Continue reading "AUL's short list for justice, with two notes to readers..." »
(Tim, w/thanks to Mick) A post over at the web site of the New York Times gives a blow by blow of President Obama's reception of an honorary doctorate and commencement address at Notre Dame this past weekened. Here's the text of the post, with comments interspersed:
Father Ted | 4:00 p.m. Near
the end of his speech, President Obama spoke about the Civil Rights
Commission, whose resolutions were the foundation of the 1964 Civil
Rights Act.
President Obama lays a garland on the tombs of dead and dying prophets.
One of the six members (one black and five whites) was the Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, then president of Notre Dame. Mr. Obama acknowledged how “Father Ted” brought the members of the commission to a retreat in Land O’Lakes, Wis., to break an impasse. Rev. Hesburgh found common ground when the men all spoke about being fishermen and took them on a twilight fishing trip.
"Father Ted" who on this day is giving no thought to the helpless little babies...
Continue reading "Barack Obama rocks XXIII: At Notre Dame..." »
(Tim) President Obama's charitable contributions prior to being elected to public office a couple years ago were less than one percent. Less than one percent, folks!
And now, occupying the White House with a recent household income in the millions, his giving is lower than other presidents who have preceded him. (Probably with this public embarrassment, his giving will go up in future years.)
Turning to Vice President and Mrs. Joseph Biden...
Continue reading "Liberals are liberal with taxpayers' money, not their own..." »
(Tim, w/thanks to several) Lots of readers have sent links to pieces commenting on President Barack Obama's invitation to give the Commencement Address at Notre Dame University this spring despite Notre Dame's purported affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church and President Obama's consistent ghoulish advocacy of baby-slaughter.
Honestly, I've not had the heart to say anything about it. Not out of respect for Notre Dame or the lowest-common denominator Roman Catholicism she's represented for decades, now. To me, Notre Dame is football, a good home for the world's top sorta-reformed, kinda-Protestant, sorta-evangelical scholars like Marsden, Hatch, and Plantinga; but mostly the school that resides in the same town a few hours north that's called home by E. Michael Jones.
Then, today, several of you sent me the letter just released by Mary Ann Glendon announcing her change of mind concerning being present at Notre Dame's Commencement to accept Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal. God bless Mary Ann Glendon!
Here's her letter...
(Tim) From my incomparable tutor in all things political for over thirty years, Joe Sobran, I learned of the existence of the Tenth Amendment, but also of its impotence in the hands of the crooks who have served on the U.S. Supreme Court in recent decades. Also from Sobran, I picked up the habit of never, ever, ever referring to "the United States," but always and only "these United States."
The past few years, Church of the Good Shepherd has had an influx of Texans who move here for a few years to complete their doctorates at IU. Most of them plan to return to the motherland so, half-seriously, I've told them of my wish that Texas would secede so I could move there...
Continue reading "Not "the," but "these" United States..." »
(Tim) David and I are reticent to criticize Joel and Victoria Osteen lest, defending themselves against the charge that all men speak well of them, they point to us, exclaiming, "Not the Bayly Brothers; they don't!"
Nevertheless, we simply must comment on this forwarded to us by many of you. Here are Co-Pastors Osteen on Larry King Live. Asked to rate our new president's performance and to assign him a religion--pick one of three:
Larry King: Since you were last on, we have sworn in our first African-American president. What are your impressions [of Barack Obama]?
Joel Osteen: Well, I think he's doing a great job. I'm impressed with his skill, his calmness, his just strength...
King: And you, Victoria?
(Tim, w/thanks to Kamilla) If you want to begin to understand our day--the switch of the central currency of cultural engagement from the Bible to moving pictures, the use of film clips in Gospel preaching, the building of congregations around virtual images of themselves on the movie screen each Lord's Day employed by men like Mark Driscoll and John Piper, and the gift our head of state and his wife gave the Queen, recently--only two things are necessary: first, read the Second Commandment; and second, read Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
And while we're talking about the gifts the monarchs exchanged...
Continue reading "From one Christian monarch to another: amusing ourselves to Hell..." »
(Tim, from LifeSiteNews.com) Prior to the election, I found those who called themselves "pro-life" while shilling for Senator Barack Obama to be morally repugnant. Now, these hypocrites have had more than enough opportunities publicly to acknowledge their mistake; they've had weeks to cry "foul" or "I was misled by Senator Obama's lies concerning abortion;" yet they are silent.
Where are their protests? Where are they denouncing the aggressive promotion of abortion, internationally, that President Obama has given himself to since taking office at the White House? Where have the voices of Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo been raised in protest of President Obama's advocacy of child-slaughter? And turning to McLaren's and Campolo's useful simpletons, do any of them feel just the least bit betrayed and ashamed of their naivete?
