A Church Invite

Many people feel awkward about inviting others to their church. And a lot of times when they get the nerve, they fail to make the invitation mean anything: as if their church is no better or worse than any other. We should all remember that the church is not the building.

My Church

by Jerry Thomas

 

I met a friend the other day

          and he posed a simple question.

"Have you ever been to my church,

          the one up on the hill?"

I cannot say I have,

          would it be your suggestion?

But before I make the choice,

          what about it can you tell?

"What's to tell?" said my friend.

          "It's a church like any other.

No better or no worse,

          just a new place to try."

If there isn't something special,

          why should I even bother?

Why should I cross the threshold

          just to turn and say, "Good-bye?"

"Well," said he. "What would you say

          about the church you now attend?"

And his frown became a smirk,

          not like Scrooge, more like the Grinch.

I found his actions awkward,

          since friends should not contend.

But my church is also family,

          so I answered in a pinch.

 

There is Herman and Paul,

     Deacons on the ball,

          and they each perform their task like godly men.

And we have greeters like Brother Bob,

     who jokes about his sit-down job,

          while he welcomes each arrival like a friend.

And there is Judy and Deloris,

     with a long history here before us,

          so they will always be a treasured pair.

We have Glenn, Veldora, and Robbie,

     and Doris with her hobby:

          she has hugs enough for all and some to spare.

And there is Margaret and Regina, her daughter,

     who crave the Living Water:

          the Word of God that makes our life complete.

Margaret use to play for worship,

     now Nancy makes the piano her ship,

          and sails each joyful note into a treat.

We have the Coach and Julie,

     with her greeting card ministry:

          she reminds absent members that we care.

And there's Mark and his mother Tura, our Grande' Dame':

     our Royal Missions Queen,

          who teaches with compassion how to share.

And there is Jeanne, so organized

     that the devil runs and hides,

          cuz' he cannot find a loophole anywhere.

And our church body would have a large hole

     if Alan and Juanita were ever to go:

          for they are a godly couple beyond compare.

The wisdom of this man,

     so respected by other men,

          is a leader like Peter, a solid rock for us all.

And his loving wife Juanita,

     you'll never meet anyone sweeta',

          and she's the rock behind the man with a heavenly call.

And then there's Don and Ellen,

     the pride of Courtney Corner,

          who tackle more tasks than anyone.

Like our Lord, they live their lives

     like a living sacrifice,

          and they never quit until the job is done.

To know them is a blessing,

     and if you're wounded they're the dressing

          that God might send to help your healing.

He's the friend closer than a brother,

     and she is Proverbs thirty-one:

          and they've earned our respect and loving feelings.

There are many others -- like James, Tricia, Rodney, and more --

     that I can add to the list, my friend;

          but I think I've made my point quite clear.

Though I would be remiss

     to keep one couple off the list,

          a couple the church holds very dear.

Pastor Steve and his first lady, Pat,

     quick to pray or a friendly chat:

          he likes to joke and she likes to sing.

We hear about sports and cycling,

     ATV trips and what grand babies do;

          but their love for God is still the most important thing.

 

 

And so I told my friend

     that no church is like another,

          cuz' it's not the walls or the steeple.

It's the spiritual sisters and brothers --

          it truly is the people.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

And I thank God for all of you, the Body of Christ, the Church.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Don't forget to check out the new publication: the Gospel Scene here.

Lord Works in Mysterious Ways

The following poem was inspired by a recent event that took place in my life. I was with the worship team from my church, and we were performing for the Pi Um Sha celebration on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The event was going well, but my body wasn't. I thought I had pneumonia, but it turned out much differently. And I thank God for urging one of the team members to pay attention to what was happening to me. And they convinced me not to wait for a scheduled appointment with the VA.

