Real Bullies: The Homosexuality Is Normal Movement

Think of us as crew members on the starship Enterprise of the Star Trek TV show, boldly going where no one has gone before. Folks, this is what it feels like challenging the Homosexuality Is Normal Movement. It is extremely dangerous.

Homosexual activists attempt to humiliate and politically destroy anyone who dares even criticize their agenda. Meanwhile, the MSM (mainstream media) casts us who believe marriage should remain between one man and one woman as the aggressors, as hate-filled villains.

Have the Homosexuality Is Normal Movement stolen our kids? Despicably, while we were not looking, homosexual activists sneaked their agenda in the back doors of our elementary schools, indoctrinating our kids early. Unquestionably, lack of access to your child for indoctrination contributes to the Left’s hatred for home schools and their relentless attempts to close them down.

Here is another example of homosexual activists’ in-your-face, aggressive indoctrination of our kids. A Massachusetts charter school, grades 7-12, will host a production of the play “The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told,” a retelling of the biblical story of Genesis with gay characters. Keep in mind, folks, that American schools have a cow when a kid brings a Bible or wears a t-shirt with religious, patriotic, or U.S. Military images. And yet, this school gleefully hosts a play which blasphemes Christianity while promoting homosexuality.

Our forty-year-old son and twenty-year-old granddaughter support homosexual marriage. Their attitude is What’s the big deal? It is only fair that gays be allowed to marry. America’s youths are parroting the liberals’ argument that opposition to same-sex marriage is discriminatory and bigoted. According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, support for gay marriage is at 65 percent among those 18 to 29 years old. The gay marriage approval rating is probably even higher among high school kids.

A twenty-something-year-old Christian youth pastor picked me up from the airport in California. Justifying his support of same-sex marriage, he said, “God does not care who we love.” Wow, I could hardly believe my ears. This young man, who claimed to be a minister of God, chose to ignore the Bible and spout the liberal pop-culture spin.

From cooking shows to home improvement and everything in between, it has become difficult to watch TV without the Homosexuality Is Normal agenda being forced down your throat. If you do not believe that these people are outrageously aggressive, listen to this. The Green Street United Methodist Church will not perform heterosexual marriages until gays can marry.

Folks, I have dear friends and beloved relatives who are homosexual. I am loving and kind to their mates. My 85-year-old dad has been a Christian pastor over 50 years. Dad said he loves the homosexuals in his life, but they know where he stands on this topic, which is the biblical view.

Dad’s tolerance is not enough to please the aggressive Homosexuality Is Normal Movement bullying America today. They seek to politically bend Dad’s arm behind his back, forcing him to declare homosexuality normal, against his faith.

My point is, homosexual activists are extremely aggressive while portraying themselves as innocent victims of an intolerant society. In reality, we who believe in traditional values are the ones being bullied. The MSM gang vilifies anyone who dares to stand up for traditional marriage. Come hell or high water, they are going to make us embrace homosexuality as being normal by severely punishing those who refuse to comply.

And will someone please tell me why homosexual activists are so hell-bent on forcing Christian institutions to betray their faith by embracing the homosexual agenda? Homosexual activists have sued the Boy Scouts of America and launched a war on the Catholic Church.

No one is opposing homosexuals doing their own thing. Rather than aggressively trying to infiltrate the Boy Scouts and the Catholic Church, why not form their own Fabulous Scouts of America and the Church of If It Feels Good, Do It and leave Christian institutions be?

Christian institutions are simply saying you cannot come into our house and force us to change the rules – especially when those rules come from God. And what is the MSM’s response to Christian institutions defending their religious freedom? The MSM campaigns to brand the Boy Scouts of America and the Catholic Church intolerant haters. We are living in crazy, insidious, evil times, folks.

The Homosexuality Is Normal Movement takes no prisoners – not even new Pope Francis. They have already begun finding fault with him because he is against gay marriage and gay adoption.

Question: will homosexual activists get away with branding the pope a hater?

The Homosexuality Is Normal Movement is not made up of passive, well-meaning victims simply seeking tolerance and their place in the sun. They are relentless, viscious, and hell-bent on forcing all of us, particularly Christians, to say their behavior is normal.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/03/real_bullies_the_homosexuality_is_normal_movement.html#ixzz2ObVYHdl4
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Planned Parenthood Launches Pro-Abortion “40 Days of Prayer”

Eureka, CA— Six Rivers Planned Parenthood of Eureka, California, has launched a campaign called the 40 Days of Prayer: Supporting Women Everywhere, which lists 40 different prayers for those committing abortions: the mothers, the escorts, the abortionists, and everyone involved except the unborn children.

The prayer event is supported by the so-called Clergy for Choice, “religious leaders who value all human life.” In truth, the purported “clergy” only value life once it reaches a certain age and actively seek to destroy the lives of defenseless preborn children. The concerted effort of this group to dehumanize children based on their age is similar to a tactic once used in Nazi Germany towards the Jews and other non-Arians: first ostracize them from the rest of society, and then annihilate them. Planned Parenthood’s attempts to develop a “spiritual” aspect to the pro-abortion argument can seem comparable to the religious leaders in Germany who supported Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. It was wrong then and it is wrong now.

Planned Parenthood is making another desperate attempt to regain positive attention and funding, as both have been slipping through their fingers. Day 35 of the prayer campaign says, “Today we pray for girls everywhere, that they may have every opportunity for education, sport, health, art, and vocation.” Ironically, this prayer excludes girls who are in utero. It also offensively insinuates that mothers are incapable of becoming educated, enjoying art, being healthy, or holding a job.

Planned Parenthood’s prayer crusade is an attempt to mock and marginalize the highly effective “40 Days for Life,” which has unified half a million voices for the cause and saved at least 5,838 lives. As a direct result of this prayer event, 22 abortion clinics have closed and 69 doctors have stopped performing abortion.  Vision America has another positive prayer and fasting event called “40 Days to Save America,” which encourages pastors, priests, and rabbis to pray for God to intervene and save our nation.

Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, commented: “Planned Parenthood’s ‘prayer’ campaign is offensive. As much as they  might not like the comparison, Planned Parenthood today is no different than the eugenics promoted by its founder Margaret Sanger who advocated the elimination of ‘undesirables,’ just like the most famous eugenicist, Adolf Hitler.”

Editors note: Not a very wise idea to mock God:

Galatians 6:7:

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

America’s Moral Decline

by Rit Nosotro

From her earliest days, America existed as a Christian nation. Perhaps this was due to the fact that most of her first settlers came for the purpose of being free to express their Christian beliefs in accordance with their own consciences. Yet it is undeniable that America has changed greatly since that time, forsaking moral values, and grower colder and colder towards Christianity. Throughout the centuries, there have been many events which have been turning points of decline, decline which has occurred in mainly the churches and schools of America.

Perhaps one of the first major turning points of decline occurred in the church. Before 1662, in order to be a full-active member of a Congregational (Puritan) church, one was required to provide a testimony of their salvation before becoming a member who was allowed to take communion, be baptized, and vote. However, as less and less people could do so, the church attempted to boost their numbers by authorizing the Halfway Covenant. This allowed for those whose parents or grandparents could give a testimony to be members and be baptized, while keeping the rule of not allowing these people to take communion or vote. Eventually though, in 1700, as long as one was a good-standing member of the community, they were allowed the full benefits of membership, without any interrogation. Thus, not only did the church fill with people who were not true Christians, but also enabled folks to enjoy these community benefits without the effort previously required, and thus the standard of excellence, even among church-goers, declined rapidly.

Three men that lived and worked in the nineteenth century would have a profoundly detrimental effect on America; Charles Darwin, Sigmund Freud, and Julius Wellhausen. The publishing of Charles Darwin’s book, The Origin of Species, in 1859, laid the foundation for the an even greater corruption of thought in America through the theory of evolution. No longer was it necessary to believe in a Creator, for things could somehow “create” themselves out of nothing! Sigmund Freud went on to develop his own ideas based on logical conclusions from Darwin’s theory, and building these ideas into the sciences of psychology and psychiatry. From this man came the notion that we can understand ourselves through our feelings, and this still impacts society today, as we are told to do what makes us feel good. Thus, we wouldn’t want to believe in a God who hates sin, because sin can be pleasing to us.

While the aforementioned men affected the areas of science and education, Julius Wellhausen, a German scholar, affected the church. He proposed that Moses did not write the Pentateuch and instead it was compiled years after the events took place, by various men who pieced it together. This was a major step towards a belief in the fallibility of the Bible. Today, many in Christian churches have chosen to reject the Bible’s claims and cling to the “scientifically accurate” claims of evolution. Thus the works of Charles Darwin and Julius Wellhausen brought about a decline in the church as well.

It is no coincidence that the founder of the modern public education system, John Dewey, was also one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto. This public education system took children away from the traditional setting of homeschooling and church schools, and placed them in the daily care of a state who rejects God. There they could be trained in the ideas of humanism, and the country’s youngest citizens could be trained in self-confidence, in direct opposition to scripture which states “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth.”

In 1963, prayer was removed from schools in yet another attempt to rid America of any reference to God. President Ronald Reagan recognized the danger of this act when he said:

“Our Pledge of Allegiance states that we are ‘one nation under God,’ and our currency bears the motto, ‘In God We Trust.’ The morality and values such faith implies are deeply embedded in our national character. Our country embraces those principles by design, and we abandon them at our peril. Yet in recent years . . . Americans . . . [have] for the sake of religious tolerance . . . forbidden religious practice in the classrooms. The law of this land has effectively removed prayer from our classrooms. How can we hope to retain our freedom through the generations if we fail to teach our young that our liberty springs from an abiding faith in our Creator?”

Thus if we look to the words of the early founders, we see that their desire and conviction was to build a nation who would fear and honor the Lord. However, soon the people of America would forget their reasons for coming to the new world. With each passing generation, America’s people became less and less God fearing. Tolerance lead to acceptance of many Christian denominations and sects, and this in turn laid the foundation for tolerance of many non-Christian religions. J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, a late eighteenth century author, described America as a land where “religion demands little of [one]” and as a place where all manner of religions could blend together smoothly. He notes how “Children will therefore grow up less zealous and more indifferent in matters of religion than their parents,” and concludes by proudly acknowledging how “all sects are mixed together as well as all nations; thus religious indifference in imperceptibly disseminated from one end of the continent to the other. . .”.

Thus, another declining step was made as America’s citizens began to accept the beliefs of others as equal truths. Toleration lead to the declassification of homosexuality as a mental illness in 1973. Now it is promoted in public education through “celebration of diversity” curriculum. Laws against sodomy are were forced out of state legislation by the ACLU. Sex before marriage became acceptable through implementing standards of “Common Law Marriage” and the convenience of abortion. While Americans cry out against weapons of mass destruction, abortion claims millions of lives. Dullness of heart compounds the dullness of mind as with each generation, the new citizens of America became more unable to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”  How can they defend hope which they no longer have?

In conclusion, it is interesting to note that early Americans were facing a land of emptiness; their future and all their well-being held no security. Therefore, these people recognized their daily need for God, and their circumstances kept them dependent on Him. However, we may note that as America grew more established and economically stable, her people began to forsake God, not recognizing their constant need for Him. The words of Jesus ring true, as he stated that “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” More importantly, they began to disregard their need for a Savior, and turned away from God. Now religion is yet another thing that people may seek to make themselves happy, and thus is may be pursued in any way shape or form. Scripture makes it quite clear what must be done to reverse the tide of evil, yet many Christians wonder why America is in such a dire situation, while at the same time disregarding God’s admonition. “If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, the I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Courtesy of http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t4w32usmoraldecline.htm

Dalai Lama Brings False Peace on USA Tour

MADISON, Wisc., May 17 /Christian Newswire/ — Despite thousands flocking to see the Dalai Lama during his current USA tour, the Dalai Lama brings false peace.

