Feb 19
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Some 50 million perfectly innocent nascent humans have died since Roe vs. Wade legalized convenience abortions in reaction to the female birth control pill. That’s a technology-based socio-legal change on scale with deaths in WWII, triggered by a single biological development. Now we’re diagnosing more birth defects before birth; Down syndrome for instance, can be [...]
Jan 29
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Can anyone alive recall an organized, formal, public defiance of Federal power by every Catholic Bishop in the country on the same day? That is what Obie has managed to bring about. In an election year, no less. Not much Hope in that, but lots of Change, right? Catholic Bishops Refuse to Follow Obama Admin Regulations tells [...]
Jan 28
Sometimes a simple question can become complicated. Perhaps the question should be, “Have we adjusted to the cultural change to the point that we are ready for a different form of government to control our new culture?” The culture sixty years ago was quite different from what is observed today. Why did it change so much [...]
Jan 20
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Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius announced that the Feds will be enforcing the requirement for employers to provide free contraception and sterilization in health care programs; religious institutions included. Employers’ choices are to provide the coverage or face huge fines; alternatively, they can decide not to offer health benefits. Obama Administration Decides to [...]
Jan 15
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Interesting for a couple of reasons: Obie’s worker protection cops applied enforcement on a little church, telling it to jump through all the hoops of equal rights, racism and diversity in hiring a minister or face the usual bullying penalties. Thanks to some outside support, the little church was able to contest the attack clear [...]
Jan 4
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There is a raging argument between secularists and atheists on one side and Christians and many conservatives on the other as to whether or not American can be considered a Christian nation. And not just now, but ever. This argument over whether the USA is a nation founded by Christians on Christian values and principles [...]
Dec 19
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You have got to love the full range of emotions and responses a simple thing like a nativity scene provokes in people. A rather interesting and clever little experiment if I do say so myself. The Blaze has the full story so be sure to read it in addition to watching the video. It appears that the initial [...]
Dec 19
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PERHAPS A BIT MORE TOLERANCE ON ALL SIDES WOULDN’T HURT ANYONE I’ve written recently of the intolerance of atheists during the Christmas season. We hear it from public officials as well – as more and more of the symbols of Christmas seem to disappear from public view every year: We musn’t offend atheists. We musn’t [...]
Dec 11
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America’s decline accelerates under both governmental economic mismanagement and deliberate policy but neither is as threatening as the civil war shaping up between religious and unbelieving political factions. Elected politicians refuse to resolve the overspending and debt resulting from social welfare programs that exceed the resources available to support them. Worse, they accelerate pure waste by spending [...]
Nov 11
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The Jews have always been tested and many have failed their test, especially in prosperity and peace. The testing of WWII led to a world-wide declaration of: “Never again!” and to the Allies’ conscience-assuaging (and treachery-laden) sponsorship of the nation of Israel in a leftover bit of the Ottoman Empire under British control. But “Never” is [...]
Oct 6
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Earlier this week, Ken Burns’ “Prohibition” premiered on every conservative’s least favorite network/channel – PBS. For a long time, this era has been an interesting period of our nation’s history for me and so I took the time to watch the three part mini-series (twice). What I did not realize, or at least had not [...]
Oct 5
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Yet Another Stunning Example of Dumb Atheist Scientists. In yet another example of the ENTIRE scientific community being wrong and ONE man being right, a Jewish scientist proves that ‘science was wrong.’ Just like one man thought the earth revolved around the sun, right? And yet, atheist scientists continue their historic arrogant march of ignorance- [...]
Oct 2
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Only 15% of Scientists at Major Research Universities see Science and Religion Always in Conflict, as the report from Science Daily explains. This supports an observation: most of the bad-mouthing bigots continually attacking believers in the name of science avoid using actual science to support their points because they aren’t themselves scientists and often don’t [...]
Sep 30
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THAT SPECIAL DAY WHEN ATHEISTS FEEL A NEED TO GET MORE ATTENTION THAN USUAL Hopefully I’m not the first – nor the last – to wish all you blasphemers a VERY HAPPY INTERNATIONAL BLASPHEMY RIGHTS DAY! I hope it’s everything you want it to be – and nothing that you don’t want it to be. [...]
Sep 28
Why Atheists Make the Worst Scientists I am offended. Not as a Christian, but as a scientist and mathematician. Probability & Statistics are my closest friends. Science is my lens to God. In my own intellectual quest to find God in this world, my emotions play only the role of admirer. They do not rule me, [...]
