Back in 2009, I wrote a piece in which I asked if the Christian church in America was being forced to go underground. As I recently read the news that pastors were being sued for preaching that homosexuality is a sin, I saw clearly that yes, the “real” Christian church in America, in order to continue to stay true to their belief and to God, will be forced to do as the early Christians did – go underground.

At the risk of being accused of being a wild-eyed, bible-thumping, Holy Roller, I need to explain what I mean when I say “the REAL Christian Church” in America.

In the past three decades, or so, many of the mainline Christian churches have slipped away from their foundation on the Holy Scriptures and adopted more and more secular tenents and leftist, politically correct, philosophy until they have become only a shadow of the true followers of Christ. In my opinion, those denominations can no longer claim to be “Christian” churches simply because — they are not.

A few years ago, I left my own denomination, one of the mainline denominations in America, because it had chosen to forsake the tenents of the Bible and the “Good News,” the Gospel, as enunciated by the very person from whom the church had received its mission.

Allow me, please to state, flat out, that I do not hold myself to be a better Christian than any other follower of Christ. Nosiree! I am nothing more than a sinner saved by the grace of God – no more, and no less. It was a gift from a loving God. There was nothing I could have done and nothing I can ever do, which would have either bought that grace – or — made me worthy of receiving it. In the eyes of God, I believe I am just as bad as the worst murderer on death row and just as good as the Pope. Our shared commonality is that we are all sinners.

Unfortunately, many of our mainline denominations have become nothing more than social clubs with many franchises nationwide. Their pastors “preach” feel good “sermonettes” about the environment, and things like “social justice.” In my opinion, that is not the mission of a church that purports to follow Christ. In fact, Christ, Himself, spelled out the mission of the church in what we refer to as The Great Commission.

After His resurrection and shortly before he ascended to heaven, he gave his followers this mission: ¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:18-20

That commission from Christ is the reason the church exists … period. To fulfill that mission the church MUST stand firmly upon the foundation of the Holy Scripture and the teachings of Christ. That means insisting that the standard(s) set by Christ are, and remain, the guiding force behind everything the church does. Of course, that means pastors are compelled to preach that those things the Scripture marks as sin are duly, and publicly, noted from their pulpits as SIN. If a church is reluctant to do this, or refuses to do this, then, in my opinion, that church is not a Christian church.

Today, in America, pastors are fearful of preaching the scriptures. They are fearful of pointing out man’s failings, man’s falling short of the mark. They are concerned that they will be dragged into court, and accused of slander or some form of libel because some sinner, as defined by the scriptures, has been offended or even embarrassed. It is a very real threat, especially to the evangelical church in America.

As a result those churches, which hold true to the gospel, now feel that they must consider meeting in secret for Bible classes, for worship services, or other bible centric gatherings.

The fact is, dear reader, America has deteriorated into such an ugly mess, that she has become the kind of country to which early America used to dispatch missionaries of The Gospel.

There is a clear attempt by the government (local, state, and federal) to criminalize biblical preaching and prevent thousands of churches and clergymen from practicing their faith without threat of penalty from our government.

So, yes, the Christian Church, I believe, WILL be driven underground in America, as it has been in other nations around the globe. Otherwise, it will cease to exist in this land many firmly believe was founded by Christians.

As much as it pains me to say this — America is no longer a Christian nation. At least, America’s government no longer governs by men and women who base their convictions on the Judeo-Christian code of laws and beliefs.

And very soon now, I believe, the Supreme Court of the land will be in the hands of socialists, as well, and THAT will be the end of the experiment called “America” — a nation which was to have been governed only by the voice of it’s people and their God.

The wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah could not hold a candle to the wickedness in America today.

If the true Christian church is to survive in America, it MUST go underground.

J. D. Longstreet

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VOTE CONSERVATIVE IN NOVEMBER 2012
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Conservative? Then visit “INSIGHT on Freedom” at http://www.csadispatch.blogspot.com/ Find conservative comment on nearly everything at “INSIGHT on Freedom!”

 

WesternFront America

By Thor H. Asgardson

The Holy Shroud of Turin has been the field of battle in the war between science and religion, with the conflict culminating in the glorious victory for both fields of human endeavor.

Borderlines between science and religion have now officially vanished for those with the perception to see and analyze the scientific data gleaned from the most advanced, exhaustive dissection of a miracle.

The scoffers who chose to question the validity of the Shroud, cannot be blamed for a healthy skepticism, which emulates the independent spirit of Thomas Jefferson, who did not believe in blind faith as a guiding pole star.

“Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.”

Thomas Jefferson

What is this artifact to an incurious mankind, which sees it as yet another “holy relic” foisted onto the human race, as a continuous pattern in a long train of abuses involving fraud, which made religion the opiate of the masses?

This writer sees the Holy Bible as nothing more than Jewish mythology, as much contained therein can only be regarded with suspicion, including the story about sacrificing one’s children to Jehovah, a wrathful tribal god of the Hebrews.

Thomas Jefferson felt that the chapter in the Bible titled “Revelation,” was centered around the stark ravings of a madman.

Perhaps that biblical author spent too much time out in the wilderness eating insect excreta (manna) or subsisting on moldy bread, which would have delivered ergot into his veins, for a nice little LSD trip.

Maybe the author saw a UFO and it blew his mind.

There is the question regarding a document which was written two centuries after the advent of Jesus on earth and in addition, one which was mutilated as a historical document by Emperor Justinian I, of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Many references to reincarnation and the human attributes of Jesus were ripped out of the Bible and destroyed by imperial decree, so that what is left for the perusal of mankind, is a greatly adulterated view, lacking its most salient points. It may have even been rewritten in the sixth century.

The point being made here is that the Bible cannot be taken as the last word in revelation of God’s plan for the human race.

How can any man pontificate on God, for He is Eternity Itself? A few answers must be explored in eternity.

What is the Holy Shroud of Turin, if not the direct Scripture of Revelation, which can satisfy the pragmatism and sophistication of modern man?

Just as the life of a tree may be read through dendrochronology, or the geological record of the Grand Canyon can be read by stratigraphy, so too may be revealed the miracle of the life of Jesus of Nazareth in the folds of His burial cloth.

What does the Shroud of Turin tell mankind?

Simple minds became fascinated by the road bump called C-14 dating, which did nothing more than analyze a piece of patch cloth installed by nuns of Chambery, France in 1534, after a fire which almost destroyed the Shroud in Medieval times.

The patches were made of dyed cotton, to match the ancient patina of the Shroud, which is pure linen.

From this sample, scoffers concluded that the Shroud was a Medieval forgery and thus it was proclaimed across the land that the burial cloth of Jesus, was nothing more than a fraud, based on test results of a tainted sample.

The heavy artillery was brought out by science, in the form of an advanced space age scanner, developed by NASA, which revealed two coins of Roman Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, placed over the eyes of the dead man along with associated grave flowers.

It was also revealed under examination, that the image was in fact three-dimensional, which would make it impossible to have been painted as a two-dimensional image.

These findings were not visible to the naked human eye and had to wait for centuries before they could be seen by mankind.

Grave tags with the dead man’s name, origin and crime were also found revealed in the weave, which too were not visible to the naked eye and revealed the owner of the burial shroud.

Associated evidence also corroborated by science, came in the form of pollen analysis which directly traced the route the cloth is supposed to have taken–according to chronicles–and proved that it did indeed follow the ancient accounts.

What did science find beyond mystery, wonder and the miracle of survival?

Science found itself in the forefront of unwittingly proving the mortal existence of Yeshua ben Joseph and the reality of his crucifixion as the Man of Sorrows and more importantly, the validity of the Resurrection.

Every scientific finding corroborated the kernel of truth–regarding the life of Jesus– still found in the Bible, even after that document had been disheveled down through the centuries.

What did science have to say about how the image was formed?

After all was said and done and every detail of ancient scriptural account was verified by scientific finding, the world of science concluded that the historical artifact defies the laws of physics and the glory revealed cannot be isolated in a test tube.

A scientific discipline which had formerly been grounded in the hard facts of particle physics, developed a new supernatural branch on its tree.

A scientist declared that the Resurrection of Yeshua ben Joseph was indeed now known to science as a historical reality and that the miracle had been explained in scientific jargon as a “horizon event” by particle physicist Dame Isabel Piczek.

The image formed on the Shroud was in fact a form of photography which came on the scene two thousand years before the invention of photography, so that the faithful would be able to see the visage of The One they adored.

Scientists declared the “event horizon” of Jesus’ resurrection, was what they called the “creation of a new universe.”

The final analysis of the Shroud of Turin by scientific experts, with advanced space age technology, came to the conclusion that the image was formed by the dead man, floating in mid air and the grave cloth arranging itself in a flat pattern, so that an unobstructed photograph could be taken for the edification of mankind.

Science pronounced the image was formed by multiple thermonuclear explosions out of every pore of the dead man’s skin.

The Shroud of Turin stands as stark testament to the lack of limits for human potential.

Science has now approached the threshold of an entire new understanding of the laws of physics, as revealed by the Master Physicist.

The Man of Sorrows is the Man of Eternal Joy.

Thor H. Asgardson

 

WesternFront America

King Herod’s existence is not just a historical fact — he has become a horrible footnote to the Christmas story.

Let’s be honest about one of the main characters in the story of Christmas. King Herod is very easy to despise. After all, he tried to kill Jesus when He was just an infant. To ensure this outcome, this wicked man called for a despicable act that was swiftly carried out: he had every baby in the town of Bethlehem murdered. What kind of human being could do such a thing?

