Thursday, May 22, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Insufficiently Brainwashed Bob Jones University Students Placed On "Character Probation"
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Tuesday, May 20, 2014
It was claimed that there is no quicker way to clear out a church than to preach election and predestination because doing so supposedly separates the sheep from the goats. Within that statement is also the assumption that non-Calvinists are going to Hell. However, why is someone obligated to remain in a congregation that will do little more than create mental despair and emotional depression? Because in such congregations, not only is one constantly berated and belittled for the least little offense but are constantly beaten over the head that God created you for no other reason that to let you fall into the Hellfires of eternal damnation.
Monday, May 19, 2014
In an interview about his new book “What Works”, Cal Thomas remarked that movie goers are tired of “car chases and violence”. Unless it’s a Rod Sterling-esque masterpiece where two characters are describing some pending horror, what man is going to pay to see a movie where the characters do nothing but drone on about their “feelings”. If a movie does not have a gun, sword, robot, spaceship, or a dragon, its barely worth watching.
Former Archbishop Of Canterbury Echoes Pope's Call To Destroy The Middle Class
Delegate Eleanor Homes Norton is to speak at a news conference urging federal authorities to refrain from interfering in the District’s local affairs such as gun control and pot legalization. Does she intend to as enthusiastically guard the constitutional prerogatives of states to prohibit sodomite matrimony?
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Friday, May 16, 2014
Isn't Claiming Boko Haram Isn't Islamist Akin To Insisting The SS Wasn't Nazi?
Town Official Shouldn't Have To Apologize For Calling Obama Anything He Wants To
Shouldn't we even be more outraged at the advent of the surveillance state where private citizens rat fink over overheard conversations? Click On The Headline
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Italian Bishop Calls For The Acceptance Of Homosexuality, Abortion & Euthanasia
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
In an interview with Anderson Cooper, LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling remarked that Magic Johnson did nothing for the Black community. In response, Magic Johnson replied that he has dedicated life to “urban America”. Since it has been admitted that these two categories are synonymous, shouldn't Johnson be condemned as a bigot for not doing anything for “rural America” or White people? Would an athletic figured be allowed to deliberatly targer their efforts at economic improvement and development purposefully at Whites and not receive any backlash for such efforts?
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Is a 15 year old’s life in America really so onerous in America that standing for a minute in honor of liberty and justice under God creates an overwhelming ethical conflict? If this is an age where we are suppose to embrace the wisdom of other cultures, perhaps we should consult what the Red Chinese do to those refusing to participate in their simple civic rituals. One might ask if those supporting this form of protest would enjoy life under the Taliban or Boko Haram. Unfortunately, there are some from the extremist wings of Christianity that probably look to those movements as worthy ideals to aspire to in terms of actualized social policy.
A Texas teen received a two day, in-school suspension for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Interesting how the values the flag stands for are no longer good enough for this brat to pay respect to but the government teat is still succulent, supple, and sweet enough to suck off what musters as education.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Will Transhumanists & Anarchists Form Alliance To Destroy Traditional Morality?
Normal Fathers Denied Benefits Extrended To Members Of Thw Fudge Packers Guild
Friday, May 09, 2014
In a podcast discussion of doctrinal distinctives, a caller remarked that like an oak tree, once you have been planted in the church, you don’t leave. That is until they carry you out after have swigged from the doctored Kool-Aid or carried out on a stretcher following the ATF raid. You leave anytime you feel in your spirit that things aren’t up to snuff.
In a podcast discussion regarding doctrinal distinctives in the church, it was remarked that one should not seek a likeable pastor. That said, neither is one obligated to remain in a church with one where you constantly bash heads or where one feels belittled. If you aren’t careful, Jonestown can result.
Pope Insists Deadbeats More Deserving Of Property Than Those That Actually Earned It
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Thursday, May 08, 2014
Will The Heritage Foundation Dilute Its Message To Reach Moderate Audience?
