Author Archives: Marsha West

About Marsha West

Marsha West is the owner and managing editor of Christian Research Network, Apprising Ministries (the late Ken Silva’s blog) and On Solid Rock Resources. She is also co-founder of Berean Research. For two decades Marsha was the owner and managing editor of Email Brigade website as well as the EMB News Report, a bi-weekly email report for conservative people of faith. For many years Marsha was a regular contributor to several blogs including CRN, RenewAmerica, News With Views and Web Commantary as well as popular websites she no longer endorses: American Family Association, Worldview Weekend, Stand Up For The Truth, The Christian Post and Christian Headlines. Although Marsha still blogs, her primary focus is CRN. Marsha also writes Research Papers (White Papers) on various topics that are published on CRN, Berean Research and On Solid Rock Resources. Visit Marsha’s other sites: On Solid Rock Resources https://www.onsolidrockresources.com/ Apprising Ministries http://apprising.org Marsha’s RenewAmerica Column http://renewamerica.com/columns/mwest Marsha’s Facebook Page http://facebook.com/marsha.west.77

Bisexual identity overtaking gay and lesbian in Britain, official stats show

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According to The Telegraph:

bisexualThe number of British people defining themselves as “bisexual” has jumped by 45 per cent in just three years, according new official estimates.

For the first time, more young people in the UK describe themselves as bisexual than gay or lesbian combined, the figures from the Office for National Statistics show.

It is the latest evidence pointing to a shift in attitudes towards sexuality, with increasing numbers viewing their own position as somewhere on a spectrum rather than it being a black-or-white question. [emphasis added]

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Lack of Public Outcry Is Disturbing as Rights of Conscience Are Crushed in Canada

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CNSNews reports:

euthanasia-2The silence is stunning.  The lack of public outcry, the absence of outrage about the recent mandate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (Canada) is deeply disturbing.

This summer, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario adopted and published a new ethical policy binding upon doctors in that Canadian province.  The policy mandates:

“Where a physician declines to provide medical assistance in dying for reasons of conscience or religion, the physician must not abandon the patient. An effective referral must be provided. An effective referral means a referral made in good faith, to a non-objecting, available, and accessible physician, nurse practitioner or agency. The referral must be made in a timely manner to allow the patient to access medical assistance in dying. Patients must not be exposed to adverse clinical outcomes due to delayed referrals.”

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Defense Department Issues Transgender Handbook

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According to Military.com:

Photo courtesy US Defense Watch (usdefensewatch.com)

Photo courtesy US Defense Watch (usdefensewatch.com)

A new Defense Department policy handbook gives transgender service members and their commanders a road map for gender transition in the active-duty military and Guard and Reserve.

The 71-page policy, released Sept. 30, lays out the medical process for service members who wish to change genders. A second section gives commanders a framework for working with transgender troops in their units, including a guide to gender pronouns and physical fitness standards for troops in transition.

“The handbook is designed to assist our transgender Service members in their gender transition, help commanders with their duties and responsibilities, and help all Service members understand new policies enabling the open service of transgender Service members,” it says. “The handbook includes advice, questions and answers, and scenarios.”

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“Let Women Make Their Own Decisions”: Tim Kaine Reiterates Abortion Support Despite Personal Beliefs

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Tim Kaine, who is supposedly a devout Roman Catholic, completely disregards the RCC’s teaching on abortion as well as its opposition to same-sex “marriage” because, in his view, “God approves of homosexuality.” According to Christian News Network:

tim-kaineDuring the first vice presidential debate for the 2016 election, Tim Kaine, the running mate of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, reiterated his support for keeping abortion legal despite his own personal identity as a Roman Catholic.

Kaine, as well as Trump running mate Mike Pence, were asked by moderator Elaine Quijano of CBS News to outline an instance when they had difficulty reconciling their faith with their politics.

“Can you discuss in detail a time when you struggled to balance your personal faith and a public policy position?” she asked.

“I try to practice my religion in a very devout way and follow the teachings of my church in my own personal life. But I don’t believe in this nation, a First Amendment nation, where we don’t raise any religion over the other, and we allow people to worship as they please, that the doctrines of any one religion should be mandated for everyone,” Kaine replied.

