Not So Wild About Harry & The New Humanism

Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) Religion & Faith Program Director, Harry Knox, was appointed as a member to the President's Office Of Faith Based And Neighborhood Partnerships Advisory Committee. He joins an exclusive list of individuals from around the country as referenced in our blog "What Do They Have Planned For You?"

Mr. Knox is not the chairman of the committee, so ultimately will have as much ability to provide input as other members. According to BCNN1.com Other members added to the Faith Based Advisory Council include:

Anju Bhargava, founder of the Asian Indian Women of America
Bishop Charles Blake, presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ
The Rev. Peg Chemberlin, president-elect of the National Council of Churches
Nathan Diament, director of public policy for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies
Anthony Picarello, general counsel for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Nancy Ratzan, president of the National Council of Jewish Women
The Rev. Sharon Watkins, general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Whether a person is gay or straight any individual having an opportunity to serve our country should be proud, however the problem is, that not only is Mr. Knox a HETEROPHOBIC, self proclaimed gay Christian minister, who doesn't view homosexuality as SIN. He also directs certain activities of his employer (HRC) that not only promotes gay rights, but holds that the right to marry between gays is a human right. We've seen those concepts promoted regularly within the gay rights movement as noted by me HERE and HERE. This, once again, is solid confirmation that those who promote gay rights agenda also hold fast that the right of marriage between gays is a human right.

Mr. Knox's appointment is a remarkably radical move for at least 2 reasons. 1- His appointment falls in line with President Obama's statements regarding faith based organization's hiring policies as it relates to qualifying for funds. The President has an opinion that in order for the church to participate in federal funding opportunities that it cannot "discriminate" ie: the church must employ homosexuals, in ministry positions even if that is against their doctrine.

As if that weren't bad enough the second problem is that Mr. Knox wholesale reinterprets the bible to accommodate his views on homosexuality. Certainly this is not new to the homosexual right. We have other apostates, such as Harvard's Dr. Peter Gomes, who proudly professes his gayness and twists scripture in effort to back his interpretations also. That dangerous combination may be what President Obama was looking for to create and promote a strong, militant, voice in favor of the homosexual right in order to help change the nature and context of the argument and by course change the methodology of the church in dealing with community service issues.

Scripture Twisters & Gender Benders

Mr. Knox, like many liberal homosexual scholars, seems to be proud of his biblical illiteracy and heretical teachings. His interpretations of scripture are so radical and to such an extreme, that he mangles both scripture's meaning and intent regarding the issue of sexual sins. In fact there is no practical way that he can believe in the inspiration of scripture to any extent while maintaining and espousing his views. Specifically speaking of Romans 1:22-28, which clearly speaks against the practice of homosexuality:

"22-Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23-And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24-Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25-Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26-For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27-And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28-And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"

Mr. Knox's gives this interpretation of the preceding verses as follows:

• “Paul did not have any idea of the kind of love that I feel for a partner when I am partnered. He didn’t know what that was about,” ...“The straight man, the heterosexual man who got the privilege of writing the book, the educated, rich, heterosexual man, Paul, who got to write the book, didn’t think it was natural because for him it must not have been.” ~ Debate with the Rev. Gino Jennings recorded Nov. 28, 2004 at the First Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Philadelphia.

As noted, Mr. Knox not only destroys the doctrine of scriptural inspiration, he also makes a cardinal error of improper biblical interpretation by decontextualizing the text all together. Once he does this he reverts to an interpretive based on relativism and a postmodern understanding of scripture when referring to homosexual issues. The anatomy of what he does is this: He confines the scripture to what he presupposes is its Sitz im Leben (life setting), therefore not allowing the scripture to speak eternally. As stated he presupposes the condition of the scripture based on his control belief that homosexuality is not condemned by God or within scripture. That's why he can look right at it and not see it.