It would be hard to prove, but I'm convinced that many of those who supported Senator Obama's presidential aspirations while claiming, themselves, to be Christian and pro-life were not pro-life at all, but rather, themselves often had had one or more abortions (or helped others to get one) and voted for Senator Obama as a coping mechanism employed to silence their conscience. And I do not say this from any anger at President Obama being elected to our nations highest elected office. Rather, it's my own personal observation.
Well, again, when guilt and complicity have silenced Emerjellicals, Rome speaks.
Here's Roman Catholic leadership that I, a Protestant Presbyterian pastor, agree with entirely..
(Tim) No links to Rob Bell's schlock, the deep and sensitive thoughts of Brian McLaren, the Christian Medical and Dental Society, Talbot Seminary's groundbreaking ethics and public policy think tank, faculty members at Wheaton College, or CTi journalists on this site. Ron Sider and Jim Wallis haven't made an appearance just yet--nor their "me too" buddy, Al Gore. There's been no sighting of Niel Nielson or Bryan Chapell--nor any of their professors, for that matter. In fact, no sign of anyone in the Presbyterian Church in America...
Continue reading "Trust me, bookmark MoralAccountability.com..." »
(Tim) Those who think I'm Doug Wilson's sycophant because of how frequently I commend him to you are deluded. Yes, yes; I know he links to us here at Baylyblog in this post, but READ the post and tell me whether he doesn't say much better than I what needs to be said about all the evanjellicals who proved themselves saltless and dark at yesterday's National Prayer Breakfast. Once again, Doug's absolutely right. And not simply in his arguments, but in the pitch he adopts while making them.
(Tim, w/thanks to Kamilla) In his address at the National Prayer Breakfast, today, President Obama warned of the grave dangers religious zealots pose to the enlightened commitment he and his Ivy League compatriots share, never to take "the life of an innocent human being:"
(F)ar too often, we have seen faith wielded as a tool to divide us from one another - as an excuse for prejudice and intolerance. Wars have been waged. Innocents have been slaughtered ... all in the name of perceived righteousness...
Continue reading "President Obama booed at National Prayer Breakfast..." »
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply... (Exodus 1:8-10a)
(Tim, w/thanks to David G.) Here's a good reminder of who President Obama actually is, and what oppression and bloodshed have formed the cornerstone of his public service from its inception. And the Emergelicals? Well, this is precisely what they wanted, and still want. They're just not honest enough to admit it.
(Tim) Readers may remember our introduction of Pastor Conrad Mbewe, leader of Zambia's vital Reformed churches. Conrad has started blogging. For several months we've had a link to him here at Baylyblog.
Two recent posts merit our readers' attention. The earlier one is a meditation on the current state of South Africa and the reformed church's witness there. David Wegener commends this post to us. The more recent post is Conrad's caution to fellow Africans caught up in the Messianic (my word) hopes of their continent concerning our latest president, Barack Obama. Both are worth your time.
As always, Pastor Mbewe is a wise living demonstration of the power of the Word of God wielded by a man of faith.
(Tim) Well, being in grief over the choice of a black oppressor of babies assuming our national throne, I didn't listen to a moment of the Inauguration coverage. And I'm not going looking for it, today.
This means I won't be writing about Rick Warren's prayer. It's simply too painful to look at the bloody mess. One of our pastors college men told me Pastor Warren made a large point of praying in Jesus' Name in many languages, and that he used the Lord's Prayer (which I think brilliant strategy). Other than that, I'm as pristine as the new-fallen snow.
But surely readers know more and have wise thoughts. This post, then, is simply to provide a place for any wisdom concerning the Inauguration and it's prayers you may have for readers.
(Tim) Here’s the truth. Obama is the oppressor of children, born and unborn. But since his skin color is black, we can’t believe he’d oppress anyone. So we come out with all this blather about other social justice issues equally commanding our attention as Christians. Our goal, of course, is to obscure the fact that abortion absolutely dwarfs the death toll of all other forms of oppression around the world combined. That’s combined, brothers and sisters!
Why, just in these United States alone, since the bloody decision, Roe v. Wade, was issued, our nation has torn limb from limb, leg from torso, body from mother’s womb, over fifty million—50,000,0000—of our little children.
This number is so large that it makes Africans' Rwanda, Asians' Pol Pot, and Europeans' Hitler look tame by comparison. The only bloody oppressors who are even close to slaughtering the numbers we have slaughtered by our own national, systemic, bloody, oppressive, enslaving child-murders are Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong.
