My Turn ( A Christian View Point on Everyday Issues and News): 03/01/2004

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Black Clergy Rally Against Gay Marriage

This is very interesting. I read this article today and thought "how ironic, these pastors are not listening to the "Rev" Sharpton who is supposed to be a black "Leader". Honestly, there really is no irony here, I never considered Sharpton a black leader.

I believe the chicken are finally coming home to roost for the democratic party, (at least I would hope). I wonder who these black pastors would vote for on election day. Seeing that Kerry himself compared the gay movement to the civil rights movement. See the this article. Here is a part of the article

On Sunday John Kerry, who took to the pulpit in a black Pentecostal church in Jackson, Mississippi, was questioned by a churchgoer who dissented from attempts to equate gay marriage with the battle for racial civil rights. According to the Boston Globe, Mr. Kerry responded by likening the murder of gay hitchhiker Matthew Shepard to the murder of James Byrd, dragged to death behind a truck in Texas. But Mr. Kerry also stressed his opposition to gay marriage. Whether any church member objected to his exploitation of the two most horrid hate crimes in recent memory to figleaf his straddle on gay rights was not recorded by the Globe.

How can he say he is opposed to gay marriage and at the same time compare it to the civil rights movement all under the same breadth?! Seems like Senator "flip flop" is at it again. Trying to be on both sides of the issue at the same time. Telling blacks what they need to hear to get their votes as well as telling the gay community what they need to hear so he can get their votes.

I think the black clergy and indeed all who believe in the Lord should seperate themselves from all these politicians who have been responsible for the promotion and the spread of the gay agenda in this land. They should simply obey the word of God in 2 Corinthians 6:17

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Sunday, March 21, 2004

Gay Marriage and the Black Vote

I recently read this article from the Opinion Journal. The article says that :

"In Memphis, the minister at Rep. Harold Ford's church has told the congressman that he risks his future prospects for statewide office if he isn't firmly against gay marriage. "Democrats realize that people in the black churches can stay home on Election Day if they don't believe the party stands for their values," the Rev. William Owens, another black minister from Memphis, told me."

My take on this? This issue did not just creep up on the ministers, it has been around for a long time but they refused to address the issue. We are told to stand for the truth no matter what. It seems the a lot of black preachers have not only failed their congregations, but have failed God too.

The Bible tells us in Jude 4

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

When so called black leaders like the "Rev" Al Sharpton comes out to openly support gay marriage in this article . The article says

"The Rev. Al Sharpton called on black religious leaders Saturday to support same-sex marriage, even if that means having to put aside their own beliefs.

To do otherwise, he told supporters of his presidential candidacy at the Emanuel AME Church in Harlem, would renew threats to civil rights and play right into the hand of the president."

Wow! This is a man of God? 2 Timothy 2:19 tells us

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Children of God beware! The bible warns us about church leaders like this in 2 Corinthians 11:14&15

For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

The bible calls on us to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We should do all things (including casting our votes) to the glory of God. Remember that we shall all give an account of all our deeds here on earth before the Lord.

When the Lord comes, or when He calls you, how will he find you?

Saturday, March 20, 2004

One year later.

Yesterday marked the first year anniversary of the war of Iraq. As to be expected, while the administration and those who support the war hail the invasion, those who opposed the war are marching in protest.

As someone who recently became a US citizen, I cannot tell you how much I love this country. This is indeed “the greatest nation on God’s green earth” quoting Michael Medved. Those who have never lived under a dictator cannot begin to imagine what life is like under one. They may read about it, they may try to imagine what it is like, but they will never know because it just beyond any American’s imagination.

I moved from one of the African countries to the US legally in 1996 from a country that not only was ruled by one military dictator after another, but where the Christians about 60% of the population were constantly been harassed, intimidated and massacred by the majority of the Muslim population. In my country, the northern part was predominantly Muslim, while the south was predominantly Christian. Just like the terrorist, the Muslims in the north hated the Christians with a passion and as such, anti Semitism against Christian was the order of the day.

Having experienced life under not only a dictator, but also what it is like to live in terror, I was a full supporter of the US led invasion on Iraq. I supported the war then and I still do because, I know first hand what the Iraqis were going through under Sadam. When the liberal left made all their long speeches about why we should not invade Iraq, it just made my blood boil, because I know that thousand of Iraqis would have been praying for someone to come and set them free.

