Archive for the ‘ Out Of Bounds! ’ Category

Separation Of Church And State

At last we see the legit case for what Thomas Jefferson was addressing when he wrote his now famous letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802.  Here is the direct quote:

“I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between church and State.” [Emphasis Mine].

Mr. Jefferson simply quoted the first amendment then emphasized it’s meaning that it is the People whom the first amendment protects from  government established religion, thus the wall of separation was to keep the state out of the church, not the other way around!  But Mr. Jefferson did not anticipate the Warren supreme court.  A supreme court which would re-interpret the first amendment to mean that it was the government who should be protected from the people.  A people who if given the chance, would force a Theocracy upon our land.

And of course that is exactly why the First Comers left England for Holland then Plymouth Rock in the early 17th century.  Actually, no.  The Pilgrims as you remember fled Britain because of the oppressive government founded Church of England (COE) which forbade them to worship God freely and independently of the “State Church (COE)” doctrines.  These Christians wanted to worship God unreservedly, from their hearts, not through government mandated religious ritual.  The penalties for non-conformity were severe!

The first amendment was drafted to ensure that the citizens of our new nation would never again have to fear the state dictating to the people who and how to worship; much less punish them for expressing their religious beliefs.  And what a blessing this has been to our nation.  Since 1787 we’ve been just fine.  But not so fast.

As it turns out, there is a provision in the present administration’s healthcare law that calls for employers to pay for contraceptives and other birth control medications including the morning after pill for any women whom they employ.  And although the law excludes churches and houses of worship it does not exclude Catholic, Christian, Jewish or  other religious schools and universities.  And of course it does not exclude any business whose owner(s) may have a very personal and Biblical objection to providing for what in some cases they would considered an abortion.

THIS is where the separation of church and state should be shouted from the housetops.  This is what Mr. Jefferson was writing should never happen in America!  The first amendment was written to protect us from this type of government intrusion; forcing citizens to violate their own conscience and religious beliefs.  And why?  To accommodate the ideology of those in power.

To make matters worse, when the Catholic church issued a strong letter of protest against the new law, the government censored the letter! The government prohibited Army Chaplains from reading to their parishioners a certain line which they felt might be seditious.  Does this sound like America to you?

In this year’s pre-Super Bowl interview our President said, “Our Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change than I would like sometimes.” To take matters up the ladder any more than this really leaves only one place to go.  As for me, I am fine with our founding father’s wisdom and just in case, for the future; I am also fine with how God made man.

I thank God for our founding fathers who did have the foresight to see that there may come a day when some of our future leaders would pine for America to return to Europe (they have kings), and for that reason, make certain our form of government would never allow it.  However, it certainly seems that our present administration is bound to take us as close as we can get.

There is an urgent need for the prayers of the righteous to be lifted up in America, for our nation and our leaders like no other time in our generation.

I Call You A Champion!

PRG

Homosexuality and Legit Racism

This is not an anti-gay diatribe by another “hate the sin, love the sinner” style preacher.  I want to begin by saying that I truly understand that many homosexuals have heard or sensed something very real within them which they sincerely believe was a signal that they were gay.

Yet it did happen again,  just a few weeks ago.  A young college student, Tyler Clementi, jumped to his death off the George Washington Bridge in New York.  What a heartbreak.  Another bright kid, nothing but opportunities and fortune ahead of him, here no longer.   Life, just too complicated at eighteen.  And it’s not just Tyler.  But many other gay teens are choosing suicide, nationwide.  Did this young man jump off that bridge because his roommates dishonored him?  No.  He did it because he was confused, confounded, humiliated.  Why?  Let me explain it this way.

I have never met a member of any ethnic or “religious” group who had to warm up to who they really are.  In my case, I am an unapologetic Christian American.  I would never limit wearing JESUS to just my shirt sleeve.  I wear Him all over, especially on my attitude and my outlook on life.  I never had to get used to being a Christian.  And I have never had issue with anyone who does not understand or appreciate my devotion to Christ.  Nor am I offended when people scoff at my particular brand of Christianity   or deride my Savior.  I am just as confident and secure in who I am and who my God is as I am in being an American living in the USA.  I am happy, even eager to tell anyone that I am a flag-waving, Christian patriot, anywhere in the world.  And so would most reading this blog.  Why?  It’s like breathing.  It’s natural.  There is no shame in being who you know you are.

Let’s get to truth.  If an offense could be taken today, it will be with this statement, not with me.  It’s not my statement, nor my word.  I simply believe it.  Any offense would have to be with God, whose Word I take from the New Testament book of Romans, Chapter 1, verses 18 through 32. (New King James Version) Here is an excerpt:

“…because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful…God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves…to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error…”

Yes, there are young people who feel something, hear something or have a desire they have never had.  No objection.  But it is a false reading.  A deceptive bluff.  You don’t have to believe it or submit to it! And why is this such a leap?  Remember the first drag on a cigarette?  We thought we would die.  Every nicotine addict I know wishes they had gotten a clue on that first try.  Why can’t we apply this to the kid who “feels” he’s gay? Imagine if people gave in to every rogue thought or act they “felt” like doing.  It would be chaos.  Homosexuality is a choice.  And for some, it is a very tough one because of the high level of deception involved.

Those who hold to this belief are not anti-gay or against any lifestyle choice.  We must resist the notion that standing on Truth is being “intolerant.”  Would we call someone intolerant because they resisted a person who prefers straddling the lines on the freeway?  “I just don’t feel right when I drive in between the lines…I need to straddle them” A moral society must have at it’s bedrock, undeniable truth in order for it’s citizen’s to prosper.  This has always been America’s secret.

We must question anything that our minds and bodies tell us they “feel” if it goes against truth.  And that is really the crux.  Truth.  The Bible clearly states that homosexuality is neither God-designed nor God-inspired.  And to say that God sanctions and looks with favor upon homosexuality is nonsense.  It is unnatural.  It is a mixture of what God made as natural and then something else joining in (The deception).   That fatal flaw will forever produce mixture.  Thus the shame, the uncertainty, the acting out along with the increasingly loud, loud voice to defend it.  But truth settles every dispute.  “We don’t get to choose what truth is, nor can we change it. We just get to accept it or deny it. And, everybody finds out in the end what the TRUTH really is.”  If your truth gets you where you want to go, congratulations, you made a wise choice.

Yes, it has taken far too long for our nation to recognize that we indeed had a birth defect called slavery.  We are doing much better.  But those attempting to place homosexuality in that same status are misguided.  The evil within legit racism, and I must say legit because our present culture will label you a racist if you accidentally pull out in front of the wrong person in traffic!  The evil within legit racism is marginalizing and devaluing another human life on the basis of something they have no control over, namely, the color of their skin, or their ethnic genealogy.  Never has there breathed a human being with an option in either.  Which is why I contend that the greatest form of racism is abortion.  When we deny life, not the right to vote, not a better seat or a superior job, or even human dignity, but when we deny life itself to a person, who through no fault or choice of their own came into existence in the identical manner as the rest of us; can this be a depiction of anything other than our worst selves?

America has begun to line up with the Bible when it says,  “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28.  Simple, right?  We are ALL equal in God’s eyes in every way.  And that is how it works.  When we get into agreement with Him., life is more enjoyable and productive for everyone.  However, God will not reverse Himself because we are screaming for Him to give us what we want.  He loves us too much to do that.  He is our Father, after all.  Any dad who gives in to the lesser wisdom of his children will certainly regret it.  Of course, God has no regrets.  And neither will we if we stay submitted to His Word.