The History of "Christianity"

I'm reading a book called The History of Christianity by Justo Gonzalez. This is from the 16th century into the 20th century. I'm about halfway through the 16th century right now.

I think the book should be called The History of "Christianity" instead. I'm not knocking the book. I'm knocking a lot of the actions in the book that don't seem to have a lot to do with following Christ, but rather have a lot to do with politics, money, power, needless war, and so on.

So, I will rant using no words of my own.

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. (Matthew 15:6b)

Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. (2 Timothy 2:14)

You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's. (Exodus 20:17)

End rant.

No wonder the founders of this country wanted church and state separate. And yet, that only trades one set of problems for another. Stupid devil. Stupid, clever clever devil.

Back to reading. For what its worth, out of all the groups I've read about so far, I like those Anabaptist guys. Not the violent revolutionary ones, but those later ones that ended up becoming known as the Mennonites. Maybe that's because they weren't killing anybody.

Grace and Peace

Making What Alive?

There is a lot of bickering back and forth about John Piper's blog post here:

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1986_i_hope_my_daughter_hears_the_presidents_speech/

That bickering is largely unproductive. Reading it is also largely unproductive, so I am guilty there. Yet more evidence that we waste so much energy on things that just don't matter. But in the chaos I found a nugget I want to reiterate from a response by a guy named Matthew Brazell:

The primary source of outrage among Christians is they think he will promote Socialism in his speech. People need to understand social change is not going to come in the world from politics, whether conservative or liberal. Regeneration and sanctification produces righteousness not legislation. We Christians seem to think the more conservative legislation that we have, and the more we support Israel the more righteous the nation will be, therefore God will bless the nation. Let me tell you something, we can have as many conservative laws in the world, but if the people are wicked, God will not favor those people and will not favor that country. God cares about a lot less about capitalism, "*your* money, *your* guns and *your* freedom", your prosperity, your American identity, your American exceptionalism, then you think. God is much more in the business of making dead people alive then making dead systems such as politics alive.

Amen.

Grace and Peace

Two Wrongs

This is dumb:

http://ricksanchez.blogs.cnn.com/2009/08/28/threats-to-obama-up-400-and-a-pastor-hates-obama/

From two sides.

The first side is preaching hate from the pulpit and preaching politics from the pulpit. This was more hate than politics, but neither should ever be done. This pastor can hate Obama all he wants, but that is not what he is supposed to do. Yes, Obama is wrong regarding abortion. Very wrong. That's a no-brainer. A lot of other people are wrong too. But that doesn't mean we hate them. Having hate in our hearts is sinful just as murder is sinful. No, we are called to love others even if we hate what they do and what they promote. Our God loves everyone. He doesn't love them because of what they do or who they are, but because of who He is. If His love was contingent on our actions, he wouldn't love anybody.

This pastor tries to use the Bible to defend his hate, but he is wrong. God loved David. Adulterer. Murderer. God loved Matthew. Back-stabbing tax collector. God loved Saul. Christian-killer. Jesus died on the cross to save everyone and even asked for forgiveness for those who nailed him to it. Is that not love? The fact of the matter is that we are all sinners that God still loves. To be saved, we all need to come to repentance and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, Obama included.

The second side is what the world does with stupid preaching like this. The media is all to eager to eat it up, blow it up, and make it into an example. We know this. They take anything that is a little off the wall, pump steroids into it, and make it into the entertainment for the day. It doesn't matter if we're talking about the antics of a puppy or the rampage of the latest serial killer. when either hits the news, its entertainment.

The problem here is that stupid news clips are what some unbelievers form their opinions of Christianity with. So when someone goes around shooting his mouth of under the label "Christian", it builds a wall up between the people that eat it up and the people trying to reach them, making this a double-travesty and making it harder to reach them.

So I say we should stand on the third side. The side that says pray for our nation's, and the world's, leaders so that they may come to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ and lead looking through that worldview. The side that says also to pray for preachers so that they may preach the love of God and Christ crucified, rather than hate and politics.