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Check out CRN’s Research Paper on Roman Catholicism

Emergent Catalyst Conference spreads a wider web

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The Catalyst Circus Conference starts today.  According to Berean Research here’s what those who attend will experience:

human-cannonball-2The eight-year-strong Catalyst franchise conference aimed at millennials has long pushed a leftist social justice message rather than the Gospel of the Cross. But as we see more and more leadership conferences pushing the message of UNITY, I’ve been noticing of late the premiere Catalyst Conference is spreading a wider net to include Word of Faith and Dominionism (NAR) celebrities. This year’s theme doubles down on unity, with “Uncommon Fellowship.” Here are this year’s seeker-mergent growth gurus gathering Oct. 5-7 in Atlanta:

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The 2016 State of Theology Survey

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Bud Alheim of Pulpit & Pen analyses a survey commissioned by Ligonier Ministries which is a must read — or read it and weep. The following explains what the survey is about:

discernment-2In 2016 Ligonier Ministries commissioned LifeWay Research to implement a survey tasked with, as much as surveys are capable, assessing Americans’ theological understanding. The survey quantified fundamental beliefs that have been key doctrines adhered to by two millennia of orthodox Christianity.

The results reflect what the observant believer already knows … error abounds. As false teaching gains footholds and favor, as churches forsake sound doctrine to instead scratch itching ears, the prevalence of error will continue to grow.   Ligonier’s survey highlights the most serious errors contemporary to us.

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Judge Dismisses Stericycle’s Lawsuit Against Pro-Life Group That Exposed Disposal of Aborted Babies

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Christian News Network reports:

Pre-born babyA county circuit court judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the nation’s largest medical waste provider in an effort stop a pro-life group from distributing information about the company’s disposal of aborted babies for Planned Parenthood and other abortion facilities nationwide.

All three of Stericycle’s charges against the Ohio-based group Created Equal—defamation, false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress—were dismissed on Sept. 29.

“Irrespective of which side is taken on the abortion question, a reasonable person looking at Defendant’s publications understands that Defendants are expressing their point of view that abortion is a killing, in which Plaintiffs are alleged to play a part,” the order, issued by Lake County Associate Judge Margaret Marcouiller, reads in part.

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Federal Debt in FY 2016 Jumped $1,422,827,047,452.46–That’s $12,036 Per Household

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According to CNSNews:

moneyIn fiscal 2016, which ended on Friday, the federal debt increased $1,422,827,047,452.46, according to data released today by the U.S. Treasury.

At the close of business on Sept. 30, 2015, the last day of fiscal 2015, the federal debt was $18,150,617,666,484.33, according to the Treasury. By the close of business on Sept. 30, 2016, the last day of fiscal 2016, it had climbed to $19,573,444,713,936.79.

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For the Bible Tells Me So: Biblical Authority Denied … Again

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In a recent sermon, Andy Stanley of North Point Church made the argument that the Christian faith rests on a person, Jesus, and a historical event, the Resurrection, not on the Bible (here). Pastor Stanley said, “I would ask preachers and pastors and student pastors in their communications to get the spotlight off the Bible and back on the resurrection.”  Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, disagrees and responded with a strong rebuke.

Bible“Jesus loves me — this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” This is a childish error?

Evangelical Christianity has a big problem, says Andy Stanley, and that problem is a reliance on the Bible that is both unwarranted and unhelpful. In a recent message delivered at North Point Community Church and posted online, Stanley identifies the evangelical impulse to turn to the Bible in our defense and presentation of Christianity as a huge blunder that must be corrected.

Some years ago, in light of another message Stanley preached at North Point, I argued that his apologetic ambition was, as we saw with Protestant liberalism a century ago, a road that will lead to disaster. No doubt, many Christians might be surprised to see an apologetic ambition identified as an entry point for theological liberalism, but this has held constant since Friedrich Schleiermacher, the father of modern theological liberalism, issued his book, On Religion: Speeches to its Cultured Despisers in 1799.