 

The Buddhist leader Dalai Lama was in Madison, Wisconsin on Sunday to promote the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s opening of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds.

 

The Center was created to investigate the making of healthy minds in children and adults. The founder of the Center is neuroscientist Richard Davidson.

 

The Dalai Lama is a Buddhist and claims to be the fourteenth reincarnation of his predecessors. He is the first Dalai Lama to travel West to promote Buddhist teachings. His worldwide approval rating is at 75% according to a recent French poll, which placed him right behind President Obama.

 

The Dalai Lama promotes reincarnation and has been looking for the reincarnation of his deceased brother who died in Indianapolis in 2008. After many reincarnations to eliminate human desire, Buddhists believe they will reach nirvana, a state of bliss in the afterlife.

 

On Sunday, the Dalai Lama talked about ‘oneness,’ a term used to promote pantheism, a belief that says everything is God. The Bible clearly denounces reincarnation and pantheism.

 

ChristianInvestigator.com believes that promoting religions in the disguise of false meditative techniques is a tool used to get people’s focus off of their true problem.

 

The Bible says man’s problem is his sin nature. In order to receive peace, a person has to be forgiven by Jesus Christ. Jesus does not remove the sin nature, but continually gives victory over it as Christians rely on Jesus Christ.

 

The Lord does talk about peace and meditation in the Bible, but not the types of meditation promoted by false religions endorsed by scientists.

 

ChristianInvestigator.com President Steve McConkey says, “Christians need to wake up to the fact that false belief systems are coming at a rapid rate. We should never replace the basics of the Bible with practices that are not backed up in the Bible as Satan comes as an angel of light. Also, Satan duplicates what God has outlined in the Bible.”

 

4 WINDS offers ChristianInvestigator.com and 4WINDS.cc. ChristianInvestigator.com, the voice of 4 WINDS APOLOGETICS, is the first news-apologetics site offered by a sports ministry. The ChristianInvestigator.com site was started for athletes, but the vast number of readers are non-athletes. Steve McConkey is the President/Founder of 4 WINDS. He addresses current issues throughout the world through the media.

 

Editor’s Note: Peace comes from reconcilation to God through the finished work of Jesus Christ and not some reincarnated state of nirvana or through the works of men or women. Jesus Christ is the true prince of peace and only He provides the peace that passeth all understanding and restores a person’s soul. 

UK:Cops Arrest Preacher Over Christian Beliefs

A Christian street preacher in Cumbria has been arrested and charged with a crime after he expressed his religious beliefs about homosexual conduct.

Dale Mcalpine, of Workington in Cumbria, appeared before local magistrates on Friday and pleaded not guilty to breaching section 5 of the Public Order Act.

Mr Mcalpine is being supported by The Christian Institute, a leading national defender of Christian religious liberty.

’Sinful’

He was preaching publicly in the town on 20 April this year but he insists he never spoke about the subject of homosexuality during his public sermon.

He says two Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) approached him and one identified himself as a homosexual.

According to Mr Mcalpine, that PCSO warned him not to say homosexual conduct is “sinful” because it would be a crime.

Arrested

The PCSO also identified himself as a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender liaison officer.

Mr Mcalpine told the PCSO that it is not a crime to describe same-sex practice as a “sin”.

Police officers later arrived on the scene. Mr Mcalpine was then arrested and held in a police cell before being charged with causing “harassment, alarm or distress” contrary to Section 5 of the public order act.

Not a crime

Solicitor-advocate for The Christian Institute, Sam Webster, says it is not a crime to express the belief that homosexual conduct is a sin.

“A Christian who stands in a public place and expresses his religious beliefs in the hope of persuading passers-by of his views – that is freedom of speech.

Respect

“Yes, the police have a duty to maintain public order but they also have a duty to defend the lawful free speech of citizens. It’s not for police to decide whether Mr Mcalpine’s views are right or wrong.

“Case law has ruled that the orthodox Christian belief that homosexual conduct is sinful is a belief worthy of respect in a democratic society.”

In November last year, the Government was defeated in Parliament over its attempt to repeal a free speech safeguard to a law against ‘sexual orientation hatred’.

Safeguard

The safeguard, introduced by former Home Secretary Lord Waddington, makes clear that criticising homosexual conduct, or encouraging someone to refrain from such conduct, is not in itself a crime.

The Labour party has vowed to remove the free speech protection if it wins the next general election.

In 2008 the Lib Dems forced a Commons vote in a failed attempt to repeal the Waddington safeguard, but allowed a free vote in the Lords in 2009.

The Tories allowed a free vote. David Cameron and the shadow cabinet supported the free speech protection and in the most recent Commons vote no Tory MP voted to repeal it.

Courtesy of http://www.christian.org.uk/news/cops-arrest-preacher-over-christian-beliefs/

The Greatest Threat to Liberty in America is not Radical Islam but Nominal Christianity

America is sounding the clarion call-wake up out of your slumber Christians for the lamp of liberty is beginning to dim and  flicker out. The greatest threat to liberty in our country is not radical Islam but nominal Christianity. The Bible boldly declares ”where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty,” and that Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus  who preached the gospel to the poor, healed the brokenhearted, set the captive free, restored sight to the blind and set at liberty those who were crushed. He led captive to the cross every bondage, every addiction, every depression, every captivity and everything that holds a person in the chains of slavery. He is the Captain of liberty for every soul that comes to His open arms and is redeemed by his saving blood. This same Jesus can deliver a nation that is broken with sin and full of idols. A nation that has turned its heart from God and worshipped the things, ideas and philosophies of humans. God is not needed or wanted by so many, and the voice of the ungodly has risen up with great boldness to eradicate righteousness and justice from every segment of society.

