Rick and Bubba Cut Ties With World Vision

Rick and Bubba are comedians, authors, and nationally syndicated radio personalities who are openly and outspokenly Christian.  They have been ardent supporters of World Vision, an international Christian charity which fights child poverty by sponsoring needy children.  They have abruptly cut ties with World Vision after their personal friend, the organization’s president Richard Stearns, told Christianity Today that World Vision is changing their employment policies.  They previously required employees to remain faithful within marriage, abstinent outside of marriage, and only recognized heterosexual marriages.  The new personnel policy does not overtly endorse same sex marriage but includes legal same sex marriages.

Readers of this blog understand that the blog is written from an orthodox Trinitarian Christian understanding based on a very high view of scripture.  The biblical standard for marriage is one man married to one woman.  It is clear that the Bible does not in any way condone the practice of homosexuality. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

What Rick and Bubba have done is not “hate speech” or “homophobia.”  Christians should not hate (1 John 3:15) and we do not have a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).  The historical orthodox position is admittedly absolutist.  The biblical claim is that God is the Absolute Truth and that He is the only arbiter of that truth.

Moral relativism, of which I have spoken before, is a very recent development which challenges the idea of Absolute Truth.  Advocates of moral relativism see traditional understandings of numerous issues to be repressive and oppressive.  They see Truth, if it exists at all, as being determined by the individual or by a community of agreeing individuals.

Several Christian denominations have been influenced by the philosophy of moral relativism and have adopted reinterpretations of historic doctrines in an effort to become more “relevant” to the modern world.  Some include openly homosexual members and a few have no problem with sexual relationships (heterosexual and homosexual) outside of marriage if the sexuality is in the concept of a “committed relationship.”

I personally know several homosexual Christians who are aware of my stand on this matter.  We do not hate or fear one another (“homophobia” is an insult word); we look at one another and are puzzled.  I am sure that this divide exists among readers of this blog as well.

Opponents of the traditional orthodox view on this matter must understand that our opposition to their view is not motivated by hate or fear.  They must also understand that we will not compromise.

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* Luke 14:26 refers to loving no one more than Jesus.  The verse reflects an Aramaic understanding of love and hate.

Pope Francis

The Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have chosen the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new pope.  He will be known as Pope Francis.

Bergoglio, of Italian ancestry, was born in Argentina in 1936.  he is a Jesuit intellectual who is known to eschew private limousines and to travel by bus.  He is said to have a great compassion and burden for the poor and places great emphasis on spirituality and personal holiness.

Though many Catholics, especially in the United States and Europe, had hoped for a "progressive" pope, Bergoglio has made known his opposition to the legalization of same-sex marriage, the adoption of children by homosexuals, abortion, euthanasia, and liberation theology.

National Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day

Chick-fil-A (pronounced “chik fill-ay” as in the word “filet”) is a fast-food restaurant chain which sells fried chicken sandwiches and waffle style French-fried potatoes.  On 16 June 2012, the devout Christian president of the company, Dan Cathy, in a radio interview ignited a firestorm of criticism for saying this when asked a question about same-sex marriage.

"I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage'. I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”

Supporters of same-sex marriage were outraged, leading Thomas Menino, the mayor of Boston, to declare that he would not allow the company to open franchises in his city.  Chicago Alderman Proco Moreno announced that he would work to block Chick-fil-A’s attempt to add any more stores in the city of Chicago.  The Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, declared that “Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values.”  The Mayor of San Francisco, Edwin M. Lee, also joined into the condemnation.

Many have called this an assault on Christians who uphold a traditional worldview and understanding of what is stated in Scripture. Ordained Southern Baptist minister and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee called for a national Chick-fil-A appreciation Day for today.  The result: massive lines of people at Chick-fil-A stores nationwide!  As the Chick-fil-A mascot spotted cows say, “EAT MOR CHIKIN!”

(Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.)

This Is a Sermon?

For full disclosure: I am opposed to same sex marriage and will firmly state that I will never vote for any political candidate who is pro-abortion.  That said, I find the following video to be repulsive.  This "sermon" by Pastor Charles L. Worley seems to be based on hatred and has nothing to do with Christianity.  The pastor is actually calling for concentration camps.

(Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.)

Book Comment: How Would Jesus Vote?

How Would Jesus Vote? A Christian Perspective on the Issues (2008) by D James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe is premised on the following insight, quoted from the book: ""We will give an account for every aspect of our lives, including how we vote.  May the Lord give us wisdom to obey Him in this as well as in all areas of our lives."

Dr. Kennedy was a conservative evangelical who was often involved in political controversies and was closely associated with what is known in America as the Christian Right.  In How Would Jesus Vote?, Kennedy discusses abortion, embryonic stem cell research, suicide, euthanasia, the death penalty, just war theory, public education, economics, health-care, environmental change, immigration, racism, marriage, and judicial activism.  This is not a scripture-heavy book but is firmly based on a Christian world view.

He quotes his friend, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, who said, "Without a vibrant and vital Christianity, America is doomed, and without America, the West is doomed. ... you must replace your timidity with nerve and your diffidence with daring and determination."

Dr. Kennedy calls on us to think before we vote.  He doesn't actually say it but what he is calling for is that we think with the Mind of Christ before we vote.

What They Think of Us: Someone Finally Said It Out Loud

Someone finally said it out loud.  So, they think we are bigots.

As I have said repeatedly, this is not, never has been, and never will be a political blog but sometimes my comments may be about subjects which touch on politics.  Recently Leonard Pitts , a columnist for the Miami Herald newspaper, insulted every Christian who opposes same-sex marriage on scriptural grounds.  In criticizing presidential candidate Rick Santorum, Pitts calls Santorum a bigot because of his opposition to same-sex marriage based on "lame arguments built of straw and fear."  In effect, Pitts has said that to hold the position makes one a bigot.  I don't believe that Pitts actually intended to insult such a large group of people although his statements could be viewed as part of the obviously growing secular hostility toward historical Christianity.

The Right to Refuse Based on Religious Beliefs

67 year-old Dutch civil servant Wim Pijl was fired recently in The Hague (Den Haag) for refusing to perform same-sex marriages.  Pijl cites his Christian beliefs as the reason.  “As a Christian, I learned from the Bible that there is only one marriage, between a man and a woman.”

The Hague city government dismissed Pijl because he “refused to take back his remarks.”  Pijl, one of 104 known Dutch civil servants who refuse to perform same-sex marriages, says he may take civil action against the city.

The Netherlands was the first country (2001)to legalize gay marriage.  The prime minister has guaranteed that same-sex marriages will be available coutrywide.

The issue brings into sharp focus the conflict between governmental policies and the right of government employees to refuse to act in ways which would violate their religious beliefs.  The same issue has begun to arise in the United States where the discussion is about whether physicians may refuse to perform abortions.

In the United States a person may, based on their religious belief, refuse in court to "swear on the Bible."  They are allowed instead to promise to tell the truth.  I believe that the same principle should apply in the cases above.  Surely a way short of dismissal can be found to accommodate legitimate religious objections. 

http://www.cip.nl/nieuwsbericht_detail.asp?id=25595 

http://www.persecution.org/2011/11/18/dutch-christian-civil-servant-fired-for-opposing-gay-marriage/   

"The New York Same Sex Marriage Vote" Revisited, #4

On 28 June 2011, I posted "The New York Same-Sex Marriage Vote" and promised, "More on tax-exempt status, homosexuality, persecution, and marriage later."  Today, marriage.

"Because the Bible says so" doesn't hold much water with the rest of the world.  The world doesn't, for the most part, accept our values.  Most people in Western countries think that marriage is between a man and a woman because that is how it "just is," "that's the way it has always been."  That is, of course, not actually true.

Marriage worldwide has taken many forms: multiple husbands for a single wife; multiple wives for a single husband; one man, one woman for life; group marriage of multiple husbands and multiple wives all of whom "belong" to everyone; serial marriages to individual spouses; "open" marriages into which other persons may be temporarily inserted for sex; marriages for legal purposes in which the "spouses" might never even meet one another; marriages between children and adults; wives who may be "shared"with visitors as a form of polite hospitality; a form of prostitution called "comfort marriages" in which men marry and then divorce the wife in a single afternoon so their sexual relations will not be considered to be illegitimate; and many other variations.  