Interesting. Licentious progressives demand such uniformity of mindset that those privileged to be spotlighted in the media targeting that particular demographic must not be allowed to formulate streams of cognition contradicting this ethical hegemony even when these reflections are not highlighted in the information such personalities are contracted to convey. For example, HGTV removed from its lineup a new program titled “Flip It Forward” because the Christianity espoused by the hosts of the program opposes gay marriage and abortion. Never mind the fact that it would be Christian beliefs that would motivate an individual to assist the destitute in acquiring shelter. That should teach the hosts a lesson. Perhaps they should just use their skills at carpentry and real estate to accumulate wealth for themselves with those unable to do so allowed to fritter into destitution and ruination in compliance with the Darwinian hypothesis. Yet when there is the possibility that a small segment of the media is at least open to the possibility of allowing for the expression of a broadly traditionalist or theistic perspective in a public format, these very same licentious progressives rampage how this one outlet is suppressing dissent. This is particularly evident in liberal opposition to Fox News. Derangement against that news organizations is so widespread and vehement that some time ago, liberals about pulled their hair out how the network was featured in episodes of 24 (a drama that tends to skewer conservative in terms of its viewership) even though Fox (the network upon which 24 aired) and Fox News are owned by the same company.
Real Estate Tycoons Not Fit For Televsion For Failure To Embrace Depravity
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A pastor condemned a fellow minister for making an idol technology because he did not return a phone call after several attempts but replied to a text within 30 seconds of receiving one. What we have here is not so much a sin but rather a difference in personal technological preference. So would condemnation on part of an Amishman or a Luddite of the minister conducting his communications through telephone rather than through written correspondence or perhaps face to face also be valid or would that simply be viewed as fanatic overkill? And what of those that condemned the proliferation of the printing press during the days of the Reformation?
An article title in an academic journal laments “The Still All-White World Of Children’s Books”. In an age of self-publishing, don’t minorities have no one to blame for that but themselves? In light of reaction to Cinco De Mayo celebrations on the part of certain disgruntled agitators, frankly if White authors wrote about minority characters, those of such a literary inclination would probably see their lives threatened and any good name they had ruined with the charge of “cultural misappropriation”. Like the new euphemism of “climate disruption”, the allegation sounds like a crime worthy of a Nuremberg tribunal but ultimately doesn’t really mean much of anything. Lastly, if minority children don’t want to read about White characters, why should White children want to read about minority characters?
Interesting. In terms of coercing compliance irrespective of whether or not that which being called for is a clearly delineated issue, pastors often emphasize the Hebrews 13:17 calling for obedience of those that rule over you so that their task might be joyful. What about the verse where those in authority (especially parents) are urged not to provoke those under them to wrath?
A Facebook status update claims that because of a Michelle Malkin column exposing the perversions of alleged pedophile Bryan Singer, we will never be able to view the director’s films the same way again. So does this same standard apply to the allegations we hear surfacing about Bob Jones University and Pensacola Christian College. Or when these sorts of shocking surface in our own camp, we are suppose to turn a blind eye?
Hispanics are jacked out of shape when an establishment attempts to brownnose them by having employees wear sombreros and serve foods such as burritos for Cinco de Mayo. Shouldn’t such outrage be granted about as much respect and legitimacy as members of Ku Klux Klan staging a protest over waiters dressing up like Pilgrims and serving turkey on Thanksgiving?
In justifying why a pastor must never be seen in a Hawaiin shirt, a fundamentalist Baptist insisted that the world needs to see that we are like God and not the world. So how is such a perspective markedly different than those that insist ministers should wear clerical collars and vestments rather than business suits? Isn’t it that the business suit is the clerical collar and vestment of most hyperlegaistic fundamentalists?
A number of questionable assumptions were expounded in an elocution on national repentance based upon the Book of Joel posted on SermonAudio.com. For example, for true repentance to come about the pastor insisted that first one was required to first conduct a “fast of the spirit”. Apparently, it is not enough to abstain from that which is merely sin. One must also abstain from those desires that find their origin in the flesh but are otherwise legitimate. So does that mean if your backside itches, you can’t scratch it? Giving up that which one is not required to does not earn brownie points with God. If anything, it merely takes one dangerously closer to works-based righteousness “at best” and at worst might push one over into a proto-gnosticism that denigrates materiality and embodiment. Secondly, this pastor went out of his way to spoof those that prefer to deal with there in the pew any conviction they might be under from the Holy Spirit rather than going forward to make a, shall we say, spectacle of themselves in the front of the church. Instead, in times of judgment, repentance must be made public. So apparently, not only can’t you scratch your own backside, you’ve got to cop before an audience to each time you’ve stolen a glance of someone else's backside Frankly, on what grounds do these variety of Baptists then complain about Roman Catholic ritualism such as confession, unnecessary penance, and bodily mortification?