When I hear some so called “experts” talking about all the diplomatic ways this should have been handled, it is a surprise to those of us who have lived under a dictatorship government how these “experts” can be so naïve.

I knew from the beginning that the majority of the Iraqis would be very grateful to the Americans and would like them to stay until the job is finished even before I read the polls. This article in the opinion journal tells it all.

I pray daily for the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom the Iraqis now enjoy today. They have not only set the Iraqis free, but they have also brought change to the whole region. The only way to make sure that freedom triumphs in Iraq as well as in the region, and also to ensure that those who have died did not die in vain is not to pull out as some have suggested or try to appease the terrorist as the new leader of Spain just did, but rather to stay the course and make sure the job is well done. As my mom always says "what is worth doing at all, is worth doing well".

May all those who love and support freedom live long and may God continue to Bless America.

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Holy Matrimony

The issue of marriage has been in the news lately and I would not want to dog the issue, but I just can’t be quite. Marriage is the bedrock of all societies. It is the foundation on which all societies are built. To change the definition of marriage would not only destroy the family but society as a whole. According to the Bible and all human societies, marriage is the union between a man and a woman. When ever marriage is mentioned anywhere in the world, a man and a woman comes to mind. Even the dictionary defines marriage as “The legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife”.

If marriage is not between a man and a woman, then what is it? Is it between two men, or between three men, or between a man and 2 boys, or between two men and three women, or between a brother and a sister? If we change the traditional as well as the Biblical definition of marriage, then marriage can be any type of union. Where do you draw the line? On what basis would you deny a brother from marrying his sister or two men from marrying three women? On what ground would you deny them their right to marry whomsoever they choose?

The Bible tell us in Gen.2:21-25

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Jesus Himself gives us the definition of marriage Matthew 9:3-6:

3The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"
4And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning "made them male and female,'
5and said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?
6So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

Homosexuality is nothing more than :
A. The outright rejection of God’s word and law. (Romans1:21-32)

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

B. The Bible call the act an abomination in Leviticus 20:13

Leviticus 20:13
If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.

The Bible calls on those who practice such and act as well as those who support them to come to repentance. This lifestyle is not pleasing to God.

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Resisting the Enemy

I could not help but wonder about the elections in Spain. The people voted for the socialist party because they said their government's backing of the Iraq war led Al Qaeda to them. I thought this was interesting.

I was wondering if the terrorists will now leave Spain alone since they have a government who is afraid of the trerrorists. I think not! The people of Spain have done nothing but give the terrorist what they want - a weak government. This will not dissuade the terrorists, but embolden them.

The Bible tell us in James 4: 7 "...Resist the devil and he will flee". It is only by putting up a strong resistance that we can put the enemy at bay, not by caving into their demands.

Read Between the Lines (Media Bias)

I wish for once we can just read the news and see the real truth of the matter without having to read between the lines. In a recent article in the New York Times on the current campaign between George Bush and John Kerry, the headlines reads "Nation's Direction Prompts Voters' Concern, Poll Finds". After I read this article, I thought the appropriate headline should be "Polls show Bush Leading Kerry by 8 points". But you had to read almost to the end of the article to get the real gist of the story.

Instead of just admiting that this poll shows President Bush ahead in the polls, the writer tries to explain the result of the poll instead of just giving us the real numbers. This is how the article puts it

"The candidacy of Ralph Nader looms as a potentially lethal threat to Democratic hopes of regaining the White House: With Mr. Nader in the race, Mr. Bush leads Mr. Kerry by 46 percent to 38 percent, with Mr. Nader drawing 7 percent of the votes. In a sign of the polarized electorate Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry are facing, three-quarters of supporters of each candidate asserted they would not change their mind before the election.

The nationwide telephone poll of 1,206 adults, including 984 registered voters, was taken from last Wednesday through Sunday. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points."

I bet you if Kerry had been leading in this poll, not only would the headline have been different, the results of the polls would have been in the first paragraph of the article not towards the end, while the article itself would have made the front page of the times, not buried inside like it is now.