Although we may not be as ungodly as Herod, is it possible that there might be a little bit of Herod in all of us? King Herod’s name has become one of the most loathed in history because of the despicable acts he committed against others.

“A cry is heard in Ramah — deep anguish and bitter weeping. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted — for her children are gone.” — Jeremiah 31:15

A climate of fear

Herod the Great is mentioned in the Bible for a reason. The Almighty often places special emphasis in the scriptures on someone who is particularly wicked. In the case of Herod, there are several reasons. Let’s do some biblical investigative research and find out why by taking a further look at the story found in Matthew.

In Matthew 2:1, we read:

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.”

After centuries of disappointments and desperate waiting, the city of Jerusalem felt troubled by an announcement that the Messiah might have arrived alive and well.

You’d have to understand the mindset of Herod to understand his ways. Not only was he known as a man who would order the murder of anyone who posed a threat to his position in the Roman Empire, but his own family members were not immune to his brutal, insidious jealousies. Many paid the ultimate price if Herod suspected they might be plotting to seize his throne.

Anyone or any situation that might be considered a threat to Herod’s power meant fear and stress for the inhabitants of the entire city. It was therefore no surprise that fear and anxiety were felt by the people in the city when the wise men suddenly appeared from the east looking for their Savior.

Conflicting expectations

There was a common misunderstanding at the time regarding the role of the Messiah. It was thought He would come to overthrow the Romans. If that took place, it would mean that the Roman Empire would be gone and King Herod would no longer reign over the people. One could come to the conclusion that a number of the priests and religious leaders were purposefully minimizing the prophecies of the scriptures, because they were frightened and terrified of Herod. It’s not hard to understand why they did not want to come across as looking eager for a Messiah to come.

Many people of that day were aware of the prophecies in the Bible that pointed to Christ’s first advent. History bears this out. If you were one of the religious leaders of that time and alerted the people, you’d become the victim of a jealous, contemptible king.

The day arrived when mysterious strangers came into town announcing the birth of the King of the Jews. Who were these wise men from the east? Christian tradition gives them names — Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. However, scripture doesn’t mention that there were three men, nor does it name them. God’s Word merely mentions the three gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

How did these distant foreigners know that the Messiah had finally arrived? These were men of God who were very familiar with the messianic prophecy given by the prophet Balaam:

I see Him, but not now. I behold him, but not near. A star shall come out of Jacob; a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).

When the wise men saw a new star in the midnight sky, they knew that the King of the Jews had been born. The Bible refers to them as wise men. The original Greek language used the word Magi. It is the name set aside for the highly educated classes of the ancient east. These men were the philosophers and scientists of the ancient world. They were the university professors of their time. Most likely they studied the Hebrew scriptures and those of other world religions.

The nation of Israel had spent 70 years in Babylonian captivity. During that time, Daniel the prophet had been counted among the magi or the wise men of the Babylonian empire. His own startling prophecies of a coming Messiah would actually name dates that were about to take place. Daniel’s visions and prophecies led the wise men to the place of the birth of Jesus Christ hundreds of years later. There is no denying that these wise men were most knowledgeable and excited about the Messiah’s arrival.

Our own complacency

We’re living in the most prosperous country on earth. Americans have access to the Word of God, and yet it appears that many of us are not as excited about Christ as those who live in far-away lands. People in Third-World nations can’t get enough of the story of Jesus. Their desire to follow Him is astounding and touching.

There is a definite contrast between these people and those of us living in the West who have access to God’s Word. We’ve become the thankless generations of people who treat their ministers as if we’re doing them a favor by showing up for church every week. Keeping that thought in mind, it makes me wonder if we are any more spiritually equipped to meet Jesus when He appears at His Second Coming than King Herod was at the first.

Those who were the most chosen of God and had in their possession the prophecies were the ones who ignored them. Instead of becoming the light to the gentiles, they turned away from God’s plan for them. They were positioned to preach the gospel to the entire world.

And just like some Christians today, they wanted all the benefits of being called the people of God, but at the same time they didn’t want Him interfering in their lives. Like the Hebrews of old, many today believe they sit in positions of great favor. Some within the body of Christ or the church feel they possess prestige and power, especially if they belong to a certain denomination or religious order.

Americans have been blessed by having more access to the prophecies of the Bible than any other people. Daily, the Word of God is heard by radio and seen on television, as well as Internet programs. However, here is the question. What if the living Word of the Bible — the Messiah — suddenly stepped into our midst? Are Christians, as well as non-believers, any better prepared today to receive the truth than the ancient city of Jerusalem? Would we be willing to handle the simple demands Christ asks of our lives?

Christians living in America have re-created the Son of God into so many different molds that it’s becoming hard to tell who the real Jesus is. Some envision Christ as a devoted capitalist whose primary objective is to preach the good news of personal wealth and success — while some see Him as a “social justice activist” whose only objective is to overthrow the establishment and free the world’s masses from real and imagined oppressors.

Church and state

It is not my intention to step on anyone’s toes, but there’s something else we can learn from the story of Herod that’s very important. Does the story have anything to teach us when it comes to figuring out where the lines between church and state should be drawn? As I watched Glenn Beck this past week, it hit me when he asked his guest much the same question.

The Word tells us that a lot of the past and present trouble in the world started when people expected our Savior to build a worldly kingdom. While I was re-reading John, Chapter 6, I pondered over the disheartening story in which Jesus explains the purpose of His ministry. When He is done speaking, many of His own disciples walked away. And why did that happen? Christ’s mission did not match their preconceived notions of the Messianic kingdom. Jesus made it abundantly clear that He refused political or governmental powers. The Lord’s main focus was on a kingdom in heaven. When He found Himself in the worldly court of Pilate, the Roman governor, He spoke these words:

“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from here”‘ (John 18:36).

What am I trying to convey?

We know from God’s Word that Christians are not expected to sit on the sidelines — idly standing by while evil prevails — but there’s a fine line we cross when we move from praying, preaching, and personal activism to endorsing political candidates from the pulpit. The progressive denominations have been doing that for decades.

Traditionalists should be able to figure out who is best to serve our country by using our God-given wisdom and the guidance of His Spirit. The Democratic Party is connected to labor unions — the same unions that made violent threats against President Ronald Reagan when he learned that many had been infiltrated by Communists.

Christians must be truthful. Our nation’s morals are deteriorating. Some people want to think of themselves as spiritual, rather than study to be approved and give a reason for one’s faith. There is no question we’ve lost hold of our grip on the moral foundations that once made us strong.
As frustrations build up over our moral decline, it’s easy to lose sight of the biblical role Jesus gave the church. Our job is to lead sinners to the old rugged cross, not to mobilize a voting bloc from our houses of worship.

When pastors slip across the line — from preaching Christ to the lost to promoting candidates prior to election time — well, maybe we need to look at Herod very closely.

The sacred pulpit

Herod ignored the prophecies of the Bible in favor of his own political agenda. He was so intoxicated with his own power that he couldn’t see or think clearly. When the wise men announced the arrival of Jesus, he actually consulted the scriptures in order to plan his next diabolical move:
“And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel” (Matthew 2:4-6).

Herod knew what the Bible taught. Instead of being happy and amazed at how faithfully prophecy had been fulfilled, he was more worried about his own political influence and control. He believed that God’s prophecy had been fulfilled, but he was more concerned with his own earthly gains. He understood the scriptures enough to know that the child from Bethlehem was the long-awaited Messiah. Yet he continued to believe that he could change the course of prophetic history to preserve his own love of power. Herod tried to rob the world by plundering the holy cradle of God’s Son.

Is it possible that today’s Christianity has been acting in a similar manner? Has the Christian pulpit replaced the simple preaching of Christ with its own political ambitions and with a Jesus who fits a special agenda? Has the clear sound of the gospel message been replaced with thinly-veiled political campaigns?

I want to be very clear. I’m not saying Christians shouldn’t run for office or get involved politically. In fact, more Christians should take their civic responsibility much more seriously than they do. Many should think about becoming a participant in running this country. Our voices should be heard — and we should especially pray at this time for our new leadership in the House of Representatives. But at the same time, I would plead with Christians everywhere to keep the pulpit sacred, a place where wise men and wise women can still come and meet with the real Son of God.

Love of God vs. love of the world

Let’s get right down to the nitty-gritty, because here is why we need to be careful. In the book of Revelation, there is a startling prophecy that describes metaphorically what Herod tried to do to Christ:

“Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with a moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth” (Revelation 12:2). The words that follow paint a picture of God’s people described as a woman awaiting the Messiah:

“And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born” (verses 3 and 4).

In verse 9, we’re told in no uncertain terms that the dragon represents the devil waiting to destroy the Son of God the very day He was born. In other words, Herod was motivated by the devil himself. The Word of God identifies the source of this evil as jealous pride. That is why Herod was willing to kill every child in the city. What is so surprising is the next prophecy found in Revelation, beginning with Revelation 13:1-2:

“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns and ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast, which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.”

The prophecy appears to refer to a global political and religious power that seizes control of the civilized world. In the rest of the chapter, God tells us that the whole world wonders after this beast and worships him. This is the only reference found in the Bible that points to a worldwide religious kingdom that exists before the Second Coming of Christ. And it makes it clear that this worldwide kingdom is built by the same dragon that used the Roman Empire and King Herod to try and kill the Son of God. Indeed, that is a very sobering thought!

As Christians, we must admit that we’ve made some terrible mistakes in the past. Historically, people who proclaimed their so-called Christian faith have put countless human beings to death for matters of conscience. If you look at history, you’ll discover that Christians have made a lot of great arguments for doing so. They told themselves that they were torturing and murdering people to save their souls. The Inquisitions will forever be a blight on Christendom and should never be forgotten. They’re a reminder of man’s cruelties to man.