Wednesday, May 07, 2014
Obamaphiles Warn Ecological Collapse Imminent Without Environmental Dictatorship
A Facebook meme was posted insisting that fear of punishment and desire for reward are weak motivations for accepting Christ. But without these, what is the point? More importantly, why do preachers arguing such rail on incessantly about sin and often against things that really aren’t sin after all?
Emergent Church Propagandists Insist Life After Death An "Unbiblical" Concept
But why are those that work at regular jobs obligated to support these beatniks.
They also badmouth the notion of self preservation and defense.
That means when Jim Jones passes the Koolaid, you are obligated to slurp it down.
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Is It Anakin Skywalker's Virgin Birth Celebrated In Vancouver Church?
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Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Father Handcuffed For Questioning The Efficacious Nature Of Bawdy Literary Sex
In a discussion of the impact of digital media on the family, it was observed that many contemporary youth have little contact or awareness of the “adult world” up until the age of 28 or thereabouts. If that means these youngsters are not engaged in some kind of gainful employment, that is wrong. However, if that is a nebulous reference to realities the speaker is not willing to discuss further such as the adoption of an affectation of contrived stuffiness, does it really matter? There is nothing requiring you to dress like an old person or take up golf if you don’t care for the game in the first place. Most adults aren’t all that willing to relinquish much of the status or power that they would naturally lose as part of an expanded social circle anyway.
Monday, May 05, 2014
Apparently Latinos But Not Nordics Permitted Drunken Debauchery On Cinco De Mayo
Nancy Floreen of the Montgomery County Council is demanding that more residents participate in the Capital Bike Share Program. Apparently to these liberals out to control every aspect of the lives of those that they rule over, it is no longer enough to ride bicycles. Now these vehicles should not be one that you own but rather one that is lent to you by the COMMUNITY.
Saturday, May 03, 2014
Friday, May 02, 2014
But Is Racism As Bad As It Use To Be?
Thomas omitted the “s” from “nutcase”.
So should he mockingly be asked if he went to public school as he does to others that fumble their words or make grammatical flubs?
Granted. I often make similar typos.
However, all I am or ever will likely ever be is a blogger, a wordsmith in a class Thomas has repeatedly expressed contempt for for taking attention (and thus revenue from his pocket) of establishmentarian media outlets.
Thomas' advice does ring with validity. However, what is defined as a racist or a nutcase is continually being redefined by the liberal elite.
No longer are the racists we are to separate ourselves from those burning crosses on their victims lawns. Now, according to Slate.com, condemnation should be heaped upon you if you limit your ethnic preferences on a dating website.
In another incident, one likely Obama voter and Trayvonite sympathizer went proverbial ape excrement on a White restaurant owner demanding free service as compensation for slavery.
As to a concern about associating with nutcases, should Christians distance themselves from religious doctrines that seem perfectly acceptable to that particular profession of faith such as monogamous heterosexual marriage or the divinity of Christ that both baffle and infuriate the world?
For daring to enunciate a run of the mill analysis of atheism that could have been endorsed by nearly any monotheistic religion, I was in essence told by one Tea Party group that I would be kicked out the door if I ever again verbalized such theological bigotry.
by Frederick Meekins
Thursday, May 01, 2014
Fascinating. Factions in Hollywood create the impression that you are some kind of weirdo if you aren’t out fornicating with anything that moves and, when a sufficient number embrace the philosophy that the baser instincts must be fulfilled at all costs, they paint you as an ever bigger weirdo if you question the propriety of addressing from the federal level the rotten fruits resulting from this warped outlook.
The same ones wanting the issue of sexual assault among young adults addressed on the federal level are among the same ones that toss a fit when it is suggested that the vast majority of these incidents would be prevented if abstinence was drilled into the minds of young people, if young woman were instructed to not dress like tramps, and if both sexes refrained from booze in most instances. One actor participating in this propaganda effort was Steven Carell. Carell starred in a film titled “The 40 Year Old Virgin”, ridiculing an individual having lived their life in that fashion. Make fun of those characterized by such a state of chastity all that you want. However, it is doubtful that such individuals ever raped anybody.
