Islam, Submission With No Peace Pt. 16: CAIR Calls Franklin Graham "Un-American"

It HAS to be Friday the 13th to read and hear about this story. It all begins with participants selected to serve at the Presidential Inauguration ceremonies of Donald Trump. 

It seems that Franklin Graham, the son of renown Evangelist Billy Graham was selected by Team Trump to pray at the inauguration.  Not so fast says the nations leading Muslim Advocacy group:

"If President-elect Trump truly seeks to unite our nation as he promised in his acceptance speech, he will limit the list of those offering prayers at the inauguration to religious leaders who work to bring us together, not to create divisions between faiths,"..."Rev. Graham's ill-informed and extremist views are incompatible with the Constitution and with American values of religious liberty and inclusion." ~ Nihad Awad CAIR National Executive Director

CAIR (the Council on American-Islamic Relations) urged President Elect Trump to can Graham from ceremonies if the aim is to unite the country because of past statements of Graham. Pointing to statements such as "Islam is not compatible with American values" and "Every Muslim that comes into this country has the potential to be radicalized--and they do their killing to honor their religion and Muhammad." CAIR claims that statements such as these show that Graham is intolerant and therefore unworthy to pray at an American function designed to support the highest office in the land. 

Does CAIR Have A Valid Point?

In my opinion DEFINITELY NOT!!!!

First, every Muslim would agree that, according to their scriptures, the practice of Islam is not just something that can be shrugged off as a fancy way to pass time. Islam is an all life encompassing faith. A way to live and view the world. 

As we have noted on this BLOG, America is a place that traditional Muslims believe is a mission field, to be "settled". In addition, the ultimate aim of Islam and the highest goal in any society is Sharia. Sharia, also known as "Sharia Law", is the all encompassing guide to life as interpreted by Muslim Clerics imploring the Quran and the Hadith. Sharia also includes elements of concensus by Clerics on issues and analogy. From this combination of what are considered holy and inspired scriptures, and additional holy sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, and other aspects, Sharia Law takes shape and is established. 

The website of the Interfaith Alliance, largely driven by liberal and inclusionist religious philosophies and interpretations of scripture, faith and law, states the following regarding Sharia law:

19. What is Sharia?

Sharia stands for Islamic or sacred law. It is an Arabic word meaning “the way” or “the path to water.” For centuries, Muslim scholars have given a broad definition of Sharia reflecting the diversity of interpretations on how Muslims have attempted to best understand and practice their faith.
The general definition of Sharia as understood by most American Muslims is as follows:
Sharia represents how practicing Muslims can best lead their daily lives in accordance with God’s divine guidance. It may be generally defined as the Islamic law revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad. That divine law was then interpreted by Muslim scholars over the centuries. Among the primary aims of the Sharia are the achievement of justice, fairness and mercy.
The five major goals of the Sharia are the protection of sound religious practice, life, sanity, the family, and personal and communal wealth. The acknowledgement of sound local customs throughout the world is one of the five basic maxims of the Sharia according to all Islamic schools of law.

They go on to say:

"Currently, 35 countries incorporate Sharia into their civil, common or customary law. The diverse manner in which these countries apply Sharia to daily life highlights how Sharia is neither static nor rigid but instead a reflection on how different communities interpret it."

Thus, by admission, Sharia not only judges conflicts based on religion or moral meta-ethics. It is Sharia that decides matters of family and life in civil and even secular society. It is Sharia that is the ultimate authority and way to live. All other governmental systems are secondary to Sharia and at the very least should incorporate some aspects of Sharia. So the aim is to slowly make each state or situation, one that can be ultimately governed by Sharia itself.

I know, my Muslim readers take aim at my statements here and will jump up and down to say that I am intolerant also. But unlike them in their dissent, I think there is ample proof that what Graham says and what I am contending here is totally true if getting to the truth is the aim. 

On the Interfaith Alliance website, the question regarding the compatibility of American Civil law and Sharia is ashed:

22. Is Sharia compatible with American law and values?

Many aspects of Sharia or Islamic law are consistent with modern legal rules found in American law. For example, both legal systems allow rights to personal property, mutual consent to contracts, the presumption of innocence in criminal proceedings, and the right of women to initiate divorce proceedings.

If and when religious laws conflict with American law, the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the First Amendment prohibit American government, including the courts, from substituting religious laws for civil law or following religious laws that violate civil law. This prohibition applies to all religions equally.

