Christian and patriotic

  Today is July 4, Independence Day. It is a day to celebrate our independence from England and to celebrate our freedoms. It is a day for family, picnics, parades, fireworks, and thankfulness. As part of my July 4th celebration, I went a parade with family. It started around 10:10 and ended at 11:40. There were politicians, clowns, antique and classic cars, newer cars, businesses, different floats, a marching band playing Stars and Stripes Forever, a vehicle playing God Bless the USA, and more. There was red white and blue everywhere you looked. It was easy to get caught up in the patriotism and excitement of the day. Unfortunately due to working early tomorrow, I don't think I'll see any fireworks, but am about to eat some burgers, hot dogs, and chicken done on the grill.

 I was raised to be patriotic. I look back at years of cookouts, fireworks we did and went to see. I am an American, and it has never crossed my mind to not be patriotic. Not everyone feels that way though.

 There is a Facebook group I joined a while back called "Politics and the Christian Worldview." I have been amazed at the amount of people in the group who despise the flag, rail against patriotism and pleading to the flag as worship and idolatry. They refuse to celebrate today, and one man likened it to celebrating the Nazis. A few of them mockingly refer to the flag as the "sky cloth". It is amazing and pathetic how anti-American these professing Christians are.

 And then you have the religious sects who are non-resistant, and thus also refuse to be patriotic.

   I firmly believe you can be both Christian and patriotic. One does not cancel out the other. In fact, I believe Christians SHOULD be patriotic. No, our country is not what it should be. I am of the belief that this country was indeed founded on Christian principles, but we have drifted far from that. God has been kicked out of our schools, we murder millions of babies in the name of "choice" and women's rights. We have embraced a sexuality God calls an abomination and it is being forced on everyone in this country. Christian rights and freedoms usually lose to gay "rights", and both presidential candidates of 2016 promised to further those gay rights, just one of many reasons I could not vote for the "Republican" candidate and voted third party.

 Yes, we pay too much in taxes and we have way too much government interference in our lives. Our politicians are corrupt in both parties and most of them only care about getting re-elected, not about doing the right thing for the good of our country and citizens. We glorify sex and violence on TV and in movies which even Christians gorge themselves on.

 But yet Judeo Christian values are still at our core. We still have the freedom to worship as we please, and are a lot freer than many are across our globe. No one is cutting off our heads, torturing us, or kidnapping our kids to turn them into murderous soldiers.

 Our soil is stained with the blood of men and women who died so we could be free. I firmly believe if you live in this country and enjoy the freedoms we have, that you should be patriotic. No, you don't have to wave a flag or go to a parade, but there should be something that rises up in your heart today that makes you realize how blessed you are to live in this country. You should realize that if men and women had not fought in the wars you are so against, that you wouldn't be as free as you are. If you refuse to at least be thankful on this day and observe it in some small way, you are spitting on the graves of those who died to make you free. You are  not thankful and are ungrateful.

  Our country is not what I wish it were. I am sad God was kicked out of our schools. I am appalled Christians would elect and try to elect people like Obama, the Clintons, and Donald Trump. I grieve that gay marriage was legalized and is being forced on everyone, and even our free speech is threatened because of it. I am angered and saddened that so many people fight for and celebrate the cause of killing innocent babies in the womb. Our country grows more wicked and further from God at an alarming rate. Euthanasia and pedophilia are knocking at our doors demanding to be legalized, and liberals will eventually try to do just that.

   But yet this country has produced countless missionaries that have been sent to other countries to evangelize the lost. There is a church on almost every corner of every town and city. We do more to help others in other countries than any other country, to my knowledge.

 So on this day and others like it, wrap yourself in your anti-resistance, your anti-tax rhetoric, your bitterness, and whatever other reasons you refuse to be patriotic for, but remember this: You have no right to condemn me for being thankful and patriotic on this day, and if you are so much against patriotism and our country, then you have no right to enjoy the freedoms you take for granted and refuse to celebrate.

 And a quick side note: if you research Israel and its celebrations and feasts, God and country and patriotism were all mixes together in many of there feasts and celebrations...... just something to think about.