But, get this: If instead of talking about the death toll in our nation alone, we consider the international death toll from child slaughter through the murders we call “abortions,” then we’re talking about one Joseph Stalin every year. That’s well over 50,000,000 children slaughtered EVERY SINGLE YEAR!
It’s disgusting for otherwise educated and thoughtful men to seek to legitimize their conniving at this great bloody oppression that defines our nation by sniveling about systemic poverty and education and secondhand smoke and carbon emissions and AIDS.
If men who claim to know the Triune God want to vote Democratic; if men who claim to know the Triune God and have faith in Jesus Christ have black skin and want to vote for another man with black skin; we’d all be better off if they’d have the courage of their prejudices and admit them... You know, something like, “I’m afraid of not appearing progressive enough.” Or “I’m afraid my congregation would have my hide if I didn’t speak up for the brother.”
Continue reading "President Obama: "Meet the new boss, same as..."" »
(Tim; this from and by Rev. David Wegener of Ndola, Zambia)
* * *
This is an open letter from an American Reformed Christian living in Africa to my African Christian friends on the occasion of the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the U.S.A.
20 January 2009
Dear African Christian Brother:
I would ask you to pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ in the church in America, particularly for those who believe in the complete truthfulness of Scripture.
I’ve just begun a new term at the college and one of the courses I teach is a survey of church history. Last week we learned about Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, who was asked to curse Christ or die. The old man replied, “for 86 years I have served Him and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Minutes after making this good confession he was burned alive... We also read about Blandina, a slave girl who endured indescribable tortures before being killed for her faith. In a few weeks we’ll study Athanasius, who was exiled from his pastorate five times because of his faith in our triune God and his willingness to stand alone against the world for the faith once and for all delivered to the saints.
(Tim: This from and by Eric Wilson)
Scene: Children sitting in the marketplace...
Aaron: As exciting as it's been to see and hear of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, I could hardly be more disappointed in John the Baptist, lately. I just don’t understand what he was trying to do.
Bartholomew: Really, it’s not that surprising. He always struck me as caught up in the "moral-performance narrative"...
Continue reading "John the Baptist's moral performance narrative..." »
(Tim, w/thanks to Sarah Pulliam) Here's the prayer Bad Bishop Gene Robinson gave at the We Are One blowout at the Lincoln Memorial, yesterday.
O God of our many understandings...
Continue reading "The deaf, dumb, and blind god of our many idolatries..." »
When I say to the wicked, "O wicked man, you will surely die," and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. (Ezekiel 33:8)
(Tim, w/thanks to Michael) According to the Washington Post, Pastor Rick Warren issued a statement praising President-elect Barack Obama for his selection of Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson to call down God's blessing on our nation and new president during the Inaugural weekend. Robinson, a man infamous internationally due to his promotion of sodomy in the Name of Jesus Christ, is, according to Warren, a good choice because it is one more indication that Senator Obama has a "genuine commitment to bringing all Americans of goodwill together in
search of common ground." Warren concludes concerning Senator Obama's selection of Robinson, "I applaud his desire to be the president of
every citizen."
It sounds good. I could almost hear myself saying the same. But then you stop to think about it and you realize this is one more step in the silencing of the witness of the Church of Jesus Christ. Such statements are precisely the thing warned against...
(Tim w/thanks to David W.) For those concerned about the privileging of mainstream evangelical civic religion represented by President-elect Obama's invitation to Rick Warren to give the inaugural invocation, the tide's come in and you may rest easy. Bishop Gene Robinson has also been asked to pray. He'll hold forth during the Inaugural weekend at the Lincoln Memorial, and both Obama and Biden will attend.
Readers will recall that the Bad Bishop Robinson is a committed, self-affirming sodomite whose elevation to the bishopric has torn the Anglican communion asunder. Robinson is not blushing over the entire world discussing the nature of the sexual couplings he's been choosing most recently. In fact, he's quite proud to be a spokesman for the latest oppressed minority yearning to be free.
Proud of it?
Thus we get a better understanding of the Apostle Paul's comment when rebuking another ecclesiastical communion that was arrogant...
Continue reading "The Bad Bishop "will be careful not to be especially Christian..."" »
But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life" (Ezekiel 33:9).
(Tim) Feeling some heat from the wicked because of his tepid opposition to homosexual marriage, Pastor Rick Warren wants to shrug his shoulders, making the blessing into an act of simple pastoral humility: "Prayers are not to be sermons, speeches, position statements nor political posturing. They are humble, personal appeals to God," he says.
We respond, "So what humble request will you make of God the Father with the whole world watching, Pastor Warren?" Or better yet, "What humble request will you not be making of God the Father because such a request might be too easily mistaken for an arrogant 'sermon,' 'speech,' 'position statement,' or 'political posturing?'"