Now, this is very smart. By using analogy (a tenet of Sharia) the question is kind of turned on its head. It is certainly true. The government cannot simply upend religious freedoms and laws, however, 

according to what has already been said, Sharia is "sacred law". Now if religion means anything at all, what is "sacred" is at the highest point of the practice of religion and religious values. 

Such conflicts do not exist within Christianity to the degree that they exist in Islam. The bible condones and encourages "good citizenship" even in the face of what is ugly and uncomfortable. It does not teach to "uproot" as teaching exist in Islam to do the same.

We can speak much more on this in the comments, but to examine Franklin Graham's statements and to declare those statements as Un-American demand that the issue of what is American be examined as a whole. 

Since the State cannot establish religion, then how is it that it is American for any religion to have their law code, as interpreted or otherwise, in their legal system based on itself? 

I understand that American society, at least most would like to think, is based on Judeo-Christian values emanating from the bible and what we view as "sacred scriptures" as well. However, the difference here is that the concepts from the scriptures are the guide as opposed to the chapter and verses themselves. 

Conclusion
I certainly have oversimplified the argument, and will be more detailed in the comments if necessary, but I hope that this provides good food for thought. Franklin Graham is certainly American and what he believes about those who are dedicated to and bound to the practice of what is becoming a very diverse religion of Islam (as the difference between fundamental and liberal Islam is really beginning to display itself) must also know that Islam, as practiced and encouraged by the majority of Muslims who read and interpret the same book as American liberal Muslims do, have very different ideas about the methods that should be used to bring about Sharia, but share equally in embracing the goal of Islam and that goal is to bring about Sharia, or a state that is subject to and under the rule of Allah. 

I don;t think that there is a question about that to any Muslim faithful to their faith. Whereas, the Christian already knows that there is NO KINGDOM on Earth that is the final place of God's rule. Jesus said that HIS Kingdom was not of this world and one day there will be a new kingdom where there will be rest. Though every Christian strives every day to make this world better and to do as much good in this world as possible, we do not demand by any means necessary that all men are subject to us or what we believe. We see evidence of that in education, social life and all, YET we know that Christ reigns anyway, in spite of what men do or think. 

Blessed! 

   

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Islam, Submission With No Peace Pt. 13 ~ Christian Liberalism

Recently, Wheaton College Professor Dr. Larycia Hawkins gained national attention when she was placed on administrative leave by Provost Stan Jones. It has been reported that Dr. Hawkins troubles began when she decided to wear a hijab, a garment associated with religious Muslim women, to show her solidarity with Muslim women, a class of persons whom she felt were being marginalized and ridiculed within American society, in particularly because of recent terrorist attacks within the United States, said to have been inspired by ISIS.

Dr. Hawkins explained her actions in her Facebook POST as follows: 

“I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book. And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God.”

She further stated:

"As part of my Advent Worship, I will wear the hijab to work at Wheaton College, to play in Chi-town, in the airport and on the airplane to my home state that initiated one of the first anti-Sharia laws (read: unconstitutional and Islamophobic), and at church."

In her recent press conference on this issue, (see video at the end of this article) she stated:

"Our love for Jesus compels us to make no peace with oppression because Christianity is political or it is not Christianity. That drove my solidarity with women in the hijab, particularly Muslims in the hijab—because you know, Jesus’ mother Mary wore a hijab too."

She went on to state:

"Throughout my years of service at Wheaton College, I have never waivered from my commitment to the Christian doctrines elucidated in the Statement of Faith."

Distinguishing & Differentiating Issues

I would be the first to say that I do not know anything about Dr. Hawkins employment

agreement with Wheaton College or about any reason or right that her employer may have had to monitor Dr. Hawkins' Facebook account. While I would support Dr. Hawkins' right to free speech and to privacy, I must point out that it also seems appropriate that Dr. Hawkins, if she has agreed to a statement of faith, or to certain Christian centered doctrines and teachings, that she be faithful to those teachings even in her private life. This is especially important as she is not only a representative of the college, but more importantly of Christ.   

The media has focused its attention on the Dr.'s freedom and right of expression. However, the primary issue, as I have examined this case and the statements, are clearly her assertion that Muslims (who she sought to encourage) and Christians, worship "the same God". To be fair, Dr. Hawkins was not asserting these ideas independently. Her statements echo those of Pope Francis' who also recently affirmed that both Christians and Muslims worship "the same God".

