America’s Most Biblically-Hostile U. S. President

I still find it ludicrous that anyone who calls themself a Christian could vote for Barrack Obama the first time, but many will do so a second time, ignoring the fact that he is the most pro-abortion person to EVER run for the office of president of the USA, much less win it. The following was emailed to me and is found on the website of Wallbuilders. I am posting it with all content, including footnotes, below. Anyone who calls themself a Christian and is even thinking about voting for this man, needs to read this, and read it over, and over again until it sinks in: This man is NOT a Christian, and is NOT interested in preserving our religous freedoms, but wants to destroy them. Read, and be enlightened:

When one observes President Obama’s unwillingness to accommodate America’s four-century long religious conscience protection through his attempts to require Catholics to go against their own doctrines and beliefs, one is tempted to say that he is anti-Catholic. But that characterization would not be correct. Although he has recently singled out Catholics, he has equally targeted traditional Protestant beliefs over the past four years. So since he has attacked Catholics and Protestants, one is tempted to say that he is anti-Christian. But that, too, would be inaccurate. He has been equally disrespectful in his appalling treatment of religious Jews in general and Israel in particular. So perhaps the most accurate description of his antipathy toward Catholics, Protestants, religious Jews, and the Jewish nation would be to characterize him as anti-Biblical. And then when his hostility toward Biblical people of faith is contrasted with his preferential treatment of Muslims and Muslim nations, it further strengthens the accuracy of the anti-Biblical descriptor. In fact, there have been numerous clearly documented times when his pro-Islam positions have been the cause of his anti-Biblical actions.
Listed below in chronological order are (1) numerous records of his attacks on Biblical persons or organizations; (2) examples of the hostility toward Biblical faith that have become evident in the past three years in the Obama-led military; (3) a listing of his open attacks on Biblical values; and finally (4) a listing of numerous incidents of his preferential deference for Islam’s activities and positions, including letting his Islamic advisors guide and influence his hostility toward people of Biblical faith.
1. Acts of hostility toward people of Biblical faith:

• April 2008 – Obama speaks disrespectfully of Christians, saying they “cling to guns or religion” and have an “antipathy to people who aren't like them.” ¹
• February 2009 – Obama announces plans to revoke conscience protection for health workers who refuse to participate in medical activities that go against their beliefs, and fully implements the plan in February 2011. ²
• April 2009 – When speaking at Georgetown University, Obama orders that a monogram symbolizing Jesus' name be covered when he is making his speech. ³
• May 2009 – Obama declines to host services for the National Prayer Day (a day established by federal law) at the White House. ⁴
• April 2009 – In a deliberate act of disrespect, Obama nominated three pro-abortion ambassadors to the Vatican; of course, the pro-life Vatican rejected all three. ⁵
• October 19, 2010 – Obama begins deliberately omitting the phrase about “the Creator” when quoting the Declaration of Independence – an omission he has made on no less than seven occasions. ⁶
• November 2010 – Obama misquotes the National Motto, saying it is “E pluribus unum” rather than “In God We Trust” as established by federal law. ⁷
• January 2011 – After a federal law was passed to transfer a WWI Memorial in the Mojave Desert to private ownership, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the cross in the memorial could continue to stand, but the Obama administration refused to allow the land to be transferred as required by law, and refused to allow the cross to be re-erected as ordered by the Court. ⁸
• February 2011 – Although he filled posts in the State Department, for more than two years Obama did not fill the post of religious freedom ambassador, an official that works against religious persecution across the world; he filled it only after heavy pressure from the public and from Congress. ⁹
• April 2011 – For the first time in American history, Obama urges passage of a non-discrimination law that does not contain hiring protections for religious groups, forcing religious organizations to hire according to federal mandates without regard to the dictates of their own faith, thus eliminating conscience protection in hiring. ¹⁰
• August 2011 – The Obama administration releases its new health care rules that override religious conscience protections for medical workers in the areas of abortion and contraception. ¹¹
• November 2011 – Obama opposes inclusion of President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous D-Day Prayer in the WWII Memorial. ¹²
• November 2011 – Unlike previous presidents, Obama studiously avoids any religious references in his Thanksgiving speech. ¹³
• December 2011 – The Obama administration denigrates other countries' religious beliefs as an obstacle to radical homosexual rights. ¹⁴
• January 2012 – The Obama administration argues that the First Amendment provides no protection for churches and synagogues in hiring their pastors and rabbis. ¹⁵
• February 2012 – The Obama administration forgives student loans in exchange for public service, but announces it will no longer forgive student loans if the public service is related to religion. ¹⁶