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“Vitriol” among United Church members as atheist minister closer to being dismissed in formal hearing

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According to National Post, the United Church of Canada is facing a dilemma.  Should they or shouldn’t they remove an avowed atheist minister from a “Christian” church.

atheistA United Church of Canada minister who is a self-professed atheist and has been the subject of an unprecedented probe into her theological beliefs is one step closer to being removed from the pulpit.

Sub-executive members of the church’s Toronto Conference announced Thursday they have asked the church’s general council, the most senior governance body, to hold a formal hearing to decide whether Rev. Gretta Vosper, who does not believe in God or the Bible, should be placed on the disciplinary “Discontinued Service List.”

“Some will be disappointed and angry that this action has been taken, believing that the United Church may be turning its back on a history of openness and inclusivity,” it said in a statement.

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Archaeologists Uncover “Fascinating” Evidence of Bible’s King Hezekiah in Israel

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Christian News Network reports:

Archaeologists digging out the ruins of an enormous ancient gate in Israel have discovered evidence that confirms one of the Old Testament’s historical accounts of King Hezekiah.

In January of this year, archaeologists began an archaeological excavation in Tel Lachish National Park, which is located in central Israel about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem. The park marks the site of the ancient city of Lachish, which is mentioned nearly two dozen times in the Bible and played a role in several biblical accounts.

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A “money changers” moment for Catholics

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jesus-cleansing-the-temple-of-the-money-changers-caravaggioJournalist and media critic Cliff Kincaid reports on an editorial written by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, where he goes after the far left for working through the Democratic Party to censor the views of people who believe in traditional values as well as “destroying institutions that convey these values to young people.”  According to Kincaid “not all Catholics are remaining silent. The EWTN Catholic cable channel, which reaches tens of millions of people in the U.S., has been running a blockbuster film, “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing,” examining how Marxists have subverted the church from within by recruiting clergy into revolutionary socialist activities that divide people and cause conflict. The film is described as “a lens into America’s cultural Marxism euphemistically called ‘progressivism.’”

Kincaid included a quote by Wuerl where he warned that “the ease with which today a politically correct morality is being forced on our Catholic institutions in place of our own Catholic moral tradition.”

The archbishop’s editorial “should cause headaches among Democrats who think they can dupe Catholics in another election year,” says Kincaid.

CRN’s Research Paper on the  Roman Catholic Church examines the doctrines the RCC teaches and demonstrates that it stands in stark contrast with – and even in opposition to – historic orthodox Christianity.

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SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHERS SHAMES INVITED SPEAKER FOR EXPRESSING BIBLICAL VIEWS

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Wintery Knight has the story:

Bible Book of RomansSomething interesting happened at a recent meeting of the Society of Christian Philosophers, which is a group of left-leaning philosophers who are (apparently) neither Christian, nor Philosophers.

How so?

Rightly Considered blog explains what happened:

[A]t the latest Midwest meeting of the SCP, Richard Swinburne presented a paper in which he argued for the view that homosexual acts are immoral and that homosexuality is a disability that should be cured. The response from some quarters was predictably hysterical and unremarkable. What is remarkable is that the President of the SCP, Michael Rea, shamefully acquiesced to the leftist hysteria by issuing an ingratiating public apology, accusing Swinburne of causing pain and undermining the SCP’s mission of ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion:

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Jeff Sessions Slams Top Immigration Official for Suppressing Reports of Refugee Terrorism, Crime

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According to Breitbart:

Immigration 2Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions is going after a top immigration official who earlier admitted the U.S. government has invited future terrorists into American communities, the Obama administration’s much-touted “vetting process” aside.

“The fact is—anybody that understands the challenge they face to do this vetting. You cannot vet people from Syria, because there’s no way, and we have no plans to send anybody into Syria to verify anything that they say,” Sessions told León Rodríguez during his testimony before a Senate panel.

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13 Attorneys General Join Brief in Support of Florist Found Guilty of Discrimination for Declining “Gay Wedding”

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Christian News Network reports:

lesbian-wedding-cakeAttorneys general from 13 states joined in an amicus brief this week in support of a Washington florist who was found guilty last year of discrimination for providing a referral for a regular customer’s request for the creation of floral arrangements for his same-sex ceremony rather than fulfilling the order herself.

