'I'm-a-dinner-jacket' Takes The Prize!

Mockmood I'ma-dinner-jacket (sp)... really, why bother trying to get it right? You know him, the nut-case who has repeatedly called for the extermination of Israel--the one who calls the holocost a "myth," who says that his uranium enrichment and nuclear arms program is purely for "peaceful" purposes... and on, and on, and on go his mad rants and diatribe.

Time magazine saw him coming as early as 3 years ago when in their Sunday edition, April 30th, 2006, it called Ahmadinejad a "beligerent, naive... dark genius" noting his "rise from obscurity" after his first election as president of Iran.

Rise from obscurity indeed, but that is not the point here. Yesterday, Ahmadinejad won his second term as president of Iran. In a 'surprising landslide' by democratic vote --a joke to those of us who know better--, he is now in a position to continue his high-profile and very effective anti-American, anti-Israel, anti-Christianity campaigns.

So why would this matter to the American Christian anyway? Glad you asked--let me explain.

American public policy is greatly influenced by American world (foreign) policy. With Ahmadinejad now firmly in power for several more years, diplomacy in the middle East is completely off the table and Israel's struggle for identity and survival meets an exponentially greater challenge. Ahmadinejad's tacit threat to use nuclear weapons and Kim Jong Il's open declaration that North Korea will use them if provoked, have put America in a particularly tough predicament.

The crux of it all is this: Obama, in his recent speech at the WWII memorial in France on June 6th, openly --but not by accident-- said "human destiny is not shaped by forces beyond our control". We, the American Christian, of course, realize that destiny is in God's hands. Historically and Scriptually, when a prominent leader tries to wrest control of authority belonging to God, he fails and his (that leader's) people, pay the price. Obama is that leader, and we, the American Christian, are that people.

Today, Obama is poised to meet the challenges of foreign policy with a world-view that tells him he is in control. Hopefully by now, the American Christian has realized he is not. Ahmadinejad, Jong Il, Castro, Chavez and others are laughing at him privately while planning a world devoid of America and Israel.

OK, Ok... extreme thinking. These though, are extreme people. While the male leader of the American Christian home remains distracted --rightfully but not sensibly-- by taxes, oppressive government control of family matters, restriction of personal and private liberties, and the ongoing process of socializing the American culture, Obama is wreaking havoc with seemingly no regard for what God has to say about it.

Look at it like this, our president is the skinniest guy in the sandbox. He steps in and tells the big guys that he will bring America into lock-step with the world and, of course, the big guys let him try. By the time he (Obama) fails to do so however --as he inevitably must--, it might be a bit late.

Still not getting it? OK, here's what we --the American Christian-- do: rail against domestic policies that make no sense--gay marriage, restrictions on the Bible in the public square, attacks on home-schooling, and "single-payer" health care sytems for example. Rail hard, rail loud, petition local politicians-- COMPLAIN!

Second, stop thinking that as long as 'my' family, 'my' church, 'my' prosaic little goldfish bowl is OK, that it will all go away in time. It won't. One of the most irritating habits of the American Christian man (to me, at least) is an "it's in God's hands" mentality. Of course it's in God's hands, but did He really place us here to just "put up and shut up" as long as 'my' little realm of responsibility is satisfied?

Men, re-read the prayer of Jabez, re-read II Peter. Look closely at James. 10 men of Christ died horrible deaths defending the faith. Others wrote about them. Honestly, do we --the collective American Christian man-- need as much sleep as we seem to be getting?

Get involved in emailing or writing your congressperson on issues that matter to you and your family. Show up at local debates and forums where your opinion is asked for and give it to them. Ask your pastors to guide you in ways that you can confront issues that the business called the church cannot. Above all, brothers in Christ, do something.

If the American Christian man can once again have a voice in the square that is actually listened to and heard by our leaders, perhaps Obama --since he is 'Commander-in-Chief,' after all-- can concentrate on affairs of American SECURITY where his efforts belong while WE, the American Christian, take care of managing our families and culture. Partner with America Mr. Obama, we are not interested in being the by-product of your social experiments.

Of course, that's just what I think... what about you?

Christian Parents; Hold on to Your Kids!

Declaring that "pluralism in education" is "essential for the preservation of the 'democratic society,'" the high court declared that "in view of the power of the modern State, it is above all through State teaching that this aim must be realized."

Konrad v. Germany, May 2007

"California courts have held that ... parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children," Justice H Walter Croskey said in the ruling issued on "Parents have a legal duty to see to their children's schooling under the provisions of these laws."

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services v. Philip and Mary Long, Feb. 2008

PHILADELPHIA — A U.S. court says a kindergartner's mother cannot read Scripture during show and tell, even if the Bible is the boy's favorite book.

