The GOP No Longer Represents Conservatives
If the Republican Party continues on its current path it will nominate either John McCain or (given a Super Tuesday miracle) Mitt Romney, who are not bona fide conservatives. In doing so, the GOP will demonstrate that it no longer represents conservatives and has placed a higher value on winning an election than standing by its principles.
Huckabee passes the campaign plate
As a Christian, the reports that Mike Huckabee used a church sanctuary and a gathering of ministers to raise campaign funds is very troubling.
Struggling to speak
I find myself often repeating Jeremiah’s words to God: “Ah, Sovereign LORD, I do not know how to speak.” But while the Old Testament prophet used them as an excuse not to speak, I most often use them as a confession of my speech that was a bit too hasty and lacked the Christ-like tone it needed.
John Mark Reynolds delves into testy waters of Christians fumbling attempt to speak like the Master.
Six Lessons From Florida
Congratulations to Senator John McCain for his victory last night in the Florida Republican Primary. He has now emboldened his position as the front runner for the nomination. While he’s not necessarily the person I would want as the nominee, I’ll support him if he wins the nomination.
Looking over last night’s results, I’ve observed six things that should be kept in mind as the process moves forward.
No politics zone…almost
I continued my annual tradition of not watching the State of the Union last night. I really didn’t care to see Ted Kennedy endorse Barack Obama (a knock against Obama if you ask me). After the weeks of political nonsense here in SC (with both the Republican and Democratic primaries), I’m sick of it all. So here is an almost political free collection of links. Even the “almost” part is done with a touch of humor and a “reach-across-the-aisle” tone. If you, like me, are tired of the never-ending election (or even the obsession with Tom Brady’s ankle), you may enjoy this post.
A little something for everyone
Most of these I wanted to write full posts on, but work is crazy so I haven’t had the chance. I don’t want to wait too long to get these up and out there, so here you go.
Welcoming, Not Affirming
While searching for some layout and design inspiration, I ran across an editorial in a 2004 issue of Baylor’s magazine entitled Welcoming, Not Affirming written by a theology professor at the nation’s largest Southern Baptist affiliated university. Roger Olson expresses my view much better than I ever have.
Despite the age of the article, I believe the sentiments expressed are extremely timely. While we conservative Christians have been horrible at “love the sinner, hate the sin,” perhaps we can do better in the future moving toward being “welcoming, but not affirming.”
Leftover IVF embryos – how concerned should we be?
In A Rather Unexpected Aspect of IVF, Al Mohler discusses a London Times report claiming that over 1 Million zygotes (embryos?) leftover from IVF are destroyed in Great Britain each year. One of the most interesting points is the apparent lack of significant concern by evangelicals on this matter, who, while voicing opposition to stem cell research, don’t cry so loudly about these destroyed embryos. But why?
Huckabee signs “No Amnesty Pledge”
Mike Huckabee just left the university where I work. He gave a standard stump speech, which seems to be going farther to the right. (Thank you Jim Pinkerton!) However, after the speech Huckabee had a press conference on campus and made some significant news. He signed a “No Amnesty Pledge” from NumbersUSA.
A bully pulpit
This past Sunday, as he often does, a leading presidential candidate appeared at a local church, speaking to the congregation, hoping to inspire his main voting bloc. The pastor of the church was so enamored with the ideas and politics of the candidate that he may have stepped over the line.
In introducing the candidate, the pastor said, “the more he speaks, the more he wins my confidence, and . . . if the polls were open today, I would cast my vote for this [politician].” Then just in case that wasn’t enough, the pastor encouraged his congregation to follow his voting lead, “If you can’t support your own, you’re never going to get anywhere. . . . I want to see this man in office.”
Have you heard about this as one of the top political stories? Nope, it was only mentioned in one local newspaper and it was downplayed in that story (16th paragraph, no mention in the headline or sub-head). Why? Because it wasn’t Mike Huckabee reaching out to evangelicals. It was Barack Obama at a predominately black church.
How much play will this get in the media (if any)? And how much flak is Pastor Leon Smith and Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ going to be facing for their clear violation of federal tax law? I think I can guess.
Gays incubating yet another serious disease, endangering humanity
It is politically incorrect to express negative moral judgment regarding homosexuality, and even worse if anyone supports such claims by mentioning the higher rates of mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, illness, and death in the gay community. But we all know that the rampant, gross (pun intended) promiscuity in the male homosexual community is what caused AIDS to take root and explode around the world.
Now, a highly drug-resistant staph infection has taken root in the gay communities in Boston and San Francisco, and threatens to spread to the general populace due to finding a favorable climate in the sexuality of gay communities.