In comments regarding sexual assault, Vice President Biden claimed that only 13 percent of college rape victims report the crime to law enforcement. If we are going to make this a statistics-based argument with a very specific figure as to why we need additional government intrusion into our lives rather than rely on the laws and regulations already in place to address these acts of violence and dehumanization, what is the evidence that the other 87% even took place?
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Are The Red Chinese Establishing A Beachhead In The Continental United States?
In a story about a church that meets in a strip club, a number of broadcast commentators go out of their way to make a point of their reluctance to call such a hellhole a “gentlemen’s club”. It is pointed out that a gentleman would not pay money to watch women remove their clothes. Interesting how remarks are never made that the women engaged in such acts are lewdness are not ladies. Many of them want to participate in such lewdness and would refuse to work in more respectable trades, crafts, or professions.
Humanism In Our Ranks
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Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Commentator Doug Giles is propagating the notion that hipster beards, horned-rim glasses, and the inability to change a tire are indicators of a shriveled manhood. Maybe so. But nothing screams impotence like having to travel all the way to Africa to blow to smithereens animals for the purposes of mere sport.
Army Celebrates Secular Humanism
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Southern Baptist Faction Categorizes Opposition To Homosexuality As "Redneck Theology"
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Celtic Cross Foundation Announces Major Changes
Exactly what other forms of private property should be confiscated from you for enunciating politically incorrect assumptions in a conversation that is believed to be private? Should one lose their apartment lease or kicked out of their homes by their home owner association? Should one be forbidden from acquiring nutritional sustenance?
Monday, April 28, 2014
Larry O’Connor of WMAL claims that he is offended that Sarah Palin joked that she sees waterboarding as a way of baptizing terrorists. The pundit's disapproval does not stem from a concern for potential human rights abuses. Rather, as a Catholic, he insists that baptism should only be referenced with the utmost solemnity. Given that he speaks publicly of his divorce and hints at carnal relations with women, too bad he does not esteem the concept of marriage as highly.
Leftwing Propagandists Condemn Those Preferring To Mate Within Their Own Breed
Tolerancemongers are arguing how dare LA Clippers benefit financially from Black folks If he thinks so lowly of them. Are his players are going to be so principled as to refuse the lucrative paychecks he extends to them? Isn’t it a beautiful truth of capitalism that green is one of those colors that can transcend the intractable divisions of mankind?
Heathen Beatniks Rampage Over Artistic Ant Hill Removal
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Outrage has erupted over LA Clippers owner David Sterling vocalizing disapproval over his concubine’s decision to cavort with Black folks. Shouldn’t there be greater outrage that this man is married and that this woman he was spending time with and affection on is not his wife? How can the public be sure that this tramp has not given this whoremonger cause for jealousy in the past?
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Propagandists Attempt To Imbue Immigrants With Messianic Perfection
What about it?
A blurb for the book reads, “A Biblically grounded presentation of the value migrants, immigrants, and refugees bring to all of us.”
Does the text also emphasize the Scripture that also urges rendering to Caesar what is Caesars and to obey those earthly laws that do not violate those of God?
As such, the author shouldn't have a problem with a legitimately constituted government determining by a set of standards agreed upon by the CITIZENS of the particular country in question whom might be granted entrance into that particular country and what reasonable documents authenticate membership in that particular nation-state.
If immigrants are to glom themselves onto the Christian narrative, it should be pointed out that Mary and Joseph went dutifully to pay their taxes.
The couple did not rampage through the streets of Nazareth demanding they be granted a hardship exemption.
By insisting that “Jesus was a migrant”, the attempt is made to imbue this sociological and legal category with the sinlessness and perfection of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
However, as much as I have heard these people carouse and booze late into the night, I assure you they most definitely have not yet reached such a state of flawless sanctification.
By Frederick Meekins
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Atheist Lobby Prefers Debauchery Among Athletes
What college sports really needs instead are more sex and drug scandals.
As evidence of its claim, the atheist front group is citing the inordinate number of players on the team attending VOLUNTARY Bible studies.
