“Let’s be frank: A dangerous movement, undetected by many but real, is now challenging and eroding our great tradition of religious freedom. There can be no doubt. It’s no little matter. It must be confronted intellectually and politically and defeated.”
(Eric Tucker – AP) American culture has become “less hospitable to people of faith,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday in vowing that the Justice Department would protect people’s religious freedom and convictions. Continue reading
15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. Matthew 7:15-23 (NASB) (Read verses 18-23 on the site)
The attack on Sola Scriptura is nothing new nor should we be surprised by the shrill and accusing voices of those whom seem bent on leading their adoring followers into greater and greater error and apostasy. This attack on the Word of God is first seen in Genesis 3 when our enemy asked of Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
Rick Becker tackles the claim that the Carr Fire raging in Shasta County that has engulfed more than 100,000 acres is a sign of God’s judgment on Bethel Church in Redding CA. Is that true? You can read Becker’s piece over at Famine In The Land. He writes:
The Carr fire that has caused devastation in California, has weaved it’s way into Redding, home of Bethel church. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed, and at the time of this writing two lives have been lost. This tragedy comes shortly after the horrific fires in Greece that took the lives of at least sixty people. Across the world, other tragedies are taking place in the form of other natural disasters, wars, disease, and starvation. The Carr fire has captured the attention of those familiar with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) due to one of the chief proponents of NAR false doctrines being Bethel church. In this brief post, I would like to address the speculation concerning the reason for the fire. Continue reading
VanHall said everyone drinks responsibly, having a glass of wine or beer in a comfortable atmosphere where “people cannot only listen to a progressive take on theology but can also engage in conversation.”
(Ian Cull – NBC) Would you drink at church?
The Greater Purpose Community Church has held services for five years in Santa Cruz, but a new and interesting concept has gained them new followers.
“We decided to sell the building, because for us a church is a community and a movement,” said Pastor Chris VanHall. “It’s not brick and mortar.” Continue reading
“This is what Chris Roseborugh, the minister who hosts Fighting for the Faith and researches false teachers for a living, had to say about David Barton: ‘There are people who twist God’s word and then there are people who just make fleeting references to it…Dave Barton…is flat out deceitful…he needs to clean up his act…he is discrediting himself and he is discrediting Christianity by engaging in this kind of deception.'”
(Seth Dunn – Pulpit & Pen) My grandfather was a World War II veteran. He was a part of the 10th Mountain Division, which fought the Axis Powers in Italy. He was a gregarious storyteller and relayed to our family more than a few humorous tales of his wartime service. If my grandfather had traumatic experiences during the war he did not, like many of his contemporaries, let on about them…. Continue reading
“To progressives, the world is a fallen place — beset by racism, sexism, homophobia, and the rest — that must be transformed and made right,” noted “Big Agenda” author David Horowitz of the mindset. “This redemption was once called communism and is now called socialism, or ‘social justice.’”
With their enthusiastic embrace today of social justice sensibilities, many Jesuit universities — from Marquette University in Wisconsin to Seattle University in Washington — are suffering, it seems, from an identity crisis. Continue reading
1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 1 Timothy 4:1 (NASB)
Being Reformed in my theology, I adhere to the Sovereignty of God in all things. He keeps remnants of believers even in the most apostate of times. He always has pockets of genuine believers who know their Lord by His grace through the faith He gives no matter what darkness is attacking the Church. According the the passage I placed at the top of this post, we see what the source is of the false doctrines propagated by apostate “Christian” leaders. That source, of course, is that they have been seduced by evil spirits and now they are following and teaching the doctrines of demons or devils. In this post we will look at the different epochs or eras that have not only come to attack the Church down through the ages, but have remained and are still with us now. …
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12 (NASB)
In the passage above the words “Put on” translate the Greek verb ἐνδύσασθε (endysasthe) the second plural, aorist middle imperative case of ἐνδύω (endyō) which means “clothe.” This is a command for believers to clothe themselves with the “full armor of God” and never take it off. Why? The Church and God’s truth are continually under attack by our enemy. We ἐνδύσασθε this whole armor in order to stand firm in the evil day. Well, this is most definitely an evil day when truth is seen as something to be bargained away or shunned while lies and that which only appears to be the truth is elevated as if it is the truth. Therefore, we must become discerning and wise and that means we must consistently wear this armor.