Sep 27
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An Iraqi poet was cut off in traffic in St. Louis and attacked by Moslems who carved a Star of David into his back for a poem published on an Israeli-sympathetic website. Sharia Vigilante Street Justice in America will fill in details. We know in spite of the deafening silence of our media when Moslems, blacks and Latinos [...]
Sep 19
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Rule #1 for all conservatives ought to be this: Never let the left frame the debate or define the terms. They have created a political climate that insures leftward drift over more than two centuries. This drift was noted by former editor of National Review John O’ Sullivan who coined O’Sullivan’s First Law: All organizations [...]
Sep 16
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‘FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIANITY’ AND RADICAL ISLAM: THEY WANT TO KILL US Our pals at American Atheists are in the news again; surprise, surprise. The hateful bigots just can’t seem to avoid controversy, although truth be told, I’m sure they know exactly what they’re doing. In a column that would make Bill Maher and Christopher Hitchens proud – entitled Taking [...]
Sep 14
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The New York based Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) wants the Pope and several Cardinals investigated by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity…in this case, for covering up sexual predation on minors by Catholic clergy. CCR Wants Pope, Cardinals Investigated for Crimes Against Humanity gives details. It’s a publicity stunt of course, based on what CCR [...]
The Sex Life of the Prophet: How Embarrassing!.
I was wrong. Ann Barnhardt is onto something concerning pedophelia & child rape in the Muslim world. Personally, I would be red-cheeked if Jesus ever did these things: read more..
Some of you may have noticed that I have been missing in action for the last three weeks or so. I wrote yesterday of my personal journey to find God. Of course, my journey didn’t end there, now did it? Something powerful has happened to me recently. Let me tell you about it. (um… get another cup of coffee first! *hint*)
via Where I’ve Been.
Aug 18
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“GIRLS CAN BE MARRIED EVEN IF THEY ARE IN THE CRADLE” Muslim “child marriage” – a euphemism for pedophilia – is once again making headlines in Saudi Arabia. Salih bin Fawzan, a prominent cleric and member of Saudi Arabia’s highest religious council, has issued a fatwa asserting that there is no minimum age for marriage, and [...]
Prez also recognized Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha in 2010
So, here we go again. The Obama White House has once again issued a “Best Wishes for Ramadan” statement. (In 2010, he not only recognized Ramadan, but Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha as well.) In and of itself, this would normally be a non-story – particularly in light of the real goings-on in Washington these days. The problem, as many see it, is Obama failed to issue a similar statement acknowledging Easter, or wishing “Happy Easter” to the world’s Christians.
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WILL CHURCHES BE FORCED TO PERFORM GAY MARRIAGES?
Following the passage of New York’s same-sex marriage legislation, the state’s Roman Catholic bishops believe additional laws may be enacted to force churches to perform homosexual marriage ceremonies.
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Jul 19
Want to See Atheist Relative Morality in Action?. My friend Lyn May, an avowed atheist, posted an article about a church protesting a sign that advocated the atheist lifestyle. He wrote that this was an outrage. Needless to say, the comment section became a dialog between conservative bloggers and atheist bloggers. While most of these [...]
I believe first and foremost in the power, righteousness and worthiness of God – the Great I Am- to be worshipped.
Yes, worshipped. Worship goes against the grain of the American spirit, which is why I believe we are so easily tempted to reject the notion of God. We rebelled against worship when we refused to recognize the Pope and the King of England as our kings. Why? Because God created every man equal and hence, no man deserved worship. Only God did. When America needed help to survive our original pilgrimage to this land, we worshipped Him. When America needed God to help them achieve victory over our foreign enemies, we worshipped Him. But now that America is the most powerful country in the world, like so many spoiled children, we assume we did it all on our own. By rejecting the worthiness of God to be worshipped and loved, we lose the very Strength that brought us to greatness.� continue reading..
HUFFPO’S ‘CREATE YOUR OWN RELIGION’ CONTEST
So, you say you’re fed up with the condescending arrogance of those crazy know-it-all Bible Thumpers? And, if you never hear “Allahu Akbar,” “jihad” or “death to the infadels” again, it’ll be too soon? Do “God’s Chosen People” make you want to push yourself into the sea? You’re not alone, my soul-searching, there-must-be-more-to-it friend; take comfort;
Those normally irascible folks at HuffPo have come to your searching-for-something-larger-than-yourself rescue: The Create Your Own Religion contest!
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Jun 21
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IT’S TIME TO END THE “POLITICALLY CORRECT” NONSENSE – The atheists are back, folks. Prayer has been removed from public schools. Manger scenes have been banned from public squares. Hell, NBC removed “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance, and these thin- skinned fools still have their panties in a knot. Too bad. As you’ve [...]