  It is possible to put country, politics, and patriotism above God, but it is also possible to be Christian and patriotic, and I again say I believe Christians should be patriotic.

 God bless America, and may God somehow bring our country back to what it used to be before liberals, atheists, Hollywood, and other godless people took over.

 And by the way..... my favorite superhero is Captain America.

 

The best freedom of all

  I recently joined a new Facebook group a friend of mine just started. I like the idea of the group, and I like and admire this friend. However the group seems to be at least half full of a bunch of anarchistic nut jobs who seem to hate a lot about our country, our flag, our pledge, and anything they feel they have to do that they don't want to do. I have been annoyed and disgusted by some of the insanity that I may leave the group.

 I took a walk this evening on the trail near me, and did something I don't do often. I picked the country playlist on my iPod. I don't listen to much secular music, and am picky about what I listen to. A song played that got me thinking about these people in that group. The song is called Only In America. Here are some of the words:

Sun coming' up over New York City
School bus driver in a traffic jam
Staring out at the faces in a rear view mirror
Lookin' at the promise of the Promised Land

One kid dreams of fame and fortune
One kid helps pay the rent
One could end up going to prison
One just might be president
Only in America
Dreamin' in red white and blue
Only in America

Where we dream as big as we want to
We all get a chance
Everybody gets to dance
Only in America

  Now I get it. There is a lot that is bad in our country. We are losing freedoms and rights at an alarming speed. The Bible nor the Constitution don't seem to matter to many people anymore. Our country has drifted far from the Christian principles it was founded on, and one could scarcely call it a Christian nation anymore.

 But I am still glad to be an American. I still believe we are the best country in the world. I am still thankful for those who sacrificed and gave their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms we have. And as I thought on these things along with these unhappy people I mentioned, the thought came to me that they are all overlooking something important: we still have the most important freedom of all. We are free to worship as we please. Every Sunday we can go to the church of our choice and worship God as we please. Not everyone enjoys that freedom in other countries. Christians across the globe are dying for their faith while we grumble about taxes, enforced education, too many people in jail, and a host of other things we whine and complain about.

 None of us here in America need to fear being a Christian. There's no crowd waiting outside our church or home to torture or kill us for our faith. None of the other stuff really matters in the grand scheme of things. But this freedom to worship God as we please... that is big. That is important.

 So to those whining and criticizing our country because they feel they have to do too much they don't want to do: focus on the most important freedom you still have. Remember there are many who don't have that freedom and are suffering and dying for it. Be thankful for the freedom to worship as you please.

What is more important to us - comfort and freedom, or God?

  I am concerned about our country. As I watch people argue and debate - and do it some myself - something has been lurking in the back of my mind. My Sunday School teacher made a comment on a recent blog post I did on   entitlement Christianity that goes along with these thoughts. I had given 3 areas we feel entitled, and he made this comment:

4) we are entitled to a government that not only allows religious freedom but encourages Christian beliefs. The church has rarely been so privileged and has usually suffered malaise when it was.

  This could be a long post, and before I get to my main points, I have a few other points to make:

Case 1: Barack Obama

   Back in 2008, I was dismayed and saddened at how many Christians supported Obama. Setting aside his past affiliations and everything else he stood for that was wrong, and everything he fought that was right; there was one glaring thing that stood out about him like no other candidate who had ever run for this office of President of the United States: He was the most pro-abortion candidate to ever run.

   While senator, a bill had come up about babies that survive abortion. This bill would require that if a baby survived an abortion, that care must be given to save its life. This man who claimed to be a Christian voted against it. He is so pro-abortion that he wanted them to let those babies just lie there until they died.

  And it didn't even make the Christians flinch who were staunch Democrats or simply were excited to vote for the first black president. Their political party and voting for the first black president meant more to them than his gruesome and inhuman views on babies who survived being murdered.