“If ever there was a marriage NOT made in heaven, it would be former Governor Keating and the bishops. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that a good number of these bishops were guilty of extensive criminal behavior, and that they almost had to be sexual predators of some sort themselves.”
(Rod Dreher – The American Conservative) Breaking news out of Pennsylvania: the state Supreme Court has ordered the release next month of a 900-page grand jury report that will discuss more than 300 “predator priests” in six of the state’s eight Catholic dioceses.
According to PennLive.com: Continue reading
“One would think that the ‘ethics’ organization of the SBC would be the first – and not literally the last – to speak up on the issue of Revoice. Both Mohler and Moore have been tremendous examples of the lack of courage it takes to lead from behind.”
(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen) With Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) research fellows (who have recently lectured at Southern Seminary’s Fuller Center) endorsing the LGBT Revoice Conference, and with Russell Moore defending her decision to endorse the conference at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, Albert Mohler very carefully stuck his wet finger to the wind to determine which way it was blowing and spoke out against Revoice the day it began. Continue reading
Defying Congress, weaponizing government, lying to voters, and erecting a justice double standard created a bitter harvest today.
(Mark Tapscott – LifeZette) Former President Barack Obama’s eight years in the White House were marked by four huge scandals, each of which uniquely contributed to the unprecedented level of corruption now being exposed in the FBI’s Russia collusion investigation.
The four scandals include: Continue reading
While God’s Word does not give us all the details about our future home with Him, Scripture is hardly silent when it comes to His eternal kingdom. In fact, the Bible contains many descriptions of heaven.
However, some of those descriptions are cast in apocalyptic or prophetic language filled with symbolism and mystery. Such complex imagery can be confusing, even for seasoned biblical scholars. Some want to treat the verses like riddles or treasure maps that unlock deeper meaning and hidden truths about what we can expect in heaven. Others look to allegorize the imagery, leading down infinite rabbit trails of subjective interpretation. But that’s not why the writers of Scripture—under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—described their heavenly visions the way they did.
“One volunteer who overheard my name and publication went out of his way to tell me that he was a PCA pastor and that he was here for the same reason I was, which was to love people.”
(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen) Pulling up to the Revoice Conference, I saw a group of volunteers in matching Revoice t-shirts standing at the entrance. I approached and was asked by several of them (yes, several of them – at the same time) if I had registered. I asked to use the restroom (it was a long drive) and they hesitantly allowed me to step into the foyer, telling me, “Come right back here when you are done.” One waited by the door. Continue reading
Recently Jimmy Carter, a professing Christian, commented that, in his opinion, same-sex marriage doesn’t damage anyone. Linda Harvey of Mission: America begs to differ with him, and she gives plenty of examples of why the former president is dead wrong. Harvey also presents three good reasons that American Christians should speak “loudly and vigorously to contend against the unhinged ‘LGBTQ’ movement.”
Here’s Linda Harvey’s piece:
Vicious attacks on Christians? People losing their jobs and businesses? Kids being corrupted? Church communities in total disarray? Continue reading
President Donald Trump vowed Thursday to investigate Twitter for their practice of “shadow banning” Republicans and conservatives.
(Charlie Spiering – Breitbart) “Not good. We will look into this discriminatory and illegal practice at once!” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Many complaints.”
Breitbart News has covered Twitter’s practice of hiding tweets and accounts of conservatives for over a year. … Continue reading
By Marsha West
Reposted 2018.
Before I report on Apostle Bill’s endeavor to involve his followers in his “grave sucking,” undertaking, I must tell you a brief story that involves an angel, a gift, and slaying a dragon.
May 2005
Wednesday night at half past 11, I was in bed reading when a white lightning bolt struck the floor and out stepped a dazzling creature with wings the length of a 747. “Do not fear!” he said when he saw the alarmed expression on my face. “I am the angel Archibald!” My husband was sacked out next to me with a pillow over his head so he announced in a quiet voice, “I have come with a message from the Lord of hosts.”
A flood of feathers were floating around the room so I covered my nose and mouth with both hands. But it was too late. “Ah-choo!”