Pulmonary

 

Late night call

Unexpected

Requested

Good deed on the 'morrow

Pi-um-sha

Celebration

Scheduled act

Off-track

Saving grace

Take their place

Walk a mile in their shoes

Performance rules

Friendly decision

With physical division

Mind is willing

Body is weak

Up before dawn

Shadow blanket on tepees

Nine songs played

Message relayed

To early risers

From sheltered wombs

Two-dozen rebirths

On early morning meadow

Nine of which opt

For souls reborn

Lead them on my brother

Lead them on my sister

Equipment take-down

Break-down

Something is amiss here

Time to celebrate

Where's the elation

Smile lost
Physical cost

Good deed tallies up a toll

Lethargic

Peer concern

I am not me

Joy is gone

Strength follows

Liquid in lungs

Drowning in the high desert

Out of water

Out of time

Another service to go to

No can do

The body battles

Civil War

Knotted

Contractions

Cramps

Best wishes

But no offers

No assistance

Via con Dios

One step at a time

Agony

Heartache

Heartbreak

About to burst

Thirst... for life

Curse... the pain

A nickel's worth of days

Man-Up!

Function

Modern Americans

Plenty of best wishes

Vocal loyalty

No action without royalty

VA delay

No wish to pay

Yet when they call

Perhaps to give all

We cannot forgo

Our part in the show

When there's a need

To bleed

For the myth called Liberty

Yet in this circumstance

It's a whole new show

With a VA song and dance

And "Old Glory" loses its glow

But pain chose the road

Policy be damned

ER... here I am

Thread the needle

Suck the blood

Sadistic duties

Monitor the scope

More angel than devil

Is all I can hope

I am the voodoo doll

Repeatedly stabbed

NAs... RNs... Blood techs

Phlebotomists

MRI

See the mass

Fluid's a decoy

No virus

A consequence

Pulmonary Embolism

Silent death

Avoided

Legs clear

Heart clear

Origin unknown

A nomadic clot

"Bend forward"

"Hold breath"

"You'll feel a little pinch"

Liar!

Steady

Fluid extraction

Feel the steel

Internal probe

"Try not to tense up"

Yea, right!

"You're doing fine"

Compared to what?

Caught it in time

Prognosis good

Treatment begins

Stomach infusions

Twice daily

I will survive

If the cure doesn't kill me first

 

Thoreau's Biblical Content in "Walden"

 

picture from mass.gov

 



            The Bible is a unique text. It tells the reader they either accept it as the living word of God, or they reject it: there is no middle ground. And yet, a slew of critical thinkers throughout the ages continue to pick and choose what they will accept or reject from its pages. And this essay will not attempt to prove, in a few paragraphs, whether the Bible is or isn’t divinely inspired; it will simply show how Henry David Thoreau is one of the critical thinkers who chose to utilize biblical passages as evidence to support certain pros and cons of his alternative ideology.

            Some critical thinkers attempt to retain the concept of God within the biblical text, while down playing the role of the Trinity: specifically the role of Jesus as the only begotten son of God. Ralph Waldo Emerson appears to fall into the believers of God sans Christ: the divinity of Christ. Thoreau, on the other hand, belongs to a different group of thinkers, who profess the classification of “God,” but without association to any solitary entity: seeing god in nature, in man, but not a personified character or being, simply a force with which to attribute the creative energy. And yet, while professing such a belief, Thoreau, like many alternative thinkers before and since, opted to use the Bible for both pros and cons with regard to explanations of his own contentions.

            The average individual in America cannot read Walden without noticing the text is inundated with biblical references, and an even greater number of biblical symbols. There are seven full or partial biblical passages within the first fifty pages of the book: from the use of Matthew 6:19 on page 7 to the use of John 5:8 on page 49. But then the passages cease for nearly a hundred pages, though the biblical symbols continue throughout the text. And the final eighty-plus pages see nearly double the biblical passages, twelve: from the use of Ecclesiastes 12:1 on page 141 to the final reference of Ecclesiastes 9:4 on page 219. And some of the main symbols eluded to throughout the text include the following: water as baptism, cleansing, renewal or rebirth; omnipresence in the symbol of eyes, overseeing, reflections, illumination, etc, along with the sky, birds, air, and other terms in connection to heaven or the heavenlies. There are also direct symbols, such as swaddling and Creator.