Case 2: Bill Clinton

  The Clintons have always been surrounded by scandal, and there are too many to list here; but pertaining to this blog post is one specific one: Bill's numerous affairs. Anyone with decency in them should have recoiled at the idea of voting for a man once, much less twice, who cheated on his wife so often and so openly.......and yet Christians flocked to vote for him both times and would do it again if he was allowed to run.

Case 3: Hillary Clinton

  This woman is a serial liar. She has been caught in lie after lie...... and there is proof she helped cover up her husband's abuse of women and his affairs. She is guilty of breaking laws with this email scandal, and it is amazing the amount of support she still has in the face of all of this.

 And again, she will get votes from a lot of professing Christians; and has in fact spoken in churches with their full support. She fully supports abortion, gay marriage, and pretty much anything Christians believe is wrong. Christians will vote for her because they must stay true to their party, and they want the first woman president.

Case 4: Mitt Romney

  I was very unenthusiastic about voting for Romney, and did not vote for him in the primary. In addition to other things, he seemed weak on abortion; and there was the fact he was a Mormon; a religion I know is false and would want nothing to do with, but he got the GOP nomination, so I did my duty and voted for him along with many other conservatives and Christians.

Case 5:  Donald Trump

   No matter what you think of the man, he is a phenomenon. There are many reasons I am against him, but I will focus on what has to do with this blog post. This is not a complete list, but here are a few issues Christians should take to heart about him:

He supports and defends Planned Parenthood and has supported abortion, even partial birth

He supports gay marriage and promised to further gay rights

He is vulgar

He said he doesn't need God's forgiveness

He is a serial adulterer

He owns strip clubs

  Christians are supporting him by the masses. You bring up any of this stuff, and they just attack some minute thing in another candidate.

  And there are others that Christians have supported and voted for in spite of many moral flaws and things that we are against.

   Are we too focused on the wrong things? Take Donald Trump. I am being told I must vote for him if he wins the GOP nomination so that Hillary Clinton doesn't become president. I am to set aside my convictions, my beliefs, do something abhorrent to me just so she doesn't become president. Really?? Who says? And what is more important: me helping to stop one corrupt person becoming president by voting for another corrupt one and going against what I believe to make sure one evil wins over the other, or my faith and doing the right thing?

Which is more important: My faith and duty to God, or my faith and duty to the Republican party?

Which is more important: My religious freedoms, or pleasing God?

Which is more important: Our country, or my God and my faith?

Which is more important: Making pleasing people, or pleasing God?

Are we worshiping God, or are we worshiping America, our freedoms or, the Republican or Democratic party?

Is it more important to us to see Hillary Clinton defeated than it is for us to please God and honor Him in all we do....... including our voting?

Have we become so much like the world that we view politics more important than God and our faith?

Are we too focused on our own comforts?

Is it possible that comfort and freedom here in America has become a god to even we Christians?

  I am firmly convinced if every Christian voted for politicians who came as close to biblical principles as possible, we could elect good men and not have what we usually have: picking between the lesser of two evils....... but that usually doesn't happen.

  I am getting some backlash from people because I am not voting for Donald Trump if he wins the nomination. I may as well vote for Hillary. At least she isn't as vulgar as he is. Both individuals are corrupt, immoral, support things I as a Christian and decent person am against...... but yet I am supposed to vote for him so she doesn't become president...... but I don't want either option. As a Christian, I may as well vote for her as him.....I'd be just as guilty of violating my convictions and beliefs...... but yet I am expected to please people and put aside what God wants me to do or not do. I am expected - by other Christians - to set aside these convictions, ignore all of the moral and decent reasons to not vote for Donald Trump.... and cast my vote for him just so the candidate they think is worse does not become president.

  Have we Christians forgotten this isn't our home? Life will never be perfect here. Yes, I have concerns about Democrats being in power and what they will do........ and I have concerns about Donald Trump being in power and what he will do and who he will put in as judges just as much as I am concerned who Hillary will pick.......

  But am I too concerned? Am I too focused on keeping my life here comfortable, keeping things as easy as we can to live here and have the freedoms we think we are entitled to?