Where are the Christians? Why are they silent? Where are the mighty works of power that are delivering the crushed in the name of Jesus Christ? Where is the great movement of the Spirit of God in the lives and heart of men, women and children? Our nation and our generation needs an awakening of first century, radical and life-changing Christianity. We have too often let the agnostics, the atheists, the ungodly, the unrighteous, the unpure, and the unholy control our culture, our politics, our courts, our schools and our families. We have let them erode the foundations of this great country which was founded on a deep love and trust in God into a bed of secular humanism and the glory of man.

How did this happen? Because most of us practice a nominal Christianity.  We wind up God for an hour a week in church and forget about Him the rest of the week. We watch hundreds of hours of television that weakens our heart for Him while we barely even crack open the greatest and most powerful book about life ever written, the Bible. We say a quick prayer as we rush out the door as we are just too busy to give God much time during our busy day. We let bitterness, criticism, hatred, pride, envy and anxiety rule in our hearts instead of God’s great love.  The greatest power for change, Christ, resides in us with all His fullness but we never activate it but choose to suffocate it with our own fears, insecurities, doubts and apathy. We have more passion for a football or baseball game then we have for the calling of God Almighty. Our love has far too often waxed cold and we are at best lukewarm for God. We have failed to let God build the character of Christ in our words and actions. We have failed to let Him use our hands, our feet, our mouth and our heart for His glory. 

These are the proving hours, the critical time for liberty and we must restore the power, love, deliverance and holiness to the church of a Christ that is alive and setting the hearts of men and women on fire and freeing them from every bondage that holds us back from giving our utmost for Him. We cannot be silent,  but we must speak the word of God with great love and power, fueling the lamp of liberty. We must become involved in our communities helping people and reaching out to those in need. We must be the voice of truth in our schools and our city halls and our courtrooms. We must walk in great wisdom with all the authority of Christ making a difference in every life we meet. Silence is not an option. For our country, failure is not an option. Wake up Christians and let us really make Christ the Lord of our life. Let him direct our lives on His path and inspire us to do great things for Him. The best history of the Christian church can be written by our lives and our churches. The best can be yet to come.  We can be a city upon a hill that shines the light of Christ to a nation that is desperately in need of healing. 

Deepen your relationship with God. Love Him. Read His instruction book for life and meditate upon its great transforming truths. Pray, pray and then pray some more. Help someone in need. Speak encouraging words that build up rather than tear down. Love like you have never loved before and trust God to develop great fruit in your life. Tell others about how great God is and the great things He has done for you. Speak about the gift of eternal life and salvation that Christ gave his life for. Ask God to use you to heal and strengthen our nation. Trust him to direct every step of your life. Have great compassion and forgiveness in all things and never forget there is a day coming that Christ is coming back so you can live with Him forever. Nothing in life compares to God and the great deliverance and freedom He offers in Christ. Never forget we are in a spirtual battle and that God is our coach, captain, defender, protector and banner. Time is of the essence. We cannot delay. Let’s not be nominal Christians anymore as we refuse to let the lamp of liberty go out in our generation.

Preview of Letters to God: Send a message to Hollywood and see it this weekend.

Send a message to Hollywood this weekend and go see this wonderful Christian film with a message of truth. Hollywood needs to know that these type of movies are popular in America and hit a chord of the heart with the American people. 

Government calls preaching ‘clear and present danger’

By Bob Unruh
© 2010 WorldNetDaily

Liberty Bell engraving that states: “Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”

A panel of judges at the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today heard arguments that free speech should be allowed on public property at the site of the famous Liberty Bell, which itself quotes from the Bible in stating, “Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”

The arguments came in a case involving Michael Marcavage, a minister whose work includes street preaching. He was fined and put on probation for preaching to the public on a sidewalk outside the Liberty Bell center after a trial in which government prosecutors described his message and actions as a “clear and present danger.”

The case began in October 2007 when Marcavage, director of the Repent America ministry, was arrested by supervising U.S. Park Ranger Alan Saperstein.

Marcavage ultimately was charged with violating a so-called “verbal permit” and “interfering with agency functions.”

A video of the arrest has been posted:

Evangelist Arrested for Preaching Near Liberty Bell from Repent America on Vimeo.

It was Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Goldberg during the June 2008 trial who argued Marcavage’s peaceful preaching presented a “clear and present danger.” Goldberg asked the judge to send a message not only to Marcavage but to anyone who would stand on public property and share their beliefs without government permission.  

According to Marcavage, Independence National Historical Park Law Enforcement Specialist Donald Reed recently reaffirmed that free speech activities are banned on any of the public sidewalks surrounding the park that align city streets without first obtaining government permission. Even with a permit, the activities must be confined to a designated “free speech zone.”

“In Philadelphia, the birthplace of American freedom, at the site of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, freedom is under attack by the very government that was established here to protect it,” Marcavage said.

Liberty Bell in Philadelphia

“The blessings of liberty that God bestowed upon our nation continue to be lost while the Gospel of Jesus Christ is silenced,” he continued. “If the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the ruling and finds that the federal government can ban Americans from speaking to others on matters that are important to them in the public forum or without advanced government permission, then this could very well be the final nail in the coffin of our freedoms.”

Marcavage told WND that based on their questioning, the three appellate judges – Michael Fisher, Thomas Hardiman and Robert Cowen – appeared to wonder about the prohibition of a Gospel message when other protesters with another message were left untouched. He noted commercial speech also was taking place in the same area where he was arrested.

“We obviously hope that what they revealed through the very hard questioning will be favorable toward freedom,” Marcavage told WND.

He said it is “absurd” that Americans have to fight for the right to speak freely on a public sidewalk near Independence Hall, where much of the work writing the U.S. Constitution was done, and adjacent to the exhibit of the Liberty Bell, one of the best-known symbols of freedom in the world.