For anyone serious about biblical studies, you should know that finding the Sitz im Leben is not wrong. That is the correct technique used to explore the context of what is being said and why, however imposing a prepositional bias upon scripture coupled with failure to accept scripture as being eternal or relevant through time, confines the scripture to a specific time frame and ultimately relegates the message, which includes morality and righteousness, to a culturally commensurate model. Jesus said however that his words are spirit and life:

John 6:63 ~ "63-It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

That "life" indicates at least two things. 1- That HIS words provide life spiritually to the soul that was dead in trespasses and sins (Jn.1:4, Eph. 2:1-5) and 2- That HIS words are applicable to our current existence and are not restricted to the time in which certain truths were revealed. Mr. Knox is blinded to this because he has regarded his sin as authentic, undefiled and a diversity of human nature. His example is one displaying how we are NOT to approach the understanding of scripture in general.

Prov. 14:12 ~ "12-There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

Birds Of A Feather

In his defense, Mr. Knox's type of approach, (although there is none) we can honestly say that his approach is not exclusive to him. In other words, he is not the inventor of such apostate interpretations of scripture. As stated there are other homosexual heretics that promote a similar message, but in an even greater sense this is the approach of what I call the New Humanism. If you'll be careful to note, this approach is also espoused by President Obama who appointed Mr. Knox. When our President invokes the thought that we must "rethink" America and what we do or have done historically (as he often does), New Humanism this is underlying context of his statements. It's about more than going green and changing a light bulb or becoming less dependent upon foreign oil, it's about a complete moral paradigm and cultural realignment, based on modern standards and social norms.

Listen to our President as he explains these concepts were developed in his mind. Be careful to note the basis for his own sense of morality or values:

The President's Thoughts On His Mother And Values:

• "My mother, who I think had as much influence on my values as anybody, was not someone who wore her religion on her sleeve, We'd go to church for Easter. She wasn't a 'church lady." ~ Senator Barack Obama, Sunday March 14th 2004 at Salem Baptist Church


• In his 1993 memoir, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, Now President Obama, describes his mother as "a lonely witness for secular humanism." and also said "My mother's confidence in needlepoint virtues depended on a faith I didn't possess, a faith that she would refuse to describe as religious; that, in fact, her experience told her was sacrilegious: a faith that rational, thoughtful people could shape their own destiny,"

In other words his mother's concepts on faith, which were as influential as anyone else's influence in his life, and were transferred to him, weren't actually a model of biblical faith and were based on a view of self or individualism. His concepts were based on an inner direction, self actualization and self control. eg; The thought that one can "shape your own destiny" no need for God to do that. Sounds a lot like modern WOFers(Word Of Faith'ers) doesn't it? In fact, more specifically, it sounds like teachings of the New Enlightenment that I previously set forth on this blog. Oprah and Eckhardt are feelin' fine and fabulous...

In the Obama and Knox world, faith is only a pseudonym used to gain access to a greater audience. When they use the word, it sounds like it belongs within the community of them that espouse biblical faith, but it doesn't. Look at a few of the President's conclusions on faith

• "So, I have a deep faith, I'm rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people. That there are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there's an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived." ~ Senator Barack Obama, Sunday March 14th 2004 at Salem Baptist Church

The New Humanist approach offers shades of spirituality and sounds all but too convincing, but quickly reduces everything to social relativism and subjective interpretations. The New Humanism promotes the recreation of morality and moral standards in every age leading to the "rethinking" of moral values and the ultimate redefinition of everything that was formerly held sacred. In other words, using these new interpretive methods, there can be no universal truth and no enduring or efficacious truth that is truly sustainable from generation to generation.

Another feature of this methodology is the belief that scripture is culturally commensurate eg: in line with current culturally accepted standards of morality, values and norms. I hate to be repetitive, but please remember, what we said about the direction of humanism under the Humanist Manifesto...the ultimate goal was and is complete replacement of the "City Of God" with the "human city":

"…The wider platform for human progress as part of a New Enlightenment needs, I submit, to advocate secularism in the above three senses:

(1) the separation of religion from the state;(2) the humanization of values that satisfy the deeper interests and needs of human beings; and (3) the decline of religious practice, entailing the growth of the Human City in place of the City of God." ~ Dr. Paul Kurtz's Council For Secular Humanism's Humanist Manifesto of 2000.