Who held the reins to Herod’s heart, and who held the reins to the church’s heart when so many innocent people were killed? I present to the church that the preaching of Christ would have done more good for the world than the burning of human beings at the stake.

If Christ’s love would have been demonstrated among His people, it would have done more than all the dungeons and stretching racks. The preaching of God’s Holy Word, which for so many years was unavailable to the people, would have been more effective than stealing people’s property and assets, or burning down their houses.

Preach Christ

There’s a remarkable prophecy found in the book of Daniel that predicts the coming of Christ’s kingdom. I want to leave you with just one more thought from that book. It clearly states that the kingdom of Christ is a rock cut out without human hands. And that means neither you nor I will build it — God will, and God does.

As born-again Christians, our vocation is the same as it was 2,000 years ago. We’ve been commissioned by the Lord to preach of Christ and His crucifixion. Our work is to happily prepare a people for the kingdom of heaven, not to build it. And I can’t think of a better way to save our great country for God than to use the pulpits to bring a people to the foot of the cross, because after all, that’s where hearts are really changed.
John Huss was burned at the stake because of his Christian beliefs, which, in light of what the scriptures say, turned out to be the gospel truth. Those who burned him at the stake were convinced that they were doing so for the glory of God. In their own opinion, they were rooting out what they deemed heresy. They also believed that public executions would stop other people from following Huss’ example. The dear man never complained. He accepted his fate and he put his life in God’s hands. Who from this incident will be remembered throughout history? I believe it will be Huss and not the men who took part in killing an innocent man.

Who sparked revival and reformation among God’s people at that time? Was it those who pushed their religious views using man-made laws and traditions, or the one who gave his life for Jesus? Indeed, that’s something to think about!

A final thought at Christmastime

Are you worried about the moral condition of the country? I am. Pray for solutions in the places where God has already given them. As we look at our nation, we see hearts failing. (See Luke 21:25-27, and Isaiah 13:6-11.) Our country isn’t the same place it was just a generation ago. And too many of our people have become, it seems, desperately wicked. All we need to do is get up each morning and hear the news of the day. It’s enough to make one tremble with righteous indignation and fear.

Many long to see a holy revival finally come to fruition. We desire to see friends and family members come to know their Heavenly Father and be saved.

And in spite of King Herod and this unusual Christmas story, it’s a very special time of year. As Christmas rapidly approaches, once again we look toward the heavenly and welcome the Star of Bethlehem.

Come let us adore Him

Selected Music: YouTube — Hark the herald angels sing
Sign the Pledge for America’s Revival — and invite others to do the same

© Marie Jon

 

WesternFront America

By Bill Warner

One of the most frequently used arguments heard in the defense of Islam is that the Bible is just as violent as the Koran. The logic goes like this. If the Koran is no more violent than the Bible, then why should we worry about Islam? This argument is that Islam is the same as Christianity and Judaism. This is false, but this analogy is very popular, since it allows someone who knows nothing about the actual doctrine of Islam to talk about it. “See, Islam is like Christianity, Christians are just as violent as Muslims.” If this is true, then you don’t have to learn anything about the actual Islamic doctrine.

However, this is not a theological argument. It is a political one. This argument is not about what goes on in a house of worship, but what goes on the in the marketplace of ideas.

Now, is the doctrine of Islam more violent than the Bible? There is only one way to prove or disprove the comparison and that is to measure the differences in violence in the Koran and the Bible.

The first item is to define violence. The only violence that matters to someone outside of either Islam or Christianity or Judaism is what they do to the “other”, political violence. Cain killing Abel is not political violence. Political violence is not killing a lamb for a meal or making an animal sacrifice. Note, however, a vegan or a PETA member considers both of these actions to be violent, but it is not violence against them.

The next item is to compare the doctrines both quantitatively and qualitatively. The political violence of the Koran is called “fighting in Allah’s cause”, or jihad.

We must do more than measure the jihad in the Koran. Islam has three sacred texts: Koran, Sira and Hadith, the Islamic Trilogy. The Sira is Mohammed’s biography. The Hadith are his traditions—what he did and said. Sira and Hadith form the Sunna, the perfect pattern of all Islamic behavior.

The Koran is the smallest of the three books, the Trilogy. It is only 16% of the Trilogy text . This means that the Sunna is 84% of the word content of Islam’s sacred texts. This statistic alone has large implications. Most of the Islamic doctrine is about Mohammed, not Allah. The Koran says 91 different times that Mohammed is the perfect pattern of life. It is much more important to know Mohammed than the Koran. This is very good news. It is easy to understand a biography about a man. To know Islam, know Mohammed.

It turns out that jihad occurs in large proportion in all three texts. Here is a chart about the results:

It is very significant that the Sira devotes 67% of its text to jihad. Mohammed averaged an event of violence every 6 weeks for the last 9 years of his life. Jihad was what made Mohammed successful. Here is a chart of the growth of Islam.

Basically, when Mohammed was a preacher of religion, Islam grew at the rate of 10 new Muslims per year. But when he turned to jihad, Islam grew at an average rate of 10,000 per year. All of the details of how to wage jihad are recorded in great detail. The Koran gives the great vision of jihad—world conquest by the political process. The Sira is a strategic manual and the Hadith is a tactical manual of jihad.

Now let’s go to the Hebrew Bible. When we count all of the political violence, we find that 5.6% of the text is devoted to it. There is no admonition towards political violence in the New Testament.

When we count the magnitude of words devoted to political violence, we have 327,547 words in the Trilogy and 34,039 words in the Hebrew Bible . The Trilogy has 9.6 times as much wordage devoted to political violence as the Hebrew Bible.

The real problem goes far beyond the quantitative measurement of ten times as much violent material; there is the qualitative measurement. The political violence of the Koran is eternal and universal. The political violence of the Bible was for that particular historical time and place. This is the vast difference between Islam and other ideologies. The violence remains a constant threat to all non-Islamic cultures, now and into the future. Islam is not analogous to Christianity and Judaism in any practical way. Beyond the one-god doctrine, Islam is unique unto itself.

Another measurement of the difference between the violence found in the Judeo/Christian texts as opposed to that of Islam is found in the use of fear of violence against artists, critics and intellectuals. What artist, critic or intellectual ever feels a twinge of fear if condemning anything Christian or Jewish? However, look at the examples of the violent political threats and murders of Salman Rushdie, Theo van Gogh, Pim Fortuyn, Kurt Westergaard of the Danish Mohammed cartoons, and many others. What artist, critic or intellectual has not had a twinge of fear about Islam when it comes to free expression? The political difference in the response to the two different doctrines is enormous. The political fruit from the two trees is as different as night and day.

It is time for so-called intellectuals to get down to the basics of judging Islam by its actual doctrine, not making lame analogies that are sophomoric assertions. Fact-based reasoning should replace fantasies that are based upon political correctness and multiculturalism.

Bill Warner,
Director, Center for the Study of Political Islam
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politicalislam.com

 

WesternFront America

By: Deshpal Sandhu

*** Please note that these articles provide a Biblical perspective on the idea of the ‘Matrix’ as an alternate reality, an idea that has gone mainstream as a result of the Matrix movie trilogy. This will be a multi part series based strictly on the first movie titled ‘The Matrix’.

Click on this link to watch the Red pill / Blue pill ‘What is the Matrix’ clip.

The Matrix movie trilogy was a major box office success, especially the first one in the series simply titled The Matrix. The following brief description of the movie is from Wikipedia: The film describes a future in which reality as perceived by humans is actually the Matrix: a simulated reality created by sentient machines to pacify and subdue the human population, while their bodies’ heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source. Upon learning this, computer programmer “Neo” is drawn into a rebellion against the machines, involving other people who have been freed from the “dream world” and into reality.

As described above the premise of the movie is that the majority of the population lives in a dream world, a world that exists only in their minds not in reality. This simulated reality that the people lived inside of, and believed to be the real world is explained as follows: Simulated reality is the proposition that reality could be simulated—perhaps by computer simulation—to a degree indistinguishable from “true” reality. It could contain conscious minds which may or may not be fully aware that they are living inside a simulation. In its strongest form, the “simulation hypothesis” claims it is entirely possible and even probable that we are living in a simulated reality.

In the movie the simulated reality is accomplished by interfacing the human brain with a computer. This idea has also been explored in other movies such as the recent blockbuster ‘Avatar’ (click to read my review), and ‘Surrogates’ featuring Bruce Willis.

The idea of the human brain being able to receive input from external sources and becoming so wrapped up in the ‘reality’ created for it that it actually believes the simulated reality to be actual reality and acts accordingly is no longer the realm of science – fiction but has become reality in a major way this past decade. In the movie sentient machines, literally machines with intelligence and senses, created the computer programs that the human brain was interfaced with, and which led people to believe that they were living active lives even while they were immobile inside a pod, literally chained in a dungeon like environment. The idea of the visible world being a world of illusion, a simulated reality is not just the domain of science or science – fiction but also that of religion and philosophy. In Hinduism the philosophy of ‘MAYA’ or illusion plays a central role. Perceived physical reality is considered to be an illusion that hides transcendent truth that may only be seen once the veil of Maya or illusion has been rent.