2. Acts of hostility from the Obama-led military toward people of Biblical faith:

• June 2011 – The Department of Veterans Affairs forbids references to God and Jesus during burial ceremonies at Houston National Cemetery. ¹⁷
• August 2011 – The Air Force stops teaching the Just War theory to officers in California because the course is taught by chaplains and is based on a philosophy introduced by St. Augustine in the third century AD – a theory long taught by civilized nations across the world (except America). ¹⁸
• September 2011 – Air Force Chief of Staff prohibits commanders from notifying airmen of programs and services available to them from chaplains. ¹⁹
• September 2011 – The Army issues guidelines for Walter Reed Medical Center stipulating that “No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading materials and/or facts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.” ²⁰
• November 2011 – The Air Force Academy rescinds support for Operation Christmas Child, a program to send holiday gifts to impoverished children across the world, because the program is run by a Christian charity. ²¹
• November 2011 – The Air Force Academy pays $80,000 to add a Stonehenge-like worship center for pagans, druids, witches and Wiccans. ²²
• February 2012 – The U. S. Military Academy at West Point disinvites three star Army general and decorated war hero Lieutenant General William G. (“Jerry”) Boykin (retired) from speaking at an event because he is an outspoken Christian. ²³
• February 2012 – The Air Force removes “God” from the patch of Rapid Capabilities Office (the word on the patch was in Latin: Dei). ²⁴
• February 2012 – The Army orders Catholic chaplains not to read a letter to parishioners that their archbishop asked them to read. ²⁵

3. Acts of hostility toward Biblical values:

• January 2009 – Obama lifts restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, forcing taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. ²⁶
• January 2009 – President Obama’s nominee for deputy secretary of state asserts that American taxpayers are required to pay for abortions and that limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional. ²⁷
• March 2009 – The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. ²⁸
• March 2009 – Obama orders taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research. ²⁹
• March 2009 – Obama gave $50 million for the UNFPA, the UN population agency that promotes abortion and works closely with Chinese population control officials who use forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations. ³⁰
• May 2009 – The White House budget eliminates all funding for abstinence-only education and replaces it with “comprehensive” sexual education, repeatedly proven to increase teen pregnancies and abortions. ³¹ He continues the deletion in subsequent budgets. ³²
• May 2009 – Obama officials assemble a terrorism dictionary calling pro-life advocates violent and charging that they use racism in their “criminal” activities. ³³
• July 2009 – The Obama administration illegally extends federal benefits to same-sex partners of Foreign Service and Executive Branch employees, in direction violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. ³⁴
• September 16, 2009 – The Obama administration appoints as EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum, who asserts that society should “not tolerate” any “private beliefs,” including religious beliefs, if they may negatively affect homosexual “equality.” ³⁵
• July 2010 – The Obama administration uses federal funds in violation of federal law to get Kenya to change its constitution to include abortion. ³⁶
• August 2010 – The Obama administration Cuts funding for 176 abstinence education programs. ³⁷
• September 2010 – The Obama administration tells researchers to ignore a judge’s decision striking down federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. ³⁸
• February 2011 – Obama directs the Justice Department to stop defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act. ³⁹
• March 2011 – The Obama administration refuses to investigate videos showing Planned Parenthood helping alleged sex traffickers get abortions for victimized underage girls. ⁴⁰
• July 2011 – Obama allows homosexuals to serve openly in the military, reversing a policy originally instituted by George Washington in March 1778. ⁴¹
• September 2011 – The Pentagon directs that military chaplains may perform same-sex marriages at military facilities in violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. ⁴²
• October 2011 – The Obama administration eliminates federal grants to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for their extensive programs that aid victims of human trafficking because the Catholic Church is anti-abortion. ⁴³

