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Where is Freedom of Religion?
To the Editor:
Where is Freedom of Religion in America?
Atlanta Pastor Stages Mock Whipping
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 10:19 a.m. ET.
"ATLANTA (AP) -- A pastor ...Rev. Arthur Allen Jr., convicted of cruelty to children." "...a judge's order that Allen and his followers use only an open hand on their own children's buttocks"
Proverbs reflects the word of God, that a man who does NOT take a rod to the backside of an ill behaved child, hates his child. First, ...what happened to 'freedom of religion', in this case? Second, ...a beginning student of physics can make the simple observation that a hand carries much more mass and inertia than a belt, and is far more likely to cause internal injuries than that belt or a dowel-rod or willow switch. But in America (or is that spelled Amerika?), where there is no God - not really - a judge will take it upon himself to OVERRULE the word and wisdom of God?
"Judge T. Jackson Bedford Jr. sentenced the defendants to prison sentences ranging from 20 to 90 days. They must also pay fines, serve probation and attend parenting classes."
I'm sure everyone knows that each County receives $100-per-day per-person (or more) for everyone that it puts in jail. Add the fines imposed ($thousands in just this one case) to this, and American courts can be quite a money maker, creating an even larger pot for our elected officials to perform their favorite magic - making money disappear, at taxpayers expense.
"Six other congregation members may go to trial on child cruelty charges later this year."
God forbid (or would that be 'Government forbid') that we're allowed to teach our children that there are consequences to our actions. With laws making discipline of a child illegal, and laws which criminalize fatherhood, the State is insisting that our children grow up to be criminals, and create even more diverted revenues for government at taxpayer expense.
So much for freedom of religion. But then, this comment won't see mainstream print either. So much for free speech or press in America's mainstream media. Those rights are reserved for those with money and power. "The people" are only here to pay taxes, ...or sit in jail.
Leonard Misner
(author, In The Children's Best Interest)
Men Without Chests
To the Editor:
The churches in our nation today are filled with what C S Lewis called "men without chests." What are men without chests? Lewis states, "...it is an outrage that they should be commonly spoken as intellectuals. This gives them the chance to say that he who attacks them attacks intelligence. It is not so. They are not distinguished from other men by any unusual skill in finding truth nor any virginal ardor to pursue her... It is not excess of thought but defect of fertile and generous emotion that marks them out. Their heads are no bigger than ordinary: it is the atrophy of the chest beneath that makes them seem so."
Where are the men with passion for God and his Word? Where are the men who will speak in their church board meetings about caring for the poor, reaching the lost, living uprightly before the Lord?
The problem in our nation is not our failure to elect godly leaders, but our failure to lead (in Christ it means serve) in a godly way in our homes and workplaces with a heart that is turned toward God. Where are the Jonathan Edwards? the Charles Finneys? the Wesleys, the Botths? It is not just to speak out against abortion and sexual perversion, rather it is to walk purposefully and with character in this evil and adulterous generation.
In America we like "intellectuals" but Jesus chose fishermen, tax collectors, zealots. "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. " (1 Cor 1:26-29) Let us choose in our churches such men and our nation will change.
Walter Russell
The Elephant In Our Church Sanctuaries
To the Editor:
George Orwell once wrote that he lived in an age when stating the obvious was the first duty of intelligent men. I believe that activists and lay people are rising up and carrying out prophetic work in the culture because pastors by and large are not carrying out a prophetic calling in their pulpits. I speak as a former pastor and my critique includes my own years of pulpit ministry.
Who will doubt, for instance, that we live in a sex-saturated society? Hollywood, TV, books, magazines, music videos, and advertising have been spewing out a gospel of unrestrained sexual indulgence for decades. Pre-marital sex has practically become the norm among adolescents, abortions have risen dramatically as a result, and homosexuality is not only tolerated, but is quickly becoming "normal" as an accepted cultural lifestyle. And now certain academics are beginning to defend the acceptability of inter-generational sex (pedophilia). And nobody questions that Christians, too, are influenced negatively by these immoral "norms". Nevertheless, in the face of rampant anti-moral trends, it is my observation that pastors rarely, if ever touch on issues of sexual morality from the pulpit.
In fact people have lamented to me that they do not know of a single clergyman who has the courage to address moral issues in his preaching. Now to be fair, such men are not totally lacking, but their number is far from legion. My own brother who regularly attends church made the following comment, "Most sermons are so watered down, and so tailored to offend absolutely nobody, that at the end there is little substance left to help anybody."
Why do pastors avoid addressing moral concerns? Perhaps it's a bit like the proverbial elephant in the living room; everybody knows he's there, but few have the courage to lead him out. And yes, at the risk of being simplistic, I believe the elephant in the church sanctuaries must be met by the courage of the ministers. Shepherds must preach with great clarity and boldness on sexual immorality, adultery, homosexuality, abortion, and the beauty of God's good gift of sex. Believers will be strengthened by truthful biblical content, be encouraged to embrace its hope for daily life, and be better equipped to parent their children. Thousands will escape the snares of sexual immorality with its attendant diseases and heartbreak, marriages will endure, giving children a refuge in which to be nurtured, and Christians will have truthful, accurate answers for their friends and neighbors. Lastly, and of great importance clergymen, of all stripes will escape the charge of being unfaithful watchmen with blood on their hands (Ezekiel 33).
Thirty years ago Francis Shaeffer saw Europe as an arid, decaying culture, virtually bereft of Christian truth and morality. He warned that this situation was coming to North America as well. He called the church to biblical fidelity as the only possible preventative to what had happened in Europe. Tragically, I think his call went largely unheeded.