Repent America is an evangelistic organization based in Philadelphia whose leaders “know that there is a literal hell and a lake of fire where the unsaved will burn for all eternity; therefore, we act upon this truth without reservation and GO OUT into the communities of America declaring the Word of God and proclaiming the Good News.”

WND reported earlier when Marcavage brought, with the help of private practice attorney C. Scott Shields, a complaint against the government over the speech infringement. That case is on hold while the current case is on appeal.

Marcavage was restricted from preaching even though Komen Breast Cancer walkers were “utilizing the same sidewalk as a forum for expressing their opinions and viewpoints,” court records reveal.

“However, Mr. Marcavage was told that he couldn’t stand on the … block and express his viewpoint and was instead given a verbal permit to express his viewpoint in another part of the Independence Mall, far away from where the Breast Cancer walkers were expressing their viewpoint,” court records said.

Michael Marcavage

Marcavage told WND previously of the danger he believes the court precedent poses.

“If they shut down our ability to speak, they shut down the Gospel; they shut down any message. If the government prevails in this case, America’s experiment in liberty has finally reached its demise,” Marcavage said.

On his blog, Marcavage has noted that such government-mandated “free speech zones” are being established across the country in an effort by cities, colleges and other institutions to regulate free speech.

The blog cited a 2007 study by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which found 259 of 346 colleges studied maintained such free speech restrictions.

 

Courtesy of http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=140269

Was George Washington a Christian?

This is a question often asked today, and it arises from the efforts of those who seek to impeach Washington’s character by portraying him as irreligious. Interestingly, Washington’s own contemporaries did not question his Christianity but were thoroughly convinced of his devout faith–a fact made evident in the first-ever compilation of the The Writings of George Washington, published in the 1830s.

That compilation of Washington’s writings was prepared and published by Jared Sparks (1789-1866), a noted writer and historian. Sparks’ Herculean historical productions included not only the writing of George Washington (12 volumes) but also Benjamin Franklin (10 volumes) and Constitution signer Gouverneur Morris (3 volumes). Additionally, Sparks compiled the Library of American Biography (25 volumes), The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (12 volumes), and the Correspondence of the American Revolution (4 volumes). In all, Sparks was responsible for some 100 historical volumes. Additionally, Sparks was America’s first professor of history–other than ecclesiastical history–to teach at the college level in the United States, and he was later chosen president of Harvard. 

QUOTE

By 1778, George Washington had so often witnessed God’s intervention that on August 20, he wrote Thomas Nelson that: The Hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations. [1]

Jared Sparks’ decision to compile George Washington’s works is described by The Dictionary of American Biography. It details that Sparks began… 

…what was destined to be his greatest life work, the publication of the writings of George Washington. … In January 1827, Sparks found himself alone at Mount Vernon with the manuscripts. An examination of them extending over three months showed that years would be required for the undertaking; and with the owner’s consent, Sparks carried off the entire collection, eight large boxes, picking up on the way to Boston a box of diplomatic correspondence from the Department of State, and the [General Horatio] Gates manuscripts from the New York Historical Society. Not content with these, he searched or caused to be searched public and private archives for material, questioned survivors of the Revolution, visited and mapped historic sites. In 1830, for instance, he followed [Benedict] Arnold’s [1775] route to Quebec. The first of the twelve volumes of The Writings of George Washington to be published (vol. II) appeared in 1834 and the last (vol. I, containing the biography) in 1837.

In Volume XII of these writings, Jared Sparks delved into the religious character of George Washington, and included numerous letters written by the friends, associates, and family of Washington which testified of his religious character. Based on that extensive evidence, Sparks concluded:

To say that he [George Washington] was not a Christian would be to impeach his sincerity and honesty. Of all men in the world, Washington was certainly the last whom any one would charge with dissimulation or indirectness [hypocrisies and evasiveness]; and if he was so scrupulous in avoiding even a shadow of these faults in every known act of his life, [regardless of] however unimportant, is it likely, is it credible, that in a matter of the highest and most serious importance [his religious faith, that] he should practice through a long series of years a deliberate deception upon his friends and the public? It is neither credible nor possible.

One of the letters Sparks used to arrive at his conclusion was from Nelly Custis-Lewis. While Nelly technically was the granddaughter of the Washingtons, in reality she was much more.

When Martha [Custis] married George, she was a widow and brought two young children (John and Martha–also called Patsy) from her first marriage into her marriage with George. The two were carefully raised by George and Martha, later married, and each had children of their own. Unfortunately, tragedy struck, and both John and Patsy died early (by 1781). John left behind his widow and four young children ranging in age from infancy to six years old.

At the time, Washington was still deeply involved in guiding the American Revolution and tried unsuccessfully to convince Martha’s brother to raise the children. The young widow of John was unable to raise all four, so George and Martha adopted the two younger children: Nelly Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis, both of whom already were living at Mount Vernon.

Nelly lived with the Washingtons for twenty years, from the time of her birth in 1779 until 1799, the year of her marriage and of George Washington’s untimely death. She called George and Martha her “beloved parents whom I loved with so much devotion, to whose unceasing tenderness I was indebted for every good I possessed.”

Nelly was ten years old when Washington was called to the Presidency, and she grew to maturity during his two terms. During that time, she traveled with Washington and walked amidst the great foreign and domestic names of the day. On Washington’s retirement, she returned with the family to Mount Vernon. Nelly was energetic, spry, and lively, and was the joy of George Washington’s life. She served as a gracious hostess and entertained the frequent guests to Mount Vernon who visited the former President.

