American Humanists Attack Scriptures in Media Ads --Role of Women in Scripture Challenged

According to a letter from Answers in Genesis to their supporters:

The American Humanist Association sent our a press release stating:

HUMANISTS LAUNCH LARGEST NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN CRITICAL OF RELIGIOUS SCRIPTURES:

A national multimedia ad campaign --the largest, most extensive ever by a
godless [their words] organization--launches today and will include a spot on
NBC Dateline...as well as other tv ads, that directly challenge biblical
morality and fundamentalist Christianity. The campaign, sponsored by the
AHA, also features ads in major ....newspapers and magazines demonstrating that
secular humanist values are consistent with mainstream America and that
fundamentalist religion has no right to claim the moral high ground.

....ads ask the audience to "consider Humanism." One example is the following pairing:

The Bible: "A woman should learn in quietness and full
submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a
man; she must be silent." I Timothy 2 (NIV)

Humanism: "The rights of men and women should be equal and
sacred--marriage should be a perfect partnership." Robert G. Ingersoll, in
a letter dated April 13, 1878.

AIG notes that context is important in scriptural interp and application. They go on to say that this admonition concerned the separate roles for men and women --that they are equal but have different roles in the church.

I would say that you also have to consider all the other teachings on women in the Bible, examples in scripture --and note that in this letter to Timothy, Paul says, "I" do not allow women to teach in the church and he gives his rationale. He doesn't exactly state that he is speaking for God here, does he?

There is much Biblical rationale to allow women full responsibility in the church today. In fact, fundamentalist Christianity has evolved the role of women more than any other group in all the world --as they were the first to have women preachers --because of the scripture by Paul that says that the Holy Spirit will be poured out on both men and women --and that women will prophesy or tell forth the Word, (same as men, evidently.) Of course, Deborah is an Old Testament example of a woman in a man's role as a judge and military advisor/leader. There is no biblical condemnation of her in these roles.

Jesus allowed Mary to learn at his feet along side the men --which was culturally atypical, we believe --at least when Mary's sister thought she should be in the kitchen instead. Jesus spoke to a woman at the well --an immoral woman --and went to her home to teach her family and friends. He refused to condone stoning the adulteress --after all, where was the adulterer? If the men who wanted to stone her were not without sin, they had no right to stone her, He said.

My pastor once pointed out that the subjugation of woman was part of the curse after the Fall --and notes that Christianity is about resisting and lifting ALL the curses: death, disease, pestilence, pain in childbirth--and subjugation of women.

Paul says slave, free, Jew, Gentile, male, female --all are equal in Christ. The implications are clear, even for the Church --though some churches and Christian men do get adamant about keeping women in their state of subjugation.

I'm glad my denomination is not about the subjugation of women. We had a split over the issue in my local body. The people are sincere in thinking that Timothy's letter from Paul mandates that the church today must subjugate women in roles in church in order to be a Biblical church. I suspect AIG thinks this, too.

We who disagree note that there ARE other issues in scripture where Christian churches have latitude. E.G.: the wearing of jewelry and hats.

A real liberal wants us to let homosexual conduct go, too, along with the subjugation of women. But that's a different matter entirely --and cannot be justifed Biblically, since we were created to be male or female in the image of God for His purposes. Anal and oral sex with our own sex just don't qualify as good and natural, healthy, normal --or Christian or Biblical --by any stretch of interp.



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

Random Notes on the Current Scene

Jay Leno has lost my admiration for razzing the Answers in Genesis folks about their Noah's Ark project and their lack of belief in macro-evolution. He speaks ignorantly on the topic --not as one who really has any clue as to what those in opposition to evolution dogma say.

As always, it's seen as very hip and cool for comedians to blast Bible-believers --and our tv-loving youth eat it up and buy into liberal skepticism for the Word --and liberal respect for homosexuality and evolution theory.

Today's young adults shack up and when asked why they haven't married, they say, "We're waiting until we can do it right." Which means --a big wedding with a feast that will cost the price of a nice down-payment on a home. "Doing it right" is doing it wrong in so many ways and I don't think it's producing more life-long marriages. They used to say the stats indicate that people who live together first are more apt to divorce after they do marry.




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

Prison Fellowship's Chuck Colson Tells a Story

Chuck Colson wrote the following for a fund-raising letter --for Prison
Fellowship:

"I met a man at a Midwest church who had been locked up in one of the
meanest prisons in America. he'd been lost--that is, until he received an
Angel Tree application. Skeptical, he filled it out. But he
wondered, "Is this for real?" So imagine this joy when his children
received gifts! [As though from their father.] His eyes filled with tears, and he was changed forever."

Then Chuck goes on to say this same man is now mentoring 50 other ex-offenders.

"When people see hardened convicts turning gentle as lambs and taking good
back into the stinking holes from which they've come, the reality of the
Gospel cannot be denied. The invisible kingdom is being made
visible in our midst."

They need year-end donations --address at their website.

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

Applause for Church Music? " Agnus Dei "--Mixed Response

At our first performance there was no applause --not even at the end --until the Pastor gave permission. So at the second performance, we had applause after every song --even when it would have been best not to.

So what's an audience to do??

Here's my rule of thumb: If kids perform a number with their little hands raised, it's cute, you're charmed and amused so clap. You feel like it, so do it!!! If angels dance and end their routine with upraised arms and a big finale of voice and orchestra, CLAP! If it's a triumphant finale, CLAP!

But when it's very quiet and worshipful --and awe-inspiring in a quiet way, and clearly transitioning on to another song, don't.