Perhaps even worse, the coach subjects those under his leadership to non-sectarian Scriptural admonitions such as a paraphrase of I Corinthians 9:24-25 reading “Run your race to win, don't just run the race.”
Perhaps, in these times of hypertolerance and multiculturalism, a more Hindu or Buddhist perspective is preferred with athletes adopting an attitude that the race does not matter or doesn't exist anywhere but in the minds of the participants.
Perhaps these subversives would also like to expunge the remainder of the Judeo-Christian patrimony from the remainder of the curriculum.
That is the ultimate goal of these agitators, after all, as epitomized by the infamous slogan “Hey Hey, Hey Ho, Western Civ Has Got To Go.”
If nothing else, at least then we'd no longer be subject to the throwaway snide remark about being one's brother's keeper being elevated to the level of justification for income confiscation and redistribution.
Since the Freedom From Religion Foundation gets such a rush from being all bent of shape, when do they intend to get around to taxpayer funds going to provide prayer rooms and footwashing facilities set aside exclusively adherents of that form of sectarian totalitarianism?
By Frederick Meekins
Tasmanian Bishop Insists Easter Is About Letting Criminal Scum Walk The Streets
Leftwing Catholic Propagandists Undermine The Factuality Of The Gospel Accounts
United Methodists Call For The Hispanosupremacist Conquest Of The United States
Monday, April 21, 2014
A fuss is being made that by 2030 China might be the most Christian nation on earth. It is claimed in the Telegraph that the People’s Republic will have more Christians than Mexico, Brazil or the United States. But even if that nation has a higher number of Christians than the United States, does that mean that the percentage professing belief will be larger than the percentage of belief in America? There could be more Christians in China but the percentage of Americans professing belief could still be higher given that America has a smaller population. And if Mexico and Brazil are being upheld as the other nations with sizable numbers of Christian, it doesn’t necessarily mean that will improve the prospects of freedom in China given the pervasiveness of crime, corruption and debauchery in those particular Latin American countries.
Something Smelled Queer At The White House Easter Prayer Breakfast
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A WRC channel 4 news reporter supports the suspension of the student that dared ask Miss America to the prom. You know, rules are rules and must always be obeyed. Though it is up a notch in terms of severity, I guess using that logic, Rosa Parks got whatever was coming to her and Bull Connor should be applauded historically for turning lose fire hoses and police dogs on civil rights marchers. After all, rules are rules. They must ALWAYS be obeyed.
Are NSA Nerds Obsessed With Prom Date Gossip?
The beauty queen was there to discuss diversity and the importance of math and science.
The school is claiming that the suspension was necessary because he decided to defy academic authorities after being instructed to not proceed with the gesture after they had been informed of the conspiracy.
But perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the incident is how the school may have found out about it.
According to WMAL's Saturday morning show, pedagogues were tipped off by the NSA.
If so, is this the kind of national security dictatorship Americans want to live in where federal intelligence operatives troll the dark corners of cyberspace for the purposes of foiling high school pranks and hijinks?
Some are asking what exactly did the student do wrong?
In essence, little more than failing to comply with the directives of the state and causing a disruption. But did the student really cause a disruption?
After all, isn't bringing in Miss America itself an inherently disruptive act?
If the school is so concerned about disruptions to the learning process, why do they have a prom anyway?
Most readily admit that the occasion is little more than an officially sanctioned orgy with the most profound disruption to the lives of these students occurring nine months later.
It's not like the student didn't wait to the question and answer portion of the presentation.
Technically, there is nothing more the students can learn from Miss America than they can a shriveled old maid. And perhaps this is what it all comes down to.
Educated or not, Miss America is not extended that position based solely on the size of her academic credentials.
Given the photo of Miss America that accompanies accounts of this story on a number of websites, it may have more to do with her lush caramel cleavage.
What this lad really did wrong was to admit to that some women are simply more desirable than others.
You can't really dangle that in front of a teen boy's face and not expect him to try for the brass ring.
By Frederick Meekins
Friday, April 18, 2014
Parents Can't Win In The Eyes Of Liberal Elites
Provided he is not on welfare, is that really anyone's business?
The parents are pretty much screwed over any way they turn.
Let your kid run wild, and you'll get slapped with abuse allegations.