Keep in mind that the man Pastor Warren has agreed to invoke God's Name and blessing for has promised that his first act as president will be to further solidify the support of the laws of our nation for the slaughter of little babies.
With this in mind, here's my pastorally modest proposal. Let Rick Warren take this occasion to pray for a quick end to the slaughter of the babies across our land...
Continue reading "A simple plan for Pastor Rick Warren..." »
(Tim) So everyone's talking about Rick Warren's payoff. He gets to pray in front of millions during Senator Obama's inauguration, calling down God's presence and blessing on a ceremony centered around the national politician most committed to the slaughter of his nation's children taking God's Name in vain as he falsely promises to uphold the Constitution of these United States.
When our nation was founded, our Declaration of Independence declared our commitments this way:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".
Thus, in the "Preamble" to our Constitution, we state the Constitution's purpose to be to "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity."
Precisely how does a man swear by God's Holy Name to secure the blessings of liberty to our posterity who himself is our nation's political leader most committed to the slaughter of that posterity? The wickedness of Governor Blagojevich pales by comparison.
Selling an appointment to the U.S. Senate is child's play compared to the child slaughter which was a central plank of Senator Obama's campaign. Talk about wickedness in high places!
But no one's watching. We're all transfixed by our nation's little morality play over there on Chicago's South Side.
Also, by the vision of Evangelicalism's own Balaam, the Warrenmeister, thinking gentle thoughts about how his invocation of the Triune God can help heal our nation as we all unify behind our new President. So Rick Warren, prophet of Israel, hoists himself on his donkey...
Continue reading "An odious comparison: Evangelicalism's Baalam and Rome's Jeremiah..." »
(Tim) If pornography is the drug our government uses to keep men passive, gun control leaves us compliant. Imagine the Revolutionary War with only Redcoats allowed to own muskets and you get the idea. And this from a man whose parents forbid him to play with guns, who registered for the draft as a conscientious objector, and who's never owned a gun. Actually, no gun except a potato gun I made out of PVC a few years ago.
So yes, I'm in favor of defending the Second Amendment against the relentless attacks it suffers. In defense of that amendment, here's an anouncement just received from Fran Griffin, the wonderful woman who administers Joe Sobran's e-publications. Let's all buy the book:
Here's an exciting way to help derail the anti-Second Amendment forces in Washington: A Second Amendment Book Bomb on December 15, Bill of Rights Day.
The idea is to have as many people as possible buy Stephen Halbrook's excellent new book, The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms
If a huge number of people buy the book on the same day, this could catapult it to best seller status, which would stun the Obama camp. Obama claimed to support the Second Amendment during his campaign so he wouldn't lose blue collar Democrats, but he is really very much opposed to it.
Happy Bill of Rights Day!
Fran Griffin
Continue reading "A book to buy on December 15, Bill of Rights Day..." »
(Tim, w/thanks to James) Of the stuff I've come across, this is about the best summary of the significance of our recent coronation of President-elect Barack Hussein Obama. Giving grace for it coming from a Brit who's not got perfect pitch about our country, it's something pretty close. For instance, here's what he says about Jessie Jackson's tears in Grant Park: "No wonder that awful old hack Jesse Jackson sobbed as he watched. How he must wish he, too, could get away with this sort of stuff."
A teaser...
(Tim, w/thanks to David L.; and if you want to understand the title, watch the cartoon on the second page) Half the professors at the PCA's Covenant College believe our President-elect, Barack Obama, is a Christian.
Yes, he's a Christian in the same way Rob Bell and Brian McLaren are Christians. Or maybe I should say he's a pastor in the same way Rob Bell and Brian McLaren are pastors.
Don't tune me out, here...
(Tim) Since the election, I've boycotted the news, and my family will be skipping January's investiture or ordination or coronation or divination--whatever it's called. But what to think and feel? Balking at the idolatry is not faith and prayer.
Then, this morning, I read Kyriosity, the blog of our esteemed sister Valerie, and here's what she had to say...
Continue reading "Valerie strikes the right note on democracy..." »
(Tim) Filmaker Ken Burns endorsed Senator Obama for president, commending Obama's "moral courage" and comparing him to President Abraham Lincoln. Since Obama's election, many have made this same comparison pointing out the felicitous conjunction of Obama's Inauguration and the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birthday. Senator Diane Feinstein announced the theme of Senator Obama's Inauguration will be "A New Birth of Freedom" with words courtesy of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
Such comparisons are great theater, but sheer hypocrisy. Barack Obama is the leader of the bloodshed consuming our land and we all pat ourselves on our backs congratulating one another over our nation's great strides against racism? What is the injustice of racism compared to the slaughter of tens of millions of little babies?