            The polarity issue brought out in class attaches itself to the biblical passages and symbols. For instance, on page 190, Thoreau proclaims “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads;” yet, on the following page he states, “They give up their watery ghosts, like a mortal translated before his time to the thin air of heaven;” all of which contradicts another claim where he says thoughts of heaven are foolish. Likewise, on page 7, Thoreau refers to Matthew 6:19 which states the following:

                                    Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,

                                    where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where

                                    thieves break through and steal.

 

The author uses it to emphasize his belief that man labors under a mistake or misconception. He claims, “The better part of man is soon ploughed into the soil for compost.” And yet, he specifically calls the Bible “an old book,” in a demeaning fashion; and within a couple more pages Thoreau lambasts all things old, from previous generations, claiming, in fact, to have never learned anything from an elder. And yet, he continues to use that “old” book in an effort to strengthen his contentions throughout the text.

            Polarity, complexity, opposites: a person might conclude the apparent contradictions weaken Thoreau’s contentions. Another person may see it as evidence for his contentions: nature, ecology, culture, the body and soul all intertwined. And the biblical symbols and stories were solidified in the culture of his day – and still are to varying degrees – and the culture is part of the ecology in Thoreau’s contentions; thus, a part of nature, and the body and soul, and, inevitably, that makes it all acceptable to use when talking to the masses (or anyone). As long as Thoreau believes the Bible has no divine attachment it is acceptable to use as part of the culture/ecology/nature to prove any point he deems relevant. However, if he attributes any form of divinity or divine nature to the Bible, even with respect to his nature-god assumption, his contentions immediately fail: for the obvious reasons. The primary reason it would fail is that any belief that accepts a divine attribute in an intelligent Creator must assume that any Creator who can create not only living creatures but intelligent beings would have the ability to communicate with those creations in some form. Thus, with that fact established, than no other god could be the god of the Bible, except God, who is claimed in the Bible, because no other god would create or inspire the Bible, Koran, Torah, or any other form of communication with its creations that would promote a false god. Therefore, any critical thinkers like Thoreau, as well as those like Emerson who claim some belief in a divine god, show by their actions that they do not truly believe in a divine or supernatural nature attached to the biblical God, or they would need to accept it as a divine word inspired by the same God. After all, there are only two other alternatives: a belief in no intelligent god, or a belief in a bumbling god that cannot communicate with its “intelligent” creations. I just find it interesting that many notable thinkers try to remove divinity from an intelligent god, or attribute divinity to a non-intelligent force. And yet, they continue to use the Bible, which professes the God they removed the divine nature from, as a means to prove the pros and cons of their beliefs.

Merry Christmas

No matter what the secular world keeps proclaiming, Jesus is still the reason for the season. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Homosexual agenda versus God's Word

A New Zealand church billboard with the image of Christ in the manger with a rainbow style halo and the caption "It's Christmas. It's time for Jesus to come out," has added to the homosexual controversy versus God's word. Reverend Glynn Cardy claimed the billboard is merely trying to uplift the "humanity of Jesus" (HuffingtonPost). And he is quoted as saying, "The fact is we don't know what his sexual orientation was" (Huffington Post). And Cardy then questions whether it would matter if Jesus was gay... and would that matter to us.

Additional emphasis to the gay agenda is brought forth in the content of Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church. During an interview with Jon Stewart, Robinson -- who was promoting his book "God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage" -- side-stepped actually calling Jesus gay, but then put as much innuendo regarding the relationship Christ had with his male disciples as he could. And he is quoted as saying, "Now I'm not saying Jesus was gay, but let's be careful (not) to rope this guy in for a husband, wife and 2.2 children model for family" (Huffington Post).

It makes you wonder what is being taught in the seminaries these days; it cannot be the Word of God. The Word of God is very clear on homosexuality being considered a detestable act, such as the following:

"Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin." -- Leviticus 18:22 (NLT)

"If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense." -- Leviticus 20:13 (NLT)

And you can find similar examples of homosexuality being condemned or shown as sinful in the following verses: Genesis 19:1-11, Judges 19:16-24, 1 Kings 14:24 and 15:12, 2 Kings 23:7, Romans 1:18-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:8-10, and Jude 7.

