The title of this post is taken from a song lyric written and performed by the group 38th Parallel on the CD "Turn the Tides". The specific song is "Who am I?" The phrase seemed very appropriate in our day and in our culture. We are now, more than I can recall, manipulating information so that truth seems more and more like a tool that is wielded according to our whims and agendas. Truth claims of concepts that were almost universally accepted are denied on a daily basis in attempts to advance causes of dubious value. Even so-called 'scientific truth' is up for grabs today as false scientific claims are touted as true, i.e. the 'global warming myth'. That fallacy alone may prove to be the undoing of western civilization if the truth about it does not soon find a powerful home.
One of the most pervasive truth turns which has taken place in recent decades is the normalization of the homosexual lifestyle in the culture. Consider that a little less than 40 years ago, homosexuality was universally considered a serious psychological disorder and was so named in the DSM, or Diagnositic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychological Association. This publication was and is known as the 'bible' of mental disorders. In both DSM I and DSM II, this was so. However, after the Stonewall riots of 1969, the APA changed the DSM by dropping homosexuality from the list. Because of this activism event, without any hard science or even 'soft' science to justify the action, we had a watershed event which largely went unnoticed and served to make homosexuality simply a "variation" of human sexuality. What was totally ignored then and is still ignored now, is the fact that human biological design prohibits considering homosexual expression normal. Female and male sexual organs are simply designed to function with each other. It is obvious that male sexual organs were not designed to receive penetration, and female organs were. Penetration of the rectum is the use of this bodily part for an activity it was not designed for. The rectum was designed only for the expelling of objects from the inside, not the insertion of anything from the outside. It should be obvious that an activity which violates the biological design so that the body is forced to function in a manner opposite from its design cannot be considered normal.
What does this mean? Part of the effect of putting truth out as a homeless traveler is that falsehood becomes enshrined as acceptable and approved in normal society, and any attitude or institution which would challenge this is a target for destruction. Such is the case with the institution of marriage which has now been redefined in two states, Massachusetts and California. This is only the beginning of a truly slippery slope which we will examine in greater detail next time.
IJHN,
LEE
Monday, May 19, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mother's Love
We have just passed Mother's Day in our land and in many other places around the world. Mother's Day is one of those bitterwsweet times in my life, for I have now passed 13 such days without the physical presence of my mother. I think more about her at this time of the year than any other because during her lifetime, I tried hard to honor her every year. My mother was the anchor in my life, but even more, she was the one person, for a long time, that I absolutely knew loved me no matter what. Thanks be to the Lord that I know other family members, my children, and most of all my wife who surround me with such love today.
Just as my mother's love was of the unconditional variety, there is one above all who has such love for all. The Lord Jesus Christ proved that by giving His life even for those who hated Him, and despised Him and those who killed Him on the cross. If you come to Him and BELIEVE in Him, believe that He really did die for you, and He really did rise from the dead and lives today, and He really will come again for those who know Him, then you can know real unconditional love that will lift you up forever.
Rom 5:8 - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
IJHN
LEE
Just as my mother's love was of the unconditional variety, there is one above all who has such love for all. The Lord Jesus Christ proved that by giving His life even for those who hated Him, and despised Him and those who killed Him on the cross. If you come to Him and BELIEVE in Him, believe that He really did die for you, and He really did rise from the dead and lives today, and He really will come again for those who know Him, then you can know real unconditional love that will lift you up forever.
Rom 5:8 - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
IJHN
LEE
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Obama's Problem III
"Black theology cannot accept a view of God which does not represent him as being for blacks and thus against whites. Living in a world of white oppressors, black people have no time for a neutral God."
I ended the last post with this quote from James Cone, the leading exponent of Black Liberation Theology in the U.S. He wrote this in the 1970 publication A Black Theology of Liberation. This quote, perhaps more than any other thing, encapsulates the huge real problem in the life of Barack Obama, the church in America, and the nation as a whole.