"Parents of public school kindergarten students may reasonably expect their children will not become captive audiences to an adults reading of religious texts," Chief Judge Anthony J. Scirica of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in the split 2-1 opinion, which upheld a lower court decision.

Donna Kay Busch v. Marple Newton School District, June 2009

Socialism is a word generally applied to economics as a 'theory or system of social reform which contemplates a complete reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor'. Hm mm, the complete reconstruction of a society; how does that work and who gets to decide what is more 'just and equitable'?

The United States government now largely controls General Motors, the infamous Fannie and Freddie, AIG, and many of our mid-sized to large banking and lending institutions. Obama makes no secret of the fact that he supports redistribution of wealth and nationalized health care. Clearly this level of government control and socialist tenets should be sufficient to edge our nation away from its evil capitalist ways, but...

In order to socialize a culture (which by the way, the Marx-Lenin theory calls a stepping stone between capitalism and communism), and move it toward a more homogeneous, privatized, "nation of citizens", Obama, Pelosi, Frank, Reid, et al in our current administrations cadre of lock-stepped demagogues must necessarily influence our children. They, after all, are much more compliant than their recalcitrant parents.

In an outstanding article at Citizenlink.org (the action wing of Focus on the Family), Candi Cushman says this;

"After all, they know if they can capture the hearts and minds of the young, they can permanently change the culture."

The remainder of the article by the way is a must read for parents. http://www.citizenlink.org/clcommentary/A000010153.cfm

Why the children?; It takes too long to change adult behavior. American parents in general and American Christian parents in particular are sleeping at the wheel as our government is rebuilding our core values and beliefs through the indoctrination of our children to 'alternative' points of view and lifestyles. By creating a pluralistic society where all points of view are valid, our leaders are in a better position to secularize America and wrest control of all affairs economic and personal for selfish gain; power and money.

Wait a minute, what does influencing our children's view of homosexuality, gay marriage, green technology, the Nation of Islam, tolerance, and 'all ideas are good ideas' have to do with socialism anyway? Glad you asked. Let me explain:

Have you noticed that as our children accept government and media hyperbole, so do the parents? Kids are believing more and more that gay is OK, that absolute truth is not a valid position in most matters, that abortion is a foregone conclusion and that if we don't work hard to save our planet, the evil parents will destroy it.

Here is another excerpt from Cushmans article;

Take, for instance, what’s happening to parents in Alameda, Calif. Despite the fact that the state’s highest court upheld Prop. 8 — a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman — the school board brazenly mandated a pro-gay curriculum for elementary kids. It told parents they cannot opt their kids out of this teaching — even if it contradicts their most deeply held religious convictions. Or even if they happen to think their kids are too young to psychologically handle sexual topics.

With malleable minds at stake, the government is increasingly unwilling to allow radical Christian parents a voice in the teaching their children receive. The socialistic leaders of 2009 need our children to be a significant voting block in only 10 to 15 years from now. If Christians are permitted to teach their own children and voice religious principles publicly for example, kids will actually continue to think that their destinies are matter for God to decide instead of a matter for the state control.

On the other hand, if Bibles are entirely removed from the public square and curricula are based on open acceptance of alternative and un-Scriptural thinking, the state can decide 'what is best' for the common good of all concerned. With that power firmly in hand, politics then rules the day and economics (power and wealth) reside in the hands of our government with little resistance from those that the state has nurtured into un-Godly thinking.

Think of it like this, you and I will die sooner than later. Looking at the thinking of the young people in your life, ask this question; Seeing what I see and considering the kids I know, will the generation after me be more or less Godly and grounded in character?

Christian men; Read, learn and apply. Read articles like Cushmans and follow the links to places where your voice can be heard. Find one or two solid websites like 'Focus on the Family' or 'Called2Action.org' and check them regularly for ways in which you can engage our culture with letter writing and contacting your representatives.

Ask your pastors about opportunities for the church to get involved in local politics (don't bother thinking the church isn't allowed to do that... YES, it is!). Read up on the 'Johnson Amendment' of 1954 and ask your church leaders to help you understand it.

If the "Voting Place" were really the place to make a difference as so many seem to think, would we not have made that difference by now? The voting place is manipulated and your choices there are very narrow.

The place to make a difference is in the public square so that the choices we have for whom to vote is broadened. By speaking out and challenging contemporary issues in a Biblical, Christ-centered way, perhaps we can more greatly influence the people who are actually chosen to represent us. Think about it; were Obama and McCain the best we could do in the last election?

Perhaps with enough positive and influential Christian activity today --particularly from our men--, we will have real choices for elected leaders tomorrow. If it remains as it is now, the polling place in the next election will be little more than an exercise in futility.