Does the culture need aggressive activists in our day and age? Perhaps it does. But the far greater need is for prophets to take their place in the pulpit. Every sincere Christian should encourage, support, and pray for bold proclamation from their minister. For we must have bold pastors who fearlessly, relevantly, and lovingly give all of God's word to a needy people who will in their turn be salt and light to our darkening culture.
Frankly, we don't have much time. Night is coming.
Rev. Royal M. Hamel
Documenting the American Holocaust
To the Editor:
Pro lifers are taking pictures of women and their activities at the abortions clinics for a several of reasons. We understand that shame is a powerful tool to get someone to face the cold hard facts about what they're going to do, or what they've already done. Shame walks hand in hand with repentance. Abortion must be re-stigmatized and disdained just like any other murder that takes place.
We are also documenting the American holocaust as it happens. Our children are being mercilessly murdered everyday and we believe documenting their short but torturous lives re-humanizes the child today and will speak volume in the future. The Jewish holocaust was not documented until after the fact. Thank God, for the information that we do have. The fact the American holocaust is being documented as it takes place will give future generations a unique look at a culture that expressed more sympathy for the perpetrators than the victims.
Pro lifers all over the country are raising up children to follow in our footsteps. By documenting the American holocaust we are leaving them with a history and with forerunners to study and learn from. They will have roots and a heritage. As they learn from our mistakes and our wisdom they will be enabled to carry on towards our ultimate goal, the abolition of abortion. Pro lifers are instilling in our children a love for Christ and a conviction to cry out for the unborn. Our children are being molded while the pro aborts are killing theirs.
Ken Scott
Not the First Time
To the Editor:
In response to "Sieze Whose Church???", this is not the first property siezed by a government agency. On February, 13, 2001 the Indianapolis Baptist Temple, Indianapolis, Indiana was siezed by federal marshals. What is there today? They are demolishing most of the church building and all of the residences on the 22.5 acres have been destroyed. What for? A charter school. Where once over 400 children were taught every day in a Christian school; now there will be ungodly socialistic, atheistic doctrine taught. America wake up!!
Ronald W. Pollard
Seize Whose Church???
To the Editor:
When I read the article about the City of Cypress, CA trying to seize 18 acres upon which 4,000 good brothers and sisters were planning to move their sanctuary, I had to laugh... Where is the ACLU on this one?
Where is the national media?
I thought about what it might be like if, years from now, someone decided that the northeast corner of U.S. Highway 19 and the U.S. Highway 84 By-Pass would make a good truck stop.
Or how about this one: the public schools grow so much they need more classrooms and gyms, so they seize the church buildings for the eminent "public good." Or what if the powerful hospital board decides that corner would be a good place for a nursing home?
You knew it would be tested in California. They wouldn't even attempt this in the Bible Belt! The case is going to be interesting to follow... and probably sad to watch.
WT
Shepherds, Not CEOs
To the Editor:
Thank you for your excellent coverage of the homosexual scandal in the Catholic Church. As a Catholic, I totally agree with your position.
My prayer is that the hierarchy will finally wake up, and understand that being "gay friendly" under the guise of "compassion" is like cuddling up to a scorpion.
The church I love took a turn to the Left after Vatican 2. The current bishops (and the Pope) are a product of that disaster. This is a blessing in disguise. Bishops will perhaps realize that they are called to be Shepherd, not CEO's.
In Christ,
Helen Westover
Obey God Rather Than Man
To the Editor:
I was thinking about the many battles across America that try to get laws passed to promote godliness. You know, making it legal to bring your bible into public school, pray in public schools, putting up the 10 Commandments on the wall at work, speaking publicly on the streets in the park without a permit. The list goes on and on. What amazes me about all these battles is everyone seems to be waiting for the law to passed in order to be given permission to do what is commanded by God.
What ever happened to "We must obey God rather than man."? Whatever happened to understanding that the reason the world hates you is because it hates Christ. And that suffering is a part of the Christian experience, because this is a battle of the Kingdom of Light against the Kingdom of Darkness. As the scripture says."Those who want to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted". And how will the world see how important our message is when we are unwilling to suffer for it? We continue to bow to the laws of the land as though God wanted us to forsake our spiritual obedience.
I was amazed that in Texas a Judge ordered a public school to not allow any public prayer, and everyone was waiting to see if his ruling could be overturned. If my child was attending that school, I would have encouraged her to pray with boldness and not be intimidated by the "prayer monitors" that the judge ordered to make sure no one prayed.
If she was expelled, then so be it. If all Christian students did this the schools would be crying to the state because they get money for every student that attends. Which sounds good to me, either the school comes to my child's defense or they are de-funded. Either would be fine for me. I think the example of every Christian putting up the 10 commandments at their work station, or bringing their bible to work may get them fired, but if every Christian were fired it would shut the country down, and create a National Crisis. Heck, we could do that with our taxes.
If every Christian told the U.S. congress that they would no longer pay the portion of their taxes that went to fund homosexuality and abortion, it would create a National Crisis. Surely many would go to jail or lose their homes, but they can't put all of us in jail, their god, the almighty dollar would suffer, if we don't work there is no money for the government. But apparently we are unwilling to suffer. But suffering is the ingredient of change and transformation, whether it's personal or national.
I am not saying that we shouldn't pass godly laws. I am not saying we go on a 'disobey the laws of the land rampage'. (Rm. 13 ) I am not saying that we should despise authority, that's what the reprobate does, because many laws of the land can be reasonable and wise, and reduce anarchy. And I am not saying we should bring our beliefs onto the workplace while forsaking our Lord's command to be a humble servant for our employer as unto the Lord.
But it is imperative that our children in the schools, ourselves in the workplace and the pro-life activists and preachers in the street remember who our first loyalty is to, not our government, not ourselves, not the laws of the land, but to OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN.
Phil Magnan
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