's biographer in the Bible. He is the teacher of the Early Church --and most of his teachings are applicable to modern life.

You said Paul didnt reference much of Christ's existance --except his death. So? He knew he existed --Jesus of Nazareth --because of the Damascus Road blinding. and before that, his life was dedicated to persecuting his followers. So the existance of Jesus was not in question--the fact that He was CHRIST, was questioned by paul until the miracle of the light, the voice, and the blinding --and the restoration of sight. And there were others with Paul who witnessed the event and had to lead him into town.

Let he who has ears, HEAR!

mud_rake said...
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Barb said...

You didn't miss anything, Matt.

mud_rake said...
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mud_rake said...
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