Lead by Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, Attorneys General Luther Strange of Alabama, Ken Paxton of Texas, Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia, Mark Brnovich of Arizona, Doug Peterson of Nebraska and Jeff Landry of Louisiana were among those who joined in the briefing to the Washington State Supreme Court.

Govs. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Matt Bevin of Kentucky also added their names to the filing.

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Danish study of contraceptive pill finds link to depression, especially in younger women

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According to The Sydney Morning Herald:

contraceptive-pills-2A Danish study of a million women has found a link between the use of hormonal contraception such as the the pill and increased risk of depression.

Compared with non-users, women and teenage girls aged 15 to 34 who used hormonal contraception had a 1.23 times higher risk of being diagnosed with depression, especially adolescents, according to a paper published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

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Elected state supreme court judges less supportive of LGBT rights, study says

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According to The Guardian:

Supreme Court 5-4Judges who are elected to state supreme courts are generally less supportive of LGBT rights claims than judges who are appointed, according to new research commissioned by a nonprofit law group.

A report released on Wednesday analyzed 127 rulings in state high courts involving LGBT rights claims to understand the impact of judicial selection processes on such cases. The study, produced by Lambda Legal, found that judges chosen through partisan elections are least supportive of LGBT rights claims compared to their peers around the country who are selected through other methods. Lambda Legal is a non-profit that advocates for the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and those with HIV through litigation and other work.

“If you want to get a fair hearing in court you need to make sure that judges are free to make decisions, that they have the independence to rule on the law without fear of retaliation,” said Eric Lesh, the report’s author. “How does the way that judges are selected play or factor into the way that they are able to decide cases fairly in LGBT rights claims?”

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The Self-Entitlement of Joyce Meyer’s Theology

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Bible study teacher, best-selling author, speaker and TV host Joyce Meyer is a false teacher for the reason that she promotes a Word of Faith/Health and Wealth gospel that saves no one.  Richard Haas of Pulpit & Pen reports that Meyer has been on Twitter pushing her new book to undiscerning Christians and anyone else who doesn’t see a problem with elevating man above God. Her tweets are “problematic at best and heretical at worst,” says Haas.  He writes:

joyce-meyer-2Just earlier this month on September 13th, Joyce Meyer released her new book entitled “Seize The Day.” As it seems to be the case more and more every form of a distributor that can distribute anything seemingly “Christian” is jumping on the bandwagon of this nomenclature of sub-Christian literate.

Over the past couple of week’s Joyce Meyer has been releasing tweets on Twitter to draw attention to the publication of her book. She has been promoting her book with colorful, but often inaccurate statements.  One of those more theologically inept utterances was tweeted out on September 22nd. The shallowness of these 140 words pulls back the curtain and allows us to see one of the biggest lies in the Word of Faith theology and the movement itself — Self-Entitlement.

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How decades of divorce helped erode religion

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Julie Zauzmer, reporting for the Washington Post, brings to light how divorce has helped erode religion:

MarriageTwo widely recognized trends in American society might have something to do with each other.

Divorce rates climbed to the highest levels ever in the 1980s, when about half of all marriages ended in divorce.

And in the present day, Americans are rapidly becoming less religious. Since 1972, the share of Americans who say they do not adhere to any particular religion has increased from 5 percent of the population to 25 percent.

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North Carolina Court Dismisses Lawsuit of Judges Who Resigned Rather Than Officiate Same-Sex “Weddings”

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Christian News Network reports:

judgmentAn appeals court in North Carolina has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by two Christian judges who resigned their posts two years ago after being informed via state memos that they would be required to officiate same-sex “weddings” or face possible punishment.

The North Carolina Court of Appeals did not rule on the merits of the requirement, but only agreed with the lower court that the two judges did not have standing in the case because the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), which issued the memo, did not have power to fire them.

“Because defendants lacked the actual authority to sanction, suspend, or remove plaintiffs, the allegations in plaintiffs’ complaint, when viewed as true and considered in the light most favorable to plaintiffs, fail to demonstrate an injury that defendants were capable of inflicting upon plaintiffs, and by extension fails to show that such an injury could be redressed,” Judge Ann Marie Calabria wrote for the three-judge panel.