Self-congratulatory about the end of racism in America, we point to a black champion of freedom we say bears the stature and moral authority of Abe himself. We look forward to sitting down with our families, having a good cry while we watch his Inauguration. Happily, no bloodshed has been required to reach our vision. Pull the lever for Obama and we all become heroes of truth and justice.
Obama's another Lincoln? Is he willing to do battle to end the slaughter of fifty million of our children by wicked oppressors? Is he preparing an Emancipation Proclamation for those little ones? Will he speak of them in his first Inaugural Address, warning his nation of God's holy wrath unleashed against those who offend even one of His "little ones?"
What a wonder it would be if, to celebrate Lincoln's 200th birthday, Senator Obama were to model his first after Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address:
Continue reading "A modest proposal for Obama's first Inaugural Address..." »
(Tim, w/thanks to Brian) The Christian Law Association reports: "For years Crestwood Baptist Church has unashamedly declared the Gospel of Christ and the Word of God through the display of Scripture on the marquee in front of their church. Tragically, this common practice for churches has now come under attack.
In the days leading up to
the Presidential election, Crestwood Baptist Church displayed
Proverbs 29:2, '...when the wicked beareth rule, the
people mourn,' on their marquee...
"Nearly a week after the election, while jogging past the marquee, a nationally syndicated news reporter took notice of the verse, erroneously assumed it was the church’s attempt to slander a particular candidate, and reported his biased opinion on CNN news. This unmerited report sparked animosity towards Crestwood and its pastor, Phil Edge, who have received numerous emails and phone calls demanding an explanation for his alleged attack on the results of this recent Presidential election."
A couple comments: First, confessing Christians must play hardball to protect our nation's First Amendment rights. We'll lose, but we must go down fighting. We don't live in the Roman Empire; it's our Constitution and we are its stewards.
So, for instance, the actions of the IRS in the past decade have been egregious governmental intrusions into the work of the church. Our government has been rattling its saber
Continue reading "Silencing the prophetic voice of the church..." »
(Tim) At the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King preached a sermon calling our nation to repentance. That sweltering afternoon before a quarter million souls, King cast a vision of what America would be like when white racism finally bled itself to its long-deserved ugly death:
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
Many are declaring the election of Barack Obama as the fulfillment of Martin Luther King's dream. In truth, it's the very opposite.
As Martin Luther King defined racism, what we've done has been racist to the core...
(Tim) Jake Mentzel bought Mark Driscoll's new booklet and reports Tim Keller has waved his magic wand and Mark's now walking around in a trance repeating Tim's mantra: "A woman can do anything an unordained man can do." I'm disappointed.
But really, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. When they hang out with each other, either Mark's going to rub off on Tim or Tim's going to rub off on Mark. And ninety-nine out of a hundred times, I'd have my money on Tim.
(Tim, w/thanks to Ben)
Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are
(Tim) The emoting over Obama's blackness is cloying hypocrisy. If an African American ascending our Imperial Throne means anything, its meaning is bound up with the end of the oppression of a group of persons formerly declared not full persons under our Constitution due to the color of their skin.
Instead of learning the lesson of his skin color and descent, though, Obama glides into office on the blood of an entire generation of souls, red and yellow, black and white, who aren't enslaved, but slaughtered...
Continue reading "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..." »
(Tim: Yesterday, our eldest son, Joseph, sent this to his old college friends.)
My grandfather, Joseph Tate Bayly IV, wrote a short article back in 1961 for his monthly column, "Out of My Mind," that ran in Eternity magazine. I start with an excerpt from that article. If you would like the whole article, just ask.
What do the Jews remember?
A trench two blocks long, 12 feet wide, six feet deep, "filled to overflowing with bodies of women, children, old men, boys and girls in their teens . . . frozen pools of blood . . . children's caps, toys, ribbons, baby bottles and rubber pants . . . torn off hands and feet . . . everything spattered with blood and brains." (Russian officers' evidence, Trial of the Major War Criminals, VII, 494, quoted by, Malcolm Hay, Europe and the Jews, Beacon Press, 1950.)
Continue reading "German Christians were scrupulous about social justice..." »
(Tim: This by Mark Chambers, although not the title. Incidentally, yesterday I received an e-mail from a longtime member of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan who estimated the number of Redeemer's members who voted for Barack Obama was fifty percent.)
There is nothing particularly unusual about the picture above; nothing fantastic or different. It is just the result and remains of the typical abortion; a bit of messy refuse to be discarded after the useful cells have been harvested. At least it is not an entire waste, we can be thankful for that after all.
