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

Russell Moore on why so Many Men Are Hooked on Internet Porn and Video Games

Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice-President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, believes we have become “a generation mired in fake love and fake war.” Moore addresses the root of the disturbing increase in addiction to pornography and video games in today’s electronic society:

If you’re addicted to sugar or tequila or heroin you want more and more of that substance. But porn and video games both are built on novelty, on the quest for newer and different experiences. That’s why you rarely find a man addicted to a single pornographic image. He’s entrapped in an ever-expanding kaleidoscope.

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Is Liberal Christianity Worth Saving?

Ken Connor, chairman of the Center for a Just Society, tackles the question of whether or not a person can be liberal and a Christian at the same time. Ken sees liberal Christianity as a “social club” that undermines the truth that has motivated so much good work, and wonders if it even is worth saving. View article →

The Sovereignty of God in Aurora

Days after the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, many continue to grapple with the heinous display of evil that was presented by now-identified shooter, James Holmes. Writing only hours after the event, Albert Mohler offered words that must stand as a critical reminder:

Christians know that God is sovereign, and that nothing is outside of his control. We also know that he allows evil to exist, and human beings to commit moral atrocities. We cannot allow the sovereignty of God to be denied and evil allowed its independent existence. Source

In the midst of this trial, then, Denny Burk shares a story that does exalt the perfect sovereignty of God. View article →

Members of Military March in San Diego Gay Pride Parade

The Los Angeles Times shares a troubling report out of San Diego:

Led by a Marine sergeant wearing her dress blue uniform and bearing the American flag aloft, several hundred members of the military marched in the city’s LGBT Pride parade Saturday, marking the first time the Department of Defense has permitted personnel to wear their uniforms in a gay festival parade.

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Liberals Change Word Meanings With Intent to Deceive

(Marsha West – Christian Research Network)

The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is. — Winston Churchill

Where I found truth, there found I my God, who is the truth itself. — Augustine

Almost anything is possible if one has the power to change the definition of words. Take for example the word truth. Once upon a time truth had a clear concise meaning.  Merriam-Webster’s dictionary (M-WD) defines truth as “the body of true statements and propositions. Truth is the ‘state of being the case.'”  In other words, it is a fact. A fact is something that actually exists, or an actual occurrence.  M-WD defines In truth as in accordance with facts. “Facts are stubborn things,” said John Adams, “and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”

In our post-modern culture a number of people have come to believe that there is no absolute truth.  For them all truth is relative.  M-WD defines relativism thusly: “A theory that knowledge is relative to the limited nature of the mind and the conditions of knowing (b) a view that ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them.”  The relativist will declare, “What’s true for you is not true for me” also “no one can know anything for sure.” For the relativist there is no universal moral truth, only what each individual perceives as truth. We all have our own truth, they say, and it is intolerant to push our views on others.

Surprisingly a growing number of self-professed Christians embrace the concept of moral relativism even though doing one’s own thing is patently unbiblical.

John 8:32“What is truth?” Pontius Pilot asked Jesus prior to sending Him to the cross. In this instance Jesus chose to remain silent, but on other occasions He addressed the truth question head-on.  For instance, He stated “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6).  Anyone who rejects Jesus Christ will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven — ever.

Truthful means “telling or disposed to tell the truth.” Truth defines what a person believes in. It is not abstract, like a feeling or an idea. Jesus declared, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). “Your word” is the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.  Take the time to read it “and ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32).

Ask yourself this question, professed Christian: If there is no absolute truth as the moral relativist claim, then why did the Apostle John assert, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17)?

Liberal ideologues redefine words to help advance a religious, political, environmental, scientific or social agenda. Never mind that to do so is to pervert the truth. Their motto is “The end justifies the means” or to be more precise: Do whatever it is you must in order to get the result you want, regardless of the methods used.  “It does not matter whether these methods are legal or illegal, fair or foul, kind or cruel, truth or lies, democratic or dictatorial, good or evil.”

The cults are infamous for perverting historically accepted biblical terms. “Is it any wonder then,” said the late Christian apologist/polemicist Dr. Walter Martin in The Riddle of Semantics, “that orthodox Christians feel called upon to openly denounce such perversions of clearly defined and historically accepted biblical terminology, and claim that the cults have no rights — scholastically, biblically, or linguistically — to redefine biblical terms as they do?” (Source)

Oh that more evangelical Christians would feel called upon to denounce cultists who bastardize Christianity. Likewise, politicians are infamous for taking a word and twisting it into a pretzel. Even a former president of the United States did some fancy word twisting when he thought it would get him off the hook. You may recall how Bill Clinton stunned the nation during the Monica Lewinsky probe when he stated under oath:

Pinocchio

If the — if he — if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not — that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement….Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true.