The issues seem to have been convoluted or intertwined, until the person casually associated with religious doctrines and tenets of faith, assume that the only issue is the wearing of the hijab. In fact in Dr. Hawkins' statement and press conference, this is the primary and initial point of focus. Her theological assertion is downplayed, but I believe that her theological position is the primary, if not the only issue at hand, as you will see in this post. 

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Pastor Burnett Speaks On Israel On Freedom's Journal Radio

This is an interview with Lonnie Poindexter of Freedom's Journal national radio broadcast. This was a very timely interview, and I want to thank Lonnie and freedom's Journal for the opportunity. We ARE blessed!

 
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Islam, Submission With No Peace Pt. 5

"Burn Baby Burn!"

Acts 19:14-20 ~ "14- And there were seven sons of [one] Sceva, a Jew, [and] chief of the priests, which did so. 15- And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16- And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17- And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18- And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19- Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all [men]: and they counted the price of them, and found [it] fifty thousand [pieces] of silver. 20- So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Pastor Terry Jones of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL. has called for a Quran burning service to take place this Saturday Sept. 11th 2010 and has come under fire by everyone from the Pope to the President himself.

 

The top General in the war on terror in Afghanistan, Gen. David Patraeus, believes that the actions of the Pastor will incite an Islamic uprising against the soldiers on the ground. Still, others such as conservative Sean Hannity further believe that this effort will not only endanger the troops, but will also be a waste of effort, lumping the "good" Muslims in together with "radical" Muslims, insulting all, and creating larger problems and anti-Islamic hysteria. 

 

Pastor Jones, not having any regard for the Quran as being a "holy book", or at least a book inspired by the true and living God, concludes that the Quran, at best, is simply good fuel for a bonfire and seems is using his proposed actions as tool and negotiating piece and wedge to offset a planned Mosque proposed to be built close to the World Trade Center site or what we call "Ground Zero".

One thing that has been consistent is that the media suggests that since the Pastor only has "fewer than 50 members" in his congregation that his voice is not worth listening to, but yet they listen. FYI the number of followers of a pastor or leader has has NOTHING to do with their authenticity and use of and by God. God does not speak or use leaders "more" because they amass a crowd. Neither is a greater or more sizeable crowd an indicator that the leader has more dynamic insights than others. Some of America's most dynamic and powerful leaders have had small congregations. In addition, not every leader resides in areas where they can attract large followings; are these leaders less significant, less profound or less important because of where they live? It was the heretic gnostic Cerenthus who was able to amass a large crowd and congregation while preaching a false gospel and a false Christ during the apostolic age. Apostle John confronted Cerenthus regarding his heresy and knew of it, but that did not dissuade followers. The number of followers in no way validates nether does it invalidate the voice of the servant of God nor the message.

Should the book be burned?
(See the end of the article for updates)

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Islam, Submission With No Peace Pt. 1

Biblical truth is challenged like never before. Although this is highly disputed, many speculate that the fastest growing religion in the world today is Islam. With over an estimated 1 billion adherents statistics are that by year 2025 over 30 % of the world's population will be Islamic or under Islamic rule and that Islam will eclipse Christianity as the world's largest religion at some point between now, then or shortly thereafter.[Barrett & Johnson's estimated in an article in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research that the number of Muslims would grow from 1.22 billion in the year 2000 to 1.89 billion by 2025...Author Samuel Huntington predicts that "Muslims in the world will continue to increase dramatically, amounting to 20 percent of the world's population about the turn of the [21st] century, surpassing the number of Christians some years later..."]

Does Islam have an answer that is unknown to Christianity? Is Islam, especially that practiced within traditional Islamic countries somehow superior or more satisfying than the teachings of Christianity?

In the next couple of posts, we will look at what Islam teaches and contrast that to the bible and the biblical record. We are quickly approaching the 9th month which is the most holy time of year for the Muslim called Ramadan. So this information, especially at this time, promises to be an intriguing and eyeopening mini-series. For those observing or relating with someone who observes Muslim and Islamic tradition, I hope that you will better understand some of the traditions and possible worldview that many believers of Islam share. Let's begin:

What Is Islam and Where Did It Come From?