Clearly, Nelly was someone who knew the private and public life of her “father” very well. Therefore, Jared Sparks, in searching for information on Washington’s religious habits, dispatched a letter to Nelly, asking if she knew for sure whether George Washington indeed was a Christian. Within a week, she had replied to Sparks, and Sparks included her letter in Volume XII of Washington’s writings in the lengthy section on Washington’s religious habits. Of that specific letter, Jared Sparks explained:

I shall here insert a letter on this subject, written to me by a lady who lived twenty years in Washington’s family and who was his adopted daughter, and the granddaughter of Mrs. Washington. The testimony it affords, and the hints it contains respecting the domestic habits of Washington, are interesting and valuable.

Woodlawn, 26 February, 1833Sir,I received your favor of the 20th instant last evening, and hasten to give you the information, which you desire. Truro Parish [Episcopal] is the one in which Mount Vernon, Pohick Church [the church where George Washington served as a vestryman], and Woodlawn [the home of Nelly and Lawrence Lewis] are situated. Fairfax Parish is now Alexandria. Before the Federal District was ceded to Congress, Alexandria was in Fairfax County. General Washington had a pew in Pohick Church, and one in Christ Church at Alexandria. He was very instrumental in establishing Pohick Church, and I believe subscribed [supported and contributed to] largely. His pew was near the pulpit. I have a perfect recollection of being there, before his election to the presidency, with him and my grandmother… He attended the church at Alexandria when the weather and roads permitted a ride of ten miles [a one-way journey of 2-3 hours by horse or carriage]. In New York and Philadelphia he never omitted attendance at church in the morning, unless detained by indisposition [sickness]. The afternoon was spent in his own room at home; the evening with his family, and without company. Sometimes an old and intimate friend called to see us for an hour or two; but visiting and visitors were prohibited for that day [Sunday]. No one in church attended to the services with more reverential respect. My grandmother, who was eminently pious, never deviated from her early habits. She always knelt. The General, as was then the custom, stood during the devotional parts of the service. On communion Sundays, he left the church with me, after the blessing, and returned home, and we sent the carriage back for my grandmother. It was his custom to retire to his library at nine or ten o’clock where he remained an hour before he went to his chamber. He always rose before the sun and remained in his library until called to breakfast. I never witnessed his private devotions. I never inquired about them. I should have thought it the greatest heresy to doubt his firm belief in Christianity. His life, his writings, prove that he was a Christian. He was not one of those who act or pray, “that they may be seen of men” [Matthew 6:5]. He communed with his God in secret [Matthew 6:6]. My mother [Eleanor Calvert-Lewis] resided two years at Mount Vernon after her marriage [in 1774] with John Parke Custis, the only son of Mrs. Washington. I have heard her say that General Washington always received the sacrament with my grandmother before the revolution. When my aunt, Miss Custis [Martha's daughter] died suddenly at Mount Vernon, before they could realize the event [before they understood she was dead], he [General Washington] knelt by her and prayed most fervently, most affectingly, for her recovery. Of this I was assured by Judge [Bushrod] Washington’s mother and other witnesses. He was a silent, thoughtful man. He spoke little generally; never of himself. I never heard him relate a single act of his life during the war. I have often seen him perfectly abstracted, his lips moving, but no sound was perceptible. I have sometimes made him laugh most heartily from sympathy with my joyous and extravagant spirits. I was, probably, one of the last persons on earth to whom he would have addressed serious conversation, particularly when he knew that I had the most perfect model of female excellence [Martha Washington] ever with me as my monitress, who acted the part of a tender and devoted parent, loving me as only a mother can love, and never extenuating [tolerating] or approving in me what she disapproved of others. She never omitted her private devotions, or her public duties; and she and her husband were so perfectly united and happy that he must have been a Christian. She had no doubts, no fears for him. After forty years of devoted affection and uninterrupted happiness, she resigned him without a murmur into the arms of his Savior and his God, with the assured hope of his eternal felicity [happiness in Heaven]. Is it necessary that any one should certify, “General Washington avowed himself to me a believer in Christianity?” As well may we question his patriotism, his heroic, disinterested devotion to his country. His mottos were, “Deeds, not Words”; and, “For God and my Country.” With sentiments of esteem, I am, Nelly Custis-Lewis

George Washington’s adopted daughter, having spent twenty years of her life in his presence, declared that one might as well question Washington’s patriotism as question his Christianity. Certainly, no one questions his patriotism; so is it not rather ridiculous to question his Christianity? George Washington was a devout Episcopalian; and although as an Episcopalian he would not be classified as an outspoken and extrovert “evangelical” Founder as were Founding Fathers like Benjamin Rush, Roger Sherman, and Thomas McKean, nevertheless, being an Episcopalian makes George Washington no less of a Christian.

 Yet for the current revisionists who have made it their goal to assert that America was founded as a secular nation by secular individuals and that the only hope for America’s longevity rests in her continued secularism, George Washington’s faith must be sacrificed on the altar of their secularist agenda.

QUOTE

After researching Washington’s life, Dr. Tim LaHaye wrote: “Our first President was a godly man of humble character and sterling commitment to God. William White reports of his sincere piety in ‘Washington Writings’: ‘It seems proper to subjoin to this letter what was told to me by Mr. Robert Lewis, at Fredricksburg, in the year 1827. Being a nephew of Washington, and his private secretary during the first part of his presidency, Mr. Lewis lived with him on terms of intimacy, and had the best opportunity for observing his habits. Mr. Lewis said that he had accidentally witnessed his private devotions in his library both morning and evening; that on those occasions he had seen him in a kneeling posture with a Bible open before him, and that he believed such to have been his daily practice.’” [2]

At the end of the Revolutionary War, when the announcement of official peace arrived in America, George Washington issued his final sentiments. In his circular letter to the States on June 8, 1783, even though Washington gratefully acknowledged that we had won the war, he urged them to recall something of much greater importance and to remember…

…the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation. [3]

From George Washington’s first official order through his last, he displayed a Christian emphasis.