This post is to address my friend, Lyn May’s, question, “Why do we worship God?”
We worship God because we need to. Evolution simply can’t address this human need. Every culture that has ever existed arose simultaneously, out of contact with one another, with a deep belief in a God or gods. There is a deep spiritual knowledge that is INHERENT in the condition of man. You can reject it, resulting in personal agony, or you can embrace it, resulting in ecstasy. These are the only choices.
Every human feels the hole in their chest. We know… continue reading
Jun 17
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PRINCIPAL SAYS PART OF ADDRESS WAS “PROSELYTIZING” – Does a high school valedictorian’s commencement address explanation of how God has changed his life violate separation of church and state? Yes. At least that’s the way Fair Haven Union High School in Fair Haven, Vermont sees it. Why? Proselytizing, of course. Kyle Gearwar, the valedictorian of [...]
GROUP ATTACKS CONSERVATIVES – TAKES MONEY FROM GEORGE SOROS
Let’s begin with a simple question: Should churches, mosques, temples, or the various religious organizations who openly support political agendas be eligible for tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code? Before you answer, here’s what the IRS says:
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Jun 10
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Having some time kill this week and being a bit of a bookworm, I splurged and bought Ann Coulter’s latest offering, Demonic: How the Liberal Mob is Endangering America, and devoured it between various chores. Being a good conservative, Ms. Coulter’s work is always on the radar, but not always as easily digested and appreciated [...]
A small Christian college in Goshen, Indiana with ties to the Mennonite Church will no longer play “The Star-Spangled Banner” at sporting events after receiving complaints that the song’s images of war and the military undermined the school’s pacifist message. Read the rest of this entry
Nina Shea posts on the evil circus that is Pakistan. Simpletons from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam now consider the Holy Bible to be a pornographic blasphemy, threatening to punish people who own one. We should pull out of Pakistan, finish whatever business we have in the area, and be done with them. There will come a day when the monstrous mullahs infesting the country will pay for their hideous behavior against Christians and others. Until that day comes, it is best to let them stew in their own juices.
"I Am"
Yep, I’ve gone and done it. I proved the existence of God… continue reading..
Jun 4
NEW MUSLIM PUBLIC RELATIONS ADS APPEAR IN AUSTRALIA – As CNS News reports, “roadside billboards in the metropolitan Sydney area carry one of four simple slogans: ‘Jesus: A Prophet of Islam,‘ ’Holy Qur’an: The Final Testament,‘ ’Muhammad: Mercy to Mankind‘ and ’Islam: Got Questions? Get Answers.’ (‘Islam: the Final Solution’ didn’t make the cut.) Wow. Mohammed [...]
May 23
We are told that what happens in privacy between two consenting adults won’t affect us in any way. This is of course yet another malevolent lie propagated by the sodomite community and their political agenda. One of the victims of the homosexual agenda is Catholic Charities, a benevolent religious organization that endeavors to reduce poverty, [...]
Why God, Creation of Life & Evolution Are So Often Linked (By BOTH sides!)
This is the first promised article in a series classified under “Why Evolution Makes No Sense Today” . This article specifically deals with how unscientifically the so-called Western, White scientists treat the notion of God, creation, and evolution. It brings to light not only their limited knowledge base, their repeated failures of history and their hypocritical methodology, but also their arrogance & insecurity. It debunks the idea that we need to discuss creation on their terms: the scientific jargon wars. It shows how they have assumed the mantle of ‘Truth-Finders’ based on their own rules, and desires. It sheds a harsh light on the very unscientific MOTIVES, methods and mindset of atheist scientists today. Read on..
May 21
I like Juan Williams and enjoy watching him on Fox News on Sunday mornings. I don’t always agree with him but he is passionate about what he believes. On The O’Reilly Factor, host Bill O’Reilly asked for a comment about the U. S. facing a dilemma with Muslims. He answered, “Look, Bill, I’m not a bigot. You [...]
Why Evolution Makes No Sense Today.
This is the beginning of an 8 subject area discussion. See the outline of topics to be covered in the coming days. I will prove, through fact and logic, that not only is the Theory of Evolution unproven, but that it makes more sense, mathematically speaking, to believe in God than to believe Evolution is the sole method of creation.
May 17
CLERIC DECLARES PALESTINIANS WILL ANNIHILATE EVIL GANG OF JEWS – Water carriers for Hamas are quick to make the argument that the terrorist group isn’t really a terrorist group at all. Perhaps a quick listen to the audio below will change their minds – or NOT: Egyptian presidential candidate Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the [...]