Grace and Peace

A New School Prayer

Nice to see young people of character standing up for Jesus:

Since the Pledge of Allegiance
And The Lord's Prayer
Are not allowed in most
Public schools anymore
Because the word 'God' is mentioned....
A kid in Arizona wrote the attached

NEW School prayer :

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.
We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks..
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen

What Would Jesus Do

I saw this bumper sticker or t-shirt or something a while back that I thought was pretty stupid. "Jesus Would Recycle". What?! Where in the world did someone get that crazy idea? It certainly wasn't from the Bible!

Jesus came to earth to reconcile God with man and die on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for our sins so that those who follow him would have everlasting life. He had a specific purpose in his first coming. He came. He fulfilled it.

Jesus didn't seem concerned with petty things like overthrowing the Roman government that was oppressing the Jews and would later persecute the early Christians, despite what the man-made expectations of the Messiah were at that time. So I doubt he would have much to say on whether we recycle or not!

Help take care of the planet if you feel that's what you should do, as long as it doesn't become more important than God. But don't turn an environmental cause into a gospel. And don't belittle the name of our Lord and Savior by slapping it on man-made efforts.

Abortion Is Murder, Period

A fellow employee posted this at work in response to a thread where folks were discussing that they agree abortion is wrong but don't feel they should tell a woman what she should do with her body. He is dead on.

Everyone has a choice, it is called abstinence. Once you choose to get it on with someone your choices have gone out the window, and you need to take responsibility for your "CHOICE". Abortion is murder, plain and simple and every action has a consequence which in the case of sexual activity is possibility of pregnancy. People try to rationalize the idea that it is about a woman's choice for her body, if she really cared that much she would have waited until marriage to become active in the first place, because that is the way it is supposed to be done. We have just been dumbed down as a society to accept the fact that sex with anyone is an accepted and encouraged thing. That is giving into our lustful human nature, nothing more. Sex isn't solely for enjoyment it is much more than that and any woman or man who has been cheated on can attest to that fact as it as been described as "ripping someones heart out". God is the one who knits us together in our mother's womb and he chooses when that womb will open or be shut up. Just because someone doesn't believe they are doing something wrong doesn't mean it isn't. There are organizations that were founded to educate women who are considering or have had abortions to hear stories of others who have already done it and how it really makes you feel inside and the struggles that occur afterwords. Also there is a natural version called a miscarriage and I've heard that isn't very pleasant for the mother either. If life doesn't start at conception why do they warn mothers about the use of alcohol/cigarettes on how it could affect a development process of a fetus and what could happen to the eventual baby?

I agree with the statement that every baby that is conceived will eventually develop into a person barring a miscarriage, so by that definition life starts at conception and just because we can't fight for ourselves at that stage or any other doesn't mean we aren't alive then. Lets apply that logic that it isn't murder to a current situation. Steve McNair couldn't defend himself while sleeping on the couch when he was shot in the head and chest 4 times, so he must not have been alive. Does that sound right to anyone?

The whole "don't tell me what to do with MY body" argument is stupid. We're talking about not just one body, not just one person, but two. When one person willfully kills another innocent and defenseless person, its murder. Period. It's against God's law. It should be against man's law, but, sadly, yet expectedly, it's not.

Grace and Peace

Tennessee Football

This is a statement that was read over the PA s ystem at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody McLeod.

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country."

Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.

I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.

I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem.

I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology."

I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment."

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then federal case law is violated.

This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.

Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except GOD and HIS commandments.

Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical. I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.

For this reason, I shall "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.

"However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM,in the name of JESUS, to bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law -- yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray.

They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the announcer's box!

The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America -- the seat of "justice" in the "one nation, under GOD."

Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the freedom OF religion, not the freedom FROM religion. Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains!

JESUS said, "If you are ashamed of ME before men, then I will be ashamed of you before MY FATHER."

Onward Christian Solider

This Memorial Day weekend the whole issue of mixing Christianity and American nationalism came to mind again. This is a time we remember the men and women who gave and continue to give their lives to buy the freedom we have in this country. We should be very thankful to live in a land where we can read God's word and preach it freely without fear of imprisonment or death.

However it bugged me a little bit to see church services getting mixed with honoring those serving in the military. I didn't know why at the time, but I knew it had something to do with tacking something on to Christianity that doesn't belong there and mixing up Christian ideals with American ideals.