The persistent and repeated incubation and growth of such diseases in the gay community is yet another sign from nature that they are doing something unnatural – most probably, promiscuous gay sex. And not only are they endangering their own lives through their selfish and risky behaviors, but the lives of the rest of society.
The Truths and Myths of the Christmas Story
In this fun message, I cover some surprising myths and truths, including:
- Jesus probably didn’t have blond hair
- Jesus was probably NOT born in December
- The Magi were NOT Kings
- God led the Magi to Christ using PAGAN ASTROLOGY
- How should Christians view astrology?
- Why learning about God from primarily from nature and astrology are risky and unreliable
- The Star of Bethlehem was probably NOT amazing
- The Star probably DID lead the Magi (retrograde motion and stationing of Jupiter)
- The Magi probably visited Jesus from 4 months to 2 years AFTER his birth
Related Posts:
Just wondering…
I know basically everything is attributed to global warming these days, but I’m waiting on how it explains snow in Baghdad for the first time in 100 years and giant glaciers forming during a warm period. I’m sure there’s an explanation, though.
Who to offend?
Two recent flubs by media members have been brought up. One (a crass, but unplanned remark) will get you suspended. One (a crass and planned skit) will not. It’s all about who’s being offended.
Passionate Housewives: debunking the myth of the androgynous power woman
Vision Forum, one of my favorite world view and homeschool publication organizations, has published a new book entitled Passionate Housewives Desperate for God: Fresh Vision for the Hopeful Homemaker. CBMW has a nice review:
Along the way, McDonald argues that "evangelical feminism" is merely a baptized version of its secular counterpart.
"Like a filthy and unruly stray dog on bath day, feminism has been
scrubbed and perfumed and presented to us as biblical," she writes."The biblical directives given to women to be wives, mothers and
keepers of the home are minimized or set aside as quaint but
unnecessary options. Although they still view homemaking as a
legitimate life choice, in their opinion it certainly shouldn’t be
viewed as enough and definitely not the best."
Transgender Rights override women’s rights
Women's rooms used to be a haven for women, a place to get away from the sexualized atmosphere created by men. This changed a little with the lesbian movement, but now, transgender sensibilities are further trampling into the safe spaces for women.
In New York City, homeless shelters are allowing men who "feel more comfortable as women" to use women's restrooms and dormitories. The problem with this, of course, is that women want to feel safe away from men, even if those men "feel like" women. These new trans-gender policies allow potentially sexually confused trans men or sexual predators (tran or faking it) to sleep near women and children (many women don't care what you say, they know that testosterone makes men more sexually aggressive even if they "feel like" women).
What can we do? We can either separate men and women by their God-given biology, or we need to create new spaces for the now FOUR possible genders.
The Feminist Mistake: A scholarly, Christian evaluation of the feminist movement
Mary Kassian, author and professor at Southern Baptist Seminary (they allow women to be Professors there? ;) has just published a well-received evaluation of feminism entitled The Feminist Mistake: The Radical Impact of Feminism on Church and Culture.
You can read the CBMW’s two part interview with Mary Kassian, as well as Tim Challies review at Amazon, in which he says:
The Feminist Mistake, by Mary Kassian traces the rise of feminism
through the twentieth century. It shows how a movement at first
designed to protect women’s rights, soon morphed into a movement of
incredibly destructive power – a movement that has ultimately caused
great harm to society and to the church. "Looking back over the past
fifty years is a sobering exercise. Feminism was the dream that
promised women happiness and fulfillment. But I suspect … we would
find that women are unhappier and less fulfilled than ever. The
feminist paradigm simply does not match the reality of who God created
women and men to be. Hence it cannot deliver on its promise"
Another University study finds Fox News fair compared to liberally biased MSM
Previously, a Harvard study revealed that most of the mainstream media, including both TV news and NPR, were very biased in favor of liberal Presidential candidates, while Fox News (and MSNBC) came out more balanced.
Now, the Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA) at George Mason University has released a study comparing the Hume Report’s news segment with the other MSM TV news programs, and CONFIRMS that Fox News is more balanced and fair than the other MSM news outlets.
Why we need Voter ID laws
The lady who became the poster child for the lawsuit against Indiana’s voter ID, which is now before the Supreme Court, is registered to vote in Indiana and Florida.
She claims she has only voted in Indiana, but doesn’t she demonstrate the need for some form of voter verification? Maybe she has only voted in Indiana, but how many others aren’t that honest?
Gay couples seeking the human right of divorce
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) (love that name) has an interesting commentary on a recent Washington Post article that documents the problems that gay couples are having, trying to get divorces in states that don’t recognize their Massachusetts marriages. You see, they lack the same rights to divorce that straights have! It seems that, esp. for young children, courts favored giving custody to the mother, but what if the child has two mothers, or none? Do they favor the less "butch" of the two?
