Category: Christianity

A perfect example of why I am not a huge fan of the GOP

Before you get any ideas about this, read what I write, before you pass judgement.

But first, the story:

LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder has added his voice to the chorus of criticism directed at Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema over his latest antigay remarks.

Agema, in a speech at a Republican meeting in Berrien County on Thursday, said that gay people manipulate the system to get free health insurance because they are dying from AIDS at a young age.

Agema cited his experience as a pilot with American Airlines, according to a transcript of his remarks published by the Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.

“I’m a flight attendant,” Agema said. “You have AIDS. You come to me and say, ‘Hey, tell them I’m your lover for the last six months.’ You get on our health care.

“American Airlines spends $400,000 before you die of AIDS. And he goes on to the next, and the next, and that’s what was happening.

“Folks, they want free medical because they’re dying between 38 and 44 years old. It’s a biggie. So, to me it’s a moral issue. It’s a biblical issue. Traditional marriage is where it should be and that is in our platform, so people that are opposed on that issue within our party are wrong.”

Media reports about Agema’s comments brought a storm of criticism and calls for Agema’s resignation. Last March, Agema came under fire for approvingly posting on Facebook an article that said gay people were sexually promiscuous, rife with sexually transmitted diseases and responsible for “half the murders in large cities.”

Snyder condemns such remarks as “extreme and discriminatory,” Snyder spokeswoman Sara Wurfel told the Free Press this morning.

via Gov. Snyder: Dave Agema’s antigay remarks ‘extreme and discriminatory’  – Detroit Free Press 

Okay, first off; Since when did the GOP became the political party that coddles homosexuals? Second of all, I was under the impression that the Republican Party was the party of moral Christian values.  At least they were back in the 1980’s, when Reagan was in office. The truth is, if it had not been for the Christian Right in America; Reagan would have never been elected at all. The problem is that the Republican Party establishment is now really pushing the Christian Right out of the party, in favor of an fiscal, Libertarian, Secularist forum of Conservatism. I can tell you this, if they continue to do this; the Republican Party will never win another election.

Do not get me wrong here, I am not in favor of a Christian version of Sharia law or anything silly like that; but good grief, can the Republican Party at least stand for something other than being the party of no? Are we that far gone as a society that even the party that supposedly believes in Conservative values, now is hostile to anyone, who happens to express any sort of Conservative Christian values?

As for the man’s comments, were they offensive? To a homosexual, yes, they were. But, that is the point! Christian moral values are always offensive to those who partake in immorality. Yes, Homosexuality is immoral. The Bible plainly says this in the Old and New Testaments.

It galls me that Snyder and his political correct friends in the GOP have taken this sort of cowardly stand against someone, who dares to speak his convictions against something that Biblically, is considered an abomination to the living God. Shame on Snyder and may he lose his reelection bid. I voted for the idiot; and first he stabbed my Father in the back, and now, he is stabbing the Christian Right in the back. For this, he should not be reelected.

 

The Hypocrisy of Rod Dreher

I hate to be the person to point this out. But, when I must, I must.

It seems that Rod Dreher shows a bit of compassion and shame when it comes to Mormons who disguise themselves to make some sort of statement about social justice:

The bishop went to the pulpit, pulled off his disguise, and shocked the congregation. More:

Ward member Jaimi Larsen was among those surprised it was her bishop. “I started feeling ashamed because I didn’t say hello to this man … He was dirty. He was crippled. He was old. He was mumbling to himself,” she said.

I am absolutely certain I would have done just as Jaimi Larsen did. This shames me.

However, when it comes to Christians who Dreher happens to disagree with, when it comes to Doctrine; Dreher has no such shame at all:

What a life Paul Crouch had. That’s the most neutral thing I can muster. If you sell people hope and meaning, you can make millions.

As I wrote about my piece on Paul Crouch; I do not make a habit of mocking or criticizing other ministries. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule; like in the case of Charles Stanley, which is more to do with his rejection of Biblical doctrine, rather than his Ministry style.

I am calling Dreher on this one; because this is nothing more than a religious partisan attack on someone who has most likely done more to further the body of Christ, than Rod Dreher as even done. Seeing he is a supposed former papist — who has turned to the idiocy of the orthodox, one should not be too shocked about this sort of tripe from him.

Pastor Paul Crouch RIP

A legend, Innovator, Pastor, Father, Husband and Man of God has passed into the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ.