It would appear that Cardy and Robinson have not gotten to those areas of their bibles yet. And when both so-called religious leaders defend homosexuality in a biblical context, and even have the audacity to hint at Christ being "sinful" it clearly shows that they have not read the parts of the bible that specifically warn of not adding to or taking away from God's Word, such as the following:

"Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you." -- Deuteronomy 4:2

"See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it." -- Deuteronomy 12:32

"Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." -- Proverbs 30:6

And you can find similar verses in Revelations 22: 7, 9-10, and 18.

There really is no controversy over homosexuality in God's Word, it is very clear. The controversy is only in the minds of those who do not want to obey God because it condemns their sinful desires. And, like spoiled children, they will continue to throw their tantrums for all to hear and see in the hopes that they can get enough people frustrated so they will give them what they want just to shut them up. And, unfortunately, that tactic appears to be working since so many other groups want their sinful desires to be tolerated as well.

It appears that the majority of people no longer strive to be the best they can be; instead, they strive to see how much they can get away with. That is a poor example of human nature, and an even worse recipe for a happy life.

I pray they realize that true freedom comes through the grace and love of God and not through the chains of human addictions.

(Note: this is the same church that put up the scandalous Joseph sleeping with Mary billboard in 2009)

What lesson does it teach?

Did you see the story of the family evicted from section 8 housing because the 13-year-old son stole a pair of shoes from K-mart to keep his feet warm? A single-mother and her three children have been told to vacate their Grand Junction apartment in two weeks, right around Christmas, because of the incident that had nothing to do with the apartment complex.

By no means am I condoning the act of stealing, but what type of lesson has the system just taught this family (especially the young kids)? This boy, after being forced to wear tattered shoes because of the family's poverty, which kept his feet cold and hurting, was tempted (as any child would be) to find a way to relieve the pain. And he made a wrong choice. But the system that blindly and callously casts the entire family, including the boy's two younger siblings, out in the dead of winter is a far greater criminal act than what the child did.

The manager of the Garden Village Apartments in Grand Junction said in a statement to the media that "shoplifting violated the family's lease agreement" -- (Huffington Post). Any criminal activity, even off the premises, is grounds for immediate eviction. But what they fail to take into account is the extenuating circumstance. This was not a case of a hard-nosed delinquent trying to get over on the system; it was a poor child with hurting feet trying to ease the suffering. And now that child is riddled with guilt over his mother and siblings being cast out into the cold for something he did.

The act of shoplifting should not be condoned, but the manager missed a great opportunity to make a huge difference in the life of both this boy and his family. Instead of evicting them it would have been much better to let the boy see the error of his ways, and then give him the opportunity to make up for his mistake by working around the apartment complex (about two weeks), and then paying him enough to buy a pair of shoes. The boy would learn he had to take responsibility for his actions and that it is better to work for things you need instead of stealing. And his younger siblings would have seen the lesson as well, and their mother would have felt that someone in society actually cared about her circumstance and attempted to help instead of simply adding to her burden because it's easier for the manager and property owners to callously cast an adult and three children into the cold: hoping they can find a shelter that will take them.  

The action taken by the manager and property owners has only reinforced the belief to this family, especially the children, that nobody cares for them so they need to look out for themselves. And that kind of belief will create the temptation for more bad choices.

The majority of Americans use to have compassion and think about others more than themselves, but those days appear to be long gone. That's what happens when you take a loving God out of a society's belief system.

Obama art: The liberal "truth" in all its unholy glory

If you are one of the few Christians who have not heard or seen the artistic rendition of Barack Obama as the liberals pretend crucified savior, be thankful. It is not worth your time. As a Christian I find it absurd and humorous, though obviously not in the way the artist, Michael D'Antuono, intended. It is only humorous in the audacity and foolishness of such a ludicrous comparison; especially given the knowledge that this president is probably the most anti-Christian president of all time (which his record confirms).

