In a radio news story about a prominent American Cardinal traveling to the conclave to select a new pope, experts speculated that an American pope would not be likely because of the status of the United States as a superpower. In other words, there is a strong anti-American element within the Vatican.
The concept of "extreme discipleship" as advocated in the March 2013 issue of Christianity Today is just the latest euphemism concocted to brainwash the gullible into believing church authorities and deadbeats have a greater right to your property than you do. Why else does the illustration accompanying the article positively depict two pastors looking like filthy hippies hoisting aloft a red flag with a black “R” in a circle. Such blatantly anarchist and even Communistic symbolizing depicted in a positive manner should be as offensive as a swastika or Klan hoods.
So among these Emergent Church types that condemn the American middle class dream of individual achievement and accomplishment, do they ever denounce the European or Third World dream of the youthful able-bodied leeching off the public system?
The January 2013 issue of the Magazine of History criticizes Evangelical historiography in an article titled “Using The Past To Save Our Nation: The Debate Over Christian America”. Is the publication as eager to denounce politically correct approaches to the discipline not so much concerned about constructing an understanding of the past as it actually transpired but rather about coddling disruptive minorities that literally become destructive over a misconstrued glance or inflected pronoun?
Some of these pastors thinking more should be taken away from many Old Testament narratives other than the history of Israel and Christ’s earthly lineage often exegete proscriptively more than what can be justified by the passage. For example, in a sermon, one pastor blamed the mess Jacob got into by marrying both Leah and Rachel on Rebecca because she did not defer to Isaac’s choice of a spouse for his son. Instead, the preacher suggests Esau should have been married off to Leah so Jacob could have Rachel, the one he wanted. Just because Jacob was more the son of promise, in this preacher’s idealized world, is Esau that obligated to ruin his life just so Jacob is satisfied?
Arguing that the good Christian does not celebrate birthdays because John The Baptist was beheaded as a result of shenanigans that went on at Herod’s birthday party is akin to suggesting that the ideal way for a guy to get a girl that won’t otherwise give him the time of day is to go ahead and rape her because of the statute set forth in Deuteronomy 22:28-29.
On Facebook, a prominent Christian intellectual announced they were going to give a lecture contrasting the economic and cultural vitality of Asia with the economic and cultural degeneration of America. Doesn't Christianity teach not to measure the spiritual health of an individual or society in the abundance of things? That's at least what we are constantly reminded when the missionaries speak not so much as a way to encourage aide to the less fortunate but rather under the guise of bashing the American way of life. Isn't this claim of a vital Asia made more so because this is the way assorted elites are conditioning us to think? Asian culture is such a wondrous thing. Recently, a Lebanese Muslim raped his sister and, when she got pregnant, he murdered her for disgracing the family. Things are little better in other nations across the continent now being upheld as the ideal. Female children are literally tossed aside unwanted in India and China. And in other nation’s such as Thailand, others are sold into forced prostitution. But I guess that’s also the fault of the average American that‘s never even set foot outside the United States.
So apparently there are no funds to detain violent illegals but more than enough spare change lying around to fly Frau Obama to the Midwest to spread her propaganda regarding communal calisthenics.
So there are sufficient funds for federal civilian law enforcement agencies to purchase millions of rounds military grade ammunition but not enough money available to keep violent illegals locked up?
Two female California state legislators are outraged over Seth MacFarlane’s Oscar performance. It is claimed his comments regarding nude scenes were degrading to women. Do these public officials intend to raise such criticism against nude scenes in general as well as MacFarlane’s other bawdy material. Did they say anything about “Family Guy” mocking Sarah Palin’s disabled child?
If an illegal had leaped over the fence surrounding the White House, would they number among the horde being leased from prison to terrorize the United States for refusing to acquiesce to Obama’s budget demands?
Chris Matthews equated hoarders with homicidal gunmen. So will liberals next advocate the need to catalog in the name of homeland security and public safety how many cans of food are stored in people's pantries?
Human Events has decided to cease print operations. My grandmother use to have a saying: "As modern as tomorrow morning's newspaper." Sadly, it seems that witty bit of rhetoric is no longer sufficiently modern. Will likely come a day when a generation won't even know what a newspaper is. At least in consolation, those of us that the traditional journalistic establishments wouldn't give the time of day to in terms of providing content can now ourselves cultivate our own media outposts in terms of blogs and other forms of social media. Those of us that do so now from a Conservative perspective take a moment to recall respectfully the inspiration each of us were provided by this stalwart publication.