  Whether the candidate be Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, or Jim Brady (my favorite singer!); if I have to set aside my morals, my sense of decency, my convictions to vote for someone so I am true to my party and may keep my comfort and freedoms intact.......then God isn't important enough to me. If I just vote for the lesser of two evils, then the Republican party is more important than God. Politics, America. our county's freedoms, and life here on earth is more important to me than my faith in God and doing the right thing.

  What is truly more important to me: Serving God and doing all I can to honor him, or keeping life here on earth as comfortable for me as I can make it?

  If I walked into the voting booth and voted for Donald Trump knowing all I know about him, knowing he has made a mockery of God by his lifestyle and his own words; am I honoring God, or am I honoring my political party and the people who want me to help defeat Hillary Clinton?

  And there is no perfect candidate. We all have flaws. Without God and his grace, I'd be just as bad as any of these people morally. But there are candidates whose lives show what kind of men and women they are. Their stance on things God finds detestable should be enough to cause us to flee supporting and voting for them.

  Some day I am going to stand before God to give account of how I lived my life. He isn't going to ask why I didn't vote for Donald Trump so Hillary wouldn't be president. He isn't going to judge me on my loyalty to my political party..... He is going to judge me on how I lived for Him, and if He was more important to me than anything here.... including who is president.

  I want to step back from this political circus. I do believe there are a couple of candidates who are closer to biblical values and principles than we had for a long time. Neither is perfect, and both have acted in un-Christian ways; but so have most of us who have been arguing and debating..... but they at least support or stand against the important things. I am going to pray harder about who to vote for, and seek God's will.

  I don't want politics to be my god. I don't want to be so focused on comfort, my freedoms, seeing Hillary Clinton defeated, being loyal to my political party.... or anything else, that I set aside my convictions and beliefs and go vote for someone just to make people happy or possibly protect my comforts and freedoms - though I don't think Trump will do any better than Hillary will in that regard.

   If we are more worried about who wins, about who does the best in a debate, about who made another candidate look the worst, about protecting our comforts and freedoms than pleasing God and honoring Him in all we do; than we would be better sitting at home and not voting for anyone. This world is not our home, and we need to remember that. God is more concerned about our souls than our political party winning. He is more concerned with us getting to Heaven than being comfortable and free here on this earth.

 I hope I have said what I wanted to say. I am not condemning anyone, as I have been guilty of being too concerned about life here instead of pleasing God. I have been guilty of voting for someone who was just the lesser of two evils to hopefully protect my comfortable life and stop another political party from wining.

  I don't want to be that man anymore. I want God and His smile on my life. I want to live for Heaven, not for this life. I want Jesus more than comfort and freedoms. I want to please God more than man. This world is not my true home, and it is time I start living that way.

Kim Davis, a lion, and selective outrage

The liberal and gay community are so outraged about the smallest things, and yet ignore greater offenses and atrocities.

They are offended over a dumb flag that has been around for 150 years because a crazed killer had one in his possession, yet ignore ISIS murdering and torturing Christians.

They scream bloody murder when a Christian baker won't bake a cake for a gay wedding, yet ignore Planned Parenthood butchering babies and selling their body parts.

They are outraged that a Christian won't issue marriage licenses to gay couples, but ignore the fact that gay people are being tortured and killed in Muslim countries. And the fact that they are in another country shouldn't matter. After all, half our country was in an uproar recently over a lion that was killed in another country....... so why not be outraged about gay people being killed in other countries? I can see them not caring about the Christians being killed and tortured in other countries, as our media and the liberals have grown increasingly anti-Christian, and the gay community despises Christians, but surely they should be offended by the treatment of gay people in Muslim countries.....

  I think it boils down to the gay community -  and those who agree with them - hating Christians and Christianity. Why else would they focus so much outrage on Christians here who won't do services for a gay wedding or grant marriage licenses for gay weddings, while liberals as a whole are welcoming Muslims and Islam? Muslims are torturing and killing gay people, while Christians are just refusing to accommodate gay people in certain things and dare to call homosexuality a sin. Were the gay community not a bunch of cowardly, Christian-hating hypocrites, they would be demanding that our president and congressman cease doing business with countries that allow torture and killing of gay people. They would demand Obama not give Iran a nuke deal until Iran does something about the treatment of gay people in their country. They would demand Hillary Clinton give back the donations she got from such countries and stop being so buddy with them, and they would refuse to vote for any candidate who is pro-Muslim and gets political or monetary favors from those countries.