The artist claims that the crucifixion of the president was intended metaphorically, and no comparison to Jesus was meant. And yet, isn't it odd that he chose to depict Obama in the same style and posture of crucifixion, crown of thorns and all, that is specifically linked with Jesus? History has many other methods of crucifixion that the artist could have chosen if he truly did not want his artwork to be contrary to Christ and Christians. The crown of thorns is a major identifier with the crucifixion of Jesus because it was done as a mocking action by the Roman soldiers in response to the people calling Jesus the King of the Jews. Therefore, you do not see it at crucifixions prior to Christ. And, as an artist, who naturally would research his piece, D'Antuono most likely knew this.

Isn't it funny that all the blasphemous artwork against Jesus is done by liberal artists that claim to be a part of a political view that wants tolerance for all? And yet, the artist claims that his First Amendment rights should override someone else's feelings. That's tolerance for you, a real fine upstanding example of caring about others. And isn't it equally funny that the same artists that have the so-called "guts" to make light of Christ's crucifixion with a pretend savior like Obama, or by utilizing a vat of urine as we saw earlier, never have the guts to mock Allah or Mohamed in the same fashion and put it in a public event in a Muslim country? I suppose some artists will always have to resort to the artistic version of the "shock jock" when their talent is mediocre. It's the only way they can get recognized and keep their career going.

A Sad Day, Indeed

I guess the majority of Americans feel 16 trillion dollars in debt isn't quite enough from this president, so they gave him four more years to really sock it to us. Well, at least my conscience is clear. But I wonder how many of those who voted for him will end up on their knees before the end of this term. It will be interesting to see, though sad all the same.

It is indeed a sad day... and such a shame, cause this use to be such a great country. Unfortunately, as we are all seeing, when a country loses its morals it equally loses its way. However, do not let it stop you from praying for the country and our leaders. We need to get back on track... a forward moving track, that is.

Keep the faith.

Enemy of Christians?

I was sent the following list in an email from a concerned Christian brother, and I feel it is important enough to place in my blog just as it came to me, especially at this time before the election. And I say, don't just vote your conscience... pray, and vote the way God has you vote.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



David Barton of Wall builders.com <http://wallbuilders.com/> has come out with a list explaining why Barack Obama is the most biblically hostile President of all time. While most of these stories have been seen before, seeing them all laid out in one list is pretty astonishing.

Note: there are 4 main categories of hostility, with numerous items listed under each

1. Acts of Hostility Toward People Of Biblical Faith:

a. April 2008: – Obama speaks disrespectfully of Christians, saying they “cling to guns or religion” and have an “antipathy to people who are not like them.”

b. February 2009: – Obama announces plans to revoke conscience protection for health workers who refuse to participate in medical activities that go against their beliefs, and fully implements the plan in February 2011.

c. April 2009: – When speaking at Georgetown University, Obama orders that a monogram symbolizing Jesus’ name be covered when he is making his speech.

d. May 2009: – Obama declines to host services for the National Prayer Day (a day established by federal law) at the White House.

e. April 2009: – In a deliberate act of disrespect, Obama nominated three pro-abortion ambassadors to the Vatican; of course, the pro-life Vatican rejected all three.

f. October 19, 2010: – Obama begins deliberately omitting the phrase about “the Creator” when quoting the Declaration of Independence;– an omission he has made on no less than seven occasions.

g. November 2010: – Obama misquotes the National Motto, saying it is “"E pluribus Unum"” rather than "“In God We Trust,"” as established by federal law.

h. January 2011: – After a federal law was passed to transfer a WWI Memorial in the Mojave Desert to private ownership, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the cross in the memorial could continue to stand, but the Obama administration refused to allow the land to be transferred as required by law, and refused to allow the cross to be re-erected as ordered by the Court.

i. February 2011: – Although he filled posts in the State Department, for more than two years Obama did not fill the post of religious freedom ambassador, an official that works against religious persecution across the world; he filled it only after heavy pressure from the public and from Congress.