As always, that's just what I think... what about you?

The American Christian Male; A Mouse that Won't Roar

Past now; the days when world-views can be conveniently sub-categorized into six or seven primary belief sets for the sake of comparison. Pluralism in America today is quickly marching Christian adherents toward the inevitable state of complete confusion about core beliefs, non-compromisable standards, and the knowledge that the law of non-contradiction must be applied to all rational thought. I think that there are no unintended consequences here.

Not unlike going to Starbucks, the American Christian --particularly men and Church leaders-- have the option of concocting the most palatable --and often un-Biblical-- blend of core beliefs from the various categories and then purveying that to congregations seeking a total church experience devoid of the unpleasurable constraints of a Godly life; that option is being widely exercised:

I'll have a decaf half-baptist, half-non-denominational with a dash of pantheism and topped with new age post-modernism please.

Why? Bottoms in the pews. Acquiescing to the business need for revenue and fiscal survival, it is clear to me --after carefully studying larger local churches here in our community and others across the country-- that evangelism has been sorely compromised for the sake of attendance and the prevailing attitude amongst serious, Bible-based churches is "we can fix theological errors after we get them through the doors".

Fully expecting to ruffle feathers --though not necessarily those of the very few who do not fall into this category-- I write this humbly as a gate keeper of sorts at a weak point in the crenels of our Christian battlements.

Donald Wilson of the watchdog group American Family Association brings the following to our attention in a recent letter from his office:

The Rev. Barry Lynn of the nonprofit Americans United for Separation of Church and State says there are no effective regulations in place to prevent churches from engaging in religious discrimination when hiring or to stop them from using government money to promote their religion through soup kitchens or shelters.

Read more of Lynn's diatribe at www.au.org

Lynn's implied call for regulation of the Church by the state exemplifies the dilemma; pluralization --the abundance of competing world-views while no particular one stands out amongst the others-- portends the likelihood that the government will actually benefit from its (pluralization's) propagation.

Lynn and scores of other wolves amongst the church community are successfully lobbying for the privatization of Christian values and, in doing so, are assuring themselves of more absolute control of their own spheres of influence rather than leaving that job to the power of the Holy Spirit where it belongs. The government in the meantime will gladly wrest control of the church and usurp it's God-given authority for the sake of garnering the popular vote.

How long will it be before YOUR church is forced to hire staff and paid leadership with NO foundation in Christian principles? How long before a Pastor is REQUIRED to perform a marriage ceremony for a gay couple in the church? (After all, you permitted their membership.)

Far-fetched? Where was the first lesbian bishop ordained? Right here in your own back yard. How many "gay-friendly" churches surround yours? More than you know. There is a prominent (and vocal) church right here on the south side of town whose leadership has openly stated that teaching the old Testament is no longer necessary. And on, and on, and on...

As the American Christian Man (collectively speaking) continues to stay the course that says "at least it is not in MY church", our troubles will sadly but inevitably deepen. There are 303,824,640 people in the United States, approximately 49% of whom are men (148,874,073), and 74% of that number (110,166,814) profess Christianity.

More than 110 million Christian men in America and I need not count very far to number those who are making a significant impact on our waning culture. Is it not yet time for small voices like mine to band together with the contemporary champions of our faith? The American Christian man (collective) is far less a 'sleeping giant' than a mouse who simply will not roar.

Join me with ideas and YOUR thoughts on mobilizing and making heard a generation of men whose heads are tucked neatly between their knees as though the plane is about to crash. Pastors and leaders-- teach, inform, and arm your men for more public activity. Men of Christ-- let your yes be yes and no be no, instead of maybe or "I guess it's ok just this one time".

It is little wonder that Obama, Pelosi, and the likes of the Rev. Barry Lynn have positioned themselves in opposition to the Christian foundation of our country when there have been so few men standing at the gates to say "No, you can't do that here".

Of course, as always, that's just what I think. What about you?

bLogos@carolina.rr.com

Les Stewart

Obamanation

The following is a response I wrote on a blog at Called2Action.org on April 18, 2009:

As President, [Barack] Obama is not obliged to embrace Christianity on behalf of the country. Saying "we are not a Christian nation" publicly however, speaks clearly to his political naivite. The comment will come back to bite him in the near future.

As to whether his statement was accurate; possibly. We are less a Christian nation than a nation founded by Christians. The argument that our core is in 'Judeo-Christian' values diminishes by the day as more and more Christians in name only abdicate their responsibility to those values.

As our leaders promote an "anything goes" agenda and the bleating sheep follow, Christianity does not seem to be faring well in its role as the stop-gap to a morally bankrupt society.