In an age of moral relativism there’s no virtue in honesty. In fact, being dishonest, underhanded, unfaithful, unashamed and unrepentant is commonplace among our elected officials – even worse, those who profess a belief in Jesus Christ!  It is a sad day when our Christian clergy and Church leadership blatantly sin and exhibit no remorse and only repent when others compel them to.

When it comes to perverting the intended meaning of words unscrupulous radical gay activists are sharper than a dual blade saw.  They know all too well that if they’re going to achieve the acceptance they yearn for, they must manipulate words that are a stumbling block to their cause…which is to make same-sex sex appear as normal as, well, normal heterosexual sex.

For example, homosexuals have fought to prohibit thought on the question of whether or not sodomy is normal. Anyone who dares to take the position that sodomy is unnatural is accused of spreading hate.  Even our once free press is no longer free to be critical of homosexuality for fear of the Lavender Police coming down on them.  Not surprisingly the gay activists that are supposedly all about tolerance go mute when the media smears a gay conservative or a Christian leader.

Before radical homosexuals stripped “normal” of its original definition, it meant “occurring naturally.” This leads one to wonder: If a practice goes against nature, is it normal or abnormal? Common sense dictates that man on man/woman on woman sex is not only abnormal it is in fact a sexual perversion. I can report that this is true because the M-WD defines perversion as “an aberrant sexual practice or interest especially when habitual.”

If we can’t trust M-WD to give accurate word definitions, we’re doomed! So, in order to mainstream homosexuality gays and lesbians have had to resort to perverting the meaning of words. And to avoid hurting a homosexual person’s feelings, a large number of people (including people of faith) have all but waved the white flag of surrender.

The reason I bring up homosexuality is not to attack gays and lesbians, as I will certainly be accused of, but to show that liberals have had huge success in changing vocabulary and terminology to normalize aberrant behavior.  Other examples of this are fanatical feminist fruitloops who’ve been pushing to change the meaning of the word “prostitute” to “sex-worker.” And then there are the pathological perverts whose primary sexual preference is for prepubescent boys and girls insisting on replacing the term pedophilia with the softer sounding “intergenerational sex.”

Moving back to the cults, as I pointed out the cults are masterful at word manipulation as stated by Dr. Martin:

Devil is a liar

If the reader consults the Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, published by the Unity School of Christianity, he will see the masterpiece of redefinition for himself. For in this particular volume, Unity has redefined exhaustively many of the cardinal terms of biblical theology, much as Mary Baker Eddy did in her Glossary of Terms in the book Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures. The reader will be positively amazed to find what has happened to biblical history, the person of Adam, the concept of human sin, spiritual depravity, and eternal judgment. One thing, however, will emerge very clearly from this study: Unity may use the terminology of the Bible, but by no stretch of the imagination can the redefinition be equated with the thing itself. (Source)

To put it bluntly, cultists lie.  M-WD defines liar thusly: to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive.  2: to create a false or misleading impression.

Change agents intentionally create a false impression. And as I said, liberal ideologues redefine words to help advance a religious, political, environmental, scientific or social agenda.

For the liberal elites (the news media, politicians, jurists, attorneys, radical homosexuals, rabid feminists, Hollywood, environmental extremists, scientists, educators, even some religious leaders) words are whatever they say they are!

Most Americans have been asleep at the wheel while powerful far left ideologues work ’round the clock to create words in his or her own image. Before long we’ll all be echoing “One Nation Under Liberals.”  However, for them to accomplish their desired goals they must first obliterate truth. Dr. Martin warned of the dangers of perverting semantics:

The problem of semantics has always played an important part in human affairs, for by its use or abuse, whichever the case may be, entire churches, thrones, and governments have been erected, sustained, or overthrown. The late George Orwell’s stirring novel 1984, in which he points out that the redefinition of common political terms can lead to slavery when it is allowed to pass unchallenged by a lethargic populace, is a classic illustration of the dangers of perverted semantics. It should be of no particular surprise to any student of world history that trick terminology is a powerful propaganda weapon. (Source)

The lethargic populace seems not to realize what some sly devils have been doing. And if the populace is aware of what’s going on they seem not to understand the dangers of perverted semantics.  People had better come out of their stupor before it’s too late.