There were places in Michael W. Smith's Agnus Dei that clearly called for applause --and places where it did not. The audience wasn't sure what to do, so did nothing the first night and felt instructed to clap for everything on the second.

Well, it's no biggy in the world's dilemmas --to clap or not to clap.

Just don't clap in church because you think the performers need it --they don't. Clap when it's a big build-up, high-note, loud, triumphant grand finale-type ending! It CALLS for applause as a response. If it's quiet and reverent --and the theme is worship --and you feel moved inwardly, quietly --maybe applause isn't the response. Whatever, DON'T applaud just because you think performers want it or need it --but if it seems awkward to not applaud --like at the end of a program with a big high-note fortissimo ending --CLAP --even in church!

Videoworks did a professional taping for our church cantata on Sunday night--it is absolutely a beautiful video --and we singers will enjoy seeing how everything looked to the audience--much better than from the platform. And how things sounded for just an ordinary church choir in a small church. It was beautiful --the overhead pics very effective.

We fulfilled Rick Warren's 5 purposes in doing this musical: We showed our love for God and His Son and what He did for us in conquoring the grave. We worshipped. 2. We shared a holiday treat/inspirational event with other Christians --loving the Body of Christ. 3. We were called upon to imitate Christ in sacrificing (just time) and forgiving each other (the irritations of getting along in every group, even the church) --and the 5th purpose: Evangelism: the Mission of passing forward the Gospel of Christ's coming --The Story of the Savior's birth --and the angels, shepherds and wisemen --and the angel's visit to Joseph. We filled the 4th purpose of our lives if any poor and unsaved came to the concert --such that we could be seen as "serving the world." We took an offering for our church boarding school in Kentucky, which often serves needy students.

What fine acting by those who played Peter, Luke, Isaiah, and Matthew. The children were adorable. The soloists were excellent, the Nativity represented the ancient story again --teaching the children --making our Christmas holiday significant and meaningful --celebrating the real meaning of Christmas. Sue Conklin once again decorated church and people beautifully, professionally. Stephanie Hulbert and Christine Rohrs were sticklers in the directing, getting us to sing "properly" and with fine dynamic contrast --something we haven't always been good at in years past. Brent Simmons did a great job controlling sound balance.










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

Christmas Events at the Holland, Ohio, Free Methodist Church

Michael W. Smith’s

AGNUS DEI

Lamb of God ~Born to Us

December 17 and 19, 7PM

Presented by

The Holland Free Methodist Church

6605 Angola Road, Holland, Ohio

East of McCord ~North of Spring Meadows Mall

All Ages will enjoy this worshipful, multi-media concert of beautiful Christmas music, including songs by Michael W. Smith and traditional carols. Adult and children's choirs, soloists and dramatists portraying Biblical characters narrating the Christmas story, angel dancers with shepherds, the children's choir in a middle-eastern caravan with the Wise Men --elegant costuming, video art …all will tell the age-old story of Mary's little lamb who became

the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Approximately 1 hour ~ Admission Free ~ Refreshments ~ Nursery

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service

Friday, 6pm

Watoto Children’s Choir from

Africa Jan. 2, Sunday, 7pm

Sunday Worship 10:40 AM, S.S.

All Ages 9:30 AM

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

Media Ignores the Bloopers from the Other Side

This is from the Indiana AFA (am. Family Ass'n):

“Please Play the Blooper Reel, Mr. Producer!

”Here are two “oops” moments that
you may not hear much about in the mainstream media, unless, of course, Former
Governor Sarah Palin had said the same things. Then it would be all over the
news shows and fodder for all the late night hosts.

Blooper #1 – Forty-two
members of Congress have signed on to a letter to President Obama expressing
their concern over a statement he made in Indonesia last month. While speaking
to students, the President said that the United States and Indonesia share a
similar history (don’t ask what that means, just keep reading). "It is a story
written into our national mottos. In the United States, our motto is 'E Pluribus
Unum' -- out of many, one," the President claimed. At the time, some TV
stations aired this clip without any comment.The President must have forgotten
that the E Pluribus phrase is not our national motto. Our national motto, as
over a million Hoosier motorists with motto license plates know, is “In God We
Trust.” It has been the unofficial motto since appearing on our money before the
Civil War, and the official national motto adopted by Congress in 1956, five
years before the President was born . . . wherever that might have been.

Blooper # 2 – On Sunday, ABC’s This Week aired a clip of Indiana Senator Evan Bayh speaking about the repeal of what has been called the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”
policy on homosexuality in the military. The clip showed Senator Bayh implying
that homosexuality has never been a big deal within the US military saying in a
Senate hearing, “In all likelihood, there were gay Americans serving at Valley
Forge.”

Actually, in all likelihood there were not, Senator. As I have repeatedly mentioned, homosexuality has been expressly forbidden in the US military since our nation’s founding. General George Washington personally presided over the public humiliation and removal of a soldier who attempted to sodomize another soldier in the Continental Army. Washington made a big deal of the incident, which he called “abhorrent” in his March 14th, 1778, general orders. He issued those orders requiring all available troops to gather to witness the dismissal and drumming out of service of the homosexual soldier as an example and a clear statement that debunks Senator Bayh’s statement.

Accuracy in Media noted that ABC’s This Week reporter John Donavan actually confirmed
this incident later in the Sunday show making it the first time they have found
any report in the mainstream media informing the public that homosexuality has
always been against military policy . . . even among the founders who secured
our freedoms and liberties.

From Micah Clark of AFA Indiana

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