QUOTE

While encamped on the banks of a river, Washington was approached by Delaware Indian chiefs who desired that their youth be trained in American schools. In Washington’s response, he first told them that “Congress… will look on them as on their own children.” [4] That is, we would train their children as if they were our own. He then commended the chiefs for their decision:  You do well to wish to learn our arts and our ways of life and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention. [4] According to George Washington, what students would learn in American schools “above all” was “the religion of Jesus Christ.”

For much more on George Washington and the evidences of his strong faith, examine the following sources…

• George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, Jared Sparks, editor (Boston: Ferdinand Andrews, Publisher, 1838), Vol. XII, pp. 399-411.
• George Washington, The Religious Opinions of Washington, E. C. M’Guire, editor (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1836).
• William Johnson, George Washington The Christian (1917).
• William Jackson Johnstone, How Washington Prayed (New York: The Abingdon Press, 1932).
• James D. Richardson, editor, The Messages and Papers of the Presidents (Published by the Authority of Congress, 1899), Vol. I, pp. 51-57 (1789), 64 (1789), 213-224 (1796), etc.
• George Washington, Address of George Washington, President of the United States, Late Commander in Chief of the American Army, to the People of the United States, Preparatory to his Declination (Baltimore: George & Henry S. Keatinge, 1796), pp. 22-23.
• George Washington, The Maxims of Washington (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1855).

REFERENCES

1. George Washington’s letter of August 20, 1778 to Brig. General Thomas Nelson, in John C. Fitzpatrick, editor, The Writings of George Washington, Vol. XII (Washinton: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1932), p. 343.
2. Tim LaHaye, Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc., 1987), p. 103.
3. George Washington’s Circular to the States, June 8, 1783, in John C. Fitzpatrick, editor, The Writings of George Washington, Vol. XXVI (Washinton: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1932), p. 496.
4. George Washington’s Speech to Delaware Indian Chiefs on May 12, 1779, in John C. Fitzpatrick, editor, The Writings of George Washington, Vol. XV (Washinton: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1932), p. 55.

Courtesy of http://www.christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-g011.html

Does creation really matter? Restoring Confidence in the Bible and its Author

by Philip Bell

The idea that the Bible is a revelation from the One Creator of all things is increasingly seen as irrelevant in our ‘enlightened’ twenty-first century. So, how may Christian people restore confidence in the Scriptures and in God Himself, not merely in society as a whole but particularly among the men, women and children who attend a local church?

First, let us consider why this confidence has been eroded:

• We have become a feelings-led culture—this has extended to very many in our churches too.
• Related to this is the growing number of people (especially the young) who no longer believe in absolutes.
• Undoubtedly a major reason for the above is that the teachings of the Christian faith have been largely disconnected from their historical basis, especially the early chapters of Genesis.
• If the foundations of Christianity are ignored (deemed myth), undermined (by compromise) or destroyed (by all-out attacks by anti-Christians) how can the Christian hope to defend his/her faith in a world that is hostile to the message?

Morality is relative?

It is entirely logical, for anyone who fits the above description (Christians included), to think about morality in relative terms—“I don’t see how my actions are really hurting anybody”; “Well most reasonable people seem to think this behaviour is ok”; “But surely, in this day and age to insist on that is old-fashioned”; “That teaching belongs to another time—in this enlightened age, we now know things that our forebears didn’t”. We are all too familiar with these attitudes. In other words, people think that it’s quite reasonable to do what is right in their own eyes—including many religious people, regular church-attendees.

… errant, modernist thinking is nothing new. Moses told the Israelites: ‘You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes’ (Deuteronomy 12:8).

Of course, such errant, modernist thinking is nothing new. Moses told the Israelites: “You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes” (Deuteronomy 12:8). We are familiar, too, with the explanation of the wanton behaviour of the days of the Judges, that “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6 & 21:25). Solomon warns that such an attitude is “the way of a fool” (Proverbs 12:15) because it is the Lord God who “weighs the hearts” (21:2). Moreover, says Isaiah, “Woe to those [who are] prudent in their own sight” (Isaiah 5:21). Solomon’s proverbial challenge has a very contemporary ring about it: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7). In my preaching, I often highlight the sadly apt words of Agur (in Proverbs 30:12) to our culture today: ‘There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness.’

Why the increasing apathy towards the Christian message? Why this post-modern approach to right and wrong? Surely, a major factor is that people no longer respect the absolutes on which societies like ours were once established. And, surely, this has a great deal to do with the way in which the foundational teaching for the Christian Gospel and Christian morality have been systematically attacked in the generations since Darwin’s dangerous idea took root in the nineteenth century. “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).

Shoring up the Foundations

There really is a crying need for Christians to get back to the authority of the Word of God

Making the diagnosis is the easy part, but let us consider what positive steps we might take to reverse this trend. We need to re-establish the fundamentals of Christian faith from the foundational level upwards. Here is a biblical imperative: “Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to dwell in” (Isaiah 58:12; emphasis added). The present-day situation in the UK, the country in which I live, has a clear parallel with the days of the young Samuel as he ministered in the temple with the priest Eli. We read these fascinating words: ‘And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation’ (1 Samuel 3:1). The tragedy is that the Church does have God’s supreme revelation but many of her leaders have blocked its true brilliance from the view of the people of our nation. How so? Doubtless, many answers might be proffered, but one reason is surely the endemic tolerance of compromise of the timeless truths of Genesis, the book of beginnings. There really is a crying need for Christians to get back to the authority of the Word of God.