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Tullian Tchividjian Posts Possible Book Excerpt at Expastors.com

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Over at the liberal blog Patheos, Warren Throckmorton continues to chronicle what disgraced pastor Tullian Tchividjian has been up to since he admitted to having two adulterous relationships and had to resign from his pulpit at Coral Ridge Presbyterian in South Florida.  Shortly thereafter, Tchividjian was hired by Willow Creek Presbyterian as Director of Ministry Development.  When affair #2 came to light six months later, he was immediately fired.  Now we learn from Throckmorton that Tchividjian remarried in August and that he may be writing a book on his recent history where he reveals that he went through a suicidal period.  He writes:

tullian-tchividjian-3At the expastors.com website an article appears under Tchividjian’s name (oddly with his name spelled incorrectly in the first sentence and image) which promises a vulnerable look at the recent history of the troubled ex-pastor. I suppose it is possible that he had a little help with the article.

There was no mention of his recent remarriage in the expastors article.

Tchividjian reveals that he went through a suicidal period. It sounds like he is on the mend. Good for him and I wish him well.

In the comments section, there is a good deal of arguing back and forth about the nature of this article. Some are skeptical and others are angry. Some wonder if this is a part of the comeback prior to an upcoming book release with David C. Cook.

Many of my readers have shown interest in Tchividjian’s career and this seems to be an interesting turn of events.

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Cruz, Lee Step Up Claims That Justice Department Isn’t Doing Enough to Protect Churches

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According to The Daily Signal:

Freedom of Thought Ben FranklinSens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah are pressing their case that the Department of Justice favors abortion clinics over churches, demanding that the law enforcement agency take steps to ensure “the rights of all American citizens”—not just some—are protected.

In a letter sent Tuesday, obtained first by The Daily Signal, Cruz and Lee criticize the Justice Department’s enforcement of a 1994 law. The intent of the law was to prohibit the use or threat of force and physical obstruction outside abortion clinics, guaranteeing safe access to such facilities.

Before passing the legislation, called the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, lawmakers extended the protections to apply to places of worship.

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World’s first baby born with controversial new “three-parent” technique

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Independent reports:

DNAThe world’s first child created using a controversial “three-parent” baby technique has been born in Mexico, it has been announced.

Limited details about the birth were revealed ahead of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s scientific congress in Salt Lake City next month, where it will be discussed more fully.

According to critics, the procedure is tantamount to genetic modification of humans or even “playing God”. But supporters say it allows women with a particular type of genetic disease to have healthy children who are related to them.

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Rewriting Earth’s Creation Story

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According to Rebecca Boyle of The Atlantic, geologists admit that the scientific community is very quick to criticize those who operate on faith but that’s exactly what they do.  Mark Harrison, a geologist at the University of California at Los Angeles, confessed: “We as a scientific community created an origin myth that has no more intellectual value than Genesis.”  Boyle writes:

earthHumanity’s trips to the moon revolutionized our view of this planet. As seen from another celestial body, Earth seemed more fragile and more precious; the iconic Apollo 8 image of Earth rising above the lunar surface helped launch the modern environmental movement. The moon landings made people want to take charge of Earth’s future. They also changed our view of its past.

Earth is constantly remaking itself, and over the eons it has systematically erased its origin story, subsuming and cannibalizing its earliest rocks. Much of what we think we know about the earliest days of Earth therefore comes from the geologically inactive moon, which scientists use like a time capsule.

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Transgenderism Can Be Helpful

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CNSNews has a piece by economist Walter E. Williams dealing with “biological determinism,” professional sports and the armed forces.  In it he brings up some interesting “what ifs” that many Americans probably haven’t even considered.  He writes:

transgender9North Carolina’s legislative body passed the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, which mandates a statewide policy banning individuals from using public bathrooms that do not correspond to their biological sex, as opposed to their opinion of their sex. That means people must use bathrooms and other public facilities where occupants can be in various stages of undress according to whether their sex chromosomes are XX, in the case of females, or XY, in the case of males. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community claims that the use of biology to determine sex is oppressive and limits alternatives. I agree. I all but argued this in a column earlier this year titled “You Are What You Say You Are.” Let’s look at some possible benefits of freeing oneself from the oppression of biological determinism.

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