I believe the problem is centered in the heart and it involves a fractured view of reality. This view contains pieces and bits of truth mixed with bits and pieces of error. It is a view that justifies evil in the service of good. It is a view that brings the Kingdom of God down to earth to serve the economic fantasies of social justice. In short, it is a view that says unless God serves us, we will not honor Him. The bits of the truth are those which rightly claim that God does love the poor, and that He requires the rich to help the poor. It is truth to claim that God is against oppression and tyranny, and those who are poor suffer the most from these. It is truth that God warns through the prophetic utterances of many men in Scripture the rich and powerful that they face judgment from God if they mistreat and oppress the poor. However, the errors of this view more than negate the truths presented. Errors such as the fact that God does not show favoritism, as is plainly stated in passages such as Matthew 5:45 and I Peter 2:23. In fact, it is blatant sin to demand that God be a certain way to satisfy what you or I or any group "has time for." God is God and it is He alone that has the right to demand our conformity to His rule, not the other way around, which is what black liberation theology, along with a host of other theological systems, does.
That is the heart of the problem for Obama himself because it leads to a false belief that he is safe and secure without having submitted to the Lord in his heart. In fact, this view makes it seem as though Senator Obama (as with others who follow it) has a right to demand that God bless him and curse those who oppose him. If followed wholeheartedly, it presents a grave danger of accepting a false gospel which further endangers Senator Obama's very soul.
The same can be said on a larger basis for the church as a whole. For those who accept liberation theology teaching, the danger of heresy and condemnation from God is present. Less obvious is the danger to those who do not accept such heresy. The existence of those who accept a liberation theology message, if they press their agenda, puts much pressure upon others to conform or be the next targets of whatever evil actions are contemplated to bring the new "oppressors" into line.
It should be easy to see that this can pose a profound danger to the nation as a whole. If black liberation theology were to realize its goals, a permanent division of race in the form of a physically divided nation would result. One only has to read the literature of the Nation of Islam to understand that this is the goal. We should remember that a prominent honoree of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago (Obama's church formerly pastored by Jeremiah Wright), was Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam.
It is my sincere prayer that Senator Obama himself will repudiate these teachings from his heart, and not just as a matter of course so that he might win an election. In addition I pray that these kinds of heretical and dangerous beliefs will grow smaller and fade away, and that the glorious gospel of grace will grow and prosper here and around the earth.
IJHN
LEE
I ended the last post with this quote from James Cone, the leading exponent of Black Liberation Theology in the U.S. He wrote this in the 1970 publication A Black Theology of Liberation. This quote, perhaps more than any other thing, encapsulates the huge real problem in the life of Barack Obama, the church in America, and the nation as a whole.
I believe the problem is centered in the heart and it involves a fractured view of reality. This view contains pieces and bits of truth mixed with bits and pieces of error. It is a view that justifies evil in the service of good. It is a view that brings the Kingdom of God down to earth to serve the economic fantasies of social justice. In short, it is a view that says unless God serves us, we will not honor Him. The bits of the truth are those which rightly claim that God does love the poor, and that He requires the rich to help the poor. It is truth to claim that God is against oppression and tyranny, and those who are poor suffer the most from these. It is truth that God warns through the prophetic utterances of many men in Scripture the rich and powerful that they face judgment from God if they mistreat and oppress the poor. However, the errors of this view more than negate the truths presented. Errors such as the fact that God does not show favoritism, as is plainly stated in passages such as Matthew 5:45 and I Peter 2:23. In fact, it is blatant sin to demand that God be a certain way to satisfy what you or I or any group "has time for." God is God and it is He alone that has the right to demand our conformity to His rule, not the other way around, which is what black liberation theology, along with a host of other theological systems, does.
That is the heart of the problem for Obama himself because it leads to a false belief that he is safe and secure without having submitted to the Lord in his heart. In fact, this view makes it seem as though Senator Obama (as with others who follow it) has a right to demand that God bless him and curse those who oppose him. If followed wholeheartedly, it presents a grave danger of accepting a false gospel which further endangers Senator Obama's very soul.
The same can be said on a larger basis for the church as a whole. For those who accept liberation theology teaching, the danger of heresy and condemnation from God is present. Less obvious is the danger to those who do not accept such heresy. The existence of those who accept a liberation theology message, if they press their agenda, puts much pressure upon others to conform or be the next targets of whatever evil actions are contemplated to bring the new "oppressors" into line.
It should be easy to see that this can pose a profound danger to the nation as a whole. If black liberation theology were to realize its goals, a permanent division of race in the form of a physically divided nation would result. One only has to read the literature of the Nation of Islam to understand that this is the goal. We should remember that a prominent honoree of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago (Obama's church formerly pastored by Jeremiah Wright), was Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam.