CBNNews.com has the report:

Jan & Paul Crouch 4/24/98 HO
TBN Founder Paul Crouch and his lovely wife Jan

Paul Crouch, co-founder of the popular Trinity Broadcasting Network, has passed away at age 79.

Crouch’s grandson, Brandon, tweeted earlier Saturday, “Today, my grandfather, #PaulCrouchSr went home to be with Jesus in heaven. Thank you for your prayers…”

TBN’s Facebook page announced, “Dr Paul F. Crouch passed into the presence of the Lord on November 30, 2013. We are grateful for the life of this amazing servant of God.”

Another note on the page said Crouch passed away at 2:32 a.m. Crouch had suffered for more than a decade with chronic heart problems.

The televangelist was hospitalized for congestive heart failure two years ago and received a pacemaker last year. He went back into the hospital last month and for awhile needed a ventilator to help him breathe. But he had returned home early in November amid reports he was doing better.

The tributes roll in:

TBN’s Facebook page has been filling with words of condolence and memories throughout the day.

Preacher Arthur Blessitt, most well-known for carrying a large cross through many nations of the world, wrote, “I have been close friends with Paul and Jan since 1976. He was a true man of God and through TBN led millions to Jesus.”

“Let’s all pray for his wife Jan and all the family. His focus was always +jesus. Tears pour from my eyes,” he continued. “I’ll miss my friend but there is joy in heaven where millions of people are thanking him for sharing Jesus with them.”

Several Christian leaders also offered their condolences and tributes to Crouch upon learning of the news.

“Paul Crouch changed the course of Christian history by building a Christian network that spreads that Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world everyday,” John Hagee, founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, said. “Our deepest sympathies for his loved ones today.”

“Thanking God today for the life of Paul Crouch – a dear friend and mentor and a giant of the faith whose TBN Trinity Broadcasting Network helped bring untold millions around the world to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ…You will be missed but certainly never forgotten,” Rod Parsley, evangelist and pastor of World Harvest Church, wrote.

Now, I will simply say this: Obviously, I do disagree with the doctrines that are taught by programming on TBN and you can learn more about that here.

However, what will not do is this; I will not sit here and denigrate someone who is now passed on. The truth is the man was obedient to the Lord. The man felt that God had called him to the Ministry and then, he felt the Lord calling him into the field of Christian television and from there things grew. I am, as a Christian; simply not going to sit here and criticize the man for that decision at all. Why? Because I happen to know about the will of God. There are two of those sort of wills of God.

I will let C.I. Scofield take it from here, here is C.I. Scofield commenting on Genesis 46:3; which by the way is a really awesome story! -:

It is important to distinguish between the directive and the permissive will of God. In the first sense the place for the covenant family was Canaan (Gen_26:1-5); (Gen_46:3) is a touching instance of the permissive will of God. Jacob’s family, broken, and in part already in Egypt, the tenderness of Jehovah would not forbid the aged patriarch to follow. God will take up His people and, so far as possible, bless them, even when they are out of His best. In Israel’s choice of a king (1Sa_8:7-9) in the turning back from Kadesh (Deu_1:19-22) in the sending of the spies; in the case of Balaam — illustrations of this principle are seen. It is needless to say that God’s permissive will never extends to things morally wrong. The highest blessing is ever found in obedience to His directive will.

I happen to know that Paul Crouch operated, as many Christian evangelists did in years past and still do — in that Directive will of God.

By the way, I do NOT believe that Fundamental Baptists hold the market on the doing the will of God; many of them do believe that they hold that market, and they are stupid. While, I might not agree with the doctrines totally. I still celebrate the fact that anyone in America, can turn on the television set and be going through the channels and hear the gospel of Jesus Christ being preached 24/7 365 days a year on one channel. Now, keep in mind there are others doing it now too. But, Paul and Jan Crouch were the first ones.

Now as for the critics of TBN, and of Paul and Jan Crouch; I ask you this one simple question: What are you doing to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ? What sort of outreach ministry do you have? In other words:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. —-
(Matthew 7:1-5 KJV)

As for those who are bad mouthing Paul Crouch and his ministry, the Bible says this about them:

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (Matthew 6:2 KJV)

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. — (Matthew 6:5 KJV)

Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. — (Matthew 6:16 KJV)

Those who trash Paul and Jan Crouch; and their ministry. They have their reward. Those who are Mormon and supposedly Christian and they use their so-called “libertarian conservative” site to trash real Christians — they have their reward.

My prayers are with the Crouch Family and everyone at the TBN Ministry.