I think I've come to a fair understanding of what both sides of my mixed feelings were. So here they are for what its worth.

First, I agree that those who give their lives up for others deserved to be honored. I wouldn't hesitate to thank a policeman or firefighter for the jobs they do. I assume automatically those men and women willingly risk their lives and give of themselves to keep the rest of us safe. You know what? I bet that assumption doesn't apply to everyone. Its the same with the military. So, to all those in the military who signed up to keep us safe and fight against evil powers in the world, as an act of love, thank you.

What I think I have a bigger problem with is not those following orders, but rather those giving the orders. Our military is involved in far more than controlling our borders and patrolling our coasts to keep us safe. Since we are not a Christian nation (see my rant below) I find it difficult to believe that all the places we occupy and all the battles we fight are for the right reasons.

Second, if America ever was a "Christian nation" it certainly isn't one now. Look at life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness from today's American perspective and from a Biblical perspective:

1) According to the American ideal, we have a right to life simply by being born and are free to do with that life what we choose. However according to the Bible life is given and sustained by God, and that our lives our not our own. We were bought at a great price through Jesus' atoning sacrifice, and our lives belong to God. We are called to give up our lives willingly for God and for others rather than live for ourselves.

2) According to the American ideal, liberty today means that we are ultimately free to do whatever we want. The Bible is not a measuring stick of right and wrong, the only thing that is valued today is choice, and truth is seen as relative. The Bible says something a bit different about our freedom through Christ. Paul wrote to the Galatians "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve another." One version of freedom has God in the picture and one does not. As Christians we can enjoy both, but that does not mean they are equal.

3) According to the American ideal, the pursuit of happiness today means that people have a right to pursue individual pleasure without being judged by our fellow citizens. God is nowhere in the picture. According to the Bible we are not to seek mere happiness, but rather joy. Happiness is fleeting and is tied to circumstances. Joy is deep, lasting, and comes from God.

So, to end my tirade and sum up:

1) To those serving in the military for the right reasons: thank you. To those serving in the military who are my Christian brothers and sisters, let's pray for those who are serving, or controlling, the military for the wrong reasons for a change of heart.

2) America is still the best place in the world for a Christian to live, but don't slap a Christian sticker on it -- if this nation ever was a Christian nation, it isn't any more.

Grace and Peace

A Father Speaks Out

I received this from a sister in Christ:

On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful.

They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best.


Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!


"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own heart.

"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America, and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!"

Do what the media did not -- let the nation hear this man's speech. Please send this out to everyone you can.

God Bless

Chrisitianity Or Politics?

I've got a gripe. That gripe comes from a mailing list I joined for Christians. About 35-45% of the posts are something I would consider somewhat related to Christianity.

Sharing Bible verses and messages from local Christian radio programs. Excellent; that just lifts up everyone on the list. Sharing articles of public figures taking a biblically based stand on moral issues and taking all kinds of heat for it. Excellent; it's awesome to read about people in the public eye defending their position with God's word. Notifications about upcoming events like "Sleepless in San Diego". Excellent; trying to get Christians engaged in events that reach out and help others is great.

Sharing articles about how Joe Politician is going to get us out of some economic mess, or about Obama wanting to restrict defandant's rights, or to get petitions signed against someone who is attacking "right wing conservatives", or articles about the FDA allowing morning after pills for 17-year-olds.

Hold the phone! What does any of that have to do with Christianity?

This got me thinking of something that bugs me. People mixing Christianity with conservatism or environmentalism. I've seen and heard this before in other forums, and it looks like one of those is what I may be it somewhat here.

It bugs me when "Christian" is made synonymous with "American" or "conservative". It bugs me when people insist that Christians have to unite and take a stand on some political issue. It bugs me when people insist that Christians have to unite and do something about some environmental problem.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm all for speaking the truth and standing for what's right, but that's exactly why this type of blurring the lines bugs me. I see the Christian worldview getting warped by people so that it encompasses these other worldly things. Its no longer a Christian worldview at that point. Its a distorted worldview. And when we add additional junk into what we somehow still call Christianity, we diminish it greatly.

I just read a great quote that says what I'm ranting about much more concisely. When you mix religion and politics, you get politics.