The decapitation is interesting. The heads of fetuses, being too large for the vacuum tube must be pulverized to facilitate removal. Similar to certain seed pods that find their way into my garage that are too large for the shop vac I must take steps to reduce the size of them in order to suck them up. I find that stepping on them works quite well, and it is only a minor annoyance. Not nearly so complicated as finding the obstacle via ultrasound in order to crush it with forceps. But doctors are adept at accomplishing the difficult and we must salute them...
Continue reading "By schism rent asunder, by heresy oppressed..." »
(Tim) Natalie is a longtime friend of the Bayly family--particularly our eldest daughter, Heather. This afternoon, Heather forwarded this e-mail she received from Natalie earlier today, and I asked Heather if Natalie would permit my posting it? Natalie was fine with it. I appreciated very much what she had to say and thought it would strengthen our readers, also. So here are the post-election thoughts and feelings of a young Christian wife and mother named (Mrs.) Natalie Calhoun.
* * *
I'm feeling pensive and sad this morning. It has less to do with who won the election, though I am disappointed in that result. It has much more to do with who voted for him. Perhaps I was naive to believe that people I respected in college, who, I thought, shared my world view, would think the same as me. But I don't understand this wave of young Christian people who supported and voted for Obama. I really want to understand.
I have heard a lot about social justice with regard to this election. I'm for justice. I'm for taking care of "the least of these". I believe that "true religion is taking care of widows and orphans." What I can't get over is the complete disregard for the value of life that is represented by Obama and how a Christian can support that...
(Tim, w/thanks to Mark) Well, turns out the Constitution Party wasn't on Indiana's ballot, so that made my decision easy. Meanwhile, did you notice we haven't promoted the Republican Party or John McCain?
Now that it's over, this article will explain the ambivalence/antipathy/antagonism many of us felt as we looked at the Republican Party's candidate this year. Elections are never simply won. They're also lost, and political strategists need to understand the only demographic groups still having children in these United States are biblical Christians and Hispanics. Guess what both groups hold precious?
Children, born and unborn.
So the man who swallows the shame of taking the little ones in his arms and protecting them is the one we will support.
(Tim) Writing as a pastor concerning his own nation's election of a new president several weeks ago, Brother Conrad Mbewe of Lusaka, Zambia, says precisely what ought to be said today to Christians in these United States as we look at God's choice of Barack Obama to lead us. I hope you'll read it.
(Tim, w/thanks to James) On this Election Day, here's an artifact of history from the editors of Touchstone, a Christian magazine I subscribe to and recommend. Originally run in 2003, this editorial is more pertinent today than it was five years ago. If you read nothing else, be sure to read the last two paragraphs...
Practical atheism revisited
Last week I came upon an editorial I wrote during the 2003 political season which seems to me even more applicable now. Today I would add that whatever one thinks about Senator Obama's plans for using government power to take money from those who have more of it and give it to those who have less, the social control which must be gained to make such things come to pass has never boded well for Christians in the countries where it has happened. The Gentiles, even--or perhaps especially--the religious ones, have not changed their opinions about people who regard them as morally unclean, nor will they fail to punish them for it when they gain sufficient power. What concerns them, I believe, is not so much that the poor be enriched, but that the middle classes be brought as low as possible by confiscation of their ethically significant wealth...
Continue reading "The practical atheism of Christians who vote for the Democratic Party..." »
(Tim) Take a few minutes to read this open letter posted earlier today on Facebook by Josh Congrove, a doctoral student in Classics here at IU. A member of Church of the Good Shepherd, Josh has taken leadership in our church's anti-abortion work. Before her death last Christmas, Josh used to come over to our house to play the piano for Aunt Elaine. You'll read no better commentary on the election this year.
Dear friends,
As I write this note, I do so with a measure of reluctance. I am often loathe to enter the realm of politics—where compromise is and has always been king—with a dogmatism that believes it can be redeemed or captured for the kingdom of righteousness if only we vote in a certain way. But in this election, where the issues are so clear, the mass of citizens (especially college students) so blind and in lockstep, and the eternal consequences to souls so great, I have concluded that to not speak forthrightly on this issue is ultimately to be unfaithful to Christ and His word. And so in writing these thoughts I'm not speaking to any one particular person; I know how some of you will vote; for others I don't have a clue. But my goal here is that our minds and hearts would be captive to the Word of God, and that we would make informed, intelligent choices that follow Christ rather than the prevailing wind of our culture.