Costco apologizes for the Bible labelling incident

Remember that Bible labeling incident that happened at Costco? Well, they have had a come to Jesus moment on that.

Take it away Todd Sterns: (H/T HotAir.com’s Headlines)

“We deeply regret the mislabeling of the Bible and meant no offense to anyone,” the company wrote in an email received by several customers. “The buyer has let us know that this was an error and the books are being pulled off the shelves to be re-marked.”

Cue the angelic choirs.

We received a statement from Costco, too, it reads: ” Costco’s distributor mislabeled a small percentage of the Bibles, however we take responsibility and should have caught the mistake. We are correcting this with them for future distribution. In addition, we are immediately relabeling all mislabeled Bibles. We greatly apologize for this error.”

Translation:

We got caught and we’re very sorry for that. 🙄

 

Costco says that the Bible is fiction

This really does not shock me, seeing the world’s attitude toward Christianity anymore.

The Story:

What do the Bible, “The Hunger Games” and “Fifty Shades of Grey” have in common? All three are works of fiction, according to the booksellers at Costco.

Pastor Caleb Kaltenbach made that shocking discovery last Friday as he was shopping for a present for his wife at a Costco in Simi Valley, Calif.

“All the Bibles were labeled as fiction,” the pastor told me. “It seemed bizarre to me.”

Kaltenbach is the lead pastor at Discovery Church, a non-denominational Christian congregation in southern California.

He thought there must be some sort of mistake so he scoured the shelf for other Bibles. Every copy was plastered with a sticker that read, “$14.99 Fiction.”

via Costco — the Bible is fiction | Fox News.

When confronted by this, what does Costco do?

This:

I called Costco headquarters in Issaquah, Wash. hoping to get answers. The nice lady who answered the phone told me she was aware of the issue and chalked it up to a “human error at a warehouse.”

“It’s all fixed,” she said.

But actually, it’s not fixed – because there’s a boatload of Bibles in the Simi Valley store still marked as fiction.  

At that point, the nice lady on the phone became not-so-nice and promptly informed me that Costco doesn’t talk to the press.

“Nothing to report,” she said curtly.

A very important thing to remember:

On the one hand Christians should not yell out ‘persecution’,” he said. “We aren’t living in Iraq or Iran. But on the other hand, I believe that we do need to stand up for our faith and we need to be vocal about our concerns.”
That’s a message that resonates with pastor and author Robert Jeffress.

“Let’s hope Costco’s explanation is true and not the result of having been caught attempting to marginalize the very foundation of Christian beliefs, the Bible,” Pastor Jeffress told me. “Christians need to call out organizations like Costco whose actions undermine Christianity – regardless of whether those actions are accidental or intentional.”

Sometimes, a mistake is just that; a mistake. But, it does, like I am sure it does all that will read this, who are believers —- really wonder what Costco’s motivations were or are.  Also too; it would be easy for me to label this an “Obama World” thing. Well, I will not do that one; not on this one. Because what private businesses do are not the fault of the President. Most likely, if anything at all. This was done by some smart mouthed punk in a warehouse somewhere. So, I won’t blame politics or even atheists for this at all.

Kudos to the Kansas City Rescue Mission!

For basically telling the God-deniers to get lost; and thereby standing for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Story:

A Kansas City-based atheist group that wanted to volunteer for a community Thanksgiving outreach event was turned away by the hosting Christian organization that they have worked with for the past two years because they are “unfit” to help spread the Gospel message, according to an event organizer.

The Kansas City Rescue Mission (KCRM) informed the Kansas City Atheist Coalition (KCAC) that this year they will be adding religious literature to the Thanksgiving meals that they will deliver and they felt that KCAC would not be comfortable “delivering such a message and couldn’t sincerely answer questions about faith in Christ if asked to.”

“The overall feeling is disappointment. Not only do we enjoy, as a group, the chance to give back, but we also looked forward to turning this into something of an annual tradition,” said an unidentified spokesperson from KCAC to The Christian Post via email. “We also enjoyed our work with KCRM as an opportunity to show how atheists and religious people can come together, despite their disagreements over religion, and work together to help people.”

via Christian Charity Rejects Atheists’ Offer to Deliver Thanksgiving Meals; Group Deemed ‘Unfit’ to Help Share Gospel Message.

If only more ministries and Christians would take this sort of a stand against those hostile to the Gospel; maybe just maybe this Nation would be a bit better of shape.