May 17
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A NEW RALLYING CRY FROM THE “FREETHINKERS” In a May 4th article entitled Why do Atheists Ridicule Christianity?, I wrote about the underbelly of atheism – the Bill Mahers and Christopher Hitchenses of the non-believing world – and their condescending denigration of all things Christian. In today’s episode, we look at the kinder, misleading side of [...]
May 15
Stage: Back: wall with window in middle, desk against wall with office chair. Computer, monitor, printer on desk. Desk top messy with stacked books, papers, coffee cups, mouse and keyboard, CD case. CD case in file, book case with books, books, wads of paper, magazines, shoes, clothes on floor. Bed right with dog, cat in [...]
May 8
Muslim mobs burn Egyptian churches, killing 12 and injuring hundreds With the ink barely dry on Hosni Mubarak’s resignation letter, angry Muslim mobs set fire to two Cairo churches over the weekend, as attacks against Egypt’s Christians intensified. The escalating violence left 12 dead and more than 200 injured. So much for the New Egypt. [...]
Tertullian asked this question sometime during the 3rd Century and has been often quoted in both the study of early Christianity and religious philosophy. Though his inquiry relates to conditions within the Church during his time, particularly the Hellenization of Christian thought, at its very heart, his question regards whether it is appropriate to apply reason to faith. Since recently reading The Rat’s article “Why Do Atheists Ridicule Christianity?”, posted at The ConClub, I thought I would take some liberties with Tertullian’s quote to offer at least one possible explanation. Read the rest of this entry
May 4
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“RELIGION SHOULD BE TREATED WITH RIDICULE, HATRED AND CONTEMPT” Atheism, or “antitheism,” which was once considered taboo in America, has become mainstream in today’s society; books like Christopher Hitchens’s God Is Not Great, Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion, and Sam Harris’s The End of Faith have all become New York Times bestsellers. Faith-bashing films, such as Bill Maher’s Religulous and Ricky [...]
Apr 23
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The Foundation “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.” –George Washington Publisher’s Note In observance of Good Friday and in celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [...]
Apr 22
Not too long ago, a co-worker asked me a question about doing something in the environmental/recycling arena. I looked at her and said, “I’ll do it because it’s there and when it’s easy, but I’m not going to make a religion out of it.”This particular person fell away from the Church, as we say, due [...]
Apr 14
Nor free speech, either; the judge famously pointed out that we can’t yell “FIRE!” in a crowded theater. Unless there is one, of course. Government is constitutionally forbidden to enshrine itself in a state church and to interfere with our individual practices of religion. Well, some folk are currently upset about kosher/halal meat laws and [...]
Apr 11
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STATE DEPARTMENT BLASTS AMBASSADOR FOR “OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES” Douglas Kmiec, the U.S. Ambassador to Malta has been rebuked by the State Department for spending too much time on “outside activities.” An internal government audit accuses the Ambassador of spending too much time writing and speaking about his religious beliefs. According to the 41-page report released by [...]
Mar 28
I can’t believe we’re coming up on 4 years since this 10 minute video has been posted and there are just shy of 50,000 views. Well, I guess part of me CAN believe it, since there are so many anti-Semites out there. This is a quick 10 minutes, and a good summation of the constant [...]
Mar 22
Sunday’s event was presented as a trial of the book in which the Koran was found “guilty” and “executed.”The jury deliberated for about eight minutes. The book, which had been soaking for an hour in kerosene, was put in a metal tray in the center of the church, and Sapp started the fire with a [...]
Some soothing music for the evening.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Many thanks to Pravoslavie.ru and Hieromartyr John of Riga for posting this article.
The topic weighs heavily for me, as I lost my grandfather last November. Though he himself wasn’t Eastern Orthodox, he had shown interest since my conversion in 1993, and was given prayers and comfort before his repose by my own priest. It has become part of my habit to ask for his favor in Heaven, and hope that he prays for our family’s behalf as well.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Stories like this frustrate the heck out of me. We have such a scandal here, yet we have such poor leadership in the OCA. It’s patently obvious that our leadership is not really ready to develop a proper Orthodox Church in America yet. Thanks to John Gfoeller for breaking such bad news. His post is displayed below:
Read the rest of this entry
Torrey Honors Institute Director and fellow Eastern Orthodox Christian John Mark Reynolds provides a rather nice defense of Mike Huckabee after the Arkansas governor was criticized for rightfully attacking the “Religon of Peace™”. Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Those who were pessimistic about the role Egypt’s military played in the Cairo uprising can now feel justified. The Egyptian Military just allowed the Muslim Brotherhood to allow extremist cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi back into the country. Qaradawi is a noted intellectual inside of Al-Ikhwān, as the Muslim Brotherhood is known in Egypt. That the military have provided a guard for this cretin’s return shows that they are not on the side of democracy, but will be part of aiding the development of a new Islamist state. Woe to Miṣr. Thanks to Dave Reaboi who posted the article at Big Peace.