It all goes back to Genesis

The conviction of those involved in what might broadly be termed “creation ministry” is that nothing less than a return to Biblical Authority will “stop the rot”. The stark truth is that human beings stand condemned before the burning righteousness of a Holy God (John 3:18)—sin’s penalty is death. That the majority think their lives are alright in their own eyes does not alter their predicament from God’s perspective one iota. The very self-righteousness of many unbelievers—e.g. “I’m not so bad; I’ve never murdered anyone, I pay my taxes”, etc.—is an offence to the God who has provided the sacrifice of His own precious Son as the only way by which a person can be cleansed from sin and made acceptable in His sight. Everybody has broken God’s law and the very purpose of the law is to act as a mirror (Romans 6:7–13)—a mirror to sinful people which the Holy Spirit uses to convict them “of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). In these postmodern days, it is increasingly necessary to hold this mirror up to people so that they recognise their true condition and status before their Judge and Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22)—after all, to know Him as their King and their Saviour is conditional upon their repentance. But, how will they necessarily accept those laws if they have no confidence in the Bible or the God of the Bible? The logical basis of all those laws and standards is found in Genesis and nowhere else. And this is precisely why Christian believers must seek to destroy all proud obstacles and arguments to the knowledge of God in our culture. We all have a part to play in shoring up those foundations of faith in Genesis. And since the doctrine of evolution has, for a century and a half, been one of the devil’s main tactical weapons against Christ’s Church (undermining the very foundation of Christian morality and the Gospel), evangelical Christians should not be counted among those who are squeamish about taking a stand against it!

Seeking foot soldiers—what about you?

Recognising where the battle is at, how can you and I play our part effectively? Even beyond 2009’s ‘Year of Darwin’ celebrations, there continue to be opportunities aplenty as scientists and the media continue with their adulation and promotion of this godless belief system. Prayer is paramount of course but let our prayers have legs! We must ensure that we and our children are truly familiar with the actual words of Genesis 1-11, those much-disputed early chapters of God’s Word. Far too many believers have only scanty knowledge of the accounts of Creation, the Fall, the Flood and Babel. In addition, it is wise to invest in some resources that will equip you and your family to understand how the true history of the world (Genesis) connects with the real world of the twenty-first century. Take advantage of some of the wealth of resources that God has provided through creationist organisations like CMI. Consider a gift subscription to someone who does not yet receive Creation magazine and take advantage of the many topical articles on our website by reputable creationists²—in this way, you will be better equipped to share and defend your faith in a relevant and effective manner. Find out what is being taught in your local school and, where appropriate, provide young people and teachers with materials that correct some of the errors being propagated in the classroom. Raise awareness of these vitally important foundational issues by organising a meeting in your area—perhaps show a thought-provoking DVD or arrange for a CMI speaker to come. Encourage Christian bookshops and libraries (including school libraries) to stock good books and DVDs on the topic. By these, and other, means, we can all play our part in helping to influence churches and the culture at large. As many Christians can readily testify, a little time spent in any of these directions has the potential to bear wonderful fruit for the Kingdom of God. The words of this lady, who e-mailed our UK office in May, bear striking testimony to this fact: “I … would again love to tell you just how useful all the wonderful articles and especially many of the dvds have been that I bought from CMI…..it has made such a huge and noticeable difference to the confidence of our sons. My friend’s son especially; he has, since I have been using the material from CMI, become a Christian … ”

Creation matters to the gospel

We may lament the existing rejection of the fundamentals of the Christian faith in the Church but that should propel us into action. We should appeal to people to return to a faithful stand on Genesis—perhaps copy this article and give it to a select few and pray for God to work! Unless people see Christians acting as believers should—believing their Holy Book—how will God’s people be able to effect change? Non-Christians often reject Christ’s teaching because “it comes from that book that science (aka evolution) has proved to be riddled with errors!” Let us teach that the Bible gives us the big picture to understand geology, biology, anthropology and astronomy—and of course morality and the Gospel! We are called to be “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Christians are to savour society by our Christ-like influence, speaking the truth of God’s Word in love and demonstrating that love by actions that are consistent with our words. The Bible says, “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50).

If someone rejects the Word of God in one area, what authority do they have to point out that others are guilty of rejecting the Bible and the God of the Bible in another area? Will they be able to season the pot or will they just be seen as stirring things up? On what basis can they pick and choose which parts of the Bible they believe and which parts they should reinterpret? “It seems to me an odd proposition that we should adhere to some parts of the Bible story but not to others. After all, when it comes to important moral questions, by what standards do we cherry-pick the Bible? Why bother with the Bible at all if we have the ability to pick and choose from it, what is right and what is wrong?”—the words of atheist and biologist Richard Dawkins in one of his now infamous attacks on the Christian faith.³ And in this, he is absolutely correct.

Daring to be different

True wisdom is not proportional to the number of college degrees I possess, the eloquence of my speech, my mastery of debate or the number of acclaimed books I may have published. It is found in those—however insignificant in this world’s estimation—who ‘fear the Lord’ and embrace, rather than reject, His Word.

Worldly people are going about their business and pleasure activities, doing what is right in their own eyes. Can Christians seriously expect to have a positive influence for Christ if they are not prepared to believe all that He believed and taught?⁴ Jesus expressly warned his followers that salt which loses its flavour “is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13). These are very sobering words indeed—if we take them seriously, that is. How desperately we need a return to the attitude that God desires for His people, one of humble submission to His revealed Word, in every area, including the foundational teaching about Creation: “‘For all those things my hand has made, and all those things exist,’ says the LORD. ‘But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word’” (Isaiah 66:2). Frankly, those whose beliefs contradict the plain teachings of Moses, Christ and the apostles, will be found in open rebellion against the One to whom they have pledged allegiance. Jeremiah took up a lament in his own day, overwhelmed as he was by the tragic spiritual adultery of God’s own people: “Why has this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return” (Jeremiah 18:5). “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us?’ … The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; so what wisdom do they have?” (18:8,9; emphasis added). True wisdom is not proportional to the number of college degrees I possess, the eloquence of my speech, my mastery of debate or the number of acclaimed books I may have published. It is found in those—however insignificant in this world’s estimation—who “fear the Lord” and embrace, rather than reject, His Word. This was the earnest desire of the apostle Paul, that all believers should shun the “persuasive words of human wisdom … that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4,5).

Courtesy of http://creation.com/does-creation-really-matter