It is my sincere prayer that Senator Obama himself will repudiate these teachings from his heart, and not just as a matter of course so that he might win an election. In addition I pray that these kinds of heretical and dangerous beliefs will grow smaller and fade away, and that the glorious gospel of grace will grow and prosper here and around the earth.
IJHN
LEE
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Obama's Problem II
In my last post, I mentioned the problem that the comments of Rev. Jeremiah Wright have caused to Barack Obama. The media has been all over this, but with the exception of a very few, they have and continue to miss the real problem.
I mentioned that the problem is not really with Rev. Wright at all, nor is it with his church. The problem here is certainly not one that should be in any way associated with so-called "black" churches. The problem is with the "Black Liberation Theology" that Rev. Wright preaches and promotes.
Black Liberation Theology is a type of broader thought known simply as liberation theology. This theology has its roots in Latin America and exploded on the scene in the 1950's and 1960's. It is strongly associated with Marxism and shares many of the philosophical beliefs of Marxism. Liberation theology in general believes that sin is not an individual's rebellion against a holy God. Instead, sin is the economic and social oppression of the poor on earth. God's role in this system is to be for the oppressed and against the oppressor no matter what. The end of oppression by any means is God's mandate. Thus it becomes that case that sin only applies to those who belong to the group who is seen as the oppressor. Those who belong to the oppressed are incapable of sin against their oppressor. The only sin that the oppressed group can commit is not to join in the struggle against the oppressor. Violence, rape, theft, terrorism, and even murder are justified and even approved of by God as long as these kind of things are practiced against the oppressor.
Black liberation theology is simply liberation theology applied to the black community in America. In a famous quote from his book A Black Theology of Liberation, James Cone wrote,
"Black theology cannot accept a view of God which does not represent him as being for blacks and thus against whites. Living in a world of white oppressors, black people have no time for a neutral God."
It is here that we can begin to see the real problem for both Barack Obama, and for our nation as a whole, and for the church in particular. But that will have to wait until the next post.
IJHM
LEE
I mentioned that the problem is not really with Rev. Wright at all, nor is it with his church. The problem here is certainly not one that should be in any way associated with so-called "black" churches. The problem is with the "Black Liberation Theology" that Rev. Wright preaches and promotes.
Black Liberation Theology is a type of broader thought known simply as liberation theology. This theology has its roots in Latin America and exploded on the scene in the 1950's and 1960's. It is strongly associated with Marxism and shares many of the philosophical beliefs of Marxism. Liberation theology in general believes that sin is not an individual's rebellion against a holy God. Instead, sin is the economic and social oppression of the poor on earth. God's role in this system is to be for the oppressed and against the oppressor no matter what. The end of oppression by any means is God's mandate. Thus it becomes that case that sin only applies to those who belong to the group who is seen as the oppressor. Those who belong to the oppressed are incapable of sin against their oppressor. The only sin that the oppressed group can commit is not to join in the struggle against the oppressor. Violence, rape, theft, terrorism, and even murder are justified and even approved of by God as long as these kind of things are practiced against the oppressor.
Black liberation theology is simply liberation theology applied to the black community in America. In a famous quote from his book A Black Theology of Liberation, James Cone wrote,
"Black theology cannot accept a view of God which does not represent him as being for blacks and thus against whites. Living in a world of white oppressors, black people have no time for a neutral God."
It is here that we can begin to see the real problem for both Barack Obama, and for our nation as a whole, and for the church in particular. But that will have to wait until the next post.
IJHM
LEE
Monday, March 31, 2008
Obama's Problem
A great deal has taken place since my last entry. I was ill for quite a while, but now I am back and hopefully with the LORD's aid and blessing I can post far more frequently.
One of the more disturbing events that has come to pass has been the revelations concerning the pastor of Barack Obama, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I find his statements to be reprehensible and racist. I am disturbed that Senator Obama has such a close relationship with this man. I certainly hope and pray that Senator Obama does not share the Rev. Wright's theological views, for that is precisely the problem here, and it is a problem most "news" outlets are missing.