Sages and seers, ancient and modern day ones such as Timothy Leary have attempted to penetrate the veil that hides the invisible dimension through the use of hallucinogenic drugs. Shamanism of the Americas and similar tribal cultures in Africa, Asia and Australia also are proponents of ‘altered states of reality’ through the use of hallucinogenics such as peyote. Carlos Castaneda, a Peruvian born American wrote a series of books that promoted the idea of accessing realities beyond the everyday mundane existence through the use of traditional shaman hallucinogenic herbs such as weed (marijuana) and magic mushrooms. The idea that these religious philosophers promote is similar to the central theme of the movie, The Matrix that there is a world hidden from general view that is the real world as opposed to the dream world that people live in, and believe to be real. The idea of enlightenment or illumination is common to all religions, and the intent is to arrive at an understanding of the invisible through meditation and / or use of drugs. The problem with the methods employed by the sages, ancient and modern such as Carlos Castaneda is that how does one really know that that which they witness when in an altered state is also not an illusion? How can one be sure that it is not just another dream within the dream? The question of ‘What is Reality’ becomes a central one when pursuing this line of thought, of dimensional realities, what is the real dimension, and how can we be sure that it is real? This series is an attempt to answer these questions in a logical and reasonable manner, without having to rely upon hallucinogenic drugs or other activities such as TM, which is just another method of inducing an altered state. Nevertheless the idea of a Matrix like illusory world hiding the real world is inherent to all religions including Biblical Christianity, a concept that we will study in much greater detail to come to an understanding of the ‘REAL WORLD’.

The Matrix explained according to the movie

In the movie Morpheus, who is Neo’s mentor explains the nature of reality to him through dialogues such as the following:

· “What is “real”?

· How do you define “real”?”

· “Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream, Neo? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world? ”

· “If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then ‘real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”

This last dialogue that defines reality as ‘electrical signals interpreted by the brain’ is the basis for the understanding of The Matrix. If reality is merely a matter of perception then any person or computer that can transmit signals into the brain can fool it into believing in a ‘reality’ that is unreal. In the movie, this was accomplished by wiring the humans to a computer. However with the advent of wireless technologies, we can now understand that a person does not need to be ‘wired’ directly to the external source to receive signals, it can be done wirelessly. Surgical experimentation has proven that the brain can be fooled into experiencing sensations merely by manipulating parts of the cerebral cortex. If signals can therefore be transmitted to the appropriate area of the brain, wirelessly, how could the brain tell whether the stimulus was real or not? The answer is that it cannot, and therefore the idea of a technologically generated Matrix is a scientific one.

If there are signals being transmitted into our brains from an external source, what is that source, and what is the purpose for which they have created this Matrix, this Maya, this world of illusion?

In the movie Morpheus explains the Matrix to Neo in the following dialogue:

“The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you’re inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it.”

So what is the Matrix according to the movie?

· It’s the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth!

Essentially The Matrix was a computer generated world that had no basis in physical reality but was very real for the people who were interfaced with the computer that created this world. All the sensory data came from the computer and was interpreted by their brains as ‘real’, and therefore The Matrix became their reality. The idea is comparable to characters in a video game being programmed to think that they are ‘sentient’ and real; not being aware that their world is a computer generated one, whose reality is determined by the programmers not by themselves.

The reason for the machines with AI, artificial intelligence, to create The Matrix was to keep people sedated, unaware that they only existed to provide energy for the machines. When they expired physically they were liquefied and fed to the living humans who were similarly kept in a pod generating electricity for the machines. This is a very weak explanation for the existence of The Matrix in an otherwise intelligent movie. Any technology advanced enough to have intelligence and to be able to create The Matrix world could surely find much greater sources of energy with far less effort.

Since its release the movie has generated much dialogue and theorising that our world itself is a Matrix, that what we perceive to be reality is in reality an illusion. As mentioned previously in the article, as a religious philosophy this idea dates back thousands of years, so the moviemakers cannot be credited with originating the idea, just making it mainstream. The idea of visible and invisible worlds and dimensions is also to be found in The Bible. For example in Colossians 1 v 16 we read: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible… The idea of a veil that separates the visible dimension from the invisible one is also a Biblical doctrine.

Isaiah 25 v 7: And he will destroy in this mountain (Mount Zion) the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.

The Bible tells us in the Old Testament book of Isaiah that all people and nations have a covering and a veil upon them that influences their perception of reality. What people believe to be the truth is far from the truth. Incidentally the movie, The Matrix borrowed heavily from the Bible without crediting it in any way. Since most people are ignorant of what is in the Bible, basing their view of it on second and third hand information, they cannot possibly see that the movie story is a Hollywood retelling of many major doctrines of the Bible such as the existence of the invisible world, and of the need for a Messiah, a Saviour without whom unplugging from the Matrix is an impossibility. Even naming of the city of the ‘free’ humans as Zion has been borrowed from the Bible, although in an inverted manner, because unlike the movie where the city of Zion is below, in the Bible the city of Zion is above, in the heavenly realms not inside the earth.

Hebrews 12 v 22: But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…

I want to conclude this segment that the Bible concurs that there is indeed a Matrix like deception that pervades our world and prevents people from seeing the truth. Morpheus informed Neo in the movie that ‘the Matrix is everywhere, and this idea is supported by the Bible, a network of evil energies envelops our world like a cocoon. The Bible also explains how this Matrix is generated, and why, and how we can be made free to see the REAL WORLD.

2 Corinthians 4 v 3: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not (PLUGGED THEM INTO THE MATRIX), lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Deshpal Sandhu is a student of the Bible for close to 30 years now, the King James Bible that is, and also an ardent student of ancient history, mythology, legends and myths. His primary focus of interest is ‘Creation and Origins – Before Time into Eternity.’ Years of Biblical understanding allow for him to write with keen accuracy about the prophetic Signs of the End as pertaining to the times we live in.  He is a new columnist for Ether Zone.

Deshpal Sandhu can be reached at: alex@signsoftheend.net

He invites you to visit his websites at: http://apocalypse2010.blogspot.com/ and http://www.signsoftheend.net/index.html

“Published originally at EtherZone.com : republication allowed with this notice and hyperlink intact.”

 

WesternFront America

…that is faithful, true, and enduring.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

At one point in my grandfather’s young life, he found himself to be a very unhappy man. He became angrier and angrier with every passing day. He knew he had a problem, but he wasn’t about to admit it to his wife and children. Grandpa would often say that he was misunderstood by others, including his own family. Instead of seeking guidance, he made them pay the price for his pent-up frustrations.

Too often he took his anger out on his family by becoming verbally abusive behind closed doors. And then, when it was over, he would leave the house in a huff, while hanging his head in shame over the fact that he had just treated his defenseless brood so badly. Within his heart, he knew he was wrong.

With tears stinging his eyes, he would walk down the street whispering to himself a promise to never do that again. He would assure my grandmother that he really meant it. But just a week later, after a tough long day at work, he would do it again. And at times he would break furniture into pieces while shouting at the top of his voice. He frightened his entire family, who cowered in their bedrooms.

These escalating acts were repeated just like a time-bomb ticking. He yelled at his wife and snapped at his kids without provocation, again and again. It was those outside forces that annoyed him. Unfortunately, this young father and husband had not learned not to bring destructive emotions through the door of his own home.

A changed heart

Thankfully, grandfather’s life changed and there was happiness after all. For you see, grandfather made a promise to God to follow Him. And by grace, he allowed Christ to have His way. He literally became the father that my dad longed for. And to God’s glory, grandfather became one of the major reasons why my own father gave his own life to the Lord. His father’s transformation was a tremendous witness to attest to what Christ can do when you’re willing to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Because of my young age, I never experienced the out-of-control and angry side of “papa.” He was, to me, a happy, kind, smiling face who sang with the church choir. Those are the memories I’m privileged to have whenever I think of him. He died a little over two years ago with his loving family by his side.

The truth is that no matter what your personal circumstances are, when the human spirit yields itself to God, His love can bring about changes because He is faithful. It’s my personal opinion that folks can’t truly alter their lives without a commitment to a loving God. The Bible describes this as having a born-again experience:

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Man is sinful and separated from God, yet He still loves us. Being apart from God makes it impossible for people to keep promises to themselves and put a stop to doing things they know are destructive behavior. But by the grace of God, they can overcome their sinful nature.

“When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible” (Matt. 19:25-26).

Willpower not enough

To this very day, America is still fighting a war against terrorism. I can’t help but think of the tremendous increase in church attendance shortly after the World Trade Center collapsed in 2001. Stunned and very frightened, people suddenly became determined to be on good footing with the Almighty God.

Prominent pastors became enthusiastic because an act of terrorism promised to precipitate a major spiritual revival in America. Unfortunately, it took only two short months and it was over. Church attendance went right back down to where it was before the horrific attack took place.

It’s regrettable that this revival only lasted a couple of months. Didn’t the people who suddenly went back to church actually mean to return to matters of faith and take it seriously? They had the perfect opportunity to experience a renewal and make a positive impact on society, while bolstering morality which is floundering in our country today. I am convinced, for the most part, that they did, at least for the time being. It’s evident, however, that fear was not enough of a motivator to keep their religious faith intact, it was enough only to bring them to church temporarily. When the planes stopped crashing into buildings, life just simply went back to the mundane. People quickly forgot all their promises and went back to the way things were.

We can spend a lot of time deciphering the self-sufficient will of human beings who do a lot of talking about willpower and the strength of sheer determination. Apply those topics to arenas in the world of business, careers, or politics, and there is something to be said for that. We live in a country where we can become as successful as the next person. However, in the world of faith, sheer willpower simply isn’t enough, because most temptations are bigger than the willpower we can muster up all by ourselves.