4. Acts of preferentialism for Islam:

• May 2009 – While Obama does not host any National Day of Prayer event at the White House, he does host White House Iftar dinners in honor of Ramadan. ⁴⁴
• April 2010 – Christian leader Franklin Graham is disinvited from the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer Event because of complaints from the Muslim community. ⁴⁵
• April 2010 – The Obama administration requires rewriting of government documents and a change in administration vocabulary to remove terms that are deemed offensive to Muslims, including jihad, jihadists, terrorists, radical Islamic, etc. ⁴⁶
• August 2010 – Obama speaks with great praise of Islam and condescendingly of Christianity. ⁴⁷
• August 2010 – Obama went to great lengths to speak out on multiple occasions on behalf of building an Islamic mosque at Ground Zero, while at the same time he was silent about a Christian church being denied permission to rebuild at that location. ⁴⁸
• 2010 – While every White House traditionally issues hundreds of official proclamations and statements on numerous occasions, this White House avoids traditional Biblical holidays and events but regularly recognizes major Muslim holidays, as evidenced by its 2010 statements on Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha. ⁴⁹
• October 2011 – Obama’s Muslim advisers block Middle Eastern Christians’ access to the White House. ⁵⁰
• February 2012 – The Obama administration makes effulgent apologies for Korans being burned by the U. S. military, ⁵¹ but when Bibles were burned by the military, numerous reasons were offered why it was the right thing to do. ⁵²

Many of these actions are literally unprecedented – this is the first time they have happened in four centuries of American history. The hostility of President Obama toward Biblical faith and values is without equal from any previous American president.

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Endnotes

1. Sarah Pulliam Baily, "Obama: ‘They cling to guns or religion’," Christianity Today, April 13, 2008. (Return)

2. Aliza Marcus, "Obama to Lift ‘Conscience’ Rule for Health Workers," Bloomberg, February 27, 2009; Sarah Pulliam Baily, "Obama Admin. Changes Bush ‘Conscience’ Rule for Health Workers," Christianity Today, February 18, 2011. (Return)

3. Jim Lovino, "Jesus Missing From Obama’s Georgetown Speech," NBC Washington, April 17, 2009. (Return)

4. Johanna Neuman, “Obama end Bush-era National Prayer Day Service at White House," Los Angeles Times, May 7, 2009. (Return)

5. Chris McGreal, “Vatican vetoes Barack Obama’s nominees for U.S. Ambassador,” The Guardian, April 14, 2009. (Return)

6. Meredith Jessup, “Obama Continues to Omit ‘Creator’ From Declaration of Independence,” The Blaze, October 19, 2010. (Return)

7. "Remarks by the President at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia," The White House, November 10, 2010. (Return)

8. LadyImpactOhio, " Feds sued by Veterans to allow stolen Mojave Desert Cross to be rebuilt," Red State, January 14, 2011. (Return)

9. Marrianne Medlin, “Amid criticism, President Obama moves to fill vacant religious ambassador post,” Catholic News Agency, February 9, 2011; Thomas F. Farr, “Undefender of the Faith,” Foreign Policy, April 5, 2012. (Return)

10. Chris Johnson, “ENDA passage effort renewed with Senate introduction,” Washington Blade, April 15, 2011. (Return)

11. Chuck Donovan, “HHS’s New Health Guidelines Trample on Conscience,” Heritage Foundation, August 2, 2011. (Return)

12. Todd Starns, “Obama Administration Opposes FDR Prayer at WWII Memorial,” Fox News, November 4, 2011. (Return)

13. Joel Siegel, “Obama Omits God From Thanksgiving Speech, Riles Critics,” ABC News, November 25, 2011. (Return)

14. Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Remarks in Recognition of International Human Rights Day,” U.S. Department of State, December 6, 2011. (Return)

15. Ted Olson, “Church Wins Firing Case at Supreme Court,” Christianity Today, January 11, 2012. (Return)

16. Audrey Hudson, “Obama administration religious service for student loan forgiveness,” Human Events, February 15, 2012. (Return)

17. “Houston Veterans Claim Censorship of Prayers, Including Ban of ‘God’ and ‘Jesus’,” Fox News, June 29, 2011. (Return)

18. Jason Ukman, “Air Force suspends ethics course that used Bible passages that train missle launch officers,” Washington Post, August 2, 2011. (Return)

