I wrote about Glenn Beck and his Restoring Honor rally at Faith's Corner earlier today but I want to say a few words about it here too.
As a political conservative I enjoy Glenn Beck and wish I could support him. For the most part I have supported him, at least tacitly, because I like his general take on our political mess. But as today's rally approached I found myself feeling less than enthused. I watched some of it, a couple hours worth I think, and kept having this unhappy feeling about it, slight but definitely there. I WANT to support this. There are some genuine Christians there after all. I love Alveda King for instance. I love David Barton for instance (I missed his talk though, also missed Sarah Palin's).
So I had to come to terms with my own oddly conflicted feelings. I had to think hard about it. He's a Mormon. Does that REALLY matter when he's doing such a good job, a job nobody else is doing, of defending the political causes that matter to me, to the Right? Clearly some Christians say it doesn't matter. Some are up on that stage, many are no doubt among the throng below.
Do they know what Mormons believe? I wonder. But I have to admit that it doesn't matter whether they know or not, some of us DO know and Christians absolutely cannot align ourselves with them. The more I thought about it the more clearly I saw that there's no way a Christian can join with Beck in his religious assertions. Politics, patriotism, OK up to a point, but the Restoring Honor rally was full of God talk, pretty generic nondenominational type God talk, but still I KNOW what Mormons believe, I know they don't mean what I mean with that God talk. I CAN'T join with Mormons on the subject of God. Absolutely cannot.
It's hard for us who have been so strongly supporting the conservative cause, and really do want God back in American life - but we do NOT want the Mormon God and that's what Beck represents.
Another worldly hope, another idolatry for us to let go of, I believe that's what this is. It's a hard one to give up, very hard, but after thinking about it all day I've managed to separate myself from it bit by bit. God wants all of us, not part of us, He doesn't want to share us even with America and He's making that harder and harder for us these days. That's what I think now. The Left wants us marginalized and they're doing a great job of it too. Islam is on the ascendancy. It shouldn't be too long before Christians have just about no moorings left in this world.
That's when our faith is going to be tested for sure.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Confusion continues surrounding Obama's birth and his religion
Obama himself says he's a Kenyan, not an American:
Listen to him at the beginning of this video saying flatly, unequivocally, that he is NOT an American, that he was NOT born in Hawaii, that he was born in Kenya.
[Note: It was convincingly pointed out to me by a commenter here that this part of the video was altered to make it look like Obama was saying something he was not in fact saying. The producer even identifies himself as "obamasnippets" and that's apparently a site that manufactures this sort of thing. I'm not sure about the rest of the information.]
Did he not know that the Constitution requires him to be a natural born citizen of two American citizen parents when he said that? Who is this man in the American Presidency anyway?
The evidence continues to build with quotes from Kenyans who believe he was born there.
But then there are the birth announcements in the Hawaii newspapers on the day of his birth. When I saw these recently, I thought this should end the controversy as it should prove he's a natural born citizen. (But why does Obama himself want to deny this and claim to be a Kenyan?)
But it's not that simple. If you watch the linked video all the way through you'll see that to qualify for the Presidency both his parents would have to be citizens, and not only was his father not a citizen, but after his mother divorced him and remarried and they moved to Indonesia with his stepfather, they became citizens of Indonesia which is enough to disqualify him.
If these things are true it appears he is multiply disqualified to be President of the United States.
Here's another video in which Alan Keyes raises many questions about Obama including his qualifications for the Presidency. From about 1:18 on Keyes describes Obama as a usurper and a destroyer of the nation.
Even with such blatantly reasonable questions to be addressed, there are many who want to bury the truth, who try to smear those who still have doubts, calling them "birthers" as if there's something wrong with their perfectly reasonable questions.
The same video I posted at the top also gives weight to doubts about Obama's religion, although just this morning there is an article up on Yahoo treating such doubts as unfounded and the doubters as unreasonable:
Keyes is right, Obama is out to destroy the nation and he may succeed with the help of subversives like himself.
As usual, however, I have to point out that God is in charge. This state of affairs could not be happening independent of God, and what could explain this? Why is Islam gaining in popularity in general? Why is the economy on the verge of collapse? Etc. etc. etc. Our enemies are in our midst and gaining on us, our "bread basket," to use a term from the King James Bible, may soon fail. These are among the consequences of disobedience spelled out for the Israelites in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, which we should heed.