I do not want to be aligned with liberals and be labeled a liberal, nor conservatives and be labeled a conservative, nor democrats and be labeled a democrat, nor republicans and labeled a republican. Rather, I want to be aligned with Christ and be labeled what I am, a Christian.

I'm Sorry Miss California

I was impressed by this.

I saw a blurb a bit back about someone asking Miss California about gay marriage and I, sinning and incorrectly judging her, thought "A beauty pageant contestant from California commenting on gay marriage, I know JUST what she will say." -- and I didn't even look at the blurb in more detail.

I was wrong.

Her name is Carrie Prejean and if I ever met her, I'd have two things to say:

1) "I'm impressed you stood your ground and stood up for marriage on the show, instead of caving in and giving the expected, politcally correct ::cough:: answer."

2) "Forgive me for judging you."

Legislating Morality And Proposition 8

Legislating Morality

Yesterday I had a more lengthy post up about legislating morality that I have taken down and revised into half of today's post. The gist of it was this:

1) Legislating morality does not change what is in people's hearts.

2) We should not make our country's laws based only on moral/religious grounds -- there should be a secular reason behind it. Note that does not mean that we should fail to make laws because they have a moral/religious aspect to them (for example, one of the ten commandments is "don't murder").

It is difficult for me to say this sometimes, but in the end I must acknowledge the following:

- We do not live in a theocracy and I would have a very big problem with laws based on moral/religious grounds that didn't align with my own views (what if Christianity were outlawed?).

- Even God allows people to reject him and do evil things.

3) We as Christians are called to a higher standard than the non-Christian world in which we live, and we should not delegate the enforcement of that higher standard to the government. God is sovereign no matter what happens and there will be people set apart that He works through.

Proposition 8

Given that rant, I was going to vote an adamant "no on 8".

Then I read about a first grade school field trip to a lesbian wedding under the guise of a "teachable moment".

Then I read about "Coming Out Day" and "Gay Day" in various grade schools.

Then I read about an upcoming "Gay And Lesbian History Month" in one grade school.

Then I changed my mind.

My now adamant vote of "yes on 8" has nothing to do with whether gay couples can get a piece of paper from the state that says they are married or not, nor does it have anything to do with what words are in the California constitution.

It has everything to do with using children and taxpayer money to push an agenda and flaunt a victory in the face of the opposition, at the expense of something that provides actual educational value.

I'll even throw this into a video game analogy (scary): I can't stand the Grand Theft Auto video games. I couldn't stand them before I was a Christian. I think they're stupid. I also think that the company who makes them has every right to make them, and that the people who buy them have every right to buy them. However, if my kids' schools gave them a demo of those games, advertised them heavily for a day, and glorified the dodgy characters in them for a month, I'd have a big problem with that. The idealistic rights the company has to make it just got trumped by others stomping on my rights as a parent.

Ideal or not, I'll selfishly do what's in my best interest and look out for my own rights first.

Donkeys And Elephants In The Room

My good friend David and I were talking during lunch the other day when some political talk came up. He brought up a good point to think about -- I'm paraphrasing now from my shoddy memory mind you, so these are not direct quotes, and I pray I don't misrepresent him: How much should we as Christians get involved in the political realm? Many spend a great deal of time protesting against, or campaigning for, laws concerning morality, but in doing so, aren't we just pointing out the "elephant in the room" that the world is sinful?

If we spent a great deal of energy fighting for a law to make [insert hot button issue of the day] illegal, what have we accomplished? Sure we've probably stopped something from happening, but have we changed any hearts? Isn't the heart what really needs to change ? If we only change the law and not the hearts of many, how long will the change last (prohibition may be a fair example here)?

If I recall correctly, David said he remembered there is some Biblical guidance for this, but not off the top of his head. I was determined tonight to settle the issue (in my mind anyway) from a Biblical perspective and be done with it. I have most likely failed in that respect, but I did come across this paper I liked (and a lot of other junk I'm not linking to):

http://www.valleybible.net/PositionPapers/Politics.pdf

On a final note, I linked to the article before finishing it completely. It made me smile to see, near the end, the phrase "...change only comes from the heart." Very true.