That's kind of sad the Pope deleted his Twitter account. He could still be an informative voice on world events and theological developments even if one differs with his interpretation on things.
The same legalists that gripe about megachurches are the same ones that gripe if you are nothing more than a pew filler and aren't married off by the age of 25.
Bill O'Reilly was certainly combative with Roma Downy regarding the miniseries on the Bible she has produced for the History Channel. O'Reilly kept badgering her about Adam, Eve, and the Flood as being nothing more than allegorical. If these are merely stories, on what grounds does O'Reilly have that the accounts of Christ, the Resurrection, and future reward in the After Life aren't allegorical as well or is perhaps that is what he is banking on?
How about those without a Headstart to send their whelps to during the sequester try taking care of their own kids for change?
After a Globetrotter exposition game in North Korea, Dennis Rodman has developed a serious mancrush on that Communist nation's dictator. Does Rodman realize that those that would display his degree of non-conformity there would be taken out and immediately shot?
A seven year old was suspended for molding a pastry into the shape of a gun. Had he had claimed it was a male appendage, he would have probably been bestowed with a government art grant.
As an advocate of global wealth redistribution, if elected to the Papacy, will Cardinal Peter Turkson divest the Vatican of its ostentatious riches or merely compel you to abandon your average middle class lifestyle on behalf of Third Worlders that either refuse to lift a finger on behalf of their own betterment or can’t keep their legs together in terms of the number of children they continue to produce despite living in squalor where they can’t possibly provide for such progeny properly?
One accepts the Bible on faith. However, there exist evidences that point us in the direction of that acceptance. If there is not, on what grounds are the Christian Scriptures to be judged superior to that of the Book of Mormon, the Koran, or the Bagahvad Gita?
While a role of the church is to convict of sin, not everything declared as sin by a church authorities might not actually be sin in all cases.
It was said that since Jesus died for us, we should lose our lives for Him. However, that does not mean we should go out of our way to deliberately become martyrs.
In a sermon, a pastor said that, if he dies in bed from something such as cancer rather than being murdered for the cause of Christ, he would be disappointed. While one should be willing to die for the name of Christ should such circumstances ever arise, isn’t it a symptom of an unbalanced fanaticism to eagerly desire such a thing? Did not Christ also decree that He came so that we might have life and to have it more abundantly? It is not the place of mere mortals to fully know why we are taken from this world in the ways that each of us ultimately are. Since very few partings transpire free of some manner of pain or suffering, who are we to say that the passing after what in human terms seems like a long life trodding this earth is not also a gift from above and who are we to sneer down our noses at such a providence extended by the Almighty? Isn't the dignity or acceptance one displays in the face of what will be life’s most terrifying existential challenge as much a mark of Christian character whether the Reaper awaits us below the hangman’s platform or outside a hospital room?
Rand Paul should be commended for sticking to his gun regarding drone strikes. But isn't he the same Senator that within the past month enunciated a belief that considerable deference should be given to a President in terms of allowing the President to select whomever the President wants to high position within a respective administration? Then perhaps Senator Paul shouldn't be so shocked when these officials implement policies at odds with his own brand of libertarian conservatism.
Interesting how the debate of drone strikes in public places on Americans on American soil is couched in terms concerned about the terrorist scumbag and not the uninvolved in the immediate vicinity.
Liberals insist it is not the role of religion to determine against whom one may wiggle one's privates. Then on what grounds are religious groups in Maryland agitating for a state wide bag tax?
Why is "escapist fantasy" said as if it's a bad thing? Often it can express profound truths in a way a gritty realism never could hope to.
If Maryland politicians such as Governor Martin O'Malley are opposing capital punishment in the state on the grounds of deeply held Catholic faith, how come they aren’t doing anything to protect the greater number threatened by abortion?
Frederick Meekins is an independent theologian and social critic. Frederick holds a BS in Political Science/History, a MA in Apologetics/Christian Philosophy from Trinity Theological Seminary, and a PhD. in Christian Apologetics from Newburgh Theological Seminary.
Cover
•
Commentary
•
Books & Reviews
•
Climate Change
•
Site Links
•
Feedback