Those of you who know me well know that I have no particular love for either political party. Republicans have a habit of claiming to speak for Christian values, eagerly garnering the votes of Christians, and then demonstrating that they care more for big business and the money it brings than they do for righteousness and justice, and for defending the poor who are rich in the kingdom of heaven. Democrats never cease of talking about values and of what the government can do for us, even while belonging to a party whose prevailing secularism undercuts their every position and prevents the government from carrying out its responsibility to dispense justice (Romans 13). As I see it, the best Christians can do is to make an informed, godly decision in an evil world, and obviously this is difficult at times.
Having said that, I won't beat around the bush...
Continue reading "Josh Congrove on our presidential election..." »
(Tim) One of my relatives posted a couple days ago arguing that the best way to oppose the slaughter of babies in America today is to keep abortion legal. To that end, she called us all to vote for Senator Barack Obama for president of these United States, making her case with a litany of facts that showed everything anyone had ever believed about abortion or Obama's position on abortion was woefully wrong. Start with her newly-discovered fact that Obama isn't pro-abortion at all, but pro-life.
It will help you understand my post below if you take a couple minutes to skim the original post she wrote. This dear sister is a graduate of Columbia International University and the Torchbearers, and she really likes Brian McLaren. So now, on to the facts.
* * *
Much of what Mrs. Fischer has written I'll leave alone. But some of the stuff is repeated so often by Submergent types that I thought it worth correcting publicly.
In her plea for votes for Senator Obama, Mrs. Fischer cited Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. CACG is a political action group working to get Roman Catholics to cast their votes for the Democratic Party, and thus for Senator Barack Obama. Real Roman Catholics are scandalized by such missionaries for Obama cloaking themselves in the name "Catholic." For instance, here's Archbishop Charles Chaput warning against CACG, recently:
And this from Francis Cardinal George...
(Tim) Those inclined to think the posts critical of Barack Obama here on this blog are due to partisanship on the owners' part should know that neither David nor I have ever placed the slightest hope in a Republican presidential candidate. About nine years ago, I told Marvin Olasky I was concerned about his support of George W. Bush's presidential candidacy. In the end, I voted for him twice, but never with anything other than grim resolve.
Whether grim resolve is enough to do the trick with me tomorrow has yet to be seen. This cycle I'm leaning toward flaming out in a better direction--maybe, say, giving myself to the audacity of hope and pushing the button for Chuck Baldwin...
Continue reading "John McCain or Chuck Baldwin? We shall see..." »
(Tim) So, the day has come. And thinking about Election Day, it seems good to let Goodman Isaiah Taylor speak once more...
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Luke 10:21)
Continue reading "Barack Obama rocks XXVI: Let Isaiah speak again..." »
(Tim) I think I've come up with a sure-fire way to predict whether you'll vote for Barack Obama, tomorrow. You game? If you are, watch these video clips and circle the name of the clip you like best:
Bullhorn Guy (here's the full length version)
Click through to the second page for a prediction of astounding accuracy.
Continue reading "Barack Obama rocks XXV: Predicting your vote now, right here on Baylyblog..." »
(Tim) If you ask Senator Obama's supporters where he stands on an issue, their responses are all over the board. No one actually knows where he stands on anything, so his supporters are free to state his position any way they like, without fear of contradiction.
His position on the Mideast?
"Senator Obama will get our troops out of Iraq, immediately." Or, "Senator Obama will not get our troops out of Iraq at the cost of destabilization in the Mideast." Or, "Senator Obama will do what is necessary to clean up Afganistan's border with Pakistan." Or, "Senator Obama is Irael's firm champion and he will see to it that Iran does not enter the nuclear fraternity."
Who can tell what Senator Obama will do about Iraq, Iran, Afganistan, Pakistan, or Israel? All the electorate really knows is that he speaks reassuring words of peace whereas our current president and Senator McCain speak harsh words of firm resolve.
So really, what's there to think about? Obama is handsome. He's an intellectual. He has the audacity of hope. And he's really really committed to family values. That's Submergent pastor Brian McLaren's promise.
Turning aside from the snake oil and smiles, let's speak directly...
Continue reading "Barack Obama rocks XXIV: The audacity of Hell..." »
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void. For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside." (1 Corinthians 1:17-19)
(Tim) Here are some thoughts about the state of our civil compact as we approach Election Day. And, following the political stuff, I make a stab at some applications to those who identify themselves as the prophetic voices of the Emergent Church. If your patience wears thin with the political part, buck up and finish it because it forms the perfect backdrop to grow in our understanding of the goals and strategy of church leaders today who have woman deacons, talk a lot about the city and contextualization, and have a staff member titled "Associate Pastor for Art, Weird Glasses, and Chai." First, then, let's look at the political scene...