19. "Maintaining Government Neutrality Regarding Religion," Department of the Air Force, September 1, 2011. (Return)

20. "Wounded, Ill, and Injured Partners in Care Guidelines," Department of the Navy (accessed on February 29, 2012). (Return)

21. "Air Force Academy Backs Away from Christmas Charity," Fox News Radio, November 4, 2011. (Return)

22. Jenny Dean, "Air Force Academy adapts to pagans, druids, witches and Wiccans," Los Angeles Times, November 26, 2011. (Return)

23. Ken Blackwell, "Gen. Boykin Blocked At West Point," cnsnews.com, February 1, 2012. (Return)

24. Geoff Herbert, " Air Force unit removes 'God' from logo; lawmakers warn of 'dangerous precedent'," syracuse.com, February 9, 2012. (Return)

25. Todd Starnes, "Army Silences Catholic Chaplains," Fox News Radio, February 6, 2012. (Return)

26. Jeff Mason and Deborah Charles, "Obama lifts restrictions on abortion funding," Reuters, January 23, 2009. (Return)

27. "Obama pick: Taxpayers must fund abortions," World Net Daily, January 27, 2009. (Return)

28. Steven Ertelt, "Pro-Life Groups Left Off Obama’s Health Care Summit List, Abortion Advocates OK," LifeNews, March 5, 2009. (Return)

29. " Obama Signs Order Lifting Restrictions on Stem Cell Research Funding," Fox News, March 9, 2009. (Return)

30. Steven Ertelt, “ Obama Administration Announces $50 Million for Pro-Forced Abortion UNFPA,” LifeNews, March 26, 2009; Steven Ertelt, "President Barack Obama’s Pro-Abortion Record: A Pro-Life Compilation," LifeNews, February 11, 2012. (Return)

31. Steven Ertelt, "Barack Obama’s Federal Budget Eliminates Funding for Abstinence-Only Education," LifeNews, May 8, 2009. (Return)

32. Steven Ertelt, "Obama Budget Funds Sex Ed Over Abstinence on 16-1 Margin," LifeNews, February 14, 2011. (Return)

33. Steven Ertelt, "Obama Admin Terrorism Dictionary Calls Pro-Life Advocates Violent, Racist," LifeNews, May 5, 2009. (Return)

34. "Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies," The White House, June 17, 2009. (Return)

35. Matt Cover, "Obama’s EEOC Nominee: Society Should ‘Not Tolerate Private Beliefs’ That ‘Adversely Affect’ Homosexuals," cnsnews.com, January 18, 2010. (Return)

36. Tess Civantos, "White House Spent $23M of Taxpayer Money to Back Kenyan Constitution That Legalizes Abortion, GOP Reps Say," Fox News, July 22, 2010. (Return)

37. Steven Ertelt, "Obama, Congress Cut Funding for 176 Abstinence Programs Despite New Study," LifeNews, August 26, 2010. (Return)

38. Steven Ertelt, "President Barack Obama’s Pro-Abortion Record: A Pro-Life Compilation," LifeNews, February 11, 2012. (Return)

39. Brian Montopoli, "Obama administration will no longer defend DOMA," CBSNews, February 23, 2011. (Return)

40. Steven Ertelt, "Obama Admin Ignores Planned Parenthood Sex Trafficking Videos," LifeNews, March 2, 2011. (Return)

41. Elisabeth Bumiller, "Obama Ends ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy," New York Times, July 22, 2011; George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, John C. Fitzpatrick, editor (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1934), Vol. XI, pp. 83-84, from General Orders at Valley Forge on March 14, 1778. (Return)

42. Luis Martinez, "Will Same Sex Marriages Pose a Dilemma for Military Chaplains?," ABC News, October 12, 2011. (Return)

43. Jerry Markon, "Health, abortion issues split Obama administration and Catholic groups," Washington Post, October 31, 2011. (Return)

44. Barack Obama, “ Remarks by the President at Iftar Dinner,” The White House, September 1, 2009; Kristi Keck, “ Obama tones down National Day of Prayer observance,” CNN, May 6, 2009; Dan Gilgoff, “ The White House on National Day of Prayer: A Proclamation, but No Formal Ceremony,” U.S. News, May 1, 2009. (Return)

