Selected Freedom of Speech

Recently there was a lengthy article in the Progress entitled: “Atheist student groups flower on college campuses.” It was a very informative and interesting article written by an Associated Press writer. Perhaps the majority of people living in the “Bible Belt” don’t necessarily agree with what the atheists are doing; nevertheless it was an excellent example of the wonderful freedom of speech provided by the first amendment to our constitution. Every religion should be allowed to speak out about their belief system and likewise every religion should have the freedom to express their opinions about other religions. In this case atheism really can’t be considered to be a religion because their belief system centers on the premise that there is no God or deities. It has been stated that perhaps the world would be a safer place if atheism could proselytize all of Islam.

During the same week there appeared a column in the Tulsa World entitled: “Islamists push treaty to prohibit blasphemy.” This column was likewise sponsored by the Associated Press. The column stated in essence that the proposed resolution would require persons to limit their speech if “it risks seriously offending religious believers.” The column stated this proposal will be resisted by the West which includes the United States. The column further stated “the campaign risks reigniting tensions between Muslims and the West that President Barack Obama has pledged to heal…”

What the column didn’t mention is that Mr. Obama and his administration are co-sponsoring such UN resolutions that would in fact make it a hate crime to make statements about Islam that might offend them, even if the statements are true! Are we to surmise that the definition of free speech applies only to selected groups? And will political correctness once again trump the truth?

Well we’ve mentioned atheists and Muslims relative to free speech, how about examining what is happening on the Christian front on this subject. Shortly after the church was born on the day of Pentecost Peter and John healed a 40 year old man who had been lame from birth. This miracle was witnessed by many.

“And all the people saw him walking and praising God.” Acts 4:9

However, not everyone celebrated this grand event. The rulers and elders of Israel tried to keep the news of the healing quiet and ordered Peter and John to keep silent about the matter.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, ‘What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.’” Acts 4:13-17

But we all know Peter!

“So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’”
Acts 4:18-20

The high priest tried every kind of coercion to silence them and thereby suppress the truth. He asked Peter and John again to remain silent after they continued to preach and teach about observed events.

“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine…” Acts 5:28

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’” Acts 5:29

Based on the above Biblical passages a group of Christians consisting of Orthodox, Catholics, and Evangelicals have joined together and have very recently drafted what is called the “Manhattan Declaration.” This document is just one quarter of one percent as long as the recently proposed health care bill but could have a much more profound affect on America than “health care reform.” The major focus is to follow the example of Martin Luther King, Jr. who was willing to go to jail rather than comply with civil laws that contradicted Biblical teachings. The Manhattan Declaration addresses three major issues where the positions held by our governmental leaders are in direct conflict with Biblical teachings.

• Sanctity of life beginning with the unborn up to and including the elderly
• The sanctity of marriage which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman
• Religious liberty which includes the freedom of speech

The Manhattan Declaration closes with some very profound words. The drafters stated: “We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.” The entire document can be accessed and read on line.

It will be very interesting to see which groups, i.e. atheists, Islamists, or Christians will be targeted for or protected from hate crimes relative to free speech. We’ll see if “free speech” applies to all groups or only to selected groups in the pursuit of political correctness.

Comments welcome on http://bibleandcurrentevents.blogspot.com

Was Jesus Politically Correct?

The issue of political correctness is once again in the forefront with the recent slaughter at Fort Hood, Texas. There are varied definitions of political correctness, however, the common denominator is that political correctness is the practice of avoiding speech or opinions that may offend another based on a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, ethnicity, sexual preference, religion, etc. The major problem with political correctness is that it tends to suppress the truth.

And once again, the reference for this discussion on political correctness is the Bible. Anyone may of course reject Biblical references; however, those that profess Christianity will most likely use scripture as their benchmark.

Political correctness is not new. Two thousand years ago when Christ was crucified Pilate wrote an inscription and put in on the cross. The title read: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” This offended the Jewish leaders and they requested that the inscription be changed to read: “He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” In this case Pilate stood his ground and the truth prevailed.

A recent example of political correctness occurred in Kent, Connecticut when Peter Gadiel wanted to erect a monument commemorating the death of his son who was killed in the 911 terrorist attacks. On the monument he wanted to inscribe, “Murdered by Muslim Terrorists.” He was denied permission to erect this monument on the grounds that it might offend other Muslims even though the inscription was inarguably true.