Not yet your kid play with matches and stick utensils in electric sockets?
You will liable get slapped with a stiffer penalty for stifling exploration and expression.
Let your child, especially the male ones, roughhouse as they please and verbalize whatever comes to mind, and they will be branded as “predators” and “harassers”, ending up on offender registries forcing them to live in tent cities deep in the woods.
Given that numerous parents have no doubt lost their health insurance as a result of Obamacare or have to pay deductibles through the roof so Sandra Fluke can live on her back with her thighs flayed open are those advocating childhoods of feral adventure going to pick up the emergency room tab?
Or are we suppose to gaze upon these injuries simply as a way of thinning the herd?
by Frederick Meekins
It was reported that the Good Friday service at the National Cathedral lasts for nearly three hours. Given that the institution’s dean is a professed atheist, that’s certainly a long time to spend conducting a ritual in commemoration of a character supposedly no more real than Superman, Darth Vader, or Gandalf the Wizard.
Debauched Outraged The Pope Reminds Children Best Off With A Mother & A Father
Interesting. Apparently the residents of states with driver’s licenses not meeting the standards of the Real ID Act can be barred from entering government buildings or boarding a planes. Firstly, the 9/11 hijackers used boxcutters, not ID cards to commandeer the jetliners. Secondly, if actual Americans can be barred from government buildings for not having acceptable forms of identification, how then would illegal aliens be granted entrance to acquire their assorted handouts and targeted welfare benefits? Thirdly, if the federal government can delegitimize actual CITIZENS over the quality of their respective state ID’s, on what grounds does the federal government pitch a fit when states check their own state ID’s when allowing CITIZENS to vote or when suspects are detained by police?
Thursday, April 17, 2014
According to USA Today’s description of CW’s Reign, “Lola is suspicious of Lord Julien.” Given that he's agreed to marry her despite the fact she’s carrying another man’s bastard, shouldn’t she cut him some slack? You’d have to be mentally imbalanced to settle for someone in that state anyway. If you are going to settle for used goods, at least wait until the kid has some age on him. Given that the two only met an episode or two ago, it’s not like he can be that attached to her anyway.
During an O’Reilly Factor discussion of the NYC Muslim surveillance program, it was asked that since there are serial killers in America if churches should be subjected to similar intelligence gathering operations? But there really aren’t or that many Christian churches holding to an orthodox understanding of the Biblical faith that openly teach from the pulpit that those in attendance should violently murder those that they disagree with. Even fewer churches stock their library shelves with materials on how to take hostages or manuals hand to hand combat tactics as some mosques and Islamic centers have been known to do. Houses of worship are public places. How is monitoring what is said there different than picking up a broadcast transmission or something openly disseminated over the Internet?
Person Of Interest Probes The Implications Of Intrusive Artificial Intelligence
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Desmond Tutu Compares The Availablity Of Inexpensive Fossil Fuels To Apartheid
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
It was mentioned in a Baptist podcast that just because someone participates in their church’s door to door soul winning outreach that the person has not necessarily made evangelism part of their life. Fair enough. However, in this day and age, is even approaching total strangers in such a manner the best way of going about it? As a general policy, I don’t open the door to anyone I don’t know. And when a stranger approaches with an unsolicited soteriological interrogatory, shouldn’t one be cautious as to what potential cult group the individual is shilling for?
A Baptist podcast sneered down its nose about youth that step forward insisting that they have a “call to missions”. What do they expect to happen when often this is about the only career students in Christian education will be propagandized about and beaten over the head with from nearly the first day of school when they start diagramming Bible verses in their ACE workbooks.
Independent Baptists discussing characteristics they look for in candidates for assorted ministry candidates is a person willing to be defrauded and not make a fuss about it. That one is especially no doubt helpful in the case of girls between the ages of 15 and 18 to keep quite about that “indiscretion”, lonely housewives with low self-esteem, and the elderly couple with the hefty bank account.
Regarding the Independent Baptists that insist that the only route into ministry is through jumping through the hurdles that they have set up. What is to prevent the disaffected from hoeing their own path? Protestants of every stripe (especially Baptists) can’t very well complain about it when that process pretty much describes their own origins in the annals of ecclesiology. Granted, establishment institutions are perfectly free to deny funding to upstarts operating outside the controlled systems. However, with the proliferation of Internet technologies such as social media, self-publishing, and digital recording, are such ossified channels all that essential in propagating a message any longer?