45. "Franklin Graham Regrets Army's Decision to Rescind Invite to Pentagon Prayer Service," Fox News, April 22, 2010. (Return)

46. “Obama Bans Islam, Jihad From National Security Strategy Document,” Fox News, April 7, 2010; "Counterterror Adviser Defends Jihad as 'Legitimate Tenet of Islam'," Fox News, May 27, 2010; "'Islamic Radicalism' Nixed From Obama Document," CBSNews, April 7, 2010. (Return)

47. Chuck Norris, “ President Obama: Muslim Missionary? (Part 2),” Townhall.com, August 24, 2010; Chuck Norris, "President Obama: Muslim Missionary?," Townhall.com, August 17, 2010.(Return)

48. Barack Obama, “Remarks by the President at Iftar Dinner,” The White House, August 13, 2010; "Obama Comes Out in Favor of Allowing Mosque Near Ground Zero," Fox News, August 13, 2010; Pamela Geller, "Islamic Supremacism Trumps Christianity at Ground Zero," American Thinker, July 21, 2011. (Return)

49. "WH Fails to Release Easter Proclamation," Fox Nation, April 25, 2011; "President Obama ignores most holy Christian holiday; AFA calls act intentional," American Family Association (accessed on February 29, 2012).(Return)

50. "Report: Obama’s Muslim Advisers Block Middle Eastern Christians’ Access to the White House," Big Peace (accessed on February 29, 2012). (Return)

51. Masoud Popalzai and Nick Paton Walsh, “ Obama apologizes to Afghanistan for Quran burning,” CNN, February 23, 2012; "USA/Afghanistan-Islamophobia: Pentagon official apologizes for Quran burning," International Islamic News Agency (accessed on February 29, 2012). (Return)

52. "Military burns unsolicited Bibles sent to Afghanistan," CNN, May 22, 2009. (Return)

The sins of Christians

Another controversial blog post I never submitted. Similar to the previous one, but done at a different time and some different thoughts.

There is a popular belief among churches that Christians sin. Oh really? I thought we called people who sinned "sinners."

I really, really dislike the theology of Calvinism. Christians sinning daily, Christians not being able to live above sin, Christians going to heaven no matter what they do after God comes into their heart.

Is it arrogant to believe a Christian can live a sinless life? I don't believe so. I believe it is Biblical.

1 John 2:1 says: "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

Sounds like Christians shouldn't sin, but there is a possibility of it. "That you sin not." Sounds possible to not sin. "If any man sin." If, not when.

I would like to know what Calvinists do with Romans 6:

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.



5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.


12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

I read those verses and get the idea that God isn't a fan of Christians sinning.

I have worked for Christians at a couple of jobs and was disgusted by some of their practices. At one, they consistently lied and had no problem doing so. At the other - wow - I could make a list. In fact, the main reason I quit was I was so disgusted by their lack of integrity, their lying, the way they would rip off companies they dealth with. I had zero respect for them and it became too difficult to work for them, so I left.

These people ascribed to eternal security. Since they were Christians, they were headed for Heaven, they were secure, so even though they sinned on a consistent basis, they were Heavenbound. Really?!

Christians are all guilty of compartmentalizing. Of having degrees of sin. I'd like to get one of these people in a corner who believes Christians sin and ask a few questions. The first would be "So, what sin do you do?" The next would be why it is ok for Christians to do certain sins, but not others. Take lying.... I have been around several Christians who lied like a rug. If you questioned their Christianity, you were judging them, etc. Yet, there is no way they would say it is ok for a Christian to kill occasionally, rape occasionally, steal, commit adultery... or do those on a consistent basis. The evangelical church scoffs at the idea of "gay Christians", yet have no problem with Christian liars and other "nice sins." Well guess what..... my Bible says liars will also go to hell, not just people who do the "bad" sins.

Rob Bell, John Calvin, and coasting

And another post I never submitted:

Warning: The average reader may not agree with the contents of this post. If it looks like the content will tick you off, avoid reading. If you still read it and disagree, be nice, and address my questions in a reasonable manner.

Rob Bell is making a name for himself. From what I hear about the book, he casts doubt on the idea that anyone will go to hell, but that we will all end up in heaven. Much discussion has been going on about the book, and rightly so.