It was in the 9th month of approximately 610 AD, when a man known as the prophet Muhammad (c. 570-632), (assured by his wife Khadijeh that he was a prophet and an apostle (Rasoul)) received a special revelation and words from who he believed was the angel Gabriel. These words came to him while he was in a trance or a trance like state or condition. The words he received were recited and written, thus Quran means "recitation" The words were written down by those who heard him or were present when these episodes occurred. In fact here was the message from the angel:

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Episcopal Muslims, Buddhists & Druids

2 Timothy 4:3-4 ~ "3-For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4-And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

The Episcopal Church USA led by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori (pictured below) has been an open door over the years to almost every type of apostasy possible. Much of what you'll read in this post is public knowledge and has either been resolved favorably or is the process of being resolved with some exceptions. Within this church, there are yet some questions that linger and the practice of homosexuality among clergy in the Episcopal Church is an accepted practice. For those who lead organizations or are considering beginning one, this church should serve as an example of what happens when you stop teaching, preaching and living the word of God in an uncompromising fashion and begin to teach a "social gospel" designed to make individuals feel comfortable in their sins.

Many Problems Begin At The Top

"God is, at the very least, a mystery,...God’s intention is for a restored relationship with all humanity. My job is to proclaim the good news of Jesus, but I cannot deny God is not at work in other ways,” ~ Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori Episcopal Church USA Church Of England News {in PEORIA, Il.-My back yard} 4/17/2009

"Christians understand that Jesus is the route to God. That is not to say that Muslims, or Sikhs, or Jains, come to God in a radically different way. They come to God through human experience—through human experience of the divine." ~ Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori Episcopal Church USA {NPR's "Here And Now" 10/18/2006.}

"We who practice the Christian tradition understand him as our vehicle to the divine"..."but for us to assume that God could not act in other ways is, I think, to put God in an awfully small box." ~ Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori Episcopal Church USA {Time Magazine 7/10/2006}

One can debate over whether a woman should pastor or lead and organization and point to that as the first problem with this church. I won't debate or set forth that issue here, but I will note that the preceding words from the Chief Apostle of the Episcopal Church is strong evidence of an obtuse and disingenuous reading and understanding of scripture. In fact they are strong evidence of a consistent but heretical position in which the Bishop feels that she can rewrite the word of God to suit her tastes. Borrowing from many of the more popular form critical assumptions of skeptical and critical scholars, the Bishop claims that Christians must rethink their ideas about how God could "act" among other religions and peoples. This is shades of the New Humanism that I outlined in a previous post that holds that new standards can be obtained and that historical standards and norms are obsolete especially when they are based on considerations outside of humanity.There are a bevy of problems associated with this line of thinking, and more specifically the Bishop's statements center around how a person can or could become acceptable with God.

The first fallacious thought that must be dispelled is that Christians teach that God can't or won't move among non-Christians. The scripture has said that God rains upon ie: provides for, the just and the unjust (Mt. 5:45). To think that God does not act in the life of sinners and non-Christian individuals is an overstatement. Even the Old Testament history, is filled with examples of God interacting and providing blessings to and upon non covenant peoples and persons.

However, the real point that the Bishop was making is that salvation or the right to access God has been given through other religions equally as well as Christianity. In other words, all religions lead to the same God with some variations and differing results or aims along the way. The thought that all of these different and varying spiritual and philosophical constructs can be molded into some sort of new multi-categorical practice or belief is called syncretism.

What About These Words Bishop?

John 14:6 ~ "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me".

The problem is that world religions DON'T lead to and through Jesus. In fact in many of those religions Jesus is only recorded as a good man or prophet but nothing else. In many of those religions Jesus can be no more than an enlightened mystic, who found his way to an elevated form of consciousness. Still others would only regard Jesus as one among many of the world's great teachers. With all the conflicts about what world religions actually teach as opposed to Christianity, the Bishop's statements simply can't be true. Either her statements are correct and the bible is wrong or the other way around. There is no middle ground within her assertion. I wonder who should we believe? The one who has demonstrated his power and authority over death, hell and the grave by laying his life down and taking it up again, or the one who ordains homosexuals, promotes another gospel, and believes and promotes religious pluralism? The answer is pretty clear cut to me.

The Episcopal Diversity

Obviously the Episcopal Church has suffered at the hands of what I consider to be heretical teaching and allowances of their apostate Bishop. The evidence is clear. As stated, her words speak for themselves and she has not recanted them. In fact she was recently in my city and restated her beliefs when asked by an audience participant.