  But they don't care. They only care about themselves here in the US and the mean Christians who dare to side with God's Word and refuse to do more than just tolerate their lifestyle. They want us to totally accept it and give no push-back against it and stop calling it a sin.

  Granted, the church has a bad track record with the gay issue. We have too long looked at it as a horrible sin while accepting other sins and not speaking up about them. We are outraged about gay marriage and that it makes a mockery of God's intended design for marriage, while overlooking what Jesus said about marriage and divorce and having divorce and remarriage statistics in the church that are nearly as bad as the world.

  We have kicked our own children out of the house and to the curb because they are attracted to the same gender. We have joked and made fun of gay people. We have shunned those who live that lifestyle, and made such an anti-gay atmosphere that our churches have people struggling with same-sex attraction who hide in the shadows and are terrified to tell this wonderful family of God their struggle for fear of what will happen to them. Is it any wonder so many gay people hate Christians?

  I have offended and angered people on both sides of the issue. I have had people criticize me for speaking out too much against homosexuality. I have had people criticize me for being too sympathetic towards gay people. I have had people say I talk too much about the issue in general, and in fact had a lady from my own church block me, my mom, and my sister because I talk about it too much. I had the mother of a gay son un-friend me because I was too negative about homosexuality.  You truly cannot make everyone happy.

  The truth of the matter is the church needs to show more love towards gay people. It is just another sin, yet it isn't just another sin. The militant gay community wants to shut up resistance totally and force Christians to do what they want, and there is no other sin that they are trying to force people to accept. However, there are multitudes of people struggling with the desires and attractions who don't know where to turn. They are afraid to tell their friends, their families, their church, and even their pastor. We cannot go the route of many churches and toss out what the Bible says and stop calling it a sin and allow gay people living in sin to participate in church offices, preaching, etc.... helping people believe a lie and go to hell is not love or helping anyone. But we can learn more about the issue, tone down our rhetoric, give the message that yes...we believe it is a sin, but we love you and you are welcome in our church. No man, woman, boy, or girl should feel afraid to come forward and seek help for this issue, but we have made it so that they are. There are countless people sitting in our church pews struggling with same-sex attractions and not knowing where to turn. That needs to stop.

  Christians need to find a balance. I do believe the gay agenda needs to be fought. The most militant and extreme gay people want it taught to kids in Kindergarten that homosexuality is normal and awesome and that they should experiment sexually with others of the same sex. They want Christians to shut up, churches to welcome their sin with open arms and not call it a sin, they want to do everything heterosexuals do and have everything heterosexuals have with no limits. Homosexual adoptions, working in any Christian business or church, not having a Christian refuse them any service, not having anyone call it a sin. Those people will never be happy without total capitulation and 100% acceptance by the church and Christians. No one is unreachable, but they are almost unreachable.

  But there are so many gay people who aren't Christianophobics. They are just hurting and trying to figure out who they are. The church needs to find a way to not agree with their sin, and somehow love and reach them while trying to stem the tide of the more extreme and activist gay people.

  I asked someone once why liberals champion Muslims so much, while putting down Christians and fighting us on every side. Muslims have a terrible record with gay rights and women's rights, both of which are two of the biggest liberal causes...yet Christians just say homosexuality is a sin, and we are great one women's rights. He suggested that the Democratic party hates Christianity so much that they will accept anything else. And he may be correct. That could explain the outrage against Christians not baking a cake for a gay wedding or not granting a license for a gay couple, while ignoring what Muslims are doing to gay people. It is more about hating Christians than actually having rights. It does seem in some of these cases that they have deliberately gone to a Christian business to try to force them to capitulate to their wishes so they could make an example of them. Even this clerk being in jail with no bail..... definite overkill, and it is a definite warning and example to other Christians who might dare to do the same thing. (Picture below of Muslims hanging a couple of gay men)