Resources:

Cults & Aberrant Teaching

Homosexual Agenda

New Age Movement

Adapted from Words Are Whatever I Say They Are

Copyright by Marsha West, 2012.  All rights reserved.

Rift Forms in Movement as Belief in Gay ‘Cure’ Is Renounced

Many in the ex-gay world would disagree with what Mr. Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, stated in the following report from The New York Times:

The ex-gay movement has been convulsed as the leader of Exodus, in a series of public statements and a speech to the group’s annual meeting last week, renounced some of the movement’s core beliefs. Alan Chambers, 40, the president, declared that there was no cure for homosexuality and that “reparative therapy” offered false hopes to gays and could even be harmful. His statements have led to charges of heresy and a growing schism within the network.

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Has God Called You? The Calling of the Christian Minister

Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, reminds us that “Only God can call a true minister, and only He can grant the minister the gifts necessary for service. Dr. Mohler begins his piece:

Has God called you to ministry? Though all Christians are called to serve the cause of Christ, God calls certain persons to serve the Church as pastors and other ministers. Writing to young Timothy, the Apostle Paul confirmed that if a man aspires to be a pastor, “it is a fine work he aspires to do.” [I Timothy 3:1, NASB] Likewise, it is a high honor to be called of God into the ministry of the Church. How do you know if God is calling you?

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At a Glance: Contemplative Prayer

CRN research articles give a concise overview of a specific topic and provide links to resources for further study. The most recently published research article examines contemplative prayer, discussing some of the dangers of this practice and contrasting it with what the Bible teaches about prayer. View article →

A Woman’s Right to Choose…the Sex of Her Baby?

Sex-selected abortion is a procedure that allows a pregnant woman to choose the sex of her child. If she has conceived a girl but prefers a boy, she has the option to abort the baby girl. There is no law prohibiting this procedure. Americans now must decide whether or not choosing the sex of a child is a woman’s right. Marsha West addresses this issue head on. View article →

The Push for Gender-Neutral Childhood in Sweden

The Baptist Press reports:

Forget “his” and “hers.” Sweden has introduced a new, gender-neutral pronoun: “hen.”

The word was added to the online version of the country’s National Encyclopedia days after International Women’s Day.

But now, activists want to push the matter to its natural and logical conclusion. They want to abolish gender altogether, and construct a utopian, gender neutral society. They’re intent on raising up a new generation of children who’ve been freed from the limitations of stereotyped gender roles.

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Gay Marriage at Issue in Pentagon Budget Bill

The Baptist Press gives details of amendments to the House defense bill that prevent same-sex marriages from taking place on U.S. military bases. According to one amendment sponsor, Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss:

This amendment is intended to clear up any doubt and reinforce the [Defense of Marriage Act’s] authority as it applies to those installations.

What is at stake here is the religious liberty of all military service members including chaplains. The report asserts that,

The Obama administration issued a statement saying it “strongly objects” to these amendments protecting chapels and the conscience of chaplains and other service members. The administration stated those provisions “adopt unnecessary and ill-advised policies that would inhibit the ability of same-sex couples to marry or enter a recognized relationship.”

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The Gay Divorcees

Charles C. W. Cooke, an editorial associate for National Review, reports that research indicates that there are more homosexuals divorcing than one may think. He writes:

Announcing the results of his long-term “evolution” on the subject last week, President Obama revived the debate over gay marriage. In the widespread discussion, however, there is one question that’s rarely asked: How interested are gay couples in getting married?

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God’s Opinion of You Lasts Forever

American televangelist Joyce Meyer has a large number of devoted fans, not only in America, but also worldwide. Joyce’s critics claim she is a false teacher who has charmed tens of thousands of unsuspecting Christians into Word of Faith heresy. Marsha West is one such critic. She writes:

A Christian friend of mine is reading one of Joyce Meyer’s books. If you haven’t heard of Meyer, she is a popular health and wealth author/radio & TV teacher/conference speaker who believes God is our sugar daddy. The evangelist has been criticized for her “conspicuously prosperous lifestyle.” According to my friend, Joyce’s books are “uplifting.” She didn’t like hearing that some of her favorite author’s teaching is theological heresy. To my friend’s way of thinking, if a book makes you feel good, doctrine isn’t all that important.