Broken promises

While reading through my Bible, I’m reminded about the Israelites. In the Book of Exodus, they had just been delivered from Egyptian slavery. God’s “Promised People” had seen the hand of God part the Red Sea and drown the Egyptians. They witnessed the fiery presence of God come down on the top of Mount Sinai. As they were privileged to watch the spectacular wonder of the moment, they made a solemn promise to God. Moses spoke with God, and then gave a report to the Israelites:

“And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord had commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, ‘All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.’ And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord” (Exodus 19:7, 8).

The Israelites made a promise to God, and they believed it was an easy promise to make after following God’s presence out into the desert. They repeatedly made the same promise after Moses had received the Ten Commandments:

“And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ‘All the words which the Lord hath said will we do’” (Exodus 24:3).

They repeated the same promise again a couple of verses later:

“And Moses took the book of the covenant, and read it before the people, and they said, ‘All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient’” (Exodus 24:7).

When the Israelites made these promises they were sincere. Unfortunately, the rest of the Book of Exodus and the Bible exposes the sad record of God’s people repeatedly breaking their promises to the Lord. They found themselves doing the very things they had promised God they would never do again.

The problem is not just sin, but ‘sinfulness’

I believe that God’s people today mean it when they promise to stop committing certain sins. They just don’t have what it takes to keep their promises. There has to be a real personal relationship with the Lord. When you love God, you want to please Him.

The Word describes sin as the transgression of God’s moral law: “And the problem of sin runs very deep. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

But sin is not just something we do. It’s also something we allow to enter into our lives. God could have solved the whole problem by just removing the laws we were breaking. Yet, intuitively, we know there’s more to it than that. Our sins separate us from God. The Scriptures say that we are powerless to change our sinful ways by ourselves:

Isaiah wrote, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).

The prophet Jeremiah expounds on the subject plainly: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil” (Jeremiah 13:23).

God says that you can no more change your sinful nature than you can change the color of your skin. If transgression were just a matter of breaking the rules, all you would have to do is stop breaking them. Can you do that?

But there is something about the human heart that has been changed by the nature of sin. Unless regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians will continually find themselves helpless to live the life they know they should live to glorify their Savior. They will not be able to witness to others and draw others close to them. The work of the Great Commission will be difficult to complete —

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:16-20).

A faithful heart

It’s obvious that too many Christians suffer from a heart problem. So get out there and flex your spiritual muscle, and with God’s help begin to change your ways.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Breaking God’s law is sin. Acting out and being disobedient has trickled down into the very essence of our being. Everything we do is infected by it. Even the good things we do, according to the Bible are sullied:

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).

Without a spiritual rebirth, even with all the good we do, our works are like filthy rags. Sin will have sway over us. Mankind’s thought processes have been perverted. Sin has altered our misguided priorities. Most importantly, it has taken our focus off “The Great I Am” and put it squarely on ourselves.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Our own weakness explains why we sometimes find ourselves unable to walk away from sinful habits. We know that smoking cigarettes can cause cancer. Yet we often refuse to take personal responsibility and break free from a psychological habit. We know that bad temper can ruin our family, but we can’t seem to close the lid on our fuse. We know that our lying, gossiping mouth is doing untold damage to others. Yet many will not have that conversation with the Lord and ask Him to help them change.

Not alone

Take solace in the fact that you are not alone and that everybody struggles with something. You have never experienced a temptation that somebody else hasn’t felt:

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Whatever you’re going through, others have walked that same path. Let me share with you a little secret. The most recognized persons in the Bible have struggled with the same temptations you struggle with.

Most of the disciples proved to be faulty in one way or another because they were human, despite being saved by the blood of their Savor. Did you know that Moses had an extremely hot temper? David certainly struggled with a lust problem. And Abraham lied about his wife to save his own skin. Peter struggled with taking a stand in public acknowledging his discipleship. He denied his Lord three times. Noah had a problem with alcohol.

The Bible is full of people just like you and me. It’s amazing that throughout His Word, God refused to abandon suffering people. If you are willing to be used by God, and willing to let Him make the changes in your life, you’ll be astonished at how He can turn things around.

Real hope and change
As we strive to remove a Marxist progressive agenda that now plagues our country, we must understand the game plan: If “We the People” are not willing to return to the God of our forefathers, there will be little or no chance to do what we desire to accomplish.
America’s beginnings where ushered in by men of faith who embraced the fact that mankind received their inalienable rights from our Creator God.

Patriots, it’s time to dust off your Bibles and put your emphasis on the Word of God. Let us never forget that God established the greatest nation in the world. When we think of freedom, remember that it is The Almighty who has given us the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What America needs is a change of heart that is faithful, true, and enduring.

My grandfather’s favorite hymn: I Come To The Garden Alone — George Beverly Shea

RenewAmerica.com encourages grassroots movements that are based on Godly principles. The site has a clarion call for a Spiritual Renewal.

Feel free to study: America’s Documents

Introduction

When the Founders laid the groundwork for our republic, they stated in the final words of the Declaration of Independence:

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor. (emphasis added)

In the spirit of the above words from the Declaration, we invite all to join us in a “Pledge for America’s Revival.” Those who sign the Pledge commit to stand with likeminded patriots in advancing America’s God-centered revival, upon the principles of our nation’s founding.

Prayerfully consider the words of the Pledge. If our country is to survive in liberty, it needs citizens who understand their vocation as participants in the political process — not merely spectators. We are counting on you to make a difference, of your own initiative, in preserving our republic.

If you are prepared to commit in good faith and with a heart for God’s will — and find others equally committed — America’s Revival will grow into a mighty grassroots reality, capable of helping to restore America’s allegiance to God, and the connection between our liberties and our respect for His authority as our Creator.

Upon this depends the future of our republic!

The pledge

In viewing the needs of America against the backdrop of current destructive trends, and seeing an urgent duty to “make a difference” by my own individual voice and activism in the cause of preserving our nation —

I HEREBY ANNOUNCE my support for the purposes of America’s Revival, purposes that center in the values and traditions that define America itself — beginning with the need to acknowledge the authority of God in all areas of American life, including the political arena.

I UNDERSTAND that the purposes of America’s Revival include:

• Teaching and promoting the self-evident truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.
• Upholding the requirements, guarantees, and protections of the Constitution of the United States.
• Preserving and defending the vital moral foundations of our republic — including the sanctity of life; the God-ordained family; the free exercise of religion in both public and private life; and the divinely-appointed equal rights of every individual.
• Encouraging God-fearing Americans to recommit to living in harmony with the will of God — yielding their hearts completely to Him and trusting in Him in all things. (See Jer. 31:33-34 and Prov. 3:5-6.)
• Doing whatever else might be properly included in the obligations and responsibilities of American citizenship, in accordance with true principles and the requirements of self-governance.

I THEREFORE PLEDGE to stand with likeminded Americans in advancing this cause — and pledge to do my best to find and encourage others who are willing to make and keep the same pledge. I also pledge, as did our Founders, to commit my resources to assist worthy patriotic causes, according to my individual ability and circumstances.

FINALLY, I pledge to give my best effort in all other needful, exemplary ways as God may guide me — for the cause of America’s Revival and for God, who is my witness.

Sign the pledge

© Marie Jon

 

WesternFront America

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” — 2 Peter 3:9

Just the other day, Noah’s ark was once again in the news. People are interested. Many wonder if the ark is a reality. And in every Sunday School class, little ones see a familiar picture of a boat. It’s filled with animals and has a rainbow in the sky above it. And of course, that boat is Noah’s ark. However, has anyone given thought that when the picture was hung upon the wall, it represented a prophetic warning for the last days?

Today you can go online, pay a small fee, and look at your ancestral tree. Also, you can spend a few hundred bucks to figure out, with great accuracy, your ethnic heritage. If you’ve wondered if you have French or Italian blood coursing through your veins, a simple, inexpensive lab test will figure that out for you. If your ancestors originally came from Africa, it can be proven. There are genetic indicators passed on through our DNA. Those blood markers can be compared to the entire migration patterns all over the world. If you’re curious enough, all you have to do is compare your own DNA with the different tribes around the world and you’ll be able to find out where your personal family tree came from.

This whole interesting process is made possible through discoveries by geneticists, statisticians, and historians. They have come to the conclusion that we all come from one common ancestor. Genetic scientists who have studied this phenomenon believe that human beings in some form have been around for millions of years. What is amazing is that they have reached the conclusion that only a few thousand years separate all of us from “one” common human ancestor.

The first and the last

A man named Steve Olson wrote the book Mapping Human History. It is used as a tool to help statisticians determine that you would only have to go back in time about two to five thousand years to find the one individual ancestor responsible for every single human being alive today.
We all have two parents, four grandparents, and eight great-grandparents. The family tree is built upon a list of thousands of connecting ancestors. The fact is, there weren’t very many people actually living on the planet a few thousand years ago.

Even though many people find this information astounding when they consider the remarkable diversity of people who live on this earth, it’s a given that the very same information could have been figured out within the pages of the Bible.

The Apostle Paul explains to the church in the Book of Acts that God made all nations from one blood, and if you check the genealogies listed in the Bible, you’ll discover it’s true. For all you doubting Thomases, it’s a foregone conclusion that the entire human race brings us to the one man whom God named Adam.

The last person we know of that we all have in common is Noah, because he was the only one of his generation to survive the flood. Noah is the beginning point for all of us. He also represents the finish line of human history. The Word uses his story to illustrate what we should expect in earth’s final moments.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives His famous list of last-day signs. He mentions Noah in the 37th verse:

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:37-39).