“God bless you!” said the angel.
Now I was certain that this heavenly being was a messenger from the Lord. I tapped my husband on the back and whispered, “Wake up.” Dead to the world. A poke in the ribs and, “Honey…you gotta see this.”
A muffled voice groaned, “Whuuut?”
“We have a visitor.
The pillow came off his head. He turned over and sat bolt upright in bed and glanced around the room. When he spotted Archibald hovering in the corner he exclaimed, “Holy cow!”
“Cow?” said the angel, seeming a bit cross. “Hardly!” His eyes shifted from my stunned husband and settled on me. In a strong clear voice he stated matter-of-factly: “The Spirit of God has bestowed upon you a new gift. Forthwith you shall become a blogger.”
He eyed me quizzically as he waited to hear my response. When none was forthcoming, the messengere said firmly, “You are to use your gift to expose ravenous wolves that have slipped into the sheep pen under the cover of darkness and are teaching doctrines of demons…”
I didn’t have to ask what he meant by doctrines of demons. He had to be alluding to Word of Faith…New Apostolic Reformation…Purpose Driven…Emergent…Social Justice…New Age…New Thought and other false teaching that had crept into churches and seminaries while those who were supposed to shepherd the flock were asleep at the wheel. I said to myself: “I’ve tried telling believers about false teaching. But they won’t listen. My words go in one ear and out the other.”
The angel broke into my thoughts: “There are counterfeits who call themselves new apostles and prophets. These men and women are giving Him (he glanced up at the ceiling) a bad name. Expose them as false teachers!” His wings stopped fluttering. Now he was as still as a stone. “Are you ready to serve your King?” he asked.
“Are you kidding me?” I spat in disbelief. “First of all, I’m not gifted to write – or at least I wasn’t, until now.” I searched for excuses. “And…and I only got a B in English…by the skin of my teeth—“
The angel cut me off sharply. “Certainly you do not think that is news to Him (he glanced up at the ceiling).”
He had a point. God knows all things, including my grades in college. Perhaps the Lord wanted me out of my comfort zone. Writing a blog would definitely accomplish that. One last try: “But…um… I’m nobody! No one will listen to a word I say.”
“Some will listen,” Archibald assured me. “And many others will continue believing lies. It is always that way with humans.”
I turned to my husband and said in a pleading tone, “Tell him no one will take me seriously.”
My husband came out of his stupor. He looked at me with a serious expression and said, “God uses nobodies all the time, hon. But there’s a catch. You’ve got to be willing.” Our eyes locked. “So, are you willing?”
Am I willing? I wondered. I needed but a moment to ponder his question. Yes, I guess I am, I said to myself. I’m more than willing. All at once I felt as if I could slay a dragon. “OK, I’ll do it!” I squeezed my husband’s hand. “The two of us can do it together.”
We high-fived. “We’ve always made a good team,” he said with a grin.
I gave Archibald a thumbs up. “We’re in!”
My husband lowered his eyes and said quietly, “Both of us, if the Lord will have me.”
The angel looked up at the ceiling, nodded, gave my husband a thumbs up and said, “He will have you.” Then poof! he was gone from the room.
The next morning I discovered a large silver feather on the floor where Archibald had appeared to us. He had left his calling card.
Bentley’s Angels
In part one I covered New Apostolic Reformation’s rock-star evangelist Todd Bentley and the shame he brought on the Name of our Lord and how “Super Apostles” Bill Johnson and Rick Joyner restored him to ministry despite his obvious character flaws. There were exaggerated healings and dangerous “healing” practices that included assaulting the sick with leg drops, high kicks and head punches which he claimed the Lord told him to do to people who came to him for help. Moreover, Bentley drank excessively, committed adultery and soon thereafter left his wife and children and married the adulteress. There’s a whole lot more to report on the fraud evangelist, but space does not allow. So – why bring him up again? Because he says angels visit him. It’s not uncommon for people who are into “signs and wonders” strange manifestations, and other esoteric experiences to boast of angel visitations. Two angels who supposedly come to Bentley are Emma-O and the Winds of Change. Winds is supposedly “a high-ranking angel over all the ones assigned to healing, breakthrough and revival unto harvest.”