The question of course was "is America a Christian nation?" and cited O'bama's recent remarks during a press availability conference in Turkey on April 6th. The remainder of this post is intended to explain my position as a matter of record.

"ObamaNation". Not intending to be disrepectful (though seeing it as such won't bother me) clearly defines the President's efforts thus far in his first '100 days'. Loosely used phrases in the media like 'fascism', 'Marxism', and 'socialism' seem a bit trite and at least overused, so it is fitting that we label the new administrations worldview uniquely and appropriately; a shameful obamanation.

Obama's trampling of Christian values, his clear and purposeful attempts to re-write the documents of our founding fathers, and his flagrant denial of public opinion in policy matters and financial irresponsibility are in fact an obamanation to everything America stands for. Yet, he continues to build a new America in much the same fashion as putting a personal picture of "Spaghetti Jimmy" or a half-nude santa on his new Capital One credit card. In fact, that's what Obama needs; a Capital One cc with his iconic persona superimposed over a backdrop of the Lincoln Memorial; "Perfect!"

Are we then, a Christian Nation? In my view yes, but with a qualified look to the not so distant future:

"The proportion of the [American] population that can be classified as Christian has declined from 86% in 1990 to 77% in 2001." Aris study, http://www.religioustolerance.org/

Though it is reasonable to suggest that the percentage has dropped even further since 2001, let's use this widely accepted statistic as a basis for answering the question since there are no recent studies that have as much validity.

77% certainly qualifies as a majority so it is easily said that we are indeed a Christian nation. Add these statistics from the Barna Group (http://www.barna.org/) however, and the picture becomes more grey:

• Four out of ten Christians (40%) strongly agreed that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.”
• A slight majority of Christians (55%) strongly agree that the Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches...
• Overall, 38% strongly agreed and 20% agreed somewhat that the Holy Spirit is “a symbol of God’s power or presence but is not a living entity.”

There is no such person as Satan, the Holy Spirit is not a person, and the Bible is only mostly reliable. So say a large number of professed Christians. If we are indeed a Christian nation, how has the apple fallen so far from tree on these basic tenets of our faith and values? Moreover, where are we likely headed with such a fallacious and logically unsound understanding of what following Christ really means?

Obama, in this sense, may be more correct than we want to admit. America may not be the Christian nation we want to call ourselves. What however, about our Christian roots? Was America founded on or in Christianity? Clearly; yes.

Many do not know that there were actually 204 "signers" of major documents which established our country of whom 197 were deeply comitted Christians www.adherents.com. Many in fact were preachers of sons of preachers. It is therefore reasonable to say that America was founded with Christian principles and tenets at the forefront.

Obama in this sense is getting it completely wrong. Though he seems to want to move us from our religious affiliations and make us a more homogeneous society, he has sadly missed the fact that America is a nation founded in Christianity.

Here is the problem Obama has that he yet does not see; it is not the nature of a person who has strayed from his roots, to forget those roots. America is indeed slipping away from Christian ethics but will not suddenly walk away from the history that established them in the first place.

Our presidents misguided and arrogant thinking seems to tell him that he can remove the cornerstones of our foundation without damaging its structure. It seems clear that Obama's worldview includes absolute tolerance, government by mandate, and restriction of individual liberties for the common good. What happens though, when he makes a final tug at the stone that holds it all together?

Our new administration's efforts to remove religion from the public square, to redistribute wealth, and to silence our society's Christian majority must fail. If they do not, Obama's final tug will lead to the crashing down of our great society. Historically however, it has happened before. A cursory read of the stories of Nehamiah, Jericho, the great Biblical battles with Babylon and Assyria, and the rule of notables from Caesar and Herod to Stalin and Mussolini tell the tales of failed arrogance.

While it is doubtful that Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Frank. et al, will be remembered as prominently in history to come, their foolishness will certainly mature to fruition. There will be damage, but there will also be the inevitable rebuilding of a great nation. How much damage?; no more than our Christian core will tolerate before it wakes up and returns to its foundational roots.

I believe that we are yet a Christian nation. I believe that God placed in all of us the inescapable desire to return to that which is good and right, but I also believe that our Christianity is fully asleep with a belly fat from excess.

G.K. Chesterton said that "meaninglessness does not come from being weary of pain; meaninglessness comes from being weary of pleasure". Nowhere in history to date will he be proven more correct than now. As America wanders away from God and Christianity in search of more pleasurable and less restrictive pursuits, the nature of greedy government is to let it. More than that, it behooves government to promote such distance for the sake of its desire for control.

Obama will not find the prominent place in history that he wants unless God is moved out of his way. He has soon to learn though, that the sheep will only wander so far before they realize there is no place more restful than under the watch of their shepherd; and he is not Him.

Of course, as always, that's just what I think.