Within the Holy Scriptures, Noah receives an honorable mention in last-day prophecy. His name is mentioned again in the letters of Peter, where a direct comparison is made between a last-day judgment and the days of Noah:

“For God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked” (2 Peter 2:4-7).

The Bible is clear. The life of Noah is not a fantasy bedtime story merely to be read to our little ones. It is adult reading and is timely. The biblical warning is for us all. God chose this particular story to prepare us for last-day events. You’ll find the details are compelling and extremely important. The story unfolds in the beginning verses of Genesis:

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart” (Genesis 6:5-6).

The fall — and a way of escape

How did man’s perfectly-crafted mind become so depraved that the creator God can’t stand to listen in on humanity’s evil thoughts? It began when Adam rebelled against God. The Lord created the very first man with tender loving care, yet how quickly the whole human race tumbled down into the miserable depths of sin. From Adam’s day forward, mankind only became worse. His heart full of pain, God said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth — men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air — for I am grieved that I have made them” (Genesis 6:5-7).

Christ is love, in spite of His many frustrations. The Lord of all didn’t throw His hands in the air and turn away from us. The Scripture reveals God’s intervention to set things right. Remember always, even through the hardest of times, that He understands what He is doing. The Lord is preparing a way of escape for His children. You’ll find this amazing pattern throughout the entire Bible.

Do not make the mistake of blaming God for what has taken place in the past. It was not the Almighty who began the problem of sin. He made us faultless and placed us in a perfect environment. The Lord gave us every advantage. To this day, the Father knocks at the door of every human heart and stands firm ready to fix the mess we find ourselves in.

Noah was a sinner, yet the Word makes it clear that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And that is why God spared him:

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is his genealogy. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:8-9).

Jesus: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”

The story of Noah is one of the most exciting in the Bible. The following verses tell us that the world was filled with vile hatred, corruption, and uncontrollable violence. God ascertained the full situation and found one man whose heart still belonged to Him. The last book of the Bible reveals a treasure trove. An angel shouts his message to the whole world. The Bible is always relevant for the times in which we live, so dust it off and study it:

“And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her delicacies” (Revelation 18:2-3).

It is becoming obvious, even to those who are not of the Christian faith, that things are disintegrating. They are sensing that the world is likely nearing the last days. We are living in perilous and dangerous times of monumental proportions. Man does not possess the wisdom to solve these enormous problems.

As the time nears, things will become so bad that this earth will be described as the dwelling place of demons. Yet Christ’s loving eyes will continue to sweep across a fallen planet. The Lord seeks a people whose hearts still belong to Him:

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues’” (Revelation 18:4).

God’s perfect plan was never to destroy what He had created. He gave His own Son to restore it. As the world slips deeper into the depths of its helplessness, the voice of God is still speaking to human hearts. He pleads with them to turn their lives around with His love and grace before it’s too late.

The clock is ticking. The flood metaphorically is coming. The Great I Am is listening carefully. Please lay claim to His still small voice and give Him everything. Faith is not a once-a-week social gathering. Live it every day.

“I will heal their land”

There is no doubt about it, folks are feeling a profound sense of discomfort when they look at the direction in which America and the rest of the world are headed. Their hearts are longing for something better. However, man cannot do anything on his own that God will accept.

When man moves forward to do things that are “outside the will” of God, there is no blessing coming from on High. Within our walk with God, as well as in the world of politics, we cannot make moral compromises that are in direct opposition to the teachings of the Lord. Belief in His Word is what has made our country stand a cut above all other nations. When we impiously make unwise concessions, our efforts become null and void and counterproductive. The Lord turns away from man’s willful arrogance.

America was set apart as a blessed nation. Our forefathers put Him first when they wrote our nation’s Constitution. RenewAmerica and other God-centered voices today present us with another Clarion call. God impels people to action. He asks them to do something.

It’s time to put Him first as we pray for America. Without a spiritual renewal, God will no longer intervene. He will, in mercy, hold back the “four winds of strife” until He comes.

Let us not be too prideful when we see some gains. We’ve just begun the justifiable battle to take our country back. Now is the time to approach the Lord with humility. When Americans are not willing to fall upon their knees, we will see tyranny continue to raise its ugly head. Privately and as a nation, we must seek Him.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14

Related Reading:
We all have the same ancestors, researchers say
Democrats seek back footing after epic Mass. loss
Song of Praise: Casting Crowns — If We’ve Ever Needed You

Let’s roll up our sleeves and do our part to make a difference!

RenewAmerica staff

As our country continues to be systematically dismantled by the Marxist designs and deceptions of Barack Obama and his fellow conspirators, thoughtful Americans will continue to seek ways to turn back the destruction, so their posterity might still enjoy the same blessings of liberty they themselves enjoy.

These patriots ask: What can I as a dedicated citizen personally do to make a difference in taking back our country?

We at RenewAmerica believe that the most important thing a concerned citizen can do to save our country is to live worthy of God’s intervention — for without that intervention in our time, just as our Founders witnessed in their time, our country cannot survive the dangers and evils that confront it.

That’s why RenewAmerica sponsors a simple activist effort called “America’s Revival” (go to americasrevival.com). America’s Revival is intended to get to the very heart of what matters to our nation’s future: recommitment to honoring, obeying, and respecting the will of God, in all aspects of American life.

If you haven’t done so, take a look at the Pledge for America’s Revival and consider signing it as a way of showing your commitment to this vital goal — and then roll up your sleeves and get involved in the movement to take back our country, as you understand God’s will for you individually.

That’s the kind of thing all of us can do to help make a difference. Please give it some thought.

And don’t forget to check out America’s Revival’s new Facebook page.

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. — Isaiah 40:31

© Marie Jon

 

WesternFront America

The latest story making the rounds of the liberal press is the news that Trijicon, a civilian manufacturer of optical sights based in Wixom, Michigan, have for sometime imprinted Bible reference codes at the ends of their device serial numbers.  In the above photograph you should be able to make out JN8:12 at the end of a longer number.   That would signify John chapter 8 verse 12 to any alert Christian.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.   Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Other verses that have been reported imprinted on the Trijicon sights include the following:

2PE1:19;  “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in you hearts.”  2nd Peter 1:19

2COR4:6; “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of the darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  2nd Corinthians 4:6

Note that all of these Biblical quotations speak about “the light” which is pretty clever considering that Trijicon produces both thermal and light enhancing optical sights that increase target acquisition and hit probability in low light conditions.

The story first broke in the mains stream press at ABC news in a on line article dated January 18, 2010, “U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret ‘Jesus’  Bible Codes“.    The original story showed up first at a blog dedicated to shooting, Accurate Shooter, in a short blurb with photos entitled, “Trijicon’s Subtle Christian Messages“.   Who say liberals don’t enjoy shooting sports?  Whoever let the cat out of the bag must have been a follower of Accurate Shooter.  Most good Christian’s, who would have been the ones most likely to spot the inscribed Bible passages, would probably have felt fortunate to have the word of God imprinted on their sight and have clearly kept this knowledge pretty quiet or it would have come out years ago.  (Accurate shooter is a pretty good shooting blog by the way and I am glad to find it.)   Anyway this whole encoded bible message thing begs the question is it a good thing or a bad thing to have your weapon’s optical sight sanctified with  references to Biblical quotations?

I myself consider myself something of a militant Christian and would personally be comforted to have a sight with one of these Bible codes inscribed on it.   Other Christians, atheist, and believers of other religions would probably be horrified that a weapon of war is marked such.   This of course is an echo of the culture war, which by the way the Christians pretty much lost in America decades ago, as to the very nature of our United States.  President Obama has certainly let everyone know in no uncertain terms that the USA is no longer a Christian Euro-centric nation.   Thanks to the 1965 Immigration Act and our governments complete refusal to enforce our borders we will never be a majority white Christian nation ever again.

One thing I can tell you with certainty, regardless of my personal feelings, is that it is a very bad thing for the US military to have allowed these hidden Bible citations to be inscribed on any of their equipment.   Like it or not the United States is riding a tiger trying to maintain order across the planet.   Our military men and women are stationed in over 130 countries and only a few dozen of these countries are majority Christian.   Our Islamic enemies already recruit foot soldiers and appeal to popular opinion by portraying the US involvement in the Middle East as a Christian Crusade against all Muslims.   The knowledge now that the sights our Marines use to make kill shots to the heads of our Muslim opponents at ranges of 300 meters and better will certainly be used by our enemies to further inflame the populations of the countries we are occupying against us.   This latest revelation will without a doubt cause the deaths and injuries of more of our troops.

Also it must be taken into consideration that we are probably equipping some of our Muslim allies with these sights which is an incredibly stupid thing to do.  The spark that set off the great Indian Mutiny of 1857 that caused the deaths of thousands of British colonialist and their allies was the issuance of greased cartridges that the Indian troopers had to bite the ends off of to allow the gunpowder and bullet in the paper cartridge to be loaded in their guns.  As with any colonial enterprise there were many other issues behind the greater mutiny but the enemies of the British colonial regime were quick to see the propaganda value of the greased cartridges.

The enemies of the British told the Muslim soldiers that the paper cartridges were greased with lard made of pig fat.   The Hindus soldiers were told that the cartridges were greased with tallow or beef fat.  Early incidents were reportedly started by unidentified Indian laborers who were taunting soldiers that by biting the cartridges they were losing their caste and defiling themselves.  These “laborers” were probably “agents provocateur” of the conspirators who were attempting to ignite a rebellion.