It is sickening to see such a pathetic display of cowardice against fellow Christians who endure attack after attack in the Middle East, but am equally disturbed to see such quiet responses from Christians of all denominations. While we are so willing to attack each other on doctrines, others, truly living the faith, are getting massacred. One wonders if Apocalypse has been at hand for decades now, judging by such weak responses. Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
If you haven’t read the headlines lately, but are the parents of young kids (especially daughters) you already know that Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never” is out. Far be it for me to ruin this blog by even mentioning the Bieb, and I expect my name shall disappear from the masthead forthwith, but it sparked a conversation at the homestead about the fine line of responsibility parents have between being the friend or parent. Suffice it to say, the comment was made that “It’s tough, because I want to be the cool parent but feel like this is one of those areas where I need to be the concerned parent.” Of course my response was “that’s fine – you can be the cool one, but not me. I want to be the one that when the kid is out with my daughter he stops several times throughout the evening and thinks ‘dude, that guy is psycho’.” Read the rest of this entry
As the controversy over gay marriage “rights” continues, we see the distinction between the two groups becoming more and more defined–with the pro-gay and the “religious right.” But what is happening is that many religious people are trying to span the chasm between the two by watering down the Word of God in the name of tolerance. People try to paint Jesus as a tolerant man. But the raw truth is that He wasn’t. Here are some things that Jesus said that aren’t very tolerant:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me” (empasis mine). As you see this is not very tolerant to all the other religions, is it?
“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Not very tolerant again. What Jesus is saying is that when people stand for holiness, that it will cause a division between them and those who do not believe. The Truth will naturally divide the Christians from the non-Christians. Actually, pretty much the whole chapter of Matthew 10 isn’t showing Christ in a very tolerant light.
But God doesn’t restrict His intolerance on just the unbeliever. 1st Peter 4:17 says “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” So God will also judge those who claim to be Christian who are disobedient.
The Book of Revelation is full of Jesus’ intolerance for both the faux-Christian and the unbeliever. So please don’t bore me with your new-age, humanistic, relativistic, screw-ball beliefs on Jesus and God. The only people you are fooling are those who are walking the fence who wouldn’t know the Word of God from a quote in a fortune cookie.
But what about God’s unconditional, eternal love? God wouldn’t be that way! He indeed loves all of mankind with all His heart. Just as a Father loves his children, even the ones that go astray. But when men become disobedient they shun God’s discipline and correction. And because of this they alienate themselves from God. Just like the prodigal son did. But what people do today is rebel against God, and then blame Him when things go wrong. When the prodigal son went and did what he did and ended up eating with pigs, did he blame his father? No. He had more brains than most people do. At least he took responsibility for his action. People today are lazy and unaccountable. Everyone else is responsible for the way they are, not them. It’s always someone else’s fault. All the while, our God of eternal, unconditional love waits for them to return home.
There are many who hold to the morals of man rather than God. This, in itself is a tragedy. What creates a bigger tragedy is when one who claims to be a Christian does that. A person proclaims he is a Christian, but screams for laws that clearly go against God’s Word is double-minded. I would suspect that they are not a Christian, in the true sense of the word. Rather, they have created their own religion and god in their own image. They want a god who fits into their convenient lifestyle; a god who requires nothing of them. Who loves them just the way they are (by the way, God doesn’t love us “just the way we are”–He loves us despite the way we are). I know that the Scriptures say that we are to obey our government. I do not debate that. Many Christians use that as their cause for promoting certain laws. But when our government turns ungodly and promotes sin, what are Christians to do? Which is more important? God or government? The Creator or His creation? What do Christians do when we are no longer allowed to speak freely? You say “It won’t happen! Free speech is our constitutional right!” As we have learned from the past, our constitution is an ever evolving and changing document that bends with every change in man’s moral compass.
And let me ask you this. What about the countries that don’t share our constitution? The ones that suppress the same rights that we hold true? Those citizens cannot claim that they have the right to do what we do. Christians in other countries told they can’t preach the Gospel, as we are allowed (for now) to do. There’s nothing we can do for them. They are under that country’s law. But, then, if the law in those countries say that we cannot preach the Gospel, why are Christians usurping that authority by covertly preaching? If we are to respect our government, as God commands, are they not sinning? No! Because they know that God and His Word are above the government; that there is a higher Authority.