How Is This Happening Within The Church?

Through a weak, flesh centered, people powered leadership.The new humanism/apostasy isn't rising outside of the church, it is coming directly to the church, talking the language of the church and it's taking no captives and holding no hostages that it does not plan to kill. This type of apostasy is rising through leaders who worry more about the clothes that they put on than the substance that they put in (their hearts). Who care more about what they drive, than what drives them. Through leaders who have turned from God and became "scoffers" walking after their own lusts and have catered to what seems and appears to be the right path after the flesh.

2 Peter 3:3-4 ~ "3-Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4-And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

Jude 3:18 ~ "18-How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts."

These are the atheistic teachers of the bible who do not believe in the miracle working power of God and if they do, they only use such as a display and pretense to open church doors so that they can promote their filth. They are the ones who are dumbed down by the world's political leaders in the name of advancing the gospel. Ultimately they serve themselves and not God because their light has been dimmed if not even put all the way out.

Example Of A Weak Church & Weak Church Leaders:

On May 4th and 5th 2009 Mr. Knox's HRC will be holding their Clergy Call For Justice & Equality 2009 You Tube video HERE. Previous efforts have netted up to 200 + pastors from across the nation. Yes, this is a relatively small group but it's influence and voice is being heard in almost every aspect of Christianity. The call is made to all clergy in efforts of galvanizing pastors and ministers from every region and religious faith to support and promote equality (aka: THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA) and to ask churches to be inclusive "like the bible says that it should" This is from the HRC's site:

• "This year our mission is to ignite religious leaders to be agents of change for lesbian, gay, bisexual and, most particularly, transgender people across the country! You have been prophetic in your insistence that we affirm the worth and dignity of LGBT people not just in our congregations but in our laws, our workplaces and our families. Religious voices stand at the vanguard of our movement for equality."

A Final Note:

As one should understand, we are in a full faced frontal attack of the enemy and we must engage. Although I believe that the church's battle in America against homosexuality is a far gone cultural conclusion, I also believe that God is still in the saving business, and the attack of the enemy shall not prevail against HIS church (Mt. 16:18) I believe that he is yet moving by HIS Spirit and that a homosexual or any person in sin, whether they want to be in that sin or not, is just right to be saved.(Mt. 18:11, Lk. 19:10)

I received an email from an individual battling with thoughts of homosexuality. He wanted to know what he needed to do to be free. The first stop is to not buy into the lie that you are destined to be a homosexual. If you were born a homosexual, thank God that the scripture records that you "MUST be born again" (Jn. 3:3) and that Christ can make you free.(Jn. 8:35) This freedom however, does not come without responsibility. Just as the sexually immoral heterosexual involved in extramarital sexual activity has a responsibility to personal purity, the sexually immoral and abominable act of homosexuality must be avoided, and individuals tempted must find respite both in God's word, prayer and fasting, fellowship with believers and breakthroughs in schematic thinking.(1 John 3:2-3, Rom. 8:7-9)

Beyond that, active living and true biblical faith must be applied knowing that God can and will change the mind, (Rom. 8:2, 2 Cor. 10:4) That God is a deliverer of the heart and heart issues (Ps. 51:10) That God has a way to provide the relief from the burden and guilt of sin (Jn. 10:10, Rom. 8:10-11) that is required for you to live above and beyond the grip of the nature of sin. (Mt. 11:28, Rom. 6:1-2, Gal. 5:1) Your deliverance is IN Christ and in noone else. (Ephes. 2:1-5, Rom. 8:15)

We don't need the excuses and allowances for sin of the Harry Knox's of the world. We need an intervention of epic spiritual proportions with the God of our salvation.

Jude 20-25 ~ "20-But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21-Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22-And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23-And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24-Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25-To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen"

Blessed!