The British claimed at first that the cartridges were greased with vegetable oil and later tried to issue ungreased cartridges with the instructions that the Indian soldiers could grease them with whatever substance they found suitable.  Their very willingness to change to ungreased cartridges seemed to the Sepoys to be confirmation that their fears of “polluted” cartridges were true.   The government’s reaction was too little too late and soon they found that the very colonial troops on whom they depended to enforce their rule over the Indian sub-continent were in armed revolt against them.   Ironically the new cartridges for a newly issued rifle, the Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle, made locally at the Dum Dum arsenal near Calcutta had not even been issued yet.

How prevalent are these sights?  Currently Trijicon’s largest single contract with the U.S. military is a $660 million dollar contract with the US Marine Corps to produce 800,000 optical sights.  Trijicon also has some smaller contracts to produce thermal sights for Navy weapons systems.   How many there are actually out there is almost immaterial as at this point much of the damage has already been done.  Even the rumor if it were completely untrue would be enough to give the Islamists new ammunition to use to stir up hatred, dissent and violence against our military forces.  Trijicon was dishonest to mark these Bible citations at the ends of their device identification numbers and their contract with the military should be canceled and they should also be fined.

One of the first general orders to all of our military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan is that there is to be absolutely no proselytizing of any religion.  This unnecessary news event will spread rapidly across the world and will make what is already a hard job harder.  Trijicon makes excellent optical sights that are a tactical asset to our troops who are lucky enough to be supplied with them but their decision to mark these pieces of equipment with hidden Bible citations is inexcusably stupid.   Counter-insurgency 101 FAIL.

 

WesternFront America

Thanks and a tip of the hat to Christopher of Logan’s Warning for his post which alerted me to this. Several years ago, Ibrahim Hooper,  National Communications Director for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), published a deceptive article which Arab American News republished on December 25, ’09. Love for Jesus unites Muslims, Christians

The article makes citations to the following ayat & hadith. By selectively quoting Islam’s canon of scripture and tradition, Hooper  programs us to accept his al-taqeyya.

• 3:45. (Remember) when the angels said: “O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah ‘Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allâh.”
• 2:87. And indeed, We gave Mûsa (Moses) the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers. And We gave ‘Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), clear signs and supported him with Rûh-ul-Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)]. Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant? Some, you disbelieved and some, you killed.
• 21:91. And (remember) she who guarded her chastity [Virgin Maryam (Mary)], We breathed into (the sleeves of) her (shirt or garment) [through Our Rûh ­ Jibrael (Gabriel)], and We made her and her son ['Iesa (Jesus)] a sign for Al-’Alamin (the mankind and jinns).
• 3:47. She said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.” He said: “So (it will be) for Allâh creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” and it is.
• 5:110. (Remember) when Allâh will say (on the Day of Resurrection). “O ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to your mother when I supported you with Rûh­ul­Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)] so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, Al­Hikmah (the power of understanding), the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel); and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic.’ “
• 57:27.Then, We sent after them, Our Messengers, and We sent ‘Iesa (Jesus) ­ son of Maryam (Mary), and gave him the Injeel (Gospel). And We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him, compassion and mercy. But the Monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them, but (they sought it) only to please Allâh therewith, but that they did not observe it with the right observance. So We gave those among them who believed, their (due) reward, but many of them are Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).
• 2:136. Say (O Muslims), “We believe in Allâh and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrâhim (Abraham), Ismâ’il (Ishmael), Ishâque (Isaac), Ya’qûb (Jacob), and to Al-Asbât [the twelve sons of Ya'qûb (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Mûsa (Moses) and ‘Iesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islâm).”
• Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 55, Number 652: Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah’s Apostle said, “Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one.”So Islam accepts the virgin birth and accords Jesus the status of prophet. Is that really a sufficient  bridge to close the gap between Islam and Christianity?  Take a close look at 5:110: the  apocryphal  story about Jesus giving life to a clay bird.  Moe got his version of Christianity from literature not recognized as canonical by Christianity,

2:136 makes Jesus out to be the equal of previous prophets.  But wasn’t he he son of God?  Wasn’t he resurrected after being crucified?  Not according to Islam.  By withholding this information from us, Hooper is practicing  kitman: deception by obfuscation.  Examine the following ayat to which I have added emphasis for clarity.

• 4:157. And because of their saying (in boast), “We killed Messiah ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allâh,” – but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of ‘Iesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) ]:
• 4:158. But Allâh raised him ['Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allâh is Ever All­Powerful, All­Wise.
• 4:159. And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him ['Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), as only a Messenger of Allâh and a human being], before his ['Iesa (Jesus) or a Jew's or a Christian's] death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection, he ['Iesa (Jesus)] will be a witness against them.
• 4:171. O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allâh aught but the truth. The Messiah ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allâh and His Word, (“Be!” – and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rûh) created by Him; so believe in Allâh and His Messengers. Say not: “Three (trinity)!” Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allâh is (the only) One Ilâh (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allâh is All­Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.

In his Qur’an, Moe, speaking in the name of Allah, tells us that Jesus is not God’s son, had no share in divinity,  and was not crucified.  Moe/Allah also tell us that we must accept Jesus as fully human and no more or he will testify against us in the final judgment.  How inviting does that bridge of common ground look now?

Before you step onto that bridge, there is something else you should know. Hooper tells us that Muslims “love and revere Jesus as one of God’s greatest messengers to mankind”.  Is that really why they love Jesus? Is there something more, something he is not telling us about?  You can be sure of it!

• Sunan Abu Dawud Book 37, Number 4310: Narrated AbuHurayrah:The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (peace_be_upon_him). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.Moe is prophesying about the second coming. What will Jesus do? He will fight the people for the cause of Islam.  If you have read 8:39, 9:29 & Sahih Bukhari 1.8.387, you will understand what that means. If you have not read them, click the links and read them now. Islam has given Jesus Christ a new role: warlord.

He will break the cross. We don’t need to think long nor hard to determine what that means: he will kill the remaining Christians and eliminate Christianity. He will kill swine. Jews are described in the Qur’an as transmuted into monkeys and swine.  Jizya will be abolished because there won’t be anyone left to pay it.

Moe depicts Jesus as a genocidal warlord, which is what Muslims are in love with about Jesus.  Am I  judging Islam too harshly? No, and I have proof. In his tafsir of 7:167,  in which Allah promises to continually send someone to torment Jews,  Ibn kathir lets the cat out of the bag. Perhaps you will hear the cat snarling as you read this excerpt, to which I have added emphasis for clarity.

• In the future, the Jews will support the Dajjal (False Messiah); and the Muslims, along with `Isa, son of Mary, will kill the Jews. This will occur just before the end of this world. [Eternal Humiliation placed on the Jews]

Jesus will kill the Jews. Impossible you say? Not to Islam. You have heard of the infamous genocide hadith; take another look at it in the light of the prophesy revealed above.

• Sahih Muslim Book 041, Number 6985:
  Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.

Judgment Day can’t come; the Muslims can not enter Paradise to enjoy rivers of wine and perpetual virgins until they hunt down and kill the last Jew and Jesus will lead them in that final jihad.  Islam is a genocidal war cult which has co-opted our Saviour as a genocidal warlord.

Hooper’s common ground is quick sand and his bridge will fall apart, plunging you into Hell as you  cross it to embrace Islam.

As forces of hate in this country and worldwide try to pull Muslims and Christians apart, we are in desperate need of a unifying force that can bridge the widening gap of interfaith misunderstanding and mistrust. That force could be the message of love, peace and forgiveness taught by Jesus and accepted by followers of both faiths.

Jesus sent his disciples to preach the gospel.

• Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
  9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
  9:3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
  9:4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
  9:5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.

Moe sent his commanders to invite disbelievers to embrace Islam.

• Sahih Muslim Book 019, Number 4294:  Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah.
• Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah
• When you meet your enemies who are polytheists invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withold yourself from doing them any harm.
  • Invite them to (accept) Islam;
    • if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them
      • Then invite them to migrate from their lands to the land of Muhajirs and inform them that, if they do so, they shall have all the privileges and obligations of the Muhajirs.
        • If they refuse to migrate, tell them that they will have the status of Bedouin Muilims and will be subjected to the Commands of Allah like other Muslims, but they will not get any share from the spoils of war or Fai’ except when they actually fight with the Muslims (against the disbelievers)
    • If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya.
      • If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands.
      • If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them…

Does Islam accept Christ’s message of peace and love?  If you answered in the affirmative,  please post a comment explaining exactly how you reconcile Christ’s teaching and Moe’s as outlined above.  Jesus sent his disciples, empty handed, to  persuade people to follow him. Moe sent an army with swords and spears to extort their victims to embrace Islam and pay tribute.  Moe’s message is war, not peace.  The two can not be reconciled; there is no bridge between them.

The Prophet Muhammad himself sought to erase any distinctions between the message he taught and that taught by Jesus, who he called God’s “spirit and word.”

Of course he did, because his message of rapine, when compared to Christ’s message of love and peace, shines and stinks like a dead carp on the river bank  in the light of a full moon.

Disrespect toward Jesus, as we have seen all too often in our society, is very offensive to Muslims.

Depicting Jesus as a genocidal warlord  who will lead the Muslims  as they exterminate Jews & Christians does not seem to offend Muslims, perhaps, because they worship a genocidal warmonger as Allah’s final prophet.

And yes, Muslims and Christians do have some differing perspectives on Jesus’ life and teachings. But his spiritual legacy offers an alternative opportunity for people of faith to recognize their shared religious heritage.

Can you smell the  aroma of rotting fish in that statement? If not,  you need to re-read this post, the truth has not penetrated yet.

America’s Muslim community stands ready to honor that legacy by building bridges of interfaith understanding and challenging those who would divide our nation along religious or ethnic lines.