j. April 2011: – For the first time in American history, Obama urges passage of a non-discrimination law that does not contain hiring protections for religious groups, forcing religious organizations to hire according to federal mandates without regard to the dictates of their own faith, thus eliminating conscience protection in hiring.

k. August 2011: – The Obama administration releases its new health care rules that override religious conscience protections for medical workers in the areas of abortion and contraception.

l. November 2011: – Obama opposes inclusion of President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous D-Day Prayer in the WWII Memorial.

m. November 2011: – Unlike previous presidents, Obama studiously avoids any religious references in his Thanksgiving speech.

n. December 2011: – The Obama administration denigrates other countries’ religious beliefs as an obstacle to radical homosexual rights.

o. January 2012: – The Obama administration argues that the First Amendment provides no protection for churches and synagogues in hiring their pastors and rabbis.

p. February 2012: – The Obama administration forgives student loans in exchange for public service, but announces it will no longer forgive student loans if the public service is related to religion.

2. Acts of Hostility From The Obama-Led Military Toward People Of Biblical Faith:

a. June 2011: – The Department of Veterans Affairs forbids references to God and Jesus during burial ceremonies at Houston National Cemetery.

b. August 2011: – The Air Force stops teaching the Just War theory to officers in California because the course is taught by chaplains and is based on a philosophy introduced by St. Augustine in the third century AD;– a theory long taught by civilized nations across the world (except America).

c. September 2011: – Air Force Chief of Staff prohibits commanders from notifying airmen of programs and services available to them from chaplains.

d. September 2011: – The Army issues guidelines for Walter Reed Medical Center stipulating that “No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading materials and/or facts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.”

e. November 2011: – The Air Force Academy rescinds support for Operation Christmas Child, a program to send holiday gifts to impoverished children across the world, because the program is run by a Christian charity.

f. November 2011: – The Air Force Academy pays $80,000 to add a Stonehenge-like worship center for pagans, druids, witches and Wiccans.

g. February 2012: – The U. S. Military Academy at West Point dis-invites three star Army general and decorated war hero Lieutenant General William G. (“Jerry”) Boykin (retired) from speaking at an event because he is an outspoken Christian.

h. February 2012: – The Air Force removes “God” from the patch of Rapid Capabilities Office (the word on the patch was in Latin: Dei).

i. February 2012: – The Army orders Catholic chaplains not to read a letter to parishioners that their archbishop asked them to read.

3. Acts of Hostility Toward Biblical Values:

a. January 2009: – Obama lifts restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, forcing taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations.

b. January 2009: – President Obama’s nominee for deputy secretary of state asserts that American taxpayers are required to pay for abortions and that limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional.

c. March 2009: – The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit.

d. March 2009: – Obama orders taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research.

e. March 2009: – Obama gave $50 million for the UNFPA, the UN population agency that promotes abortion and works closely with Chinese population control officials who use forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations.

f. May 2009: – The White House budget eliminates all funding for abstinence-only education and replaces it with “comprehensive” sexual education, repeatedly proven to increase teen pregnancies and abortions. He continues the deletion in subsequent budgets.

g. May 2009: – Obama officials assemble a terrorism dictionary calling pro-life advocates violent and charging that they use racism in their “criminal” activities.

h. July 2009: – The Obama administration illegally extends federal benefits to same-sex partners of Foreign Service and Executive Branch employees, in direct violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

i. September 16, 2009: – The Obama administration appoints as EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum, who asserts that society should “not tolerate” any “private beliefs,” including religious beliefs, if they may negatively affect homosexual “equality.”

j. July 2010: – The Obama administration uses federal funds in violation of federal law to get Kenya to change its constitution to include abortion.

k. August 2010: – The Obama administration Cuts funding for 176 abstinence education programs.

l. September 2010: – The Obama administration tells researchers to ignore a judge’s decision striking down federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

m. February 2011: – Obama directs the Justice Department to stop defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

n. March 2011: – The Obama administration refuses to investigate videos showing Planned Parenthood helping alleged sex traffickers get abortions for victimized underage girls.

o. July 2011: – Obama allows homosexuals to serve openly in the military, reversing a policy originally instituted by George Washington in March 1778.

p. September 2011: – The Pentagon directs that military chaplains may perform same-sex marriages at military facilities in violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

q. October 2011: – The Obama administration eliminates federal grants to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for their extensive programs that aid victims of human trafficking because the Catholic Church is anti-abortion.