The topic of Islam is perhaps the most prevalent focus of current political correctness. For those that profess Christianity it will be remembered that the Bible was completed nearly 600 years before the birth of Islam. The Bible claims Jesus was the final revelation of God.

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” Hebrews 1:1-3

Therefore, any religious teaching that appeared after the revelation of Jesus is not Biblical. Jesus Himself had warned about being deceived by anyone who would appear after Him claiming to be from God.

Islamic teachings can be likened to the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ times. Both Islam and the scribes and Pharisees taught that heaven could be attained by religious ritual, performing good deeds, and avoiding sinful actions. These were according to the Bible false teachings. Jesus confronted such teachings head on with passion. There was no hint of political correctness.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” Matthew 23:13

Jesus condemned those false teachers because not only had they perverted the truth and destined themselves for hell, they were leading others down the same road.

The New Testament disciple, teacher, and author Paul penned similar teachings.

“I bear witness that they possess an enthusiasm for God, only it is zeal without knowledge. They did not recognize God’s way of justification and in their eagerness to set up a righteousness of their own they refused to accept with submission the righteousness of God. For Christ has brought Law to an end, so that righteousness may be obtained by every one who believes in Him.” Romans 10:2-4

This passage was originally written to hardhearted Jews but it definitely applies to Muslims who vehemently deny eternal life through the vicarious death of Christ on the cross which is at the very heart of Christianity.

The Koran blatantly denies such Biblical passages by stating that Jesus was not deity and further that Jesus did not die on the cross.

A major non-theological difference between Christianity and Islam is how non believers are treated. When someone rejects the Christian message the messenger is to go on his way.

“And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.” Matthew 10:14

On the other hand, whoever rejects Islam is an infidel and worthy of death.

When political correctness is applied to diversity the result is multiculturalism where equitable status is given to multiple ethnic and/or religious groups. That sounds noble except in this case the foreign culture/religion of Islam has a totally imperialistic agenda. It needs to be remembered that according to Islamic teachings their goal is to destroy everything we stand for whether by sword or by political stealth.

America is rethinking diversity. For as many that believe this country is great because of our diversity, there are as many who now say this country is great in spite of our diversity.

To tolerate, accept, and protect the teachings of Islam in this country is to reject Biblical teachings. If America is truly a Christian nation Islam must be exposed for what it is, confronted, and rejected.

The major threat to America’s freedoms is not necessarily radical Islamic terrorists; rather it is the compassionate grandmother or well meaning nephew who believes that the seemingly passive Muslims who live in their neighborhood should be allowed to practice their religion and sharia law in their community without scrutiny or concern.

The day is quickly coming when the freedom of choice for all Americans in this matter will not be available and just saying the “M” word will be a hate crime.

Be Careful What You Ask For

Included in Israel’s history are many colorful stories that teach timeless lessons. In approximately 1050 BC Israel was ruled by two judges named Joel and Abijah. These two judges were the sons of Samuel who was a very honorable man; however, these two sons didn’t take after their father. They took lightly the word of God, sought personal gain, interpreted the law to promote their personal agendas, and even accepted money from special interest groups.

“Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.” I Samuel 8:1-3

Now all of this caused uproar among the people. They went to Samuel to voice their concerns and demanded change! They complained to Samuel that his sons were not fit to rule and things couldn’t continue as they were. They demanded that the very way in which they were governed be changed from a theocracy via judges to a king where governance would be vested in one man. The people were demanding to abandon the role of God in their political lives. They didn’t want to be a special people “under God,” rather they wanted to be like all the other nations.

“Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel… and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’” I Samuel 8:4-5

This really upset Samuel who inquired of God as to what to do. The reply was that the people were really rejecting God and their demands had nothing to do with Samuel’s leadership. The people did not want God to interfere and get in the way of the pursuit of their own goals.

“But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel…‘They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt…they have forsaken Me and served other gods…’” I Samuel 8:6-8

Surprisingly, God told Samuel to give the people what they thought they wanted. He told him to let them have their way. He also told Samuel to tell the people exactly what it would be like to be ruled by a king so they would be totally knowledgeable as to what they were getting into and what to expect.

“Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you…however, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” I Samuel 8:9

Well, Samuel followed God’s instructions and forewarned the people in great detail what it would be like if the changes they asked for were enacted, i.e. if they were ruled by a king. He told them they would lose many freedoms at the expense of supporting the king, his staff, and followers. He warned them that many free enterprises would be taken over by the king and then managed by appointed czars. He further warned them the government would take from those that had and reallocate it for the support of the king’s activities.