We have more in common than we think.

There ain’t much in common between the Christian & Muslim concepts of  Jesus, that bridge won’t support the weight of  Moe’s lice.

 

WesternFront America

The early 21st century stands as a period of profound moral confusion. On the one hand, mothers and doctors are permitted to crack open the skulls and suck out the brains of nearly-born babies with government sanction under the banner of partial birth abortion. Should these very same people hike into the woods and crack open a bald eagle egg, they could face serious prison time.

It would therefore seem that contemporary society is marked by two seemingly contradictory extremes — that of extreme license and that of excessive control. However, upon closer inspection it could be concluded that these conditions are not as contradictory as the situation might originally appear. Rather, it would seem each is the result of the systematic removal of the ethical balance provided within the Judeo-Christian tradition with its emphasis upon transcendent standards provided by an infinitely just and loving God.

With the increasing complexity of knowledge and technology, those trained in the acquisition and use of this complex body of thought (those broadly referred to as “intellectuals”) have taken on increased levels of influence and responsibility throughout society. No longer does agriculture or manufacturing dominate society to the degree it once did.

Futurists from Alvin Toffler to Newt Gingrich have characterized the current sociological epoch as information-based, with those manipulating this information from government bureaucrats to Hollywood producers exercising unfathomable power over the composition of the contemporary mind. Therefore, it must be remembered, as Lord Acton is believed to have said, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Through a historical process too complicated to detail to a significant degree in this brief analysis, the prevailing secular elite came to see the world around them and their own assorted intellectual systems as satisfactory explanations in and of themselves for the reality in which these thinkers found themselves. According to Phillip Johnson in “Reason In The Balance”, this way of viewing the world prevalent among the most influential intellectuals is naturalism. Naturalism is the idea that the material reality constitutes the totality of existence and the idea of God is merely a mental construct promulgated in an attempt to cope with the stark realities of the universe in which man finds himself (7).

The average person might naturally conclude that naturalism by its nature would confine itself to the issues of blunt observable scientific fact. However, naturalism has left the tedium of the laboratory and now seeks to influence fields as divergent from science as education, ethics, and government. It is through this set of paradigms embracing the present material reality as the highest criteria of judgment that the twin siblings of chaos and tyranny have become so prevalent throughout world society.

No matter what the secular elites call their particular systems or what concerns these systems emphasize, it is the goal of the secular elite to remake man in the image of the prevailing secular elite. According to Alister McGrath in “Intellectuals Don’t Need God & Other Modern Myths”, prominent ideologies competing for the minds of men include Enlightenment rationalism, Marxism, and scientific materialism (160).

Despite the shades of difference between each of these systems, at their core each shares the assumption that man is bound by no eternal standard beyond this reality and can be remade into whatever the powers that be see fit. It is from this effort to remake the fundamental nature of man that the sorrow of anarchy and tyranny flow.

Bound by certain God-ordained limits regarding behavioral standards and human relationships, man can expect nothing but heartache should he decide to ignore these warnings. However, those seeking to craft a cultural ethos standing apart from the moral will of God regularly ignore these moral stoplights like newly-licensed teenagers barreling down the Las Vegas strip.

Proponents of modernism originally hypothesized that man could retain a high degree of morality without reference to all that theological superstition. Yet without a clear theological reference by which to measure, the actions of man degenerate into the depths of unfathomable evil.

According to Norman Geisler in “Introduction To Philosophy: A Christian Perspective”, when man looks to himself as the source of right and wrong, the result is existential subjectivism and relativism where each person becomes a law unto themselves (404).

And while modernism attempted to maintain the illusion of objective standards apart from the revelation of God, the logical conclusion of such atheistic thinking — postmodernism — holds to no such delusions. In fact, political radical and literary critic Michel Foulcalt has stated there are no facts (though this assertion is itself stated as a fact) and his fellow travelers down the deconstructionist superhighway literally fancy themselves as “assassins of objectivity” according to Lynne Cheney in “Telling The Truth: Why Our Culture & Country Have Stopped Making Sense & What We Can Do About It” (91).

Such sentiments possess ramifications beyond settling the issue of whether or not hemlines will be low or high for the coming year. Such ideas determine the very shape and composition of human society and relationships.

This is particularly evident on college campuses where these kinds of ideas enjoy free reign having the status of orthodoxy and where no one bats an eye with anarchy and tyranny walking together hand in hand. For example, Dinesh D’Souza points out in “Illiberal Education : The Politics Of Race & Sex On Campus” that many college campuses distribute condoms and support the vilest profanity as art yet advocate a radical form of feminism just about branding traditional forms of sex as rape and enforce speech codes so broad as to punish “misdirected laughter” and “exclusion from conversation” (238).

Furthermore, much of twentieth and twenty-first history has been a running commentary on the chaos and tyranny that result from attempting to undermine the insoluble union between morality and divinity. The former Soviet Union perhaps stands as the primary example of this kind of experiment where in an attempt to better himself man turns his back on God and reaps the consequences in abundance. That particular society experienced bloodshed and misery rarely repeated in human history except perhaps in its sister dictatorships of Nazi Germany and Maoist China.

Without an objective standard as provided by the moral revelation of God, the state as embodied by the Communist Party was free to do as it pleased such as changing the law at the drop of a hat and then violate the law when it suited without any degree of institutional recourse available to the Soviet people. In his monumental “Understanding The Times”, David Noebel quotes a Communist functionary who said, “There is no God, no hereafter, no punishment for evil. We can do as we wish. I thank God, in whom I don’t believe, that I have lived to this hour when I can express all of this evil in my heart (104). Few Evangelical thinkers have been able to express the moral dangers of atheism in a more succinct manner.

Standing in marked opposition to atheism and its law of the jungle and inherent antinomianism is belief in God and the corollaries of morality flowing from God’s existence. From the heartaches and confusion mentioned previously in this exposition, it is evident that mankind is incapable of establishing a satisfactory moral system of his own accord.

Instead, man must be provided one by an objective outside source yet one familiar with the conditions under which man is capable of thriving. Furthermore, it is only through God as revealed in Scripture that one is even justified in speaking of morality in the first place.

Try as he might, C.S. Lewis points out in “Mere Christianity”, man cannot escape the encompassing embrace or rebuke of morality. For even in the attempt to flee from its more traditional formulations, one must invoke the structure of its dialogue in order to appeal to a competing set of standards (3).

For example, D. James Kennedy points out in “Character & Destiny: A Nation In Search Of Its Soul” that tolerance is the last virtue of an immoral society since this moral principle in invoked to cover over a plethora of popular abominations ranging from pornography to abortion to sodomy (78). The issue is not so much that man will live without some degree of morality, but rather by whose standards will man live and the consequences resulting from such decisions.

Westminster Seminary Professor John Frame elaborates in “Apologetics To The Glory Of God” that, in order to exist as objective standards beyond the level of subjective sentiments, morals must stem from an absolute source; and since these principles govern personable entities, they must exude from an absolute ultimate personality (100). If morality exists in a transcendent source apart from man in God, morality is granted a degree of liberation from the murky fog of subjectivism yet is accessible to man and can be said to exist in all situations even if finite man refused to disentangle himself from the passion of the moment to view these conundrums from the crisp peaks of objective detachment.

Since these divinely legislated standards stem from God, they exist as part of the underlying fabric of the universe. Try as he might, man cannot escape the lure of morality, such a situation further attesting to the power of the God standing behind these principles. Romans 2:14-15 says, “Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts…(NIV).”

Even those who actively choose to suppress and undermine this universal order appeal to it when it suits their interests. C.S. Lewis writes in “Mere Christianity”, “Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later. He may break his promise to you, but if you try breaking one to him he will be complaining before he can say Jack Robinson (5).” Norman Geisler illustrates this point in “Christian Ethics” in the story of a student professing antinomianism who appealed to objective standards upon receiving a failing grade from this ethics instructor regarding a trivial matter (384).

At this point, readers not normally enchanted by the banter of academic dialogue may concede that morality does indeed flow from God but may wonder what practical impact such a truth may have in everyday existence. Actually, quite a bit.

Since God is both the legislator of traditional morality and the loving creator of man, it follows that the traditional moral system established by God and set forth in the revelation of the Holy Bible is the system of morality best suited to the nature of humanity, both protecting him to the greatest possible degree from the rampant evil plaguing a fallen world and allowing him to enjoy whatever goodness that remains in it through the grace of God.

For example, God did not establish the rules surrounding marriage in order to toss a wet blanket over the fornication follies. Rather, confining the act of human intimacy within the context of marriage balances both the desire for physical pleasure and the need for lasting love, to say nothing of protecting the individual against the proto-apocalyptic pestilences now ravaging millions. Instead of withering away like a forgotten memory as predicted by some, Tim LaHaye hypothesizes in “The Battle For The Family” that the family will in reality provide a foundation of stability in times of unprecedented social turmoil (237).

The moral argument for God is far more than a dry academic proof found in seminary textbooks. Its reality is being made more concrete each day throughout the culture as the nation continues to drift away from its Judeo-Christian foundations.

In “Turning The Tide: The Fall Of Liberalism & The Rise Of Common Sense”, Pat Robertson describes the two possible futures that await the United States (293-296). Americans can either repent of their wickedness and return to God and His standards, experiencing national renewal, individual well-being, and eternal salvation in the process. Or, the American people can continue in their sin and deny God’s very existence, risking national decline, personal suffering, and eternal damnation as a result. The choice is up to you, with your eternal destiny and the welfare of your family hanging in the balance.

 

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