In a discussion on the nature of missions, it was remarked that an individual pursuing ministry should not be allowed to begin careers in such without having preached before the same people hundreds of times. And Bible college classes did not count because those engaged in the dialogue downplayed and poopooed the idea of education beyond that overseen by the local church. Given that pastors shouldn’t give up their pulpits that often if they desire to retain both position and salary, where exactly is anyone suppose to gain such a daunting amount of experience? Was such ever required of those imposing this arbitrary qualification? Sounds more like protecting the guild for the sake of the guild rather than the quality of the craft.
According to a sermon on the nature of missions, one is not called to preach unless validated by the people of God. So does that prove that Joel Osteen is “more called” to preach in his second hand professional basketball stadium than a pastor of a rundown store front church or someone that posts material online?
So if certain Baptists are going to insist that the call for one’s life is validated by the church institutional, does that invalidate the ministry of Martin Luther? If you are going to start making these kinds of claims, you had better parse them out rather that wallow in that warm feeling in your gut you confuse for piety.
With Pulitzer Prizes being dispensed over the story, it has been asked should journalists reporting the details of the documents revealed by Edward Snowden should themselves be held criminally responsible. Should William Lloyd Garrison or Harriet Beecher Stowe be condemned by history for exposing the deprivations of slavery? Should any Nazi brutality to keep news of the Holocaust hidden be applauded? On the drama series, “The 100” was the station council justified in tossing out of the airlock those wanting warn of the pending systems failure?
The accused gunman of the Jewish community center in Kansas is claimed to be a former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and alleged to have called his wife from a casino sometime prior to the incident. Say what you will about the moral impropriety of each of these activities. However, one must admit that both are considerably social in nature, requiring a significant degree of human interaction.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Saw it posted of Twitter: "Yes, we will lose some good patriots but we can make them heroes if we stick together folks! " Of course, those usually saying such merely egg on sort of like the Jihadist leaders that drone on how much they have sacrificed for the conflict by urging other's people children to blow themselves up why they themselves live to a ripe old age.
Robertson Hurls Monkeyshine At Evolution Debate
Those of a more bookish or scholarly inclination got to enjoy a similar kind of excitement just a few days later when they could pick sides as evangelist Ken Ham faced off against Bill Nye the Science Guy.
The issue at hand was whether evolution is sufficient to account for the existence of life.
Ken Ham, on the one hand, believes that, without appealing to a literal understanding of the opening chapters of the Book of Genesis, all of the foundations upon which intellectual comprehension and a just social order rest begin to break down.
As an avowed Humanist (having been recognized as the 2010 Humanist of the Year by the American Humanist Association), Bill Nye believes that the processes of the material universe are comprehensive enough in themselves to account for the complexity of the reality in which we find ourselves.
Granted, there are a number of assorted positions between these two poles. Salvation is not determined by disbelief in Charles Darwin's theories but rather in one's belief in the finished work of Christ upon the cross of Calvary. After all, it can be argued that God has a special place in His heart for the dimwitted.
Interestingly, some of the most scathing criticisms directed towards Ken Ham did not necessarily come from the raving village atheists but more from those that would consider themselves Ham's fellow believers. Foremost among them was none other than Pat Robertson.
Instead of commending Ham for the courage to take a principled Christian stand on one of the foremost issues facing the faith in the contemporary era, Robertson counseled, “Let's not make a joke of ourselves.” Apparently he comes down on the side of the debate holding to some kind of theistic evolution or progressive creationism.
It would not be gentlemanly to deny the validity of the faith in Christ of those holding to such a position. However, the perspective holds that God is not powerful enough or is too stupid to create the world in seven literal standard “Earth days” as detailed in the Book of Genesis.
Put that aside for now. But “Let's not make a joke out of ourselves” is a ship that sailed from Robertson's Virginia Beach compound years and even decades ago. But then again, maybe it flew off in a jet taking off from Robertson's private airplane runway or road off on one of this thoroughbred horses all the while Robertson insists global warming is the result of we mere common folks having too much such as automobiles powered by internal combustion engines.