Here are a few questions I have: if we are all going to go to Heaven in the end anyway, why not "live, drink, and be merry?" Living the Christian life isn't easy, so why do it? Why bother trying to win souls to Christ, if they are going to go to Heaven anyway. And why did Christ even bother dying on the cross?

Conservative Christians across the nation, and world, are upset about the book. Bell is being condemned and criticized, and if his book says what they are saying it says, he should be.

I'd like to use Bell's book, and the topic of universalism in general, as a springboard for something else that has been on my mind for quite some time. A very controversial topic. By the way, universalism is the belief that all will go to Heaven in the end, and no one will go to hell. A dangerous and heretical belief. But on to my topic: Calvinism.

From what I read and understand, and from talking to people who are practicing Calvinists, there are these varying beliefs: When you become a Christian, God forgives you of all sin: past, present, and future,  No mattter what sins you commit after becoming a Christian, your eternity is secure and you will go to Heaven, and all Christians sin daily in word, thought and deed.

I disagree with all of the above. Sinners sin. Christians don't. I believe it is possible to live above sin, if one lives close enough to God. Can a Christian sin - stumble? Yes, but I believe it should be rare.

I've read the verses. 1 John 1. Verses that say if we say we are without sin we lie, etc - but I take that to be before we are Christians. The follow up verse says "if we confess our sins, He will forgive them" - if it is talking about a Christian and all of his sins - even future are covered, then what is to forgive or confess?

I am no major theologian, but here is what really bugs me about the eternal security/sinning Christian thing. Only certain sins are ok. Even if - and it is a big if - even if Christians sin daily, who decided what sins are ok? Stay with me......

Pride - ok
Lying - ok
Cursing - ok
Stealing - not ok
Murder - not ok
Adultery - not ok

I'd like a serious, non-ticked off answer from someone who believes Christians sin daily on this. Where can you prove that God expects the murder, the thief, the adulterer, the child molestor, the homosexual, the drug addict to stop THEIR sinning, but the "small" sins are ok for Christians to do, and no one can stop doing them. Really? So God is only powerful enough to deliver the "big" sins, but not the "little". By the way, big and little are in quotes because in God's book, sin is sin.

I worked for some people for a few years who were Christians and ran a Christian business. They were staunch Calvinists, and it showed. They lied - a lot. They had all kinds of dishonest business practices. I finally reached a point that nothing shocked me that they did, but I was shocked for a long time.

I asked them once about this once-saved, always saved thing, and threw out a scenario for them. It went something like this: Say a man becomes a Christian as a teenager. He has a genuine Christian experience. As life goes on, the devil fights him. Life gets hard, and he gets discouraged. He quits praying, quits church, walks away from God, starts going deep into sin, and one day becomes a violent serial killer. You mean to tell me God is going to allow him into Heaven because he became a Christian as a teenager?! Their answer? "Well then he probably didn't have a true experience with God in the first place." Really?! That is the best defense they could give?

And yes, my scenario was made up, but there are similar scenarios. People who become Christians in their youth, only to be lured into destructive sinful habits, some of them ending up in prison. And yes, God will forgive them if they repent, but to believe all that they are eternally secure through all of that? No way. I can't swallow it.

There are those among us who have a besetting sin. We have asked Jesus into our heart, repented, but we have struggles/addictions: sex, drugs, alcohol, porn - God instantly delivers some, while others have a daily fight. If our eternity is secure, then why fight it? The man who is a sex addict? Why bother fighting sex with countless women? The man who has same-sex attractions? Why not give into them? The man who is addicted to drugs - why fight them, why not give in?

Another question I have never gotten a good answer to: if a Christian's eternity is secure, if it is impossible to fall away from God and miss Heaven, then why does the devil fight Christians so hard? Why does he tempt so much? Some say to make us ineffective, but really? Where is that in Scripture? And not every Christian is going to be so instrumental that if their ineffectiveness would be an issue, yet he fights us all.

I myself...... this will be a sad statement to make, but I can't see where I have affected anyone to the point that they followed Christ because of me, but then I consider myself a failure in even being a good Christian - so why would the devil fight me so hard if my eternity was secure?