In an article in Christianity Today the Episcopal Church's battle with syncretism among its clergy was examined and the evidence that has presented itself is shocking. We all know the church's most famous homosexual, V. Gene Robinson Prelate Of New Hampshire, who was affirmed by the majority of Bishops in the church to continue his immoral practices and abomination from a highest ranking local position within the church, simply because he was said to be a "nice guy". The GLBT community certainly has its apostle of change in high ranks of the Christian church. I said in a previous post that atheists were even holding out for ordination. Well, if this keeps up, it won't be long that atheists will be pastoring and preaching messages from local pulpits with evangelistic fervor.

Aside from all that, the Episcopal Church has had Druids, Muslims, Wiccans, and Buddhists in the ranks of clergy who declare their Christian ministry and actually lead congregations. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT?

Druids and Baal Worshipping Priests:

• "In 2004, two suburban Philadelphia Episcopal priests, the Rev. William Melnyk and his wife, the Rev. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk, were investigated by their bishop for being "practicing druids." The two were found to have been authors of a "Eucharist to our Mother Goddess" published on a Wicca website (and, for a while, on the Episcopal Church's Office of Women's Ministries site). Writing under the Druid and Wiccan names Oakwyse, Raven, Druis, and Glipsa, the liturgy evoked the Babylonian deity "Bel" and offered prayers to the "Queen of Heaven": a reference not to the Virgin Mary but to Ishtar, the consort of Baal. In an internet chatroom writing under the pseudonym "Druis," Melnyk stated he had been a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids since 1998. "My spouse and I are both Druid graduates of the training course. We are also both priests in the Episcopal Church. Between us, we lead two groves, some call them 'congregations,' of Christians learning about Druidry numbering about 1200." ~ "Muslim Priest and Buddhist Bishop-Elect Are Raising Questions About Syncretism" Christianity Today, George Conger 3/27/09

Here we have Episcopal priests who believe in ongoing human sacrifice, reading signs of the future by the way that blood runs when someone is slaughtered...believing in metmepsychosis or some form or variation of reincarnation...mixing all of that with the practice of Wicca, Baalism and Christianity. Sounds like a fairy tale? Reality is sometimes stranger than fiction.

What About This?

Deut. 18:9-14 ~ "9-When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10-There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11-Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12-For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13-Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 14-For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do."

In fact, wasn't Baalism one of the practices that got the Canaanites expelled from the land of promise and that stirred the wrath of God against Israel as they erected the pole of Ishtar (aka:Ashtoreth) next to the Tent Of Meeting to represent God's cohort or wife? It was these very practices that caused God to remove his glory and scatter Israel by placing them in bondage to heathen nations.

Thankfully (after being pressured and defrocked) the Melnyk(ies) repented, they stated that they had got involved in the Druid practices "to help others who had lost connection to the Church to find a way to reconnect." OooooKaaaayyy!

Then Come The Muslim Priests

I believe that this is what happens when your faith and practice of Christianity becomes dry, mundane and inexpressive. It leads to a lethargy of spirit.

"The way I understand Jesus is compatible with Islam,...I was following Jesus and he led me into Islam."~ Former Priest Ann Holmes Redding Muslim/Christian The Seattle Times 6/17/2007

This particular defrocked priest (Yes, the church did remove her) ministered in the Episcopal Church for 20 years and reverted to Islam because of a Clerics prayer in which he laid out prostrate on the in a worshipful manner appearing to render his total self to God. She was also impressed with the rigorous prayer life and appearance of piety. This priest was so impressed that in March 2006, she said her shahada — the profession of Islamic faith — testifying that there is only one God and that Mohammad is his messenger.

Now I have many Muslim friends and admit that order in worship and piety are an attractive element of Islam, but they aren't attractive enough for me to forget that Jesus is GOD. The piety of Islam is certainly not enough for me to forget that Jesus is the final revelation of God to man and that without faith in HIM alone none can be saved. Islam doesn't make me forget that Jesus was sinless, (Mohammad was not) physically died on the cross (it wasn't a replacement) and that he exercised his sole authority over life and death by dying and raising himself three days later. How can any Priest struggle with any of these basic significant differences simply because someone looks good when they pray? That is called apostasy!

Salvation Through Nirvana, A Christian Zen Buddhist Bishop-Elect???