Can any of this be reversed at this point? I wish we could see a great groundswell of Christian zeal for repentance and prayer which alone might turn the tide, but although of course we pray for the nation there really isn't the necessary degree of passionate dedication to be found among us anywhere that I can see.
No, I think America is going down. Christians are being marginalized, isolated, and what's left to us is to work to be strong AGAINST the tide, as the body of Christ completely separate from America and the world.
Listen to him at the beginning of this video saying flatly, unequivocally, that he is NOT an American, that he was NOT born in Hawaii, that he was born in Kenya.
[Note: It was convincingly pointed out to me by a commenter here that this part of the video was altered to make it look like Obama was saying something he was not in fact saying. The producer even identifies himself as "obamasnippets" and that's apparently a site that manufactures this sort of thing. I'm not sure about the rest of the information.]
Did he not know that the Constitution requires him to be a natural born citizen of two American citizen parents when he said that? Who is this man in the American Presidency anyway?
The evidence continues to build with quotes from Kenyans who believe he was born there.
But then there are the birth announcements in the Hawaii newspapers on the day of his birth. When I saw these recently, I thought this should end the controversy as it should prove he's a natural born citizen. (But why does Obama himself want to deny this and claim to be a Kenyan?)
But it's not that simple. If you watch the linked video all the way through you'll see that to qualify for the Presidency both his parents would have to be citizens, and not only was his father not a citizen, but after his mother divorced him and remarried and they moved to Indonesia with his stepfather, they became citizens of Indonesia which is enough to disqualify him.
If these things are true it appears he is multiply disqualified to be President of the United States.
Here's another video in which Alan Keyes raises many questions about Obama including his qualifications for the Presidency. From about 1:18 on Keyes describes Obama as a usurper and a destroyer of the nation.
Even with such blatantly reasonable questions to be addressed, there are many who want to bury the truth, who try to smear those who still have doubts, calling them "birthers" as if there's something wrong with their perfectly reasonable questions.
The same video I posted at the top also gives weight to doubts about Obama's religion, although just this morning there is an article up on Yahoo treating such doubts as unfounded and the doubters as unreasonable:
Americans increasingly are convinced — incorrectly — that President Barack Obama is a Muslim, and a growing number are thoroughly confused about his religion.Yes, Obama's own behavior and words are really what raise the doubts. On the video above he is shown referring to the Koran as "the Holy Koran" and to Islam as "revealed," which is not the way a Christian would normally speak of the religion, even when speaking respectfully. A Christian regards Islam as a false religion. Obama may be nominally a Christian by his outward practices, but his respect for Islam appears to be above and beyond what a Christian would express, and it's unjust of the media to call questions based on all this flatly wrong.
Nearly one in five people, or 18 percent, said they think Obama is Muslim, up from the 11 percent who said so in March 2009, according to a poll released Thursday. The proportion who correctly say he is a Christian is down to just 34 percent.
...Six in 10 of those saying Obama is a Muslim said they got the information from the media, with the largest portion — 16 percent — saying it was on television. Eleven percent said they learned it from Obama's behavior and words.
Keyes is right, Obama is out to destroy the nation and he may succeed with the help of subversives like himself.
As usual, however, I have to point out that God is in charge. This state of affairs could not be happening independent of God, and what could explain this? Why is Islam gaining in popularity in general? Why is the economy on the verge of collapse? Etc. etc. etc. Our enemies are in our midst and gaining on us, our "bread basket," to use a term from the King James Bible, may soon fail. These are among the consequences of disobedience spelled out for the Israelites in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, which we should heed.
Can any of this be reversed at this point? I wish we could see a great groundswell of Christian zeal for repentance and prayer which alone might turn the tide, but although of course we pray for the nation there really isn't the necessary degree of passionate dedication to be found among us anywhere that I can see.
No, I think America is going down. Christians are being marginalized, isolated, and what's left to us is to work to be strong AGAINST the tide, as the body of Christ completely separate from America and the world.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Lamentations
1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
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