“So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people…‘This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you…He will appoint captains…to make his weapons of war and equipment…he will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots…he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards…and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants…He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.’” I Samuel 8:10-17

The people were also forewarned that the day would come when they would be sorry for their demand for “change” but the LORD would tell them they would have to live with their choices.

“And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day.” I Samuel 8:18

But the people ignored all the warnings and pressed forward.

“Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations…’” I Samuel 8:19-20

So the people got their king, a man who outwardly made an impressive appearance.

“There was a man of Benjamin…and he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he…From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people” I Samuel 9:1-2

Well, the history of King Saul is well known and can be summarized succinctly in the words God spoke to Saul’s successor David through the prophet Nathan.

“But my mercy shall not depart from him (David), as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.” II Samuel 7:15

There is a New Testament passage that places this story in perspective.

“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition…” I Corinthians 10:11

We, the People...

Recent polls indicate that 8 out of 10 Americans still consider themselves to be Christian. And while that is down from two decades ago it is still a pronounced majority. Nearly 2 out of 3 Americans still consider this country to be a Christian nation. Less than half of Americans, however, think the Bible can provide the answers to contemporary problems/issues while during the Bush 43 presidency that statistic never fell below 58%.

While we presently have a liberal leaning president and congress, latest polls indicate 40% of Americans consider themselves to be conservative while just 20% consider themselves to be liberal. The remainder claim to be moderate. Nevertheless the end result is that America is trending away from Christianity and shifting towards secularism.

Another trend gleaned from the above statistics is that many Christians consider their religion to be a personal issue not to be considered in political or governmental issues.

Inasmuch as the Bible is the handbook for Christianity, does the Bible focus on personal issues only, or is it more encompassing to address every aspect of life whether personal, social, moral, or political? Without question the Bible is explicitly clear that every individual’s final destiny is based on their choice of a personal relationship with their Creator. The final chapter of the Bible confirms this great truth.

“…and let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:21

What happens, however, when individual people of like mind join together? Let’s consider for example our own great nation. We are defined as a republic which means in essence that people of like mind join together to elect their leaders. In our unique case this leadership consists of the congress and the president. The purpose is to advance the desires and ideologies of the people. A republic is vastly different than a monarchy. A monarchy is a system of autocratic government where a single person rules forcing his own ideologies on the people under his jurisdiction. A monarch usually inherits his position, i.e. is born into it.

It is interesting to note that when the Declaration of Independence was drafted the purpose of the people was to secede from a monarchy under King George III and adopt a republic form of government with the people’s interests and priorities being the focal point. The people of the colonies acknowledged God in the wording of the original Declaration document. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator…”

And then when the constitution was originally drafted it also reflected and affirmed that the government of the new country of America was to serve the people. From the preamble we find the words:

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.”

As American history progressed this great nation became engulfed in a tragic civil war. A timeless speech by President Lincoln at Gettysburg at the end of that war confirmed once again the sovereignty of the people of the republic called America.

“…that we here highly resolve that those dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

America is unquestionably the most influential nation in the world. However, as noted in the beginning of this column some disturbing trends were cited. While we are undoubtedly maintaining the characteristics of a textbook republic the common values and priorities of the people are slipping farther and farther away from Biblical principles. In many instances the values of the majority are in fact anti-Biblical. When that happens it opens the door to elect officials that will further promote these misguided priorities and anti-Biblical legislation may result.

The Declaration of Independence acknowledged God and Lincoln stated that this nation was under God. But some progressive minds want to remove “under God” from the pledge of allegiance to the banner representing this great republic and those same minds have succeeded in removing “in God we trust” from the face of some new coinage.

How long do we think God will allow such things? According to the Bible government doesn’t exist to satisfy the needs and whims of the majority of people especially if those priorities are contrary to God’s set of standards. In fact the purpose of the nations of the earth including America is to bring glory to the One who created man and allowed them to establish their respective governments.

The truth is that ultimately the greatest nations on earth including the grandest republic called the United States of America will revert back to a monarchy. According to the Bible the monarch will be no other than Christ Himself. He Himself will be the King, Lawgiver, and Judge.

“For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, the LORD is our King…” Isaiah 33:22

“…I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron…”
Psalms 2:8-9

“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.” Revelation 19:15

It is interesting to examine the list of grievances that the colonies had against the monarch of England justifying their desire for an independent republic. It is even more interesting to compare that list with the list of grievances that God has against our republic that He will use to justify the reversion back to a monarchy.