Continue reading "Barack Obama Rocks XXIII: Pomo politicians, profs, and preachers..." »
(Tim) Chris Taylor is the father of Isaiah Taylor, the young man who wrote Barack Obama calling him to repent of his advocacy of baby-murder. We ran a copy of Isaiah's letter on this blog a few weeks ago. Earlier today, Focus on the Family put a pic of Isaiah on their home page. Chris Taylor writes: "For those of you who haven’t heard yet, here’s the scoop: Leslie was driving down the road a few months ago and passed a group protesting the killing of babies with large photos. It caused a lot of questions by our three older children (11, 9, 7). When they got home, Isaiah (9) was so disturbed that he decided to write a letter to Senator Obama to let him know that he hoped things would change in the future.
"Anyway, this little letter has made it’s way all over the states via newsletters, blogs, radio broadcasts, pulpits, and websites. Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece even sought to hand a copy personally to Senator Obama during the DNC up in Denver. Though, that never happened, Isaiah is still hoping for a response...
"Isaiah is getting a kick out of the fact that I am now being referred to as “Isaiah’s dad” at work."
(Tim) Some claim Obama has already released his birth certificate. But Factcheck is a pretty poor place to lodge his defense. On the left is a vault copy of his BC making it clear why Democrats and Republicans alike are raising questions (comments below LATimes piece).
The simple challenge made at the end of this video remains unanswered. McCain's released everything requested. Why does Obama refuse to do so?
(Tim) The grandmother of presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama, is reported as testifying she was present for Obama's birth at the Coast Provincial Hospital in Mombasa, Kenya. If true, Obama would be barred from holding the office of president by Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution:
Despite growing controversy, Obama has refused to release his birth certificate. Our public servants are stonewalling the matter, also...
Continue reading "Barack Obama rocks XX: Precisely where was he born?" »
(Tim) Here's what I want to ask all the Christian profs fawning over the Christian faith of Senator Barack Obama as well as the Submergent types in lockstep with them: What possible criteria could you use to justify your claim that Senator Obama is a Christian that wouldn't also force you to affirm that Zimbabwe's thug leader, Robert Mugabe, is also a true Christian? Mugabe has killed his thousands, but Obama his millions.
If Obama wins the presidency, the slaughter he will preside over and promote is incomprehensibly larger than even the worst estimates of Mugabe's murderous regime--unless, of course, you are unconcerned about the murder of the newborn, feeble, and unborn children.
But if you are concerned, Mugabe has the innocence of a child playing in a sandbox compared to the obsccenely wicked slaughter at the center of Senator Obama's campaign platform.
I'm betting most profs who assert that Senator Obama is a true Christian would deny Mugabe's Christian faith. So why the double standard? Why the universal condemnation of Mugabe by the same people given over to the adulation of Barack Obama? Isn't it amazing how Christians regain our moral compass and discernment as soon as the evil being evaluated and condemned is committed by people far away? Particularly Africans.
Last night, I read a profile of Robert Mugabe, the brutal dictator who's plunged his nation of Zimbabwe into death and destruction. He'd be up there near the top of heads of state around the world viewed as pariahs by other nation's leaders. Maybe the very top.
The New Yorker's profile written by Jon Lee Anderson is titled: "Letter from Zimbabwe, The Destroyer: A founding father lays waste to his country." Near the beginning, Anderson informs us Zim's inflation rate is now two hundred and thirty million percent, the unemployment rate is eighty percent, two million Zimbabweans are entirely dependent on aid from NGOs for their daily bread, another two million have fled Zim for refuge in South Africa, twenty percent of the population is infected with H.I.V./AIDS, life expectancy for men and women is about 44 years, starvation is rampant, leaders of political opposition groups are routinely imprisoned, beaten, and murdered, and the list goes on.
Meanwhile, wreathed in jewelry and forty years younger than her husband, Mugabe's second wife, Grace, says because of her narrow feet she can "only wear Ferragamo" shoes...
(Tim, w/thanks to Jake) Would you understand me if I said Baptists seem to have courage Presbyterians lack? Maybe it's a byproduct of being despised by Presbyterians, but whatever its origins, it's a wonderful gift from God to them and all of us.
Speaking of manly preaching, I give you Russell Moore. if you don't make a habit of listening to what he has to say or readingwhat he writes, you're missing out big-time. A few years back, Russ and I met at a conference. His work's been a great encouragement to me since then.
Here's a message he gave this past week at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary titled, "Joseph of Nazareth Is a Single-Issue Evangelical: The Father of Jesus, the Cries of the Helpless, and Change You Can Believe In." One of our ClearNote Pastors College students, Jake Mentzel, summarizes the message...
Wake Up Sleeper
The Good Shepherd Band
Recent Comments