For instance, many, if not most of the commentators on both television and radio seem focused on the idea that this was a predominantly "black" church. I have seen television news pieces centered in on the question "What really goes on in black churches in America?", and I have heard radio program hosts asking whether or not this is 'typical' of "black" churches. It seems to me that asking the question itself at least hints at a latent racist attitude. It certainly betrays gross ignorance to ask those kind of questions for it assumes that all so-called "black" churches follow the same teaching. Granted there is similarities in many churches characterized as "black," but I would submit that these similarities are predominantly manifested in style rather than substance.
I must at this point give the qualifier that I am a white pastor. I am conservative and evangelical in my theology, with a strong belief in the inerrancy of the Scriptures as originally given. I have, however, both attended "black" churches and been privileged to preach at "black" churches as well. In every case, the experience was a strongly positive one. Yes, the style of music and preaching and worship was different than what I was mostly familiar with, but the theology was solidly conservative and I would not hesitate to endorse those churches.
The problem with the church Senator Obama has been a member of has never been a racial one. It has always been a theological one. It begins with the belief, preaching and application of "Black Liberation Theology" that Rev. Wright espouses. This is not a theology that Rev. Wright invented, simply one that he adheres to. In seminary, I read some of this theology as written by perhaps its leading champion, James Cone. In a nutshell, this theology is overtly racist in both tone and substance. One way to describe it would be as a slightly christianized version of the Nation of Islam's philosophy. I won't go into detail in this post, but in several future posts I will.
Giving credit where credit is due, I have found one TV program that seems to understand the problem of theology as important here. The Glenn Beck show on CNN is doing a series this week on Black Liberation Theology. I will try to watch and see if they really do "get it."
IJHN,
LEE
One of the more disturbing events that has come to pass has been the revelations concerning the pastor of Barack Obama, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I find his statements to be reprehensible and racist. I am disturbed that Senator Obama has such a close relationship with this man. I certainly hope and pray that Senator Obama does not share the Rev. Wright's theological views, for that is precisely the problem here, and it is a problem most "news" outlets are missing.
For instance, many, if not most of the commentators on both television and radio seem focused on the idea that this was a predominantly "black" church. I have seen television news pieces centered in on the question "What really goes on in black churches in America?", and I have heard radio program hosts asking whether or not this is 'typical' of "black" churches. It seems to me that asking the question itself at least hints at a latent racist attitude. It certainly betrays gross ignorance to ask those kind of questions for it assumes that all so-called "black" churches follow the same teaching. Granted there is similarities in many churches characterized as "black," but I would submit that these similarities are predominantly manifested in style rather than substance.
I must at this point give the qualifier that I am a white pastor. I am conservative and evangelical in my theology, with a strong belief in the inerrancy of the Scriptures as originally given. I have, however, both attended "black" churches and been privileged to preach at "black" churches as well. In every case, the experience was a strongly positive one. Yes, the style of music and preaching and worship was different than what I was mostly familiar with, but the theology was solidly conservative and I would not hesitate to endorse those churches.
The problem with the church Senator Obama has been a member of has never been a racial one. It has always been a theological one. It begins with the belief, preaching and application of "Black Liberation Theology" that Rev. Wright espouses. This is not a theology that Rev. Wright invented, simply one that he adheres to. In seminary, I read some of this theology as written by perhaps its leading champion, James Cone. In a nutshell, this theology is overtly racist in both tone and substance. One way to describe it would be as a slightly christianized version of the Nation of Islam's philosophy. I won't go into detail in this post, but in several future posts I will.
Giving credit where credit is due, I have found one TV program that seems to understand the problem of theology as important here. The Glenn Beck show on CNN is doing a series this week on Black Liberation Theology. I will try to watch and see if they really do "get it."
IJHN,
LEE
Monday, February 4, 2008
"Wait 'till next year"
The Super Bowl happened yesterday evening. Just a little more than 24 hours ago, an event that was endlessly promoted, an event that cost advertisers more money in 30 seconds than the GDP of many nations in this world was conducted. It was pulled off and was a grand success by the standards of the world. More people watched this event on TV than any other Super Bowl before, some estimated 97 million viewers. It is an incredible feat when one thinks about the sheer enormity of the task. I was one of the 97 million that watched, and it was indeed a spectacular game.