So then I hear people say “That’s why we’re trying to spread democracy throughout the world.” Those are the same people who condemn Christians by saying “Why are you trying to force others to live like you? Why can’t you just let people live the way they want?” So then I respond by saying “The same reason why you’re trying to get people to live the way you do.” The intolerant preaching tolerance is idiotic at best. Do you know who the truly tolerant people are? They’re the ones that don’t say anything! They’re the ones not boycotting Chik-Fil-A! They’re the ones not on blogs like this posting their opinions. And do you know what people who preach tolerance call them? Spineless. Because they won’t take a stand. So then you have the people peddling tolerance condemning those who are practicing it! Common sense is not their strong point.
And there’s nothing at all wrong with being intolerant. I am intolerant. God is intolerant. Jesus is intolerant. What’s wrong is people who are intolerant preaching tolerance. I don’t care if you don’t tolerate me! I had one gentleman who said “I am tolerant! I just don’t tolerate people like you!” A few minutes later, after I stopped laughing, I said “Oh, so you tolerate people who agree with you.” He didn’t have much to say after that. That’s not tolerance.
I agree that theocracy, by man’s design, is a bad thing. But one day there will be a true theocracy ruled by God. And those who despise the idea of a theocracy shouldn’t worry about it. The only citizens of this theocracy are those who want to be there. It is the ultimate right and freedom to choose. And if you don’t want to be there, then you will not be forced to be there.
Russia witnesses a massacre at the hands of Islamic terrorists. The American community screams “They have nothing to hide.” Who do you believe?
Read William Wan’s article at the Washington Post for more on the story.
Mark D. Roberts is one of the few Evangelical Christians who is, to my mind, erudite enough to write both theologically and interestingly in the crossroads of pop culture and religion. He reviews the lack of true friendship in The Social Network, male cameraderie in The King’s Speech and the tiresome accusation of homosexuality by scholars who really should know better in the Bible, relating to the bizarre article published by the BBC (also on BBC Radio) during the celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible.
Read Roberts’ review over at BeliefNet.
Cross-posted at Steinblóm.
Inside Higher Ed writes on a small victory for Christians involved in science. C. Martin Gaskell, a former University of Nebraska astronomer who was denied the opportunity to work at the University of Kentucky because of his evangelical Christian beliefs, has won a settlement from the offending university. Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
I won’t deign to speak for the readers of this most humble blog, but as for me, there’s a calming aspect to listening to a basso profondo voice after a nervewracking day. The featured singer of the choir is Yuri Wichniakov, bearer of a truly a profound voice. Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Two things one never really expects to see together are the terms “Boy George” and “Christianity.” It looks as though there is a rather nice tie-in between the two, as George returned an icon he had purchased from a dealer to a church in Cyprus. It turns out the singer bought the icon from an art dealer who didn’t bother to mention that the artifact was stolen during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Many holy relics were looted and are feared lost forever. Good on Boy for doing this.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Many thanks to my online comrade Al Green for taking the time to post this article. For my Evangelical Christian friends, I shall make a preface to you before reading up. My feeling on the subject is this: your experience with God is valid, true and strong. The difference I have with you is that Orthodox Christians see our church as the fullness of God’s will, truly the Bride of Christ. This is not to say that all other experiences are evil-induced. No one has the right to assume in what manner God will work through mankind. It may behoove you, however, to look inside of our faith, ask questions with catechumens, laymen and priests at your local Orthodox Church and get to see how ancient Christianity lives.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
This is wonderful news! Fox News reports that John Paul II, a friend to many Christians, has been beatified and is another step closer to sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
I’m putting up this post so that those who wish to comment on eschatological matters can do so using our comments section. The rules of decorum do apply. If you’re an atheist or agnostic, read, learn, ask questions, and make comments, but do not disparage here. It’s not going to be tolerated.
Happy Birthday to the King James Version of the Holy Bible, which celebrates its fourth century of existence today. I grew up with this and the Douay-Rheims versions, and though Biblical scholarship has improved (and I possess an Orthodox Study Bible which I find superior), I have a soft spot for the KJV.
The Protestant blog The Seven Churches mentions more here.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
As much as one hoped that things would change, in Egypt (as in Iraq and all other places terrorized by demons), evil remains.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
*applause*
We need more *Ewald Stadlers in elected office here in the USA. The closest I’ve seen in recent years is Gov. Chris Christie, who’s unafraid to tell it like it is.
And we have an inordinate amount of wusses in Congress.
H/T: Polipundit.
*That said, he may do well to up his PSD, as no doubt a fatwa will be issued against him.