One would think that Pat Robertson might show a little more compassion or understanding to those that say controversial things but which contain considerable truth after they have been reflected upon. After all, was not Robertson the one that pointed out that the true danger of leftwing feminism was that it would encourage woman to kill their babies, take up witchcraft, and become lesbians?
Robertson's whacked out remarks go beyond any of Ham's claims no matter how ludicrous the assertions of the Australian evangelist sound to those building their epistemological house foremostly upon man's reason.
For example, Robertson claims that, if it weren't for the prayers offered by his ministry, the Tidewater area of Virginia would have already been destroyed as a result of an oncoming hurricane. And this was one of Robertson's less shocking flubs, with others going so far beyond Scriptural propriety to actually violate divine mandates.
For example, Robertson suggested that a spouse ought to go ahead and divorce a partner suffering from Alzheimer's. The suggestion was made not as some strategy to secure additional insurance or social welfare in a broken system that penalizes loving couples trying to live properly. Rather, Robertson made the comment so that the healthy spouse could dump the ailing partner in order to find someone else to frolic in the boudoir with.
The Bible establishes that marriage is intended to be a life long arrangement to dissolve upon the death of one of the involved parties. That is why in the marriage vows that the promises are for better or for worse, and in sickness and in health until death do they part.
Who wouldn't rather spend one's declining years (often euphemistically referred to as “golden”) puttering around a Florida retirement community in a golf cart. However, shouldn't one strive to stand by the promise made years ago? It's not like the mate with dementia set out intentionally to lose a lifetime of memories and to complete life as a proverbial vegetable.
Yet these claims made by Robertson on different occasions regarding difficult questions over which sincere believers trying to decipher God's will can disagree are not necessarily the worst of Robertson's shenanigans.
On many Christian television programs, prayer is a regular featured element. In most Christian traditions, prayer occurs when the believer directs communication --- either spontaneous or fabricated --- directly to the triune Godhead.
If most Christian leaders are sincere, they will admit that this communication usually flows in one direction in the audible sense. If some want to insist that the communication or communion can be felt by the parties at either end of this direct line into the noumenal, those that should be spared additional psychological evaluation will admit that what they experience is more akin to a sense of peace and well being that may come over them as they reflect upon the grandeur and power of the Heavenly Father in comparison to what ever burden they are bringing to Him to lay at the foot of the Cross.
If some public religious figure tells you that God TOLD this leader to pursue a particular course of action, the best thing to do is to RUN away as soon as possible. For eventually, the thing that such figures usually insist the Almighty is telling them to do is either sleep with YOUR spouse or to force you to drink the funny-smelling Kool Aid.
Robertson takes his own version of the divine dialog over the boundaries of acceptability in its own particular fashion. The televangelist insists he receives direct replies back from God.
Referring to this beatific telepathy as a “word of faith”, Robertson insists that the Holy Spirit is conveying back to him and a few select minions what amount to press releases regarding these movings in mysterious ways. Usually these are healings that are supposedly taking place at the time the ritual is conducted.
The thing of it is is that these revelations seldom ever happen to be very specific in terms of names and locations. Robertson and his minions insist they see somewhere out in the viewing audience someone being healed of a non-descriptive back pain or stomach ailment.
One would think that if the Holy Spirit deemed it important enough to inform Robertson of these miraculous interventions, the third person of the Trinity would also provide the address of the person being healed. After all, if this was all on the up and up, you think that might be good in terms of professions of faith, ratings, and (of course) the bottom line.
Such a scatterbrained approach no doubt helps Robertson cover his backside. By keeping these claims of precognition or telepathy intentionally vague, the likelihood is increased that at least occasionally some individual will step forward claiming that they were the one that Robertson was talking about.
Ken Ham, on the other hand, is more on the up and up. Even if one does not agree with his conclusions, at least the claims of creationist theory are made on the basis of a logical or evidential methodology that the skeptical can attempt to disprove or refute.
About all we have from Robertson is the claim that God blows in his ear. That isn't really all that much different than what Jim Jones and David Koresh use to say.
Scripture declares that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But in comparing their overall ministries, the antics of Pat Robertson have brought far greater embarrassment to the cause of Christ than the labors of Ken Ham ever have or likely ever will.
By Frederick Meekins