To the best of my knowledge Todd Bentley has never met the Angel Archibald. But I have. Or have I?
Do you see the problem? I made up a story and so can you. Anyone with a vivid imagination can make up a story about angel visitations, trips to heaven, and whatnot. But there’s no way to validate all the wild claims people make. Sadly, NAR leaders pitch their stories to gullible sheeple who want desperately to believe that their heroes would never lie to them. This might explain why “Super Apostle” Rick Joyner’s followers hang on his every word as he looks straight into a video camera and testifies that he’s been to heaven. During one of his many visits he claims the Lord handed him the key to eternal joy. Watch the video he made and you’ll see that I’m not making this up. In it Apostle Rick crows that he’s had a number of encounters with Elijah, and he knows many others who’ve had Elijah encounters too! He’s quick to point out that it’s not necromancy (communicating with the dead) because Elijah was taken up to heaven without dying. At 9:20 minutes you’ll learn how he met Enoch.
But this is not about Rick Joyner’s spiritual gift of pulling the wool over the sheep’s eyes. So I’ll move on.
Grave Sucking
It’s hard to imagine anything more ludicrous than “grave sucking” yet Apostle Bill endorses this macabre practice. Grave sucking aka “mantle grabbing” occurs when the Holy Spirit draws powers from the bones of a deceased person who, while alive, was allegedly Spirit empowered. Since God’s mission for the dead is thwarted when he dies, the Spirit passes on his powers to individuals who visit their graves.
According to Victory Ministries, Apostle Bill led a group to John Lake’s grave where the following ensued:
He was looking for Lake’s anointing to heal the sick by a supernatural power. The people seeking this new paranormal anointing prostrated themselves upon Lake’s grave weeping, worshipping and expecting that Lake’s ministry power would strike them and his spirit would infuse them with a sign and wonders ministry like he had when he was alive. Thus, a new preternatural cult was formed that day that is now referred to as “grave sucking.”
Mr. Johnson testified about this bazaar act of desecration and necromancy (the practice of attempting to communicate with the spirits of the dead in order to predict or influence the future) that he and his group committed on Sid Roth’s radio show, “It’s Supernatural”
Johnson spun a weird mystical/Occult experience tale to Sid Roth about meeting the Late John Lake’s angel in the building where Lake had previously ministered in his healing rooms. He testified that two ladies went to a back room and they met a giant angel there that healed one of the women. They called Johnson and when he came into the room, he claimed there was an angel about 10 feet tall. Sid asked him, did you see the angel? Johnson replied “No, but I knew he was there and the angel said to me, ‘What took you so long, I’ve been here for 80 years!’” (Source)
If this is true, it should surprise no one that Bill Johnson claims that he had a tête-à-tête with an angel.
What does the Bible say about playing around in the spirit realm?:
Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. (Colossians 2:18-19)
Bethel School Of Sorcery
Apostle Bill runs the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding CA. According to its website:
(BSSM) is committed to the truth that God loves people, gave Himself for them and has given His Church supernatural power to bring individuals and nations into wholeness. The mission of BSSM is to equip and deploy revivalists who passionately pursue world-wide transformation in their God-given spheres of influence. Students are trained to continue in the ministry style of Jesus: to enjoy the presence of God, say what He is saying, and do what He is doing. (emphasis added)
Basically, BSSM trains people to heal the sick and raise the dead. This raises the question: why do these folks not bring dead people back to life in America, Canada and western European countries? Why only in the developing countries? If the dearly departed are coming out of their graves in the developed countries, the media would surely report on it.
Insanity
The Redding Spotlight describes one man’s experience at Bethel Church (BC):
After a strange experience with an erratic Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry student who baby-sat his children, Bart McCurdy of Cottonwood decided to find out for himself what was going on at Bethel.
McCurdy said he attended a Friday night service at the church, during which he saw people painting on stage, dancing and flailing around on the ground. He found their worship music unconventional when one line of the same song was played for at least 11 minutes, he said.
McCurdy said the repetitive music, dancing, painting and excessive stimuli serve to get people worked up into an emotional frenzy where they’re expecting to see miraculous things.