Monday, March 15, 2004

The Passion of the Christ

Unless you live in some far away planet some where, you probably have heard all the talk about Mel Gibson's move "The passion of the Christ". I haven't seen it, although I plan to see it. My husband and I have been planning tp see the movie long before it opened in the theatres. Between the business and the kids, it is hard to find the time. But we are planning to go this weekend, God willing.

The huge success of this movie as well as the huge success of other family oriented movies such as Shrek, Finding Nemo, etc goes to show that there is huge market out there for clean family oriented movies. Although "The Passion of the Christ" is rated "R", non the less, I believe it is still a family oriented movie. Movie houses that were on the brink to closing down are now booming, thanks to "The Passion of the Christ". So many sinners have repented and a lot of backsliders have been restored, thanks to "The passion of the Christ". I know of people who have never been to the movies in more than 20 years or never set foot in a movie house all of their lives who went to see "The passion of the Christ".

For a long time we were told that demand drives supply in the movie industry, that the reason there is so much violence and thrash in the movies is because there is a demand for it, the people who told us this lie also predicted that Mel Gibson's movie was not going to be success, well we know better, don't we?

Now I hear hollywood is planning on making more "faith oriented" movies. We all know the reason why. It is not because they have become religious all of a sudden, it is all about the money. Frankly I am all for anything that will promote the name of christ. The apostle Paul tells us in Phillippins 1 -15 - 19

15 ¶ Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

16 the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

17 but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.

18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

19 ¶ For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ

We cannot underestimate the power of the Word of God. Jesus said if he is lifted up, he will draw all men to himself.

Sunday, March 14, 2004

"College for the Home-Schooled Is Shaping Leaders for the Right”

Just when you think you have heard and read all about the bias against home schoolers, suddenly there comes another article that just makes you wonder!

I recently read an article in the NY Times By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK Published: March 8, 2004
titled “College for the Home-Schooled Is Shaping Leaders for the Right” the article made it sound like a private Christian college was a Nazi training camp. The fact that 90% of all colleges in the nation are not only very liberal but very intolerant of any other view that is not liberal was not mentioned in the article. This is another attempt by the left to make conservatives and home schooling families look like the bad guys.

The goal of education is to raise a child to become something in society, a person that will make a difference in the world for the better. Some parents want their children to grow up to become doctors, lawyers, judges, politicians or even the president some day. This is the also the goal of the home schooling parent. According to the writer of this article, “That is an alarming prospect to some on the left”.

The bias and hate that is directed towards Christians, the Bush administration and conservatives in this article is really what should we should alarmed about. The writer says “When President Bush signed legislation last fall banning the procedure it calls partial-birth abortion”. What does he mean by “…. The procedure it calls partial-birth abortion”?

This quote from the writer is simply unbelievable “Patrick Henry College is the centerpiece of an effort to extend the home-schooling movement's influence beyond education to a broad range of conservative Christian issues like opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage and obscenity in the media”. What does he mean by extending the home schooling movement’s influence beyond education? What is education? Is it just just math, English and science? Definitely not! According to this guy, it is okay for kids in public schools to be taught these things, but it is not okay for home schooling parents to teach these to their kids. What a hypocrite!

What is this about obscenity in the media?

The writer quoted Nancy Keenan as saying “Mike Farris is trying to train young people to get on a very right-wing political agenda" I wonder if Ms Keenan would be willing to admit that Harvard, Yale, and all the other liberal colleges out there are trying to train young people to get on a very left-wing political agenda.
I know she will not say anything like that because, according to the left, the liberal left agenda is the best. Any other view point or thought should be destroyed and done away with.

According to the article, out of the 100 interns working in the white house, 7 of them are from Patrick Henry College and Ms Keenan says this "scares me to death". This statement really tells much about liberals. They are scared to death to debate ideas, they are scared to death of any one having a mind of their own, they are scared to death of people who try to achieve things on their own without government support, they are scared to death of independent minded people, they scared to death of people seeing them for who they really are so they try to hide their true identities.

For a long time, the left has tried it’s best to make Christians and any one with conservative view points out as an intolerant bigoted homophobic. But as the days go by, people are beginning to see that it is the left who is intolerant and bigoted. Who will try anything within it’s powers to suppress anyone that holds any other view point besides theirs. This article just goes to show the left for who they really are: intolerant and arrogant.

My Turn ( A Christian View Point on Everyday Issues and News)