"I was drawn to meditation because these elders in our own tradition suggested it as a resource. It can deepen our own closeness to Christ. I find it a very helpful tool. I am not a Buddhist, or a Buddhist priest. I am someone who as a Christian is very grateful for having been taught by the Zen community how to sit...The lay ordination was a welcoming rite for me to commit myself to the path to discover why I suffer or why other people suffer, and to use the practice of meditation to help that suffering."" ~ Bishop-Elect Kevin Thew Forrester Diocese Of Northern Michigan Episcopal Church USA. The Times Magazine

Bishop-elect Forrester known also by his Buddhist name, "Genpo" (which means "Way of Universal Wisdom"), was led into Buddhist meditation by ELDERS IN HIS TRADITION??? WOW! You mean that there are others but he is the poster child because he is the one that was caught? You mean that these "elders" totally overlooked the biblical construct of meditation to submit and direct others to a Godless construct and worldview?

On his own, ( I suppose) the Bishop-Elect holds that Buddhism is a not a theological construct and does not conflict with the practice of Christianity. Is that true? In line with his opinion, Buddhism does not believe in a supreme being or otherwise named God. It does however teach that the world is evil, full of suffering and can only be overcome through a higher state of consciousness called Nirvana. This state of enlightenment has NOTHING to do with Jesus, the word or the power of God. In fact in Buddhism, the true "higher power" is SELF and what one can attain through "self-efforts" In essence, the god of Buddhism is self or self actualization.

Rom. 7:18 ~ "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."

One thing is consistent. When a minister's concepts of biblical truth and sin are shaky or devoid of biblical understanding, one is left open to all sorts of doctrines of devils such as this. The following are the Bishop-Elect's thoughts on sin:

• "Sin has little, if anything, to do with being bad,...It has everything to do, as far as I can tell, with being blind to our own goodness."~ Bishop-Elect Kevin Thew Forrester Diocese Of Nothern Michigan Episcopal Church USA

The Bishop-Elect's ideas on sin are in strange alignment with those of mystic Eckhart Tolle as explained in my post The New Enlightenment Pt. 3. In his book, "The New Earth" Mr. Tolle describes sin as simply "living unskillfully". In the world of the mystic everyone is good but just doesn't know it.

Let's further examine how a Christian Minister become a Zen Buddhist. Well the story goes a little like this (in addition to what was stated above)..."drawn into the Christian-Zen Buddhist dialogue through centering prayer and his desire to assist persons in their own transformation in Christ."

That sounds familiar. It sounds like...The Melynk(ies) story...They were drawn into Baalism, Wicca, and Druidism while trying "to help others who had lost connection to the Church to find a way to reconnect."

Wait a minute...Is this the playa, playa', pimpin' da pews or what??? I mean these priests get involved into ungodly and immoral practices then blame it on the members of the church they were trying to reach??? What is that???

Num. 32:23 ~ "But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out."

These Priests and other must take responsibility for their own sins, actions and behaviors. Not only do these priests not take the blame for their practices and place it squarely upon their shoulders, they claim that God and their desire to better serve God has opened these doors. Unfortunately, at no time do they equate their actions with sin. I guess when one can look over the obvious SIN of homosexuality and promote it along the way, then any practice is at least fair game. After all, Buddahism and Druidism isn't specifically listed as an abomination in the bible whereas homosexuality is, yet the practice of homosexuality gets a pass and even a promotion within the church whereas adherents to other practices get defrocked...Go Figure!

Short of the long, there's nothing new under the sun and it's all been done before. Remember Saul? After having been give explicit and specific instructions to destroy ALL...

1 Sam. 15: 9 ~ "But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly."

But then when Saul was confronted with the truth, because his sin spoke for itself, he blamed the people for his actions:

1 Sam. 15:24 ~ "And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice."

He "feared the people" and "obeyed their voice". In other words he admitted that he was the one through whom sin had been actualized BUT the people were responsible for his violation of the instruction of the Lord. The results of such actions were clear then and they should be clear now:

1 Sam. 15:22-23 ~ "22-And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23-For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king."

And ultimately:

1 Sam. 15:35 ~ "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel."

Final Thought:

This blog has centered on the Episcopal Church leadership, but it may has well be the Church Of God In Christ (of which I am a member) Apostolic, Assembly Of God, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Evangelical Luteran, Catholic or otherwise. There is no exemption for any of us who have failed the Lord miserably regarding these issues and others. The denomination isn't the key here, apostasy is. When any people turn from the true and living God unto fables and myth, the community is in trouble because the church is powerless. Thank God for an opportunity to turn and be set free!

Blessed!

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