I will never, ever, for the life of me, understand the utter hatred and vitriol feminists have for those who defend the culture of life. It is as if pro-lifers are dealing with an opponent whose soul has become rotten to the core. I don’t see atheists or feminists caring for the women who have to deal with the mental anguish of murdering the unborn, not out of maliciousness, but out of hopelessness or cluelessness.
Kathryn Lopez at National Review highlights the disturbing people from RH Reality and their counterweights, The Sisters of Life, who were established during the leadership of John Cardinal O’Connor in 1991.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Let me officially open the Christmas season here on Conclub with the following video.
Leo Tolstoy is one of my top five favorite writers ever. Even with this ‘ringing’ endorsement, the Russian Orthodox Church is right in not rescinding his excommunication. Church membership is a voluntary activity, and they have rules communicants are expected to follow. Tolstoy’s embrace of heresy and anarchism, as well as his own very public break with the Church, put him in this situation.
Cross-posted at Steinblóm.
How cool is this? Remember that Mongolia is Russia’s neighbor, and the two countries have a long, storied, intertwined history together. It is wonderful news to see Mongols receiving exposure to The Word via Holy Orthodoxy.
HT: The Orthodox Church (OCP) Blog.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
It makes me pleased as punch to see the Roman Catholic Church take exorcism seriously! Dr. Deal Hudson of CatholicOnline.com writes on the good Fr. Euteneuer, a good man with a rough purpose – driving devils out.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
It is good to see the young and energetic Archbishop Jonah and my Archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, Nathaniel, discussing the possibility of uniting all Orthodox churches together here in America. This is not enough, however, considering the climate the world is in. It is time for deep discussion with Rome, with Alexandria, with the Armenians, all Christians, to be united into one force. The foolish luxury of division has no place in a world of rampant hostility to our collective faith.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Muslim States Press U.N. Council to Condemn Anti-Islam Actions, Speech
The OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) has decided that the recent attempt by certain Christians here in the states to burn the Qu’ran is worthy of legal penalization. They are now petitioning the UN to pass a law against “instances of intolerance, discrimination, profiling and acts of violence against Muslims occurring in many parts of the world.”
Now, let’s throw aside the fact that the military just burned countless Bibles at the request of these countries….and the fact that Christians aren’t even allowed to speak of Jesus in their countries….and the fact that radical Islam (which they support) seeks to kill Christians, and any Muslim that converts to Christianity. Maybe then, I would be sympathetic to their plight.
But we can’t discount those facts. And it doesn’t leave them much credibility…or much respect. I feel sorry for them. Not so much for the fact that some misled Christian threatened to burn their book, but for the fact that they are so pathetic in their response.
But look at the phrasing that they used: “….instances of intolerance, discrimination, profiling and acts of violence…” Notice how they sneak that phrase “profiling” in their petition? Don’t want any extremists profiled.
And this coincides with their annual “running of the bull” (and I don’t mean the four-legged kind)–their presentation of the “Defamation of Religion” garbage that they peddle every year at the UN. This resolution to supposedly end religious by making an international law against persecuting religions is nothing but smoke. A closer look at this resolution shows that, for example, a Christian could be arrested for prosletyzing or calling another religion a false religion. On top of that, Islam is the only religion ever mentioned in this resolution.
Radical Islam is very sneaky and underhanded.
In late May of 2010, public school children in Wellesley, Massachusetts, took a field trip to the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center – a radical Saudi-funded mega-mosque run by the Muslim American Society of Boston. There, the boys were separated from the girls. And the boys were asked to join the Muslim adults in their prayer, which some of them did.
BoingBoing isn’t what one would call good reading for those into theology (and neither is the shamelessly liberal Guardian), but there was an article which piqued my interest today. Mark Frauenfelder posted an article on Jesuit Guy Consolmagno, the Pope’s astronomer, who, unlike some of the proponents of Intelligent Design (a theory I consider myself agnostic to), has no problem with the idea of Evolution. He’d even be willing to baptize an alien if asked. A strange, but interesting, chap.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised that it wasn’t some psychotic atheist group trying to gun for the Pope rather than the usual Islamofascist slimebags. Britain has become an absolutely hostile ground to Christianity, though they allow Islam without so much as a peep, and any manner of perversion to seep into popular culture. Dawkins, Hitchens and those who peddle atheistic trash have much to answer for in making the island such hostile territory.
For his part, Pope Benedict XVI has remained calm and has stuck to his schedule, undaunted.