  Let us not be like the liberals and be selective in our outrage, and let is be outraged about the right things. I saw even Christians on Facebook demanding the confederate flag be taken down.....something that was stupid. It never did anything, and taking it down did not accomplish anything other than giving liberals a victory. The same people never post about Christians being tortured or killed by Muslim groups. People are outraged that a county clerk wouldn't violate her beliefs and conscience to grant a marriage license for a marriage God Himself would never recognize, yet the same people seem to have no problem with that woman being locked up with no bail and told she can leave when she changes her beliefs. Even most non-violent criminals get bail, but she doesn't? Is that not something to be outraged about? The same people are not bothered by a president who promised to uphold the law and Constitution, not doing so... choosing to ignore immigration laws to help is immigration agenda, and choosing to ignore and not enforce the Defense of Marriage Act...... why is he not in jail??

  We get outraged about a football player deflating footballs, a puppy being left in a car, being on hold too long, our sandwich not being made right at McDonalds, a flag, a lion.......and ignore the things that we should be concerned and outraged about.

  I shared this story before: There was a young man who played guitar in his church's worship band. He went to his pastor and told him he was struggling with same-sex attractions, and wanted prayer and help. The pastor assured him he'd pray for him, and the young man left. During the next service at the church, the pastor told what the young man had told him and turned to the young man who was on the platform and said "You are not welcome in my church. Get our of here." And a heartbroken and devastated young man walked out of that church never to return. I don't know what happened to him. I hope he didn't turn from God completely and that he found help at another church. But that is a story that should spark outrage in any Christian. True injustice should bring our blood to a boil, not inconveniences or bandwagons that everyone else is jumping on. That is what the world does, the liberals. That is not what Christians should do.

  The outrage is not that a Christian would not bow to what 5 un-elected self important people in black robes decided for our whole country. The outrage is that in our free democracy a judge can jail that woman without bail to try to force her to change her views and beliefs. The outrage is not that a gay couple didn't get a license that doesn't amount to a hill of beans in God's eyes. The outrage is that Muslims are killing and torturing the gay people in their countries and our president and other politicians are in bed with them. The outrage is not that a lion got killed in another country, but that babies are being butchered daily here in the USA  and the media, our president, the Democrat party and way too many other people not only are not bothered by that,  they are not bothered that Planned Parenthood has been caught selling baby parts...... and refuse to pull funding for the butchers.

  The outrage is that people are plunging to hell, and we are too concerned about the wrong things, and too busy with our lives to do anything about it.

  Let we Christians not be easily offended and outraged in general, and when we are that we make sure it is about the right things.

Do Christians have rights?

 

I have read many articles on the new law signed in Indiana that will help protect religious rights, including Christians not wanting to do anything to be involved in a gay wedding. Most of what I have read has been in support of the law, but I have read some that have not. One of those, which I cannot remember where I read it to link to it, made a statement that I completely disagreed with. The writer made the case that when we become Christians we have to die out to ourselves and deny ourselves.. Even of our rights.

  This country came into being because some brave men and women wanted freedoms, mainly religious freedoms, but more freedoms in general than they had in England. They went through a lot, sacrificed much, and many gave the ultimate - their lives - to secure freedoms we have held dear for a couple of hundred years. For the most part, these were Christian men and women going against the grain, going against the government and law of the land. What of this same logic had been theirs? That since they were Christians, they had no rights, so they should just do what the government said to do? If this logic had applied down through the ages, Christianity would cease to exist. A bold and insane claim? Not really. Think about it:

 If you truly believe Christians do not have any rights, and we lived that out, we would be easy targets of robbery, rape, and murder. A man comes in and wants to rape your wife or daughter..... if we have no rights, then he is free to do so, If someone wants the money in your checking account, you have to let them have it, for you have no rights as a Christian. They want to beat you up and even kill you, you have no right to defend yourself but must let them do it. Christians would eventually die out from abuse and lack of money and food.