“They come looking for that feel-good feeling, that high, for supposed miracles, supposed signs and wonders, speaking in tongues, gold dust, diamonds, feathers [floating down from the ceiling]. … It seems like they’re just ready for it,” he said.
Once, as she ran through her house frantically searching for her journals, the baby sitter told McCurdy the anti-Christ was in her house and Jesus was in hell saving people, he said. Shortly after that, she went into a trancelike state and said she felt 20 feet tall before losing consciousness…. The behavior made him believe she was demon-possessed, he said.
McCurdy said he regularly downloads podcasts of Bethel messages and hasn’t heard the Christian gospel message taught at Bethel. …
Then what gospel does Apostle Bill preach if not the gospel of Christ taught in the Bible? He teaches the Word of Faith/prosperity gospel (WoF) that saves no one. What is the true gospel message?
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8-9)
See also 1 Cor. 15:1-8
Despite the fact that Apostle Bill teaches a false gospel he’s hugely popular with many professing Christians. His book sales are in the millions. He’s become so popular that a large number of churches around the globe are affiliated with BC. This speaks volumes as to the current state of evangelicalism. Sadly, a growing number of believers have zero discernment, thus they accept every “wind of doctrine.” Translation: Every sort of false teaching that blows their way.
A Challenge
Christians have been warned that charismania, as some call it, represents a danger to millions of people around the globe, especially to LIEs (low information evangelicals) and the unsaved. Because of self-professed apostles and prophets such as C. Peter Wagner, Rick Joyner (mentioned in part one), Bill Johnson and a slew of others, we’ve seen an unbridled abuse of the Holy Spirit. After reading this series, I challenge you to do your own research (links below). Before starting, pray that God will reveal truth to you. What you’ll discover is that WoF/NAR teaching isn’t remotely close to historic orthodox Christianity — and it certainly isn’t the Christianity for which the martyrs shed their blood! Flee from it!
Resources:
Strange Fire Conference Q&A—Phil Johnson interviews John MacArthur
Peter Wagner launches WLI Seattle, Sonrise Chapel, Feb. 3, 2008–Around 54:00 into the session, Wagner responds to a question during the Q&A. He tells the audience that when the Holy Spirit stopped revealing things through the written Word, He kept on revealing new things to us through the “Rhema Word.” He claims that the Holy Spirit still speaks to us today by giving us information that you cannot find in the 66 books of the Bible, info that the Bible doesn’t address, but it’s not contradictory.
NAR “Apostle C. Peter Wagner teaching its key doctrine of Dominionism
Todd Friel of Wretched Radio/TV on Bill Johnson — 2:14 min.
Why I Must Speak Out Against the NAR and Bethel Church—Tony Miano, host of Cross Encounters radio, discusses, among other things, the music of BC’s music team Jesus Culture (more below). Listen to Tony tell of his Twitter chat with Beni Johnson, Bill’s pastorette wife.
Bill Johnson…scroll down—Apologetics Index
New Apostolic Reformation/Dominionism —On Solid Rock Resources
Bethel Church’s Music & Entertainment:
Jesus Culture of Bethel Church and Practicing Raising the Dead
The “Jesus Culture” – a petri dish for growing young new heretics?
Watch And Weep:
Gold dust rains at Bethel service
Bethel Church children’s director and “trips to heaven, with kids”
School of Worship – Prophetic Song
Helpful Scripture:
Copyright by Marsha West, 2014. All rights reserved.
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:1-8 (NASB) (Read verses 5-8 on the site)
There is a form of man-centered theology that is called “vision-casting” or “vision-questing.” Beware of it, whatever those who do it call it. The crux of their theology goes something like this. God wants everyone to have a vision and so every Christian needs to try really hard to pursue a vision until it aches within them. Then they know its from God and then they need to run after it as hard as they can. What passages from the Bible do you suppose they use to support that? Well, since its not found anywhere in God’s Word, they attempt to use passages out of context to do that and then misrepresent …
“Delving into this issue begs the question of how broadly do you go, how far back do you go? Happily, we have answers from Scripture, because Ezekiel 18:20, Jeremiah 31:30, Deuteronomy 24:16, Galatians 6:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 2:6, and other verse are crystal clear that each man is responsible for his own sins, and not the sins of his ancestors or other people.”