HT: Breitbart.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
I’m a longtime fan of Professor Hawking’s work, A Brief History of Time. It is truly one of the most intriguing reads on science ever created for laymen such as myself. I don’t claim to know a lot about the ‘Big Bang’ Theory (proposed by a Catholic Monsignor, Georges Lemaître), but judging by this poorly-written article posted at the BBC, neither does Hawking. Theoretical models and concepts are fine, and frankly wonderful in many cases, but for Hawking to say that no God created the Universe seems both haughty, bizarre, and to be a desperate ploy to sell his new book, The Grand Design.
It also continues a trend of science getting too big for its britches, acting as though life is a random accident and we essentially have no purpose other than being here, consuming what we can and dying off until a new breed shows up. For a person with a theistic worldview, this seems incomprehensible to the point of stupidity. Does one truly feel, in his heart of hearts, that we are but an accident? That life is merely the result of spontaneous creation? Hawking doesn’t bother to prove his point. He merely speaks, and the secularists wriggle in delight that he made his declaration public.
Unsurprisingly, Hawking is being picked apart by the religious community. More power to them. As much as I respect the man, it’s hard to take Hawking seriously when he peddles bizarre abandon-the-Earth-or-else theories or rubbish about aliens and then expects to take his anti-Deism at face value.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Documentary educational television would have us believe that the single greatest scientific achievement of the past millennium was Darwin’s theory of evolution. Many religious fundamentalists have serious issues with this assertion. Many legitimate scientists with both secular and religious perspectives do as well. Darwin himself recognized serious shortcomings with evolution. A new sort of “scientist,” the evolutionary biologist, has come on the scene. These folks are specifically dedicated to supporting and proving a theory. Previously science did not work that way. Scientists used to look for evidence of disproof, only accepting theories that prove unassailable.
On the other side we have unscientific religious fundamentalists. These folks are willing to describe their search for proof of their scriptures as basic science. They study scripture and seek evidence to support what it says.
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Africa will be at the forefront of any Crusade that will happen against Islam. We in the West complain of how bad we have it, but imagine what Africa has had to suffer. Humiliation, embarrassment, slavery, wholesale rape of their culture, destruction of Christian and animist strongholds. Yet in former Muslim strongholds like Kenya, Christianity explodes. The threats Islam pose are dwindling, as true Christians are losing their fear of this cursed scourge. The money quote of the article is here:
The Islamist imperialists pushing to expand in Africa would do well to recall that Christianity has historical claims on such states as Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Are they ready for mass violence aimed at a rollback? Or state conflicts?
Indeed. The usurpers of culture need a remedial course in history before making ridiculous claims about what they consider their land. Ralph Peters’ article is worth a very deep read.
Cross-posted at RudyCarrera.com.
This one is particularly for our friend Muhammad. Thankfully, the multi-ethnic town found this incident deplorable.
Thanks to The City for posting this on their mailing list:
Those who objected to the Christian gospel ridiculed it, mocking it because of its absurdity. For there is nothing more ridiculous than the word of someone who preaches that the Son of God was born and brought up by Jews, who rejects neither the cross nor death, who says moreover not only that Christ rose from the dead but that he ascended to heaven as Lord of all, that he will raise everyone else from the dead, and other things the apostles preached. The pagans mocked these things and ridiculed them, thinking that they would make the apostles shut up. Therefore Saint Paul, feeling obliged to reply to this opinion of the apostles, began his teaching thus: I am not ashamed of the gospel.
- Gennadius of Constantinople, Sermons
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Nicole Winfield AP reports on icons found in Rome of the two venerable saints, Paul the Apostle and the disciple Peter, which were found adorning a tomb of a noblewoman in Rome. Read the article here.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
Many thanks to my dear friend and fellow Orthodox Christian Orlando Greenhill for showing me a video that links Christianity, the Desert Fathers and experimental film making together.
Cross-posted at Apocatastasis.
I have always heard that history repeats itself because no one listened the first time around, and today I have found additional evidence to support that claim. Scroll through some of the Time magazine covers, specifically from 1976-1980 and take a look at the headlines, the people, the concerns of the day. From socialism to the war on terror – it’s all there in vivid color. I recommend starting here and moving forward for a really interesting look at, well… Time.
Today’s Denver Post has an interesting look at a small but newsworthy shift that is taking place within the Christian right. Much of it seems to be taking place within the age group of the Christians represented here but it is newsworthy nonetheless because we are now raising the next generation of possible Christian conservatives.
It turns out that we are not dead after all. Oh sure, there were plenty of proclamations following the elections last year, but the election of Scott Brown and the resurgence of the activist ‘teaparticans’ should dispell any notions that the Christian or “religious” right is in retreat.
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