 Those examples sound extreme and most would say they have nothing to do with gay weddings, but they do. If you make the bold statement that a Christian has no rights in these cases - no right to stand up for what they believe, no right to refuse to be involved in a wedding of two people committing an abomination in God's sight - then you must carry that through. And the writer of the article I read said we have no rights. He didn't specifically say just in these cases involving gay weddings, though that was his end game with making the point. That since we are to deny ourselves, we have no right to turn down involvement in a gay wedding.

  If the electric or phone company makes a mistake on our bill, any of us would call and have it taken care of. If someone crashes into our car, we will take the measures needed to make sure our car is fixed and we are not charged or faulted for something that was not our fault. If we are falsely accused of a crime, we will do all we can to clear our name, even if it means securing a lawyer. And it has been this way since the beginning of time. Even Christians have rights, and sometimes you have to stand up for your rights.

 Back in the days of the early church, the apostles were jailed, beaten, threatened, and told not to preach. They kept doing it, even though those in positions of power and government ordered them not to. They kept boldly defying the law and doing what they felt was right. Paul on at least one occasion, appealed to his rights as a Roman citizen. He is held up in Christendom next to Jesus. If he felt it right and necessary to appeal to the rights that he had, how can anyone dare suggest that we have no right to stand up to the authorities for OUR rights?

  There have been times throughout history that Christians were ordered to do things contrary to what they believed. Often, it would have just required silence and no actual participation in something that violated their beliefs, but many refused and paid a price. Should we be any different? The gay agenda is being forced on us and the they use words like discrimination, homophobia, and hatred to swing people their way and intimidate Christians to do what others have tried to do down the ages: shut up and do what the government and status quo wants. The church has stood up to tyrants, kings, dictators, sin of all kinds, and outright persecution, yet many think that homosexuality is the exception and we should lay aside our rights, our beliefs, convictions, and what God's Word has always said on the subject. As I said in a former post, homosexuality is not special or an exception. Yes, we will offend people by standing up to it. Yes, we will face hatred and persecution for not falling blindly in with what they want, but that has happened to Christians down through the ages. The Gospel has always offended. Christians have always offended and angered those who do not serve God, whether it be presidents, kings, gay people, or other sinners.

  And yet, for this one sin, we are expected to be different. Many in the church expect all Christians to toss aside what the Bible says, and embrace gay people and all they stand for and all they want. They want us to bake the cake, print the t-shirt, photograph the wedding, boycott anyone who dares stand against gay marriage and the gay agenda.

  We will never win any sinner by embracing their sin, by being silent, by stepping aside and letting them trample our rights under their feet and make a mockery of God's Word and God's institution of marriage. We will never win them by being spineless cowards, by tossing aside our rights and going with the program.

 I made a statement on Facebook that I am 100% positive about: That if our Constitution were being drafted today, it would never pass in its current form. All of the freedoms would either not be in it, or they would have exceptions. In its current form, too many would fear it might offend someone or discriminate. It would never favor Christians, as we are the only ones who can be discriminated against.

  Christians are the only ones standing in the way of total depravity in this country, and we are hated for it. If we cave to same-sex marriage and the gay agenda today, it will be something else tomorrow as we continue down the slippery moral slope we are on, If we give up our rights in the face of the pro-gay crowd today, we will be expected to give them up tomorrow when a new moral issue faces us.

  We need to love gay people. We need to reach out to them, share the Gospel, befriend them....... but we should never OK their lifestyle or approve in any way of it or their marriages, nor should we toss aside our rights and let theirs trump ours.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

30 days of thankfulness, Day 29: Thankful for freedom

 

I forgot to post yesterday, so this one is a day late: on day 29, I am thankful for freedom. Our country is fast heading the wrong way, and though even conservative friends seem to weary of talk about such things - they'd rather stick their heads in the sand - this administration, like no other before it, has an anti-Christian bias, and seems bent on ruling against us, of curbing our freedoms in favor of Muslims, gays, atheists, and anyone who is against we Christians.