For the Christian, the words of Jesus in the Bible are authoritative.


"And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,  And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."  Matthew 19:4-6


I predict that we will eventually lose the battle over same-sex marriage.  Remember that the world does not share our values, except incidentally.  The modern argument is that there are no absolute values; nothing is always true; there may not even be such a thing as "truth.".  Your "truth" may not be my "truth."


Public opinion can be easily swayed by seemingly reasonable arguments about "fairness."
We are called to obey the truth as given to us by God, not as determined by the changing opinions of men.  We must understand that this will in no way convince the rest of the world and they may react very negatively to us.  We must decide which we value more, the opinion of other people or the opinion of God.  This makes our choice very simple and,  possibly, very difficult.


A possible option if we eventually lose the legal battle over same-sex marriage: drop our tax exemption status and continue to do what we know is right.  Hold religious wedding ceremonies which we consider to be binding and submit whatever civil paperwork is required to make our marriages "legal."


R. Albert Mohler, Jr., the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, speaks on this subject in "Evangelicals and the Gay Moral Revolution," an article appearing on page A13 in the Friday 1 July 2011 issue of The Wall Street Journal.  The chilling final sentence of the article is "We are about to find out just how much we believe the Gospel we so eagerly preach."

The New York Same-Sex Marriage Vote

The State of New York, on Friday, 24 June 2011, became the sixth of the United States to legalize same-sex marriage.  This prompted a strong response from the Roman Catholic bishop of New York, Timothy Dolan.

“We strongly uphold the Catholic Church's clear teaching that we always treat our homosexual brothers and sisters with respect, dignity and love. But we just as strongly affirm that marriage is the joining of one man and one woman in a lifelong, loving union that is open to children, ordered for the good of those children and the spouses themselves.

“This definition cannot change, though we realize that our beliefs about the nature of marriage will continue to be ridiculed, and that some will even now attempt to enact government sanctions against churches and religious organizations that preach these timeless truths.

“We worry that both marriage and the family will be undermined by this tragic presumption of government in passing this legislation that attempts to redefine these cornerstones of civilization.

“Our society must regain what it appears to have lost - a true understanding of the meaning and the place of marriage, as revealed by God, grounded in nature, and respected by America's foundational principles.”  Timothy Dolan, Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York

I applaud Archbishop Dolan for his strong statement.  He is correct that there may be consequences for the stand.  The most obvious would be attempts to remove tax exempt status from churches which refuse to accept the legislation.  We must be willing to accept persecution for the truth without wilting.  We do not have a spirit of fear.

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More on tax-exempt status, homosexuality, persecution, and marriage later.

Book Comment: If the Church Were Christian

Gully, Philip, If the Church Were Christian. A chapter-by-chapter response.

The propositions put forth by Pastor Gulley are:

1. Jesus would be a model for living rather than an object of worship.

2. Affirming our potential would be more important than condemning our brokenness.

3. Reconciliation would be valued over judgement.

4. Gracious behavior would be more important than right belief.

5. Inviting questions would be valued more than supplying answers.

6. Encouraging personal exploration would be more important than communal uniformity.

7. Meeting needs would be more important than maintaining institutions.

8. Peace would be more important than power.

9. It would be more about love and less about sex.

10. This life would be more important than the afterlife.

This will take a while.  More to follow.

Two Responses to the Manhattan Declaration

Two websites have been created in response to the success of the Manhattan Declaration (see my post on 23 December 2009). Both are in response to the declaration's opposition to homosexuality.

The Manhattan Refutation (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/manhattan-refutation) by the Progressive Christian Alliance, was drafted to "oppose bigotry and intolerance." As of today, it has received 47 signatures.

The Affirmation Declaration (http://www.affirmationdeclaration,org/) is an alliance of Orthodox, Catholics, and Evangelicals who aim "to correct egregious errors" and "bad theology." Since its promulgation on 28 September 2009 it has received 1282 signatures.

