Offensive Christians

Is this one issue enough to vote on? I think so.

Human Life Trumps All.

OC

Recent events at the Democratic National Convention and the Pew Forum survey of evangelical Christians has prompted me to ask: Have we lost our savor? Is the salt no longer salty in our churches?

When prominent church figures and the majority of self proclaimed evangelicals seem to embrace multiple faith paths to eternal life, we seem to have lost Jesus’ message:

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

John 14:5-7

And:

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 7:13

I think scripture leads us to share the Gospel rather than mix it with other religions.

Our society has many ills, we need to reach them with the love of Jesus without apology for His exlusive claim to salvation for us.

Surely Christians must love. Surely We must respect human life, the misery we face in this fallen world, and care for all of God’s creation. We must not, however, water down the Gospel and rely on man’s wisdom rather than the Lords.

OC

syncretism:  the combination of different forms of belief or practice

blasphemy: the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God

If you want to see both of these words in action, read or listen the the prayer given at the DNC.

Here is the transcript:

Please stand.
We are all here to devote ourselves to the improvement of this country we
love.
In one of the best traditions of our country, would those of you who are
people of faith join me in asking for God's help?
Almighty God, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a
reverence for all life.
Give us a compassion for the most vulnerable among us - the babies, the
children, the poor, the sick, the enslaved, the persecuted. For all of those
who have been left out of the advantaged world.
Give us a zeal to clean the environment we have polluted while we create
an economy where everyone who can work can have a job.
Help us to honor those who defend our country by working harder and
smarter for peace.
Help us to counter those that incite fear and hatred by becoming people
who are informed and respectful and are known for principles and projects that
aim higher than our own group's benefit.
Guide Barack Obama and all of our leaders to be agents of your will and
recipients of your wisdom. And grant that all of us citizens will continually
do our part to contribute to the common good by loving our neighbor as we love
ourselves.
Now, I interrupt this prayer for a closing instruction:
Because we are gathered in a country that continues to welcome people of
all faiths, let us personalize this prayer by closing according to our own
tradition.
On the count of three, end your prayer as you would usually do.
Amen!

Let's go out and change the world for good!

Did a Christian pastor just end his prayer by encouraging non-Christians to “pray” to their gods? It sure looks like he did.  I’ve never read in scripture an example of a priest, prophet, or designated leader who encouraged pagans to pray to their gods. Have you?

I’ll write more later.

OC

P.S.  Floridamom added an important fact below: The pastor ended his prayer “in Jesus name.”

I think this adds a bit to the story but doesn’t change the defintion of syncretism.

Local 10 News in West Palm Beach Florida reported today that a judge has sided with Karen’s husband and has given him guardianship over Karen. Karen suffered a stroke in December and he husband wants her feeding tube removed and to place her in hospice to die.

Karen told her caregivers, through hand squeezes and blinks, that she does not want her tube removed and does not want to go to hospice.

Removing her tube against her wishes is murder.

I’m not sure what we can do at this point. We need to get her story out.  Where is big media?  Why is this story not making headlines?

Spread the word about Karen Weber’s fate!

I’ll try to get more information and get a more specific plan soon.

OC