  But yet, even as God is being kicked out more and more, Nativity scenes are being banned from property  pertaining to the government, Christmas is slowly being banned, Christians are losing in almost any case involving gay marriage........ we still have freedoms. We don't have to worry when we are sitting in church that the police will come barging in to arrest us for daring to worship God instead of who the government says.......yet.

  Unless you live under the iron rule of a home builder's association or something similar, we are relatively free to do as we like where we live.

  And no matter where we live, we can experience the best kind of freedom that is available to anyone on earth: freedom from sin, from the devil's rule.

  Even as Obama and his liberal judges and minions march over our religious freedoms and kick God out of everywhere they can, they can't kick Him out of our hearts. They can take away any freedoms we have here in the USA........ and they seem hell bent on doing so....... but they cannot take away freedom in Christ. Only we can do that by walking away from God.

  And that is the best kind of freedom there is. We will all die some day and leave America with any freedoms we have left, but we will take freedom from sin with us. True freedom.

My thoughts on the Duck Dynasty Disaster

  I'm sure I don't need to recap, as its the main thing being talked about in the news and on Facebook. Phil Robertson from the Duck Dynasty show said what he thought of homosexuality, and has been booted from the show.

  First off, a few things:
1) I have never watched the show
2) I have never bought any merchandise marketed from the show
3) I actually get tired of seeing their bearded faces everywhere I go - they look awful. I hate beards, especially long ones

  I do, however think its cool they have their show, as from what I hear it is very moral, clean, and even Christian.

  I read the review that caused the firestorm. I thought Robertson was a bit crude, and could have phrased what he said better, but I am appalled that many Christians, and even some of my friends, are siding against Robertson. That's the thing to do folks. Help the left sabotage our freedom of speech and religion by siding with the ones who are trying to destroy it.

 The day is going to come - it has in other countries - when it will be illegal to say homosexuality is wrong. You will be fined, put in jail, or both....... now you get kicked off a TV show..... you think its that long off that you'll face fines and jail? And the same Christians standing against Robertson will be sitting there amazed, wondering how it happened. Uh, duh, you helped!

  Here's the interesting thing. He quoted this verse from Corinthians:  “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers — they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. … Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

 So here is my question: where is the rage that he said the others wouldn't inherit eternal life? What about the drunks, the swindlers, the idolaters, the greedy, etc.? Why aren't the Christians worried about offending the gay militant people worried about offending these others? Has homosexuality become a protected group even among Christians?

  We do need to love and reach out to gay people, but also ALL sinners. I hear a lot from people about how we need to tone down about homosexuality, how we need to give into them in cases of baking cakes for their weddings, etc....... but I never hear the same people say we need to tone down what we say about other sins: drunkenness, adultery, murder, child molestation....... don't those people matter? Don't they need love, tolerance? It does seem even many Christians have made homosexuality a protected status and make it taboo to say anything wrong about it.

 So if you're one of the ones criticizing Robertson for his gay comments, and not raising a stink about the other sins..... get off of your pedestal and keep your mouth shut. Sorry to be so rude, but I am weary of Christians going so far with this issue. As I said, gay people need love, and yes, Robertson could have toned what he said down, but this is a case of religious and speech freedom. Its a lack of tolerance for Christians and our views.

  A&E should have issued a statement saying they didn't agree with Robertson, but that he had made his statements on his own time. They should not have canned him. I seriously doubt there are many people who watch the show who are among the offended.

  And Robertson said other stuff that his critics are ignoring:

“We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love ’em, give ’em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort ’em out later, you see what I’m saying?”

“I myself am a product of the 60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

We are fast losing our freedoms in this country, and I have said this before: I firmly believe the gay issues are going to be what destroys our religious freedoms, but even many Christians seem blind to it. Those siding against Robertson, be warned: The day is going to come when your pastor will face jail if he preaches against it and/or refuses to marry a gay couple. The handwriting on the wall couldn't be any plainer. Just don't complain when it happens.

  And check out what this guy says. He was in  the gay lifestyle for 10 years, and he says its coming:
http://mattiewalk.com/2013/12/19/persecution-is-a-coming/

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.

---

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)