4. Acts Of Preferentialism For Islam:

a. May 2009: – While Obama does not host any National Day of Prayer event at the White House, he does host White House Iftar dinners in honor of Ramadan.

b. April 2010: – Christian leader Franklin Graham is dis-invited from the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer Event because of complaints from the Muslim community.

c. April 2010: – The Obama administration requires rewriting of government documents and a change in administration vocabulary to remove terms that are deemed offensive to Muslims, including "jihad," "jihadists," "terrorists," "radical Islamic," etc.

d. August 2010: – Obama speaks with great praise of Islam and condescendingly of Christianity.

e. August 2010: – Obama went to great lengths to speak out on multiple occasions on behalf of building an Islamic mosque at Ground Zero, while at the same time he was silent about a Christian church being denied permission to rebuild at that location.

f. 2010: – While every White House traditionally issues hundreds of official proclamations and statements on numerous occasions, this White House avoids traditional Biblical holidays and events but regularly recognizes major Muslim holidays, as evidenced by its 2010 statements on Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha.

g. October 2011: – Obama’s Muslim advisers block Middle Eastern Christians’ access to the White House.

h. February 2012: – The Obama administration makes effulgent apologies for Korans being burned by the U. S. military, but when Bibles were burned by the military, numerous reasons were offered why it was the right thing to do.

Many of these actions are literally unprecedented -- – this is the first time they have happened in four centuries of American history. The hostility of President Obama toward Biblical faith and values is without equal from any previous American president.

God or no God?

In 2004, the Democratic Party Platform had seven references to God. In 2008, there was only one reference to God. And most of us have heard by now that during the initial "acts of business" at this year's Democratic Convention the final reference to God (along with recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital) was removed from their platform. The uproar that followed was instantaneous. Ironically, however, the majority of that vocalization came from Republicans.

 

 image is from historicwings.com



It is not ironic because Republicans (for the most part) proudly proclaim their faith in God and believe this country was originally founded on godly principles (with obvious exceptions). It is ironic because the Democratic Party has proclaimed to be the "working man's" political party for many decades (though it's highly debatable). Yet, the middle-class and below, who proclaim faith in God by a majority, are clearly being duped by the Democratic leaders who just as clearly do not.

Yes, the one reference to God and Jerusalem being acknowledged were eventually put back into the platform: but only after a week of bad political press that they were trying to squelch. And even then it required three consecutive rounds of voting before it was re-accepted. And a cacophony of "boos" by many so-called Democratic Party leaders erupted immediately following the "affirmative" vote over one pitiful reference to God in a country that claims to be founded on godly principles.

 

image is from firstjohnfourfive.wordpress.com

 



If you truly believe in God it is clearly hypocritical to imagine we, as the creations, can vote the Creator out of the political arena with a "yay" or "nay" and a stroke of a pen. It is equally hypocritical to believe there should be a total separation of church and state. A believer cannot vote against what they believe God stands for. If they do, than they honestly do not believe their god is a holy god. After all, if you say you believe in the biblical God, and that God condemns specific things, yet you still vote for them, what does that tell you? It tells you that you don't believe your god and you do not fear your alleged god's consequence to your disobedience: either he's not holy or he's too weak to bother you (according to that type of belief and action). But if your god is so weak and unholy how can he save you? In fact, how can such a god be of any use to you?

Personally, I have witnessed events that defy the laws of nature, so I believe in God. That belief is special to me. My faith has helped me endure great adversity and pain. And I know that some day I must answer for all my thoughts, choices, and actions. So I will not vote for any political leader or party that wants to remove God from their decisions.