(Hohn Cho – PiroManiacs) Reader AK said: I and others are still unclear on the “woke dogmas” or the unifying convictions of this “Christian justice movement”
This is a somewhat challenging question, because as with many decentralized movements, different people are going to answer this question in diverse ways. But as someone who participated avidly in the secular version of this movement for many years and has observed it in the church for several years, here is my effort. Continue reading
“We could collect all of the straws in North America, bundle them together and shoot them into the Sun, and the state of the ocean would hardly be improved at all.”
(Matt Walsh – Daily Wire) There is nothing wrong with trying to cut down on waste. There is nothing wrong with trying to cut down on the amount of straws we use. But when you use fake statistics to whip up hysteria, and you indulge in extreme exaggeration and blatant falsehood, and especially when you use these exaggerations and falsehoods as the basis for unnecessary laws, then it becomes incumbent on honest people to step in and correct the record. Continue reading
The American Center for Law & Justice, which has been representing Brunson, called the house arrest news a “major development.”
(Bridget Johnson – PJ Media) Citing the pastor’s health problems as the reason, a Turkish court today ordered that Andrew Brunson be moved from prison to house arrest.
Brunson still faces 35 years in prison after the regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan swept up the longtime Turkey resident, along with several other Americans, in his post-coup purges. … Continue reading
Is the office of apostle and prophet in the midst of being re-established, as some people would have us believe? And is the God-ordained government of the Church now in place for the first time since the early days of the initial believers of the first 300 years? Churchwatch Central (CWC) continues to expose a diabolical movement that has infiltrated the visible Church known as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). In this piece, CWC reveals that from the very beginning of the movement the wolves in sheep’s clothing mentioned above were fully aware of and on board with the plan to lay the foundation for a global church governed by them.
Now to CWC’s exposé — they’ve included photos of NAR leaders: Continue reading
45 Philip *found Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:45-46 (NASB)
In the passage above, John 1:45-46, we see two of our Lord’s future Apostles, Philip and Nathanael, conversing. Philip finds his friend Nathanael and tells him that he and other friends have has found “him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote.” This is, of course, the Messiah. Then he tells him who he is, “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” What was Nathanael’s response? He asked a rhetorical question, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” What was Philip’s answer? It was the one we must all take to heart and make the foundation of how we approach both evangelism and apologetics. He said, “Come and see.”
“But critics will say that the OT does not count, and in the NT we are just supposed to be nice to everyone and not judge anyone. But actually reading the NT quickly dispels these dodgy notions. Recall how John the Baptist was not afraid to take on the authorities of his day. He even rebuked Herod, the pro-Roman king of the Jews.”
(Bill Muehlenberg – Culture Watch) I have lost count of the number of times I have heard some Christians say that believers should not seek to impose their morality on non-believers; that we should not expect pagans and/or leaders to adhere to basic biblical morality; and that we should never judge non-believers. Usually they are trendy, lefty Christians, and I hear this far too often from them. Continue reading
“In my public comments Sunday morning, I observed that the newly disclosed FISA applications are so shoddy that the judges who approved them ought to be asked some hard questions. I’ve gotten flak for that, no doubt because President Trump tweeted part of what I said. I stand by it. Still, some elaboration, which a short TV segment does not allow for, is in order.”
(Andrew C. McCarthy – National Review) On a sleepy summer Saturday, after months of stonewalling, the FBI dumped 412 pages of documents related to the Carter Page FISA surveillance warrants — the applications, the certifications, and the warrants themselves. Now that we can see it all in black and white — mostly black, as they are heavily redacted — it is crystal clear that the Steele dossier, an unverified Clinton-campaign product, was the driving force behind the Trump–Russia investigation. Continue reading
“Pro-family advocates around the world have warned that conversion therapy bans can be so broadly interpreted as to prohibit simple, responsible conversations about gender issues. Pro-LGBT activists have dismissed such talk as fear-mongering, yet it appears to be coming true in the UK.”
(Calvin Freiburge – LifeSite News) The UK’s National Health Service has administered puberty-stopping drugs to up to 150 children who may have been suffering from autism and not gender dysphoria, a new report has found. Continue reading