I think Romans 6 pretty much blasts the Christians sinning daily out of the water. I won't quote it here, but read it if you disagree with me. Another verse that sticks out to me is from 1 Jon 2:1: My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Know what I get out of that? That it is possible for Christians to not sin "that you may not sin" - what else could that possibly mean? And that it is possible for a Christian to stumble and sin "and if anyone sins". If. Let me type that again. If. Not when, if. Need I say more?

It is possible that a definition of sin can make a difference. I grew up Arminian in theology, Methodist. I learned catechism as a kid that sin "is a willful transgression of a known law of God." That doesn't mean perfections or no mistakes to live above sin. It means not purposefully disobeying God's commands.

I'd like to chat with Max Lucado. I like his books, but don't always agree with him. One such occasion was in a book he wrote some years back. I think Grace was in the title, but could be wrong. Anyway, he made a statement that we (Christians) cannot go a certain period without sinning. He started out I think with a month or week, and went down to at least an hour. Christians cannot go an hour without sinning. I was shocked. I'd like to ask Max, "so Max, just what sin did you commit this past hour? Lying? Did you kill someone? Just what did you do sinful? And the hour before that, and the hour before that?" (Sorry, Max Lucado fans).

I guess what really ticks me off and makes me question this whole once-saved, always saved issue is my own personal struggle. I have asked Jesus into my heart. I have lived for Him. I have become discouraged, tempted seemingly beyond what anyone should have to bear, and fallen. Sometimes I have immediately repented - and oh, if you knew the sins, you'd say I needed to repent. Other times, I was even more discouraged by my fall, that I gave up completely, and dove into the sin. The average Christian would say there is no way I could be a Christian and do THAT sin...... yet some of those very Christians lie if they feel the need, and God says liars will go to hell...... so what is up with a belief system that says you can do some sins and be a Christian, but can't do others?

I honestly am not out to just nitpick and criticize people who believe this way, but what if they are wrong? Universalists have gone just a step further, and we say they are heretics, saying everyone will go to Heaven, regardless, yet the staunch Calvinist says once you ask Jesus to forgive your sins, you will go to Heaven regardless, no matter how you live.

And me? Ah, I am not setting myself up as judge, just questioning. I am far from perfect, far from what I should be. Disppointed in God's people, whether they be Arminian in theology, or Calvinist. Not liking the theology of either some days, to be honest. Maybe I have just become too cynical.

Maybe it is asking too much, but I want an experience where I can live above sin. Not sinning daily, but if I sin, asking God's forgiveness for that sin, yet not live as I have for so much of my life struggling to believe this God cares about me, and isn't just waiting for me to mess up.

The Bar Versus the Church

Another blog post I never submitted:
A few years ago, I read The Gift of The Blessing by John Trent and Gary Smalley. There was a story they related that has stuck with me. A woman had an unsaved husband who hung out a lot at the local bar. She got him to go to church with her, and he eventually became a Christian. He attended faithfully for some time, then quit completely and went back to hanging out at the bar. His reason? He missed his friends and the fellowship at the bar. He wasn't getting it at church. Sad.

On to another story....

A young man walked into a Christian bookstore. He was on a mission. Suicide was his plan, but he went into this Christian bookstore hoping and praying someone would approach him, talk to him. After wandering around in the store without anyone talking to him, he went home and took his life.

How many people cross our paths, who if we spoke a kind word to, gave a smile, a listening ear, might change their eternal destiny? Sounds kind of melodramatic, but it is true. Lets look at church first:

Whether it be the person who has sat in the pew across from us for years, or the visitor who has never been in our church before, that person might be on the verge of never coming back to church. Or going home and taking their life. It is possible they are struggling with an issue so complex, so hard - and whether they prevail or give up could depend upon your actions or inactions. Now, I know each individual is responsible for their own actions, and we can't be responsible for what everyone who crosses our path does, but what is the problem that we have become so uncaring, so uninvolved with each other's lives? Are we too busy? Too afraid of interfering, bothering people?