Secrets

Carrie Prejean, Miss California USA (2009), ran afoul of pageant judge Perez Hilton (a gay activist) when she answered his question about same-sex marriage by saying she supported traditional marriage. A firestorm erupted in which she emerged as a defender of traditional Christian morality. Then "the biggest mistake of my life" was exposed, a sex tape from years before.

In November 2009, Radaronline.com reported that there are an additional seven sex tapes and thirty nude photos of Ms. Prejean.
If the tapes and photos really exist this is greatly embarrassing for Ms. Prejean but also for the Church. Prejean presumably knew about all this and she should have known this would eventually come out.

“For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither [any thing] hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Luke 8:17

“Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.”
Romans 2:22-24

Young Christians must remember that everything they do reflects not only on themselves but on the Church. Christians are forgiven but their pasts can still cause damage to the reputation of the Church. If there are damaging secrets hiding in the past it may be best to expose them preemptively, acknowledge them, accept the consequences, and move on.

The Manhattan Declaration

All Christians should read and consider signing The Manhattan Declaration. The Declaration was issued on 20 November 2009, signed by more than one-hundred fifty Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant Evangelical leaders. Fifteen days later, on 5 December 2009, it had been signed by over 250,000 people. When I first read it on 21 December 2009, the total number of signers was 306,402. Today the number totals 307,164.

What has so solidly united leaders and Christians of such divergent religious traditions? The perception that Christianity is increasingly under assault and put on the defensive. The repeated attempts to override conscience clauses allowing medical workers to refuse to participate in medical procedures they believe to be immoral. Christian clergy in Canada and Europe being prosecuted for hate crimes because they affirmed the Biblical denunciation of homosexuality. The fact that, in Scandinavia, one who adheres to the ideas stated in the Declaration is derisively called a "mprkemann" (man of darkness). Things like that.

On what could Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical leaders agree? Their three points, expanded in the Declaration, are: 1. "the sanctity of human life," 2. "the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife," and 3. "the rights of conscience and religious liberty."

Read the Declaration but don't just impulsively sign it. Think about it first because it is not just a statement. The document asks for a commitment also. When you sign, you agree to the following statements.

"We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence. It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season."

"We recognize the duty to comply with laws whether we happen to like them or not, unless the laws are gravely unjust or require those subject to them to do something unjust or otherwise immoral. ... We will not comply ... nor will we bend. ... We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar's, but under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God's."

A Christian Sex Magazine from Africa

Intiem, an Afrikaans language magazine was begun in 2006 in Africa and, in 2009, has begun an English language version entitled Intimacy. The target audience is married Christian women from strict religious backgrounds which have often left the women with an unease about physical intimacy. The magazine insists that sex is a gift from God which married Christian women can rightly claim without guilt about not being "good girls."

The magazine endorses strict monogamy and is opposed to same sex marriage or relationships.

"We believe that if a sex act stays within a marriage, is shared by only husband and wife, and both of them are comfortable with and enthusiastic about doing whatever they are doing, it can only be beneficial to the marriage. And this is what God wants for us."

Pope Benedict XVI and the Anglicans

     Pope Benedict XVI has announced that Anglicans who wish to leave their troubled church may unite with the Roman Catholic Church while retaining their own traditions such as married priests.  Critics of the invitation say that it is predatory, seeking to exploit the divisions in the Anglican/Episcopal union over same-sex marriages and and the ordination of women and sexually active gays.  Well, of course it is.

     The critics say that moves such as this endanger ecumenical talks between Catholics and Anglicans.  What really is endangering the talks are the seemingly relentless efforts of liberals within the Anglican communion to veer away from "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3)

Morkemann

     In Norway, an insult word, Morkemann ("man of darkness"),is becoming common when referring to Christians, especially those who oppose abortion rights, homosexuality, and same-sex marriage, and who express support for Israel.

     In the United States we haven't quite gotten there yet but it is obvious that we could easily, as a nation, move in that direction.  Christians (those not already infected) must stand peacefully against this.  They'll hate us for it but that just means we're doing God's will.

"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake." Luke 6:22