However, (you knew that was coming didn't you!) at least a small part of me wonders if much of the event was nothing more than a colossal waste of time. At least for myself, I wonder if my time could have been better spent doing many other things. My spiritual and intellectual growth certainly need attending to. I sure could have used some of the time for prayer. I am somewhat limited at the moment physically because of an injury, but there are many other things I could perhaps have done. But, I didn't do any of those things. Instead, after the game I searched for some redeeming value by searching out places where the big game was invested with spiritual significance through players who are Christian witnesses, church events and the like. I wish I had done more of that before the game, and perhaps I would have been able to better redeem the time for the Lord. Well, as the losing team and its fans say, "Wait till next year!"
IJHN
LEE
However, (you knew that was coming didn't you!) at least a small part of me wonders if much of the event was nothing more than a colossal waste of time. At least for myself, I wonder if my time could have been better spent doing many other things. My spiritual and intellectual growth certainly need attending to. I sure could have used some of the time for prayer. I am somewhat limited at the moment physically because of an injury, but there are many other things I could perhaps have done. But, I didn't do any of those things. Instead, after the game I searched for some redeeming value by searching out places where the big game was invested with spiritual significance through players who are Christian witnesses, church events and the like. I wish I had done more of that before the game, and perhaps I would have been able to better redeem the time for the Lord. Well, as the losing team and its fans say, "Wait till next year!"
IJHN
LEE
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
A Broken World
Yesterday was designated as Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. This day comes with a mixture of hope and sorrow as I contemplate the life and impact of Dr. King.
I first heard of Dr. King through the media when I was a young boy and through into my early adolescent years. I remember his stirring oratory and how it moved my heart even then. He was able to make me feel somewhat of his people's pain, though I was not one of those who endured it. I remember admiring his courage in the face of horrible bigotry and the very real harm such hatred engendered. And even today, I garner hope in the fact that we as a nation were able to move significantly toward the fulfillment of his grand and good vision of racial equality.
However, I sorrow at the cost. The cost of lives battered and lost was great. In this case, like any great endeavor for righteousness, there is always a cost to be counted. Most of all, I remember the cost of 1968, when the life of someone who had already come to be a hero in my young heart was snatched away. Like most of the nation, I was stunned by the news of Dr. King's assassination. I think that it was then I first thought there must be something wrong with the world. Of course I knew there were bad people in the world and that evil things happened because of them. But I don't think it was until that particular point when I somehow felt the world was broken in some way.
Since that time I have learned what Dr. King already knew many years before his passing. I have learned that yes, the world is broken, and we all broke it. We all continue to break the world with our selfishness and greed and pride and lust and hatred. In the words of one author, "There is a problem with the world, and it is me." I have learned that this problem has but one solution, one provided by the author of life. It is to embrace wholeheartedly the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, and live, really live, by faith in Him. Dr. King reached the promised land because of such faith and the actions he took in response to his faith in Jesus. I hope and pray my actions in life can serve my Lord is half the measure that his did.
IJHN,
LEE
I first heard of Dr. King through the media when I was a young boy and through into my early adolescent years. I remember his stirring oratory and how it moved my heart even then. He was able to make me feel somewhat of his people's pain, though I was not one of those who endured it. I remember admiring his courage in the face of horrible bigotry and the very real harm such hatred engendered. And even today, I garner hope in the fact that we as a nation were able to move significantly toward the fulfillment of his grand and good vision of racial equality.
However, I sorrow at the cost. The cost of lives battered and lost was great. In this case, like any great endeavor for righteousness, there is always a cost to be counted. Most of all, I remember the cost of 1968, when the life of someone who had already come to be a hero in my young heart was snatched away. Like most of the nation, I was stunned by the news of Dr. King's assassination. I think that it was then I first thought there must be something wrong with the world. Of course I knew there were bad people in the world and that evil things happened because of them. But I don't think it was until that particular point when I somehow felt the world was broken in some way.
Since that time I have learned what Dr. King already knew many years before his passing. I have learned that yes, the world is broken, and we all broke it. We all continue to break the world with our selfishness and greed and pride and lust and hatred. In the words of one author, "There is a problem with the world, and it is me." I have learned that this problem has but one solution, one provided by the author of life. It is to embrace wholeheartedly the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, and live, really live, by faith in Him. Dr. King reached the promised land because of such faith and the actions he took in response to his faith in Jesus. I hope and pray my actions in life can serve my Lord is half the measure that his did.
IJHN,
LEE
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)