My church has a "welcoming committee" - on Sunday mornings, there are usually 4-5 people at the door to welcome you to church, shake your hand, give you a bulletin. My brother-in-law calls them the "germ squad", since they shake hands with everyone and then you shake their hand....... Anyway, it is a nice thing to do, but is it enough? Does that make everyone who enters the door feel welcome, loved, cared about? Not necessarily. Does make me want to go wash my hands right away. :-)

There have been times I have gone to church with the weight of the world on me. My struggles and temptations driving me into the ground. I was on the verge of throwing up my hands and quitting. And sometimes I have. People would shake my hand and ask  me how I was. Oh, how that has become such a trite question. No one really wants an honest answer to that. I have been tempted to answer honestly on occasion "Well, I feel like God and the church has deserted me, feel like giving up, and wish I were dead." But people don't want to hear that. So I always smile and say "good, and you?"

How many people have given up, gone back to the bar, their life of sin, or found a cult or some off the wall church where they did feel loved and accepted, because the church that they were attending or visited, left them feeling alone, unloved, and unnoticed?

I grew up in Pennyslvania and attended the same church until I moved to Ohio in '93. When I was a kid, the attendance was smaller than it was in later years, often running in the 50's and 60's. If you missed church on Sunday or even Wednesday (unless you were one who viewed Wednesday as optional) - the pastor was at your house the next day to visit you. So most people didn't stay home unless they were really sick - didn't want to tell the pastor the next day that you didn't feel like going. Others in the church often called to check up on you. Sure, some of them may have just been busybodies - we had some in that church. Brings to mind a humorous story.....

My family had missed church once - I think a Sunday, and I think we had gone away - anyway, next day I was home alone and got a call from an older lady from church asking where we had been. I found out later that she had missed the same service also. :-) - She obviously was being a busybody.

But it is nice to know you're missed when you aren't at church. I missed last Sunday evening, and 2 people asked my mom about me, and another person sent me an email. That made me feel good. It is easy to knock others and see the dirt on the other side of the glass, so yes, I try to let people know I missed them when they aren't there. And I admit, I have this fear they will think I am just being nosy, but that isn't the case. Hopefully, they take it the same way that I did last week when those people inquired about me - made me feel someone cared, and it made me feel good that someone noticed that I wasn't in church - that is the way it should be.

So onto the bar. I don't go to bars, but know a bit about them. I read a lot, and have heard people talk about them. I know people go there to drown their sorrows. I know that the same people hang out at the same bars, that they make friends, and spend time with the same people. And I would bet that if Jonny drinks 3 beers doesn't show up at his normal time, that the bartender and regular patrons would notice, and next time he does show up, he would be told he was missed, asked where he had been. I would even guess that someone might call him to check up on him. Obviously for a man to leave the church because he missed the fellowship at the bar, there must be something he is getting at the bar other than a drink.

God's Will or Our Desire?

Found this post I did 2 years ago and never submitted, decided to now:

I got into a discussion about God's will with some friends of mine a couple of weeks ago. We were wondering if people sometimes use it to do what they really want to do. Interesting question. It may be judging, but I've seen people claim to do things that was God's will, and then they decide later it wasn't the right thing to do. Is it that hard to discover what God's will is for our lives? Does our will/desires overshadow that too much to find out what it is sometimes?

Some years ago, we had a pastor and wife at my church who I just loved to death. They were awesome, the best I had ever had. April is pastoral voting for us, and they did a 2-year vote. The pastor and his wife prayed about it, and accepted the vote, and said they felt God wanted them to stay two more years. Awesome. Two months later in June, we had our yearly conference - business stuff for our denomination. My pastor and his wife were asked to take a job overseeing several small churches that would require them not pastoring ours. They accepted it. I never understood it - and still don't. How could they have known it was God's will in April to stay two more years at our church, and 2 months later say they were leaving?

There are countless stories of Christian couples who have dated for a few years, and some have even been engaged when one of them suddenly feels it isn't God's will. Should that have not been covered before they got engaged? Before they dated for that amount of time?

Is everything done in the name of God's will actually His will, or is it a cover-up/excuse for us to do what we want to do?

Controversial posts

People who know me well may be surprised by this, but I don't say everything I think. I also don't post everything I blog. I was looking through some blog posts that I had done and never posted due to them being controversial, and was deleting some, and decided to post some. Some of them are very controversial, especially ones regarding sin, but I have some honest observations and questions. I may not get any honest answers, but only angry comments, but what have I got to lose. So to anyone reading my blog, I give you my "previously unpublished"