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What the Bible Really Still Says About Homosexuality

Kevin DeYoung, Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church, dismantles an article written by Catholic priest Daniel Helminiak wherein it is asserted that “nowhere does the Bible actually oppose homosexuality.” DeYoung writes:

On Tuesday afternoon, CNN ran an article on its Belief Blog by Catholic priest (sort of) Daniel Helminiak entitled “My Take: What the Bible really says about homosexuality.” The article is amazing for including so many bad arguments in so little space. A quick trip through the piece will show you what I mean.

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White House 'Strongly Objects' to Legislation Protecting Military Chaplains from Doing Same-Sex Weddings

CNS News Reports:

The Obama administration “strongly objects” to provisions in a House defense authorization bill that would prohibit the use of military property for same-sex “marriage or marriage-like” ceremonies, and protect military chaplains from negative repercussions for refusing to act against their consciences, as, for example, in being ordered to perform a same-sex marriage ceremony.

In a policy statement released Wednesday, the White House Office of Management and Budget outlined numerous objections to aspects of the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 4310). The bill was reported out of the House Armed Services Committee last week and is set to be debated in the House, beginning Wednesday.

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At A Glance: Spiritual Formation

CRN research articles give a concise overview of a specific topic and provide links to resources for further study. The most recently published research article examines spiritual formation, and offers a brief history and overview, as well as a discussion of some potential dangers. View article →

People of Faith Must Join the Fight to Preserve Normal Marriage

Changing the definition of marriage will have long term implications. Marsha West urges those who are opposed to same-sex marriage to join the fight to preserve biblical marriage. She writes:

In an effort to destroy the definition of marriage in America, President Obama abruptly announced that he is in favor of same-sex marriage. This came as no big surprise as he had already decided that the Department of Justice would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law that defines marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman. Likewise he repealed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that prohibited openly gay men and lesbians from serving in the military. The president left many scratching their heads asking why he didn’t wait until after the election to make the announcement.

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Sex Sells, Even in Christian Bookstores

The Christian Post reports:

There’s been no shortage of Christian books on the topic of sex in recent months, and Christians across the United States are buying them up in order to spice up their marriages.

DeeperCalling Media (DCM), an online Christian bookstore supplier and Christian product retailer, reports “sizzling sex book sales” among Christian bookstores, indicating that Christians are not as “prude” as they are sometimes thought to be.

“We have been astounded by the marked increase in the sales of Christian Books on the topics of Sex. It’s clear that in tough economic times people are seeking ways to improve their lives through better relationships with those closest to them,” said Joe Kerr, marketing manager for DCM, in a statement.

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Five Reasons Christians Should Continue to Oppose Gay Marriage

Kevin DeYoung, Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church and Council Member of The Gospel Coalition, urges Christians not to go silent on the same-sex marriage issue. He writes:

Yesterday, to no one’s surprise, President Obama revealed in an interview that after some “evolution” he has “concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”

The temptation, then, is for Christians go silent and give up the marriage fight: “It’s no use staying in this battle,” we think to ourselves. “We don’t have to change our personal position. We’ll keep speaking the truth and upholding the Bible in our churches, but getting worked up over gay marriage in the public square is counter productive. It’s a waste of time. It makes us look bad. It ruins our witness. And we’ve already lost. Time to throw in the towel.” I understand that temptation. It is an easier way. But I do not think it is the right way, the God glorifying way, or the way of love.

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Jennifer Knapp, "Gay Christian Icon"?

The Religion News Service has released a story about musician Jennifer Knapp, calling her “an unlikely gay Christian icon.” Knapp was a popular contemporary Christian singer until she came out as a lesbian several years ago. Now Jennifer refers to herself as a “gay Christian artist” and urges Christians to affirm homosexuals. The singer performs regularly for Christian congregations and youth groups and revealed that, “Those listeners who used to treat her like ‘a big rock star’ now approach her after a concert for counsel about their sexual orientation.”

According to the article:

Her new album and her performances have found an audience with some of her old fans as well as Christians who — gay or straight — are hungry for churches to address LGBT issues and the challenges gay Christians face when they come out.

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When Paul Sent the Celebrity Pastor

Kevin DeYoung, Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church and a Council Member of The Gospel Coalition, wrestles with what it means to be a “celebrity pastor.” Could Christians be misguided in their allegiance to specific teachers and leaders? He writes:

Here is a verse that caught my attention yesterday: “With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel” (2 Cor. 8:18).

